Crest Animation Productions

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Crest Animation Productions
PredecessorRich Entertainment
(1986–93)
Rich Animation Studios
(1993-2000)
RichCrest Animation Studios
(2000–07)
FoundedMarch 15, 1986 (1986-03-15)
FounderRichard Rich
DefunctJune 19, 2013 (2013-06-19)
SuccessorSplash Entertainment
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
Terry L. Noss
OwnerNest Family Entertainment (1980–2000)
Crest Animation Studios (2000–13)

Crest Animation Productions (formerly RichCrest Animation Studios, Rich Animation Studios and originally Rich Entertainment) was an Indian-American animation studio located in Burbank, California, United States. The studio's most well known work include Alpha and Omega and The Swan Princess.

History[]

The studio was founded by film director Richard Rich in 1986, who previously worked at Walt Disney Productions. In 1987, the studio was owned by Nest Family Entertainment to produce and distribute educational animated Christian and historical videos for children such as Animated Stories from the New Testament, Animated Hero Classics and Animated Stories from the Bible. In 1994, the two studios produced and released their first and most famous collaborated feature film called The Swan Princess, based on the classic ballet Swan Lake, it was distributed for New Line Cinema. The film was rather successful on its first opening weekend. It also spawned two sequels, The Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain and The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom, neither of which did a good performance. In 1999, the two studios teamed up with Morgan Creek Productions and Rankin/Bass Productions to produce an animated adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I for Warner Bros.. However, the film bombed at the box office and received very negative reviews, which forced Nest Family Entertainment to sell off the studio to Crest Animation Studios in 2000 to form RichCrest Animation Studios. In 2001, the studio produced and released its last collaborated feature film with Nest Family Entertainment, The Trumpet of the Swan, based on E.B. White's 1970 novel of the same name. It was distributed by TriStar Pictures and also performed poorly. RichCrest Animation Studios continued to produce Bible videos for Nest Family Entertainment until 2005. In February 2007, it was renamed to Crest Animation Productions and announced that it was "expanding its business to become a full-service animation studio specializing in the development and production of CGI-animated properties for theatrical, television, home entertainment and interactive distribution".[1] The studio was finally shut down in 2013, after failing to make a profit.[2] Many of its productions contracts were handed over to other studios for completion. For example, Norm of the North, a film that was in production at Crest before closing, along with future Alpha and Omega sequels were handed over to be finished at Splash Entertainment.

Filmography[]

Theatrical Features[]

Rich era

Title Release Date Notes
The Swan Princess November 18, 1994 (1994-11-18) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
The King and I March 19, 1999 (1999-03-19) Co-production with Morgan Creek Productions, Rankin/Bass Productions and Nest Family Entertainment

RichCrest era

Title Release Date Notes
The Trumpet of the Swan May 11, 2001 (2001-05-11) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
Muhammad: The Last Prophet November 14, 2004 (2004-11-14)

Crest era

Title Release Date Notes
Alpha and Omega September 17, 2010 (2010-09-17) Co-production with Lionsgate Films; and produced in CGI.

Direct-to-Video[]

Rich era

Title Release Date Notes
Animated Stories from the New Testament 1987-2004 Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
Animated Hero Classics 1991-97, 2004 Co-production with Living History Productions, Nest Family Entertainment and Warner-Nest Animation
Animated Stories from the Bible 1992-95 Co-Production with Nest Family Entertainment
The Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain July 18, 1997 (1997-07-18)
The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom August 4, 1998 (1998-08-04)
The Scarecrow August 26, 2000 (2000-08-26)

RichCrest era

Title Release Date Notes
K10C: Kids' Ten Commandments 2003 Co-production with TLC Entertainment and SMEC Media
Arthur's Missing Pal (CGI) August 22, 2006 (2006-08-22) Co-production with WGBH-TV, Mainframe Entertainment and Marc Brown Studios

Crest era Note: All films CGI.

Title Release Date Notes
The Little Engine That Could March 22, 2011 (2011-03-22) Co-production with Universal Animation Studios
The Swan Princess Christmas November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
Alpha and Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure October 8, 2013 (2013-10-08)

Films originally slated for production at Crest

Title Release Date Notes
The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale February 25, 2014 (2014-02-25) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games March 25, 2014 (2014-03-25)
Alpha and Omega: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07)[3]
Alpha and Omega: Family Vacation August 4, 2015 (2015-08-04)[4]
Norm of the North January 15, 2016 (2016-01-15) Co-produced by Splash Entertainment and Assemblage Entrainment
Alpha and Omega: Dino Digs May 10, 2016 (2016-05-10)
The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today September 6, 2016 (2016-09-06) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
Alpha and Omega: The Big Fureeze December 8, 2016 (2016-12-08)
The Swan Princess: Royally Undercover March 28, 2017 (2017-03-28) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
Alpha and Omega: Journey to Bear Kingdom May 9, 2017 (2017-05-09)
The Swan Princess: A Royal Myztery March 27, 2018 (2018-03-27) Co-production with Nest Family Entertainment
The Swan Princess: Kingdom of Music August 6, 2019 (2019-08-06)
The Swan Princess: A Royal Wedding August 4, 2020 (2020-08-04)

References[]

  1. ^ Baisley, Sarah (February 13, 2007). "RichCrest Animation Now Crest Animation Prods. with Fogelson at Helm". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  2. ^ Sadhwani, Yogesh. "WEEKEND DEATH FOR INDIA'S LARGEST ANIMATION FIRM".
  3. ^ "Alpha and Omega: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave". Lionsgate Publicity. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  4. ^ "PGS Secures rights to Alpha and Omega TV movie". Rapid TV News. Pascale Paoli-Lebailly. Retrieved January 22, 2014.


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