Tag Archives: Children’s TV

Boat Rocker Studios secures raft of global broadcasters for Dino Ranch

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Boat Rocker Studios has secured a raft of global sales for the animated pre-school series, Dino Ranch following its successful premier on Disney Junior in the US and CBC in Canada at the start of the year.

Later this year, the animated show will land on Disney Latin America, SRC in Canada, and major broadcasters across Europe.

“Dino Ranch has a unique ability to resonate with audiences through engaging storytelling and first-class animation,” said Jon Rutherford, president, Boat Rocker Studios, Kids & Family and Rights. “We’re thrilled that the show will be available to viewers in more markets around the world, so they can saddle up and ride along with the Cassidy family.”

In Germany, Dino Ranch has been acquired by leading free-to-air channel SUPER RTL, and it will also air on their time-shift kids’ channel TOGGO Plus.

Leading free-to-air kids’ channel Gulli has acquired the series in France, where it will also be available on their Pay TV channels TiJi and Gulli Africa, with plans to additionally air it during the morning kids’ programming on general channel M6.

In Scandinavia, Dino Ranch has been acquired by national public service broadcasters NRK (Norway) and YLE (Finland), and DR (Denmark).

Dino Ranch is a 52 x 11’ 3D animation created by Matt Fernandes of Industrial Brothers and produced by Industrial Brothers and Boat Rocker Studios. It follows the action-packed adventures of the Cassidy family as they tackle life in a fantastical, “pre-westoric” setting where dinosaurs still roam. As the young ranchers learn the ropes, they discover the thrill of ranch life whilst navigating the great outdoors through unpredictable challenges.

Boat Rocker Studios is managing the global content distribution and consumer products program for the franchise.

FuturumKids signs Monster Entertainment as global distribution partner for CGI show Paddles

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The animation and media company, FuturumKids, has signed the brand management company, Monster Entertainment, as its global distribution partner for the new CGI children’s show, Paddles.

Under the partnership, Monster Entertainment will focus on bringing Paddles – a show aimed at the four to seven year old audience – to all territories with the exception of Korea which will be managed by the local company, Neon.

Paddles tells the story of a polar bear cub accidentally delivered by the Stork to a frozen River Shannon in Ireland, and brought up by a pack of Irish wolfhounds. Through the adventures, mistakes and discoveries of the series’ star, and his friends Bracken, Bridie and Fagan, Paddles shows its young audience that being different is something to be celebrated and enjoyed.

This appointment is the latest stage in the broadcast and merchandising development of Paddles, whose makers include members of the team behind the seven-time Emmy-award-winning children’s series Jakers! Paddles has already been sold to Cartoonito UK with more major broadcast deals imminent.

As well as distribution deals with Monster and Neon, an e-commerce venture for plush is in the works.

Brendan Kelly, head of sales at FuturumKids, said: “With its strong reputation, diverse range and especially its highly successful focus on children’s animation, Monster Entertainment is the ideal partner to develop our strategy for bringing Paddles to the wide broadcast and merchandising audience it deserves. We are looking forward enormously to working with the Monster Entertainment team.”

FuturumKids signs Monster Entertainment as global distribution partner for CGI show Paddles

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The animation and media company, FuturumKids, has signed the brand management company, Monster Entertainment, as its global distribution partner for the new CGI children’s show, Paddles.

Under the partnership, Monster Entertainment will focus on bringing Paddles – a show aimed at the four to seven year old audience – to all territories with the exception of Korea which will be managed by the local company, Neon.

Paddles tells the story of a polar bear cub accidentally delivered by the Stork to a frozen River Shannon in Ireland, and brought up by a pack of Irish wolfhounds. Through the adventures, mistakes and discoveries of the series’ star, and his friends Bracken, Bridie and Fagan, Paddles shows its young audience that being different is something to be celebrated and enjoyed.

This appointment is the latest stage in the broadcast and merchandising development of Paddles, whose makers include members of the team behind the seven-time Emmy-award-winning children’s series Jakers! Paddles has already been sold to Cartoonito UK with more major broadcast deals imminent.

As well as distribution deals with Monster and Neon, an e-commerce venture for plush is in the works.

Brendan Kelly, head of sales at FuturumKids, said: “With its strong reputation, diverse range and especially its highly successful focus on children’s animation, Monster Entertainment is the ideal partner to develop our strategy for bringing Paddles to the wide broadcast and merchandising audience it deserves. We are looking forward enormously to working with the Monster Entertainment team.”

Brand-Ward named UK and Ireland licensing agent for pre-school IP Pikwik Pack

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The UK-based licensing agency, Brand-Ward, has been tapped to represent Guru Studio’s latest pre-school series, Pikwik Pack across the UK and Ireland, with a focus on consumer products including toys and games.

The licensing firm already represents Guru Studio’s True and the Rainbow Kingdom and will now add Pikwik Pack to its remit as it looks to build a licensing portfolio for the IP across apparel, housewares, accessories, publishing, party decorations, and live events.

“After a successful premiere on Disney Junior in the US and Treehouse in Canada, we’re excited to partner with Brand-Ward to lead Pikwik Pack’s expansion into the UK and Ireland,” said Jonathan Abraham, VP of sales and business development at Guru Studio.

“The team at Brand-Ward are industry veterans that have brought expertise and strategic planning to the forefront of all our deals. We will be announcing our broadcast partners for the UK and Ireland shortly.”

Trudi Hayward, co-Founder of Brand-Ward Services, said: “We are delighted to be extending our relationship out with Guru Studio and to be working with them on their delightful new property Pikwik Pack. Deliveries and awaiting for those special packages has become a very big part of our lives during this last year with lockdown, so Pikwik Pack could not be more topical right now.”

Pikwik Pack debuted on Disney Junior US and Treehouse Canada late last year, with new episodes continuing to air throughout 2021. The series will be rolling out worldwide later this year with broadcasters such as Super RTL (Germany), Canal Panda (Portugal), HOP (Israel), Minimini+ (Poland), and more.

In the US, the series is represented by Licensing Street, with Playmates Toys (master toy) and Scholastic (US Publishing) already on board.

Brand-Ward named UK and Ireland licensing agent for pre-school IP Pikwik Pack

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The UK-based licensing agency, Brand-Ward, has been tapped to represent Guru Studio’s latest pre-school series, Pikwik Pack across the UK and Ireland, with a focus on consumer products including toys and games.

The licensing firm already represents Guru Studio’s True and the Rainbow Kingdom and will now add Pikwik Pack to its remit as it looks to build a licensing portfolio for the IP across apparel, housewares, accessories, publishing, party decorations, and live events.

“After a successful premiere on Disney Junior in the US and Treehouse in Canada, we’re excited to partner with Brand-Ward to lead Pikwik Pack’s expansion into the UK and Ireland,” said Jonathan Abraham, VP of sales and business development at Guru Studio.

“The team at Brand-Ward are industry veterans that have brought expertise and strategic planning to the forefront of all our deals. We will be announcing our broadcast partners for the UK and Ireland shortly.”

Trudi Hayward, co-Founder of Brand-Ward Services, said: “We are delighted to be extending our relationship out with Guru Studio and to be working with them on their delightful new property Pikwik Pack. Deliveries and awaiting for those special packages has become a very big part of our lives during this last year with lockdown, so Pikwik Pack could not be more topical right now.”

Pikwik Pack debuted on Disney Junior US and Treehouse Canada late last year, with new episodes continuing to air throughout 2021. The series will be rolling out worldwide later this year with broadcasters such as Super RTL (Germany), Canal Panda (Portugal), HOP (Israel), Minimini+ (Poland), and more.

In the US, the series is represented by Licensing Street, with Playmates Toys (master toy) and Scholastic (US Publishing) already on board.

Animaccord lands new Amazon Prime Video partnership for Masha and the Bear

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Animaccord has struck up a new deal with Amazon Prime Video to bring its flagship Masha and the Bear seasons one to three, as well as its spin-offs Masha’s Spooky Stories and Masha’s Tales to audiences across a number of territories.

In a multi-territory partnership, Prime Video has acquired the rights to seasons one and two in multiple languages to launch the show across Europe, including in Spain, Italy, and France.

An update to the deal will see Animaccord deliver Masha and the Bear seasons one to three – and its spin offs – with local dubbing to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The Masha’s Spooky Stories spin-off is available in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, while the Masha’s Tales spin-off will be available in France, Italy, and Spain.

Masha and the Bear consumer products are widely represented on Amazon. The first official brand store was launched across the USA, UK, Germany, and India starting in 2018, selling Masha and the Bear themed t-shirts, hoodies, pop sockets and other items.

As of today, there are brand stores in eight countries: the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the USA, Mexico, and India.

Ragdoll Productions signs CAKE as global distributor for new pre-school series B.O.T. and the Beasties

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Kids’ entertainment specialist, CAKE, has signed a deal with the award-winning production company, Ragdoll Productions, to distribute its new pre-school 2D animated series, B.O.T. and the Beasties.

B.O.T. and the Beasties has been developed by Anne Wood (creator of Teletubbies, In the Night Garden, and Twirlywoos) and will premiere on CBeebies on January 11th this year. CAKE will handle the worldwide distribution rights, excluding the UK.

Brands With Influence has already been appointed as the property’s global licensing agency.

B.O.T. and the Beasties introduces pre-schoolers to the comic adventures and misadventures of a loveable robot called B.O.T. (Beastie Observation Transmitter) as he discovers new worlds and an assortment of bizarre beasties that inhabit them. B.O.T. must collect data on the comically unpredictable beasties.

Ed Galton, CCO and managing director at CAKE, said: “Ragdoll’s reputation for producing high calibre IP’s with proven global appeal is unprecedented in the preschool space and we are thrilled to be working with them on B.O.T. and the Beasties.”

Anne Wood, founder and creative director Ragdoll Productions Limited, added: “It has been the greatest fun and privilege to work with a new young team of animators to bring to life so many comic characters. We are delighted to have CAKE as our partner to launch this new series originated by the experienced team of Joel Stewart and Steve Roberts.”

STEM and eco-focused pre-school series Briko makes international debut to ‘tremendous interest’

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Briko, a new pre-school series aimed at encouraging children into STEM-focused DIY activities has made its international debut having launched on the Turkish children’s channel MinikaCocuk. According to the teams behind the series, it has already received ‘tremendous interest’ from children, parents, and national media.

The new series is co-produced by the Istanbul-based Fauna Entertainment and Singapore’s Toonz Media Group. The show aims to lay a strong emphasis on environment conservation and recycling as it empowers children to be imaginative and take up new, creative activities.

Fauna has already kickstarted a licensing and merchandising programme for the show in Turkey that will launch with the official Briko magazine, followed by activity books and STEM based toys.

In the series Briko and his best friend Hepi, a white rabbit, find a surprise box hiding a not very exciting everyday object, which they turn into fun and exciting games or art crafts using their imagination and creativity. The animation series also includes a live action DIY tutorial to inspire viewers to take up similar crafts and activities. 

Currently being pitched to buyers by Imira Entertainment – Toonz’s own distribution arm, Briko is premiering in international markets such as Mipcom, ATF, MipCancun and soon at Kidscreen 2021.

Moonbug Entertainment welcomes former Disney director David Levine to head of studio role

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The digital media company, Moonbug Entertainment, has named the former Disney director, David Levine as its head of studio. He joins from his previous role as VP of kids programming, Disney Channels Europe and Africa, UK and Ireland.

In his new position with Moonbug, Levine will focus on driving the company’s IP expansion by taking properties like CoComelon and Blippi to new formats, markets and platforms to support the company’s continued growth. He will report to René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO, Moonbug.

“David’s track record at Disney as a visionary executive specializing in children’s original content makes him uniquely well-suited to lead Moonbug’s creative, production and content strategies,” said Rechtman.

“This is a key position for Moonbug as we look to expand our content offerings around the world and develop more IP that delivers fun, educational and relevant programming families love.”

Levine brings more than 20 years experience in the media and entertainment industries to Moonbug. During his tenure at The Walt Disney Company, he was an integral member of the senior leadership team that built the Disney Channel Brand and led all strategic and operational aspects of kids’ programming across Disney Channels Europe and Africa.

Levine oversaw the direction of original production and developed and commissioned a number of shows including First Class Chefs, The Lodge, 101 Dalmatian Street and the Emmy-nominated TV series Evermoor. He also launched and commissioned multiple seasons of global hits PJ Masks and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.

Additionally, Levine was responsible for spearheading LGBTQ+ inclusive representation in Disney’s programming, with LGBTQ+ characters and themes in commissions such as The Lodge and Best Bugs Forever.

“Kids content is playing an increasingly vital role in early childhood development, and now more than ever parents are looking for safe, inclusive, educational content they can trust. Moonbug is at the forefront of this transformation,” said Levine.

“It’s an exciting time to join the company, and I look forward to building on our strong producer and studio relationships while also increasing the diversity and representation in our content and on our creative teams.”

Prior to joining The Walt Disney Company, Levine was vice president at Ragdoll USA. He also served at The itsy bitsy Entertainment Company, supporting the billion dollar Teletubbies franchise in North America and South America.

Acamar Films eyes further digital and international growth for Bing with new chief content officer

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Acamar Films, the independent studio behind the International Emmy Award-winning pre-school series Bing, has appointed Jodie Morris to the newly created role of chief content and audiences officer with immediate effect.

Morris joined Acamar two years ago and has been instrumental in leading the organisation’s successful development and implementation of a global strategy across a range of digital platforms and content formats. Reporting to Mikael Shields, Acamar’s CEO and producer and series voice director of Bing, Morris will take on an expanded leadership role within the company, overseeing the future strategy, planning and operation of the global distribution of Bing content.

She will also be responsible for driving audience growth across all platforms.

Under Morris’ leadership, Bing has already achieved substantial digital audience growth. The last 12 months in particular have witnessed exponential rises in views across a global YouTube network, significant growth across social media channels and over 750,000 downloads of Acamar’s proprietary Bing: Watch, Play, Learn app – an on-demand and games offering, launched in September 2019 and currently available in the UK, Italy and Poland.

With a wide range of major new local language productions now underway, Acamar is committed to deepening its relationship with the global pre-school audience – with a focus on broadening its Bing content offering, building a series of strategic platform-partnerships and expanding Bing’s geographic reach.

Bing continues to deliver outstanding performances across global linear and on-demand platforms, with the BBC having confirmed over 66 million iPlayer requests for Bing within just three months in 2020. A new series of Bing is currently enjoying high ratings as it launches internationally.

As chief content and audiences officer, Morris will work closely alongside Mikael Shields, Sandra Vauthier-Cellier (chief commercial officer), Julie Fitzjohn (chief operations officer) as well as the broader Acamar leadership team to build on the organisation’s remarkable success.