C21Kids Fall 2021 by C21Media

How Brexit has begun to impact UK animation

Kids Everything about children’s content

Fall 2021

Rick Clodfelter on Disney’s TV content wishlist

21 new shows worth screening at MipJunior

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C21Kids | Fall 2021 | Issue #310

UPFRONT

Welcome back to the real

t’s been a while since we last published a physical version of the C21Kids magazine, after a little something called the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted our lives. So welcome back! The coronavirus crisis has impacted the TV industry in various ways, but while it has presented a number of challenges it has also highlighted and accelerated much-needed change in the sector. With companies reassessing their business plans and content strategies, it became apparent, for example, that the industry had not been doing enough to improve diversity and inclusion on- and off-screen, while the pandemic has forced businesses to pay greater attention to the mental health of their staff. The latter goes hand-in-hand with an increased focus on mental health programming which has extended into the kids’ space, much to the approval of children’s content producers (page 21). During multiple lockdowns, companies have also had to rethink how they work. Animation studios have been the beneficiaries of this, thanks to their ability to work remotely and producers have given us their predictions about the future of working from home (page 27). With Covid consuming so much of our lives, it can be hard to remember what problems we had before the virus hit. Shortly after it became evident the pandemic wasn’t just going to disappear after two months, it felt like the world had come to a standstill. The words “I miss Brexit” were uttered on many an occasion by people in the UK fed up

with turning on the news to be faced with endless Covid-related stories. But we mustn’t forget what else is going on in the world – issues like the UK’s departure from the EU are starting to bite once more. In this issue we also discuss the implications of Brexit on UK producers, particularly in the months since the EU revealed plans to remove UK productions from European programming quotas in June (page 9). In the Upfront to our last physical edition of C21Kids, almost two years ago, we talked about the roll-out of Disney+ which at the time was present in only six territories. Since then, the streamer has gone global, surpassing 100 million subscribers earlier this year with only a few markets left to target. A lot has happened at the Mouse House in that time, including the announcement of plans to drop 100 linear channels as it increases its streaming efforts. Rick Clodfelter, Disney Branded Television’s new content acquisitions and partnerships lead, talks about the company’s move away from channels and towards brands (page 7). So much has changed in the past two years, including at C21. This edition marks my debut as editor of C21Kids, succeeding Nico Franks who has taken the helm at our sister publication C21International. I know I have extremely big shoes to fill, so I hope you enjoy reading this magazine as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. Karolina Kaminska

CONTENTS

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: Rick Clodfelter Disney Branded Television’s acquisitions chief discusses his programming needs.

NEWS ANALYSIS: Brexit & UK animation Has increased productivity brought by the pandemic hidden very real damage caused to the UK business by Brexit?

COUNTRYFILE: African animation How the global SVoD boom and recruitment issues are affecting IP ownership in African animation.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Mental health Kids’ TV has picked up on the growing awareness around mental health issues, but is there demand for such content?

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Cartoon Forum Top players in animation preparing to head for Toulouse give their views on current industry trends and issues.

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21 A selection of 21 new shows for buyers to track down at MipJunior, featuring monsters, robots and lots of adventure.

CHANNEL PROFILE: Spacetoon TV How the pan-Arab MENA free-to-air channel has adapted to a changing children’s market.

THREE-YEAR PLAN: Gigglebug CEO Anttu Harlin on his strategy for the Finnish animation outfit.

DEVELOPMENT SLATE: Moonbug David Levine talks about the advantages of storing IP on YouTube.

KIDSTALK: Heath Kenny Mercury Filmworks’ chief reveals three ways to overcome recruitment problems.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: Rick Clodfelter

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Holly Hobbie

Disney magic R

ick Clodfelter was appointed content acquisitions and partnerships lead at Disney Branded Television earlier this year, after serving as a consultant to the company through his firm Garden Place Media. In his new role, Clodfelter, who has previously held executive positions at Universal Kids and WarnerMedia’s Cartoon Network and Boomerang, is responsible for finding and negotiating third-party acquisitions for Disney’s linear channels and platforms, as well as forming and managing strategic partnerships with third-party content producers. “Our kids’ and family content is for our three major brand pillars: Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, with extensions to Disney+ and even Hulu to some extent,” Clodfelter explained at C21’s Content Canada in September. “We serve kids aged two to five and six to 11 in the live-action, animation, comedy and drama spaces. Some factual content is also coming out of the acquisitions team fairly soon, so we’ve got a lot of new things happening and new models being built, which is really exciting from an acquisitions lens.” Clodfelter’s arrival is part of a reorganisation at Disney Branded Television to separate production from distribution and move the content team towards a brandfocused structure, as opposed to a channel-focused structure. This means all kids and family-oriented acquisitions, even those for streamer Disney+, will go through Clodfelter’s team. “For Disney+, Disney Branded Television is the content arm, so all

acquisitions and third-party content opportunities come through the division. We’re looking at content for our brands, rather than it being platform-speciﬁc,” he said. For the Disney Junior brand, the exec said he was looking for “magical storytelling that gives kids an opportunity to feel something from the heart, featuring characters they love – character-driven storytelling where there’s a bit of relevance and the audience can see themselves, and it has a bit of Disney magic.” He added: “The Disney magic pieces can be a little hard to deﬁne. It’s not always just princesses or magicians or wizards, but fresh storytelling that is really meaningful and heartfelt for the audience. That can be magic, too. A really good example of that is [Australian preschool series] Bluey; there are no princesses or fairies in Bluey, but it has amazing storytelling and character development.” The Disney Channel brand, meanwhile, is “a little more opportunistic when we have a need,” Clodfelter said. “During the Covid-19 outbreak, a lot of productions were delayed, so I had to step in and acquire some third-party library content. One show that’s coming our way in the fourth quarter is [live-action Canadian series] Holly Hobbie.” Finally, Clodfelter described the Disney XD brand as “a mixed bag with some action-adventure, comedy and programming that is unexpected for the audience and leans much more towards boys than Disney Channel. “We’re really open to a lot of different formats that could be new and fresh for us, feeding into the Disney brands. Unfortunately, with the markets being very different over

the past year-and-a-half, it’s been much harder to connect. But we are looking forward to getting pitches at lightning speed like we had in years past.” Earlier this year, Disney announced plans to close many of its linear channels around the world, as Disney+ continued its roll-out across the globe. So does this mean the company will be commissioning and acquiring any more or any less? “Content is king and everyone would love to have more content,” Clodfelter said. “Again, it’s not platform-specific, it’s brand-specific and these brands will remain. So, yes, we are looking at commissioning, which is not my role, and we are looking at third-party acquisitions. I can connect and look at opportunities as different models that could fit within the Disney ecosystem.”

Rick Clodfelter

At C21’s Content Canada event in September, Rick Clodfelter spoke about his new role as lead for content acquisitions and partnerships at Disney Branded Television, Bra and what content an he is looking for. By Karolina Kaminska

Clodfelter says Bluey has ‘amazing storytelling and character development’

NEWS N NE WS ANALYSIS: Brexit & UK animation

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Bing

For better or worse? T

he UK’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) in the summer of 2016 delivered a sucker punch to a British animation industry that had only just got back on its feet after the successful introduction of a welcome tax credit for animation in 2013. The uncertainty the referendum result triggered meant numerous animated projects were put on hold by international broadcasters that summer. Since then, many of the long-term negative consequences that UK producers feared would surface after leaving the EU are now coming to fruition. The loss of vital soft money from the EU’s Creative Europe fund, an exodus of European talent, getting shut out of EU-subsidised events such as Cartoon Forum and shows no longer qualifying as European content – all of these were signposted by UK producers before and after the Brexit vote. At the same time, however, UK studios have found themselves massively in demand in the years since the referendum while sharpening their focus on securing commissions from streamers like Netflix over traditional broadcasters. First, the currency fluctuations caused by the unexpected referendum result led foreign companies to capitalise on the weakness of the pound to tap local producers for lucrative service work. More recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has ensured that while UK studios may be half-empty for safety reasons, their employees continue animating from home as domestic and international buyers look to refresh their schedules and libraries with new content. As executive chair of trade body Animation UK, Kate O’Connor is in regular touch with the local industry, which she says is busier than ever, thanks mostly to the pandemic putting animation and children’s programming in the spotlight. “Most of the UK studios are positive. There are

challenges, which we’re not blind to, but at the moment the sector is in good health and is getting more work and recognition internationally,” she says. Indeed, the reputation of the UK animation industry is hard to beat, with the list of UK-originated animated hits over the years, from Peppa Pig and Bing to Shaun the Sheep, stretching out. Producers’ technical and creative expertise is up there with the very best around the world and remains highly sought after. For example, Londonbased Karrot Entertainment’s creative director and cofounder Jamie Badminton says the firm was tapped by producers in Asia to add an element of “Britishness” to the storytelling in preschool series Tish Tash (52x5’), which was subsequently acquired by CBeebies from its UK-based distributor Cake. But could the long-term negative consequences of Brexit chip away at the foundations that have made such cherished cultural treasures like Wallace & Gromit and commercial behemoths like Peppa Pig possible? Five years on from the referendum, each of the aforementioned concerns over Brexit has started to bite, to varying degrees of severity. The past summer has been a case of déjà à vu for many UK producers, who have found investors getting tting cold feet in the same way they did in the immediate e aftermath of the vote, after the EU revealed bombshell plans to X

Could the productivity boost provided by the pandemic be papering over some major Brexitinduced cracks within the UK animation industry? Or will international interest in the country’s IP ensure it can keep e calm and carry on? c By Nico Franks

The hybrid way of working g means you can work for a studio without being g physically present. That has worked in our favour. We were concerned about the implications of Brexit and not being able to bring people back, but working from home can work really well.

“

Colin Williams Sixteen South

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C21Kids | Fall 2021

remove UK productions from quotas around European programming in June. C21Kids understands this has meant UK companies have already lost out on projects because of the plans, which are yet to be confirmed but look to be spooking potential investors already. This is causing frustration among UK producers, who are losing out on work despite European works status continuing to apply to audiovisual content originating in the UK, as the UK remains party to the Council of Europe’s European Convention on Transfrontier Television regardless of Brexit. Jon Rennie, MD of Cardiff-based Cloth Cat Animation, says: “There’s a big concern over whether UK content is applicable as European content. That will take a couple of years to decide but, unfortunately, I know a number of places have already lost projects or investors have got cold feet with the UK. The uncertainty is the difficult part; once you know what your framework is then you can work within it.” Examples of axed coproductions between the UK and European countries are “disturbing and disappointing” given content originating from the country continues to qualify as European, says O’Connor, who adds that Animation UK remains a member of Animation Europe. “The European market and our European partners are hugely important to us. There’s such a rich heritage of coproductions with Europe and a strong alignment there, and that’s continuing. There is clarity: we are part of European works and we continue to be part of those quotas,” she says. Meanwhile, what is crystal clear is the stark lack of UK producers involved in Cartoon Forum this year, an event many would describe as crucial to getting new projects off the ground and which has helped foster strong links between UK producers and the rest of Europe over the years. And that’s only partly thanks to the free bar in the evening. Usually, those attending the conference in Toulouse in September could expect to see at least a clutch of promising projects being pitched by Brits, with titles such as Circle Square, Pablo, Tee & Mo and even Peppa Pig successfully finding financing at the event before going on to screen around the world. However, just one UK prodco, London-based Lupus Films, was involved in a pitch at the event this year – as a coproducer on Tales of Terror (10x11’) with Dream Logic in the Republic of Ireland – following the UK government’s decision not to participate in Creative Europe’s Media programme after Brexit. “Some of the strongest relationships I’ve made in the industry have been made at Cartoon Forum,” says Sueann Rochester, MD of Stirling-based Wild Child Animation in Scotland, who co-founded the company in 2020 just before the pandemic hit. Wild Child hit the ground running with a commission from Comcast-owned Sky Kids for the recently renewed The Brilliant World of Tom Gates and

There’s a big concern over whether UK content is applicable as European content. That will take a couple of years to decide but, unfortunately, I know a number of places have already lost projects or investors have got cold feet with the UK.

“

Jon Rennie Cloth Cat Animation

NEWS ANALYSIS: Brexit & UK animation

Above: Sixteen South pitches Super Snail at Cartoon Forum 2019 Left: Paper Owl Films’ Happy the Hoglet

has teamed up with Ferly in Finland to co-develop Butthole Biscuits, an adult animated comedy series about broken and unwanted biscuits. Of course, Scottish companies may be able to tap into the Creative Media programme once again in the not-too-distant future. If the UK government approves a second Scottish independence referendum, Scotland would likely attempt to rejoin the EU should it vote to separate from the UK. But there are somewhat less messy ways for UK companies to pitch as lead producers at Cartoon Forum. Look a bit closer at the list of projects at this year’s event and you’ll see the Dublin-based outpost of the UK’s Belfastbased Sixteen South, which pitched Ivory Towers (52x7’), looking to continue the roll it is on at the event following previous successes such as Lily’s Driftwood Bay, Claude and Odo. The Northern Irish prodco wasn’t the only UK producer to set up a base in Ireland in the aftermath of the referendum result to ensure it didn’t lose out on the benefits of being based in the EU. By mid-2017, C21Kids reported that accountancy firm Grant Thornton had incorporated 25 Irish subsidiaries of London-based producers. Many, such as Lupus Films, have kept their Irish subsidiaries dormant for the time being, but Sixteen South Ireland appears far from a brass plate company. For Colin Williams, creative director at Sixteen South, there was never any question about setting up shop in the EU via Dublin after Brexit. “I have two passports and we’ve had an Irish business for four years. When the B-word was waved around, we knew we had to invest in the future and make sure we didn’t get left out of Europe. It’s a small physical presence but we are looking for a slightly bigger space in Dublin,” says Williams. There are suggestions that UK/EU coproductions will allow UK producers to once again have a more X

NEWS ANALYSIS: Brexit & UK animation

Preschool series Tish Tash

The European market and our European partners are hugely important to us. There’s such a rich heritage of coproductions with Europe and a strong alignment there, and that’s continuing.

“

Kate O’Connor, Animation UK

C21Kids | Fall 2021

However, yet again, the pandemic has changed the way talent is procured. “We now have access to crew from all over the world, so we’re all competing with each other,” says Cloth Cat Animation’s Rennie. Sixteen South’s Williams concurs: “The hybrid way of working means you can work for a studio without being physically present. That has worked in our favour. We were concerned about the implications of Brexit and not being able to bring people back, but working from home can work really well. We’ve been able to fill all the positions quite easily. Though if you’re a studio that’s reliant on employing local people to get local funding, that might work against you.” Rennie adds that a major challenge the industry faces is figuring out how to train those who are making their start in the animation industry at a time when remote working is fast becoming the norm. “To learn, you do need to have people around you, looking over your shoulder, meaningful presence at Cartoon Forum next checking something. You can’t do that year, with O’Connor saying Animation UK is remotely. We’re finding junior members in discussions with the event to ensure this. of staff are struggling. It’s not as easy as Meanwhile, in lieu of Creative Europe’s when we were all together,” says Rennie. Media programme, which has been used by Meanwhile, initiatives such as The Secret companies like Lupus Films in the past to Story Draw have been launched to address help finance properties such as We’re Going the serious lack of representation in the on a Bear Hunt, the UK government has sector by placing illustrators and animators launched its Global Screen Fund. This £7m from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (US$9.6m) fund is split into three contestable backgrounds into some of the country’s strands: international distribution, animation studios via paid internships. international business development and Soon after the referendum result, UK international coproduction. Funded through Lupus Films’ Ruth Fielding (top) producers were advised to target markets the Department for Culture, Media & and Wild Child Animation’s such as India and China, while building Sport and administered by the British Film Sueann Rochester on established links with English-speaking Institute (BFI), this initial one-year pilot is “focused on accelerating export growth, boosting revenues markets like Australia, Canada and the US, as a result of to independent UK screen companies and deepening Brexit. The pandemic has arguably made this easier, given how much video conferencing has helped to make us all international relationships,” a BFI spokesperson told C21. For some, the new fund is an improvement on its feel closer, time zones permitting. “We’re talking to partners European equivalent, despite being a smaller pot, thanks in North America, Asia and Africa. It could be anywhere. to its focus on business development and distribution We’re not limited by distance anymore,” says Rennie. Of course, this could and probably would have happened rather than single projects. So says Rennie of Cloth Cat Animation, who believes many producers are going to have regardless of Brexit, which seems to have only made UK animation producers’ jobs more difficult by throwing heaps to change the way they approach the market. Other sources of support for UK producers focusing on of uncertainty into the mix. But for better or worse, the UK animation include the government-funded Young Audiences animation sector is used to dealing with adversity and will Content Fund (YACF), which has so far leant towards live- likely rise to any Brexit-related challenges still to come. Meanwhile, earlier this year the BBC pledged to invest action shows but has helped projects such as new preschool animation Happy the Hoglet from Northern Ireland’s Paper in the development of the UK’s animation industry in a bid to create more homegrown UK shows that reflect the lives Owl Films for CITV in the UK and S4C in Wales. Unsurprisingly, an increase to the country’s 25% tax and culture of the country’s kids and offer an alternative credit for animation would be unanimously welcomed by to the plethora of US cartoons available. Up to 20 ideas UK producers, who are keen for it to be upped to levels from across the UK, drawn from established independent closer to those in countries such as Ireland (32%) or prodcos, BBC in-house production and individuals, will be even the Canary Islands (45%). That, however, remains a given a development budget as part of the scheme, dubbed decision for the government, with Animation UK making the Ignite, with potential for a BBC commission. This comes in recognition that, from Clangers to Wallace argument for it to be increased. Such is the extent of the boom in animation work going on & Gromit to Postman Pat to Fireman Sam to Bob the Builder in the UK at the moment that talk of a skills shortage is never to Bing to (insert own cherished childhood TV show here), far away in conversations with local producers. Lupus Films, IP is the bedrock of the UK animation industry. “We’re very lucky that we’re known for invention. That’s for example, is in dire need of more animators for 2D handdrawn content, something Brexit has only exacerbated. going to be our saviour. People are still coming to us for “We’re really feeling it on our feature film Kensuke’s our leadership and our quality of storytelling,” says Karrot Kingdom. We can’t go to our normal talent pool of French Entertainment’s Badminton. Long may that continue, whatever challenges, or even or Irish animators to plug the gap, as we wouldn’t be able to claim the tax credit on them,” says Lupus Films MD Ruth opportunities, Brexit and the pandemic present in the years ahead. Fielding, who describes herself as a “strong anti-Brexiteer.”

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COUNTRYFILE: African animation

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Africa advances

Super Sema

Global SVoD platforms such as Netflix have been upping their game in African A animation in recent years. But what does this mean for IP ownership and how can the continent’s industry me address its recruitment problem? ad By Ruth Lawes

lack Panther, the Marvel Studios-produced superhero film set in the fictional sub-Saharan African country of Wakanda, was a watershed moment in showbusiness. Beyond being a box office and critical triumph – becoming the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, as well as the ninthhighest grossing movie of all time – Black Panther was a ground-breaking portrayal of black culture on the silver screen. With a predominantly black cast, including the late Chadwick Boseman and Laetitia Wright, and African American filmmaker Ryan Coogler serving as director, Black Panther’s cultural reverberations can still be felt three years on. Describing it as the “Wakanda effect,” Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya, founder at Kenyan animation studio Nalo Studios, believes that the rise of African animation began

as soon as Black Panther was released in 2018. “Larger and global studios suddenly saw that Africa is the home of strong and big IP, with a wealth of ideas, stories and talent to exploit,” she says. Less than a year after the movie debuted in cinemas, Netflix announced it had commissioned its first original animated series from Africa in the form of Mama K’s Super 4. Created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema, the female-led action-comedy series is coproduced by South African studio Triggerfish and UK children’s entertainment specialist Cake. Hot on the heels of Netflix are fellow global players Disney and YouTube. At this year’s Annecy International Film Festival, the Mouse House announced it had greenlit two animated kids’ shows from Africa. Sci-fi anthology series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, produced by South Africa’s Triggerfish, will stream on Disney+, while musical comedy Kiff, from South African creators and exec producers Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal, will air on Disney Channel. YouTube, meanwhile, ordered Super Sema from Kenyan outfit Kukua in February. The superhero toon is exec produced by 12 Years a Slave star Lupita Nyong’o, who also lends her voice to the show. While global players’ interest in African animation is providing a boost to the industry, particularly X

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COUNTRYFILE: African animation

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Sci-fi anthology series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire

In Africa, linear TV is still much bigger and can reach many more people, especially more in the low-income communities where mobile data is still very expensive.

“

Lucrezia Bisignani Kukua

financially, what does this mean for local studios’ IP ownership? Anthony Silverston, head of development at Triggerfish, describes it as a “tricky” issue. Major players pumping millions of dollars into series means there is an upfront payment, while choosing to forgo the pay-out and opting to be an investor can be a financial risk, he says. That said, partnering with a global SVoD can lead to more power in the long term, according to Silverston. “It’s hard when you’re the small guy who hasn’t got a proven track record to be saying that you should get that IP, especially when you haven’t paid for it to be developed, although creators should rightfully fight to retain ownership,” he says. “Potentially, it will be a credit on your reel that means you can fight for more next time. At Triggerfish, the more we build our reputation and credibility, the more we can fight for the IP share.” For Nalo Studios’ Oluoch-Olunya, revenue earned from major companies is a “trade opportunity” that can then be funnelled into producing independent IP. She says: “The money a multinational company injects into your project is something that would take decades to raise independently. If you’re an indie, d e, you can ca then t e take ta e tthat at money to fund your own IP.” Lucrezia Bisignani, founderr and CEO at Kukua, had conversations with all the global al players about licensing Super Sema but eventually plumped for YouTube. Under the deal with the platform, tform, Kukua retains 100% ownership of the IP as the firm aspires to make it the biggest franchise to o come out of Africa, eventually encompassing toys,, games and theme parks. YouTube also retains global exclusive VoD rights for “many years” to Super Sema, ma, as well as global exclusive linear rights for one year, excluding Africa. The ability to keep the linear rights in Africa was a key reason Kukua sold the show to YouTube. Other companies were less keen on this condition as they wanted to build up a presence in Africa, according ccording to Bisignani. “In Africa, linear TV is still much bigger and can reach many more people, especially more in the low-income communities es where mobile data is still veryy expensive,” she explains.

Super Sema has been greenlit by local broadcasters, including Citizen TV in Kenya, but it comes at a price. “We’re not seeing a financial gain with traditional broadcasters because they don’t have the funds. We either have to sell the show extremely cheaply or give it to broadcasters for free, but we just wanted the show to be out to as many people as possible in Africa. The whole deal worked out financially sustainable because we were able to sell it globally to YouTube,” Bisignani says. Broadcasters across the world not commissioning African animation is a “frustration” for Mounia Aram, founder of Mounia Aram Company, a distributor that focuses on content from Africa. “Digital platforms are not afraid to take a risk, although I disagree with the idea it is risky to air African shows,” she says. “Traditional broadcasters just endlessly commission the same kind of content, and it is boring.” Partly to remedy the lack of African animation on linear TV, Nick Wilson, head of projects and content at the African Animation Network (AAN), plans to launch the company’s own channel. Initially, the AAN will roll out a one-hour edutainment block across networks in Africa at the t e end e d of o this t s year, yea , but is confident it will secure funding for a 24/7 linear channel. ch So far, the th company, which links various animation professionals and national associations association across Africa, has secured around 11 partner broadcasters in subSaharan Africa. “We want to create a Af network across the continent to showcase acr African stories. stori But we also want to work in partnership with local broadcasters and assist w them in building their ecosystems. We do bui not necessarily want to be in competition with them,” Wilson says. Wilson joins Adamu Waziri, director of j Nigerian studio EVCL, the firm behind African culture show Bino & Fino, who has rolled out SVoD service Ammarra ro across Africa. The streamer is headlined by Bino Bin & Fino but is looking to order African Africa content from other producers. Recruitment is another issue Recr affecting ectin the African animation industry, especially as there are few training especial schools and a formalised infrastructure does not yet ye exist. X Clara Nje Njeru

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COUNTRYFILE: African animation

Animators should be able to do service work for the likes of Netflix and then be able to re-enter the local market. It would be an opportunity to be able to straddle both markets.

“

Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya Nalo Studios

Triggerfish’s Silverston says: “There’s still a huge lack of infrastructure and the problem is particularly felt among senior crew, as people with experience are quite rare. Plus, when animators do get experience, they often go overseas to bigger studios or projects, so there is a real brain drain.” Due to lower incomes for producing animation, Kukua’s head of production, Clara Njeru, says the top talent are enticed by higher-paying industries. “People end up doing advertisements,” she says. “Kenya has a great reputation for producing commercials but there’s no financing for TV series.” For Nalo Studios’ Oluoch-Olunya, an absence of specialised recruitment firms is impeding the African animation industry’s progress. As well as creatives, she points out that supplementary roles, in areas such as administration, also need to be filled and accounted for. “It is important to have a healthy eco-system,” she says. “Before I started working for multinational studios, I would end up doing the jobs of several different people, including supportive admin, and that is not sustainable.” But Oluoch-Olunya does believe a hybrid job market, where professionals work for both local studios and international players, could be the way forward. “Animators should be able to do service work for the likes of Netflix and then be able to re-enter the local market. It would be an opportunity to be able to straddle both markets as it would make their work richer,” she says. Staffing shortages have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has fuelled the rise of remote working, according to Silverston. “Visas were a barrier before as people wouldn’t be able to get a job so easily around the world,” he says. “Now lots of freelancers are Mama K’s Team 4 for Netflix

C21Kids | Fall 2021

able to work for companies in Europe and the States, while remaining based in Africa.” To create an animation workforce in Africa, several companies have already launched training programmes, and with great success. Triggerfish is behind many schemes, including the recent pan-African Story Artist Lab, which is sponsored by Netflix. Selected applicants are offered paid training by Pixar storyboard artist Nathan Stanton, known for films Finding Nemo and Incredibles 2. The initiative follows on from the firm’s Female Writers Lab, which saw nine female African writers work on Mama K’s Team 4 for Netflix. Mounia Aram Company, which is based in France, has also unveiled plans to launch an African animation training programme in Morocco, following the opening of its second office and studio in Casablanca. The African Creative Talents programme will train 40 students, at least half of whom will be women, over a three-year period. Set to start in January next year, the scheme will include a paid internship at an African studio. Aram says: “I’m really eager to work with talent in Africa but there isn’t enough talent, and that can be a problem when you sign coproduction deals and they shift the production away from Africa because there aren’t enough trained animators. I decided to launch African Creative Talents to keep talent in Africa. It’s part of my strategy to focus on and promote content from Africa. For me, Morocco is the first door to Africa.” Elsewhere, French animation studio TeamTO is in conversations with studios in South Africa and Ivory Coast to launch a training school. If successful, the firm would seek to replicate the success of its Ecole Cartoucherie Animation Solidaire (ECAS) in France. ECAS, a free-ofcharge non-profit CG animation school, was established in 2018 and has so far trained more than 90 students, with the vast majority going on to secure jobs at TeamTO. EVCL’s Waziri believes that once more professional training schemes become available in Africa, it will spur on governments to step up funding in the animation sector. “Government has to step in, either by creating training institutions or by supporting training institutions,” he says. “However, we have to show them that trained animators will go on to work in local companies rather than abroad. It’s up to us, as studios and creators, to create the avenues for trained professionals to follow.” As for the future of the African animation industry, Mounia Aram’s Aram says: “I hope at some point we won’t be speaking about African animation but about Nigerian animation, Ghanian animation and so on, because it’s rare that we speak about a continent as one. Africa is made up of 54 countries and they all have diverse cultures and stories.” Kukua’s Bisignani hopes audiences for African animation continue to grow around the world and that the shows challenge perceptions of the continent. “As a white Italian woman living in in Africa, I’m excited for the world to see these programmes, because they show a different perspective to the one from the West about Africa,” she says. “That perspective is a lot more negative and always focused on poverty or corruption. What I see living in Africa is that it is an exciting, growing, thriving and confident continent.”

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AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Men Mental nta tal health

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Dounia centres on a girl who is forced to escape Syria

All in the mind M

ental health has been a hot topic in recent years, both on- and off-screen. Discussions on the issue are widely encouraged and TV has an important role to play in that. But while it has become the norm to see a storyline in a drama series featuring a character with mental health problems, or a documentary featuring celebrities opening up about their personal battles, it has been rarer to see the subject featuring in a children’s show. Until recently, that UK, hat is. In the U K, children’s channels like the BBC’s CBBC BBC and ITV’ss CITV have picked up p programmes that touch on the theme, theme, and it has become even more prevalent n since the Covid-19 pandemic ndemic took hold. Last July, pay TV network Sky Kids commissioned a line-up ne-up of shows to help children betterr understand their mental health and wellbeing. The new commissions issions included Clam Brain, a series es starring former popstar Frankie Bridge that gives kids tips and tricks to calm their minds and get their bodies es active. Produced by Banijayowned Zodiak Kids Studio, the show features a chilledout animated character racter called Clam and its anxious friend Starfish, who together navigate difficult life scenarios. Sky Kids also ordered a second season of nature and mindfulness indfulness series Dreamflight, which features soothing oothing stories narrated by stars including Dame Julie lie Walters and Russell Tovey, while signing up the UK K government’s youth mental health ambassador, Dr Alex ex George, to develop five films with the Department for Education.

As awareness around mental health has increased, so have the num number of docs and dramas touching on the issue. The subject sub has now made its way into children’s programming, but bu how in-demand or necessary is it? B By Karolina Kaminska But how important is it to feature mental health-related h issues in kids’ TV and is it really necess necessary, or even appropriate, to bring up such complex subjects? “There is this cultural ideal idea that our childhoods should be carefree, but b the reality is no matter your age there are a emotional challenges to face,” Lucy Mur Murphy, director of kids’ content at Sky UK and Ireland, said at the time of the commission commissions. “At Sky, we recognise the impact the pandemic has had on ha families and we’re really proud to be pro commissioning shows commissioni that shine a spotlight on and offer kids mental wellbeing an experts practical exercises from fr this that can help them navigate n hectic world in which we live.” l For Steven Andrew, executive producer and creative director direct of Zodiak Spiteri, series Kids Studio, and Ben Sp producer on Clam Brain, the response is important to include the same. “It’s really importan enters their daily children in anything that enter “When Sky first lives,” Andrew tells C21. “Wh mooted this idea, it was entirely the right X CBeebies’ Pablo

Children will very quickly switch off if they think they’re being preached to, so it’s about getting those messages in in a way that’s done through positive modelling.

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C21Kids | Fall 2021

commission at the time. Quite how we tackled that required a really interesting conversation about how to find a good way of communicating it. “We have always included children’s issues like mental health [in our content], so it’s not a new thing, but I would be honest and say that probably the first time I’ve been aware of someone proactively asking for something on mental health was the commission from Sky. It’s become more prevalent because of the situation we all find ourselves in coming off the back of the pandemic.” Spiteri adds: “Like any sort of life subject, I don’t think you’re ever too young to be exposed to these things. Obviously there’s a scale of how much you’re telling and sharing, but ultimately when we’re talking about something like mental health, personal happiness, growth and sense of achievement, those are all wildly positive things. Otherwise, you’re asking yourself the question: how old should they be until we start helping them feel better? And that seems like a silly question to ask, because surely from day dot you want to be instilling a positive mind frame and help support your young viewers.” In Northern Ireland, Paper Owl Films is also no stranger to children’s mental health programming, having produced animated kids’ series Pablo since 2017. The show, which airs on the BBC’s preschool channel CBeebies in the UK and on networks in 20 other countries, follows the adventures and challenges of a five-year-old autistic boy. In addition to Pablo, the prodco last year released animated film Sol, which focuses on a young boy and his journey through grief following the death of his grandma, and is currently in production on Happy the Hoglet, a series for CITV about a baby hedgehog who, despite his name, is not always happy. “Children are 100% of the future, so nothing could be more important than having nurturing, caring, positive takeaways in our content for that audience. It is the most important audience and the most demanding audience,” says Grainne McGuinness, creative director of Paper Owl Films. “Children will very quicklyy switch off if theyy think they’re being preached to, so it’s about getting those messages in in a way that’s done through positive modelling; not by letting kids know w that they’re being spoken to but by creating relatable ble characters and situations that they normally find themselves in and that model healthy behaviours. rs. “Preschoolers and young children ren are continually engaged in emotional discovery; they feel things so massively, whether it’s the joy off being on a beach or the absolute anguish of not getting what they want. So it’s a very natural thing to build in positive emotional discovery in content forr them. Not all children have positive modelling ing of mental health in their homes, so it’s more important than ever that we model it in the content we create.. “When I was a child, we didn’tt have this kind of discussion. We didn’t have this passion for mental health and establishing good mental health patterns in our younger children and our younger viewers. I’d say my own n

journey in life would have been helped an awful lot if I’d had these messages as a child, because life is full of highs and lows, we experience all sorts, we experience grief, we experience joy and it’s about navigating it all.” In France, animation house Dandelooo also has a number of shows on its slate that cover themes relating to mental health. One is Mum is Pouring Rain, a recently completed special for Canal+ about a girl whose mother suffers from depression. Other projects include Dounia, about a girl who is forced to leave Syria during the war, and It’s Your Body, a series about the interaction between our emotions and body manifestations and how it affects us mentally and physically. It’s Your Body was presented at Cartoon Forum last month. Emmanuele Petryy Sirvin, exec producer and partner

Clam Brain offers kids tips to calm their minds and be physically active

Like any sort of life subject, I don’t think you’re ever too young to be exposed to these things. Obviously there’s a scale of how much you’re telling and sharing, but when we’re talking about something like mental health, personal happiness, growth and sense of achievement, those are all wildly positive things.

“

Ben Spiteri Zodiak Kids Studio

at Dandelooo, says uptake of mental Dand health-themed kids’ shows mostly heal comes from public broadcasters. com Two networks she highlights Tw as particularly willing to take on o that kind of content are French-language channel TFO F in Canada and ABC Kids in Australia. ABC Kids has a range of resilience, mindfulness X

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Mental health

Dandelooo’s Mum Is Pouring Rain (top) and It’s Your Body. Inset: the company’s Emmanuele Petry Sirvin.

Zodiak Kids Studio’s Steven Andrew

and mental health content for children available on its linear channel and streaming platform, on subjects such as bushfires and major disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic, war, refugees and major global issues, climate change and more personally relevant content about the anxieties and challenges of growing up. Mikki vs the World is one example of an ABC-made show that tackles mental health in young people through a mix of scripted, situational comedy and factual entertainment, along with advice from teenagers, celebrities and mental health experts. Although Dandelooo’s Petry puts the majority of the demand for mental health programming down to the pubcasters, she notes that one broadcaster that “is usually very open,” turned down Mum is Pouring Rain for fear of it being too depressing for children. “There are some public broadcasters that are still very reluctant to show things that they call sad or depressing or tough for kids, which is kind of strange in a way because, when you think about it, as kids we watched Disney films like Bambi where he loses his mum or [Canadian/French animated series] Babar where his mum is shot in the head and falls in front of the screen. That is something we could never show today,” she says. “Kids know there are hard things happening in the world, it’s just the way you put a filter on it or tell them that they

C21Kids | Fall 2021

can overcome or survive horrible things like losing a mum. I think we’re being a little bit too politically correct about how kids can perceive things. Maybe it’s because when we went to see those films in the cinemas it was with our parents and they would reassure us, whereas with TV shows a lot of the time kids are alone in front of the screen so they don’t have the reassurance of a parent being close to them.” In Singapore, children’s studio One Animation has also ventured into the health and wellbeing space with Oddbods: Busy Bodies, which launched on streaming platform Kidoodle.TV in June. A spin-off to hit preschool show Oddbods, Oddbods: Busy Bodies uses a live-action/ animation hybrid format and is aimed at helping kids relieve stress, move their bodies and engage in imaginative play. Michele Schofield, senior VP of content distribution at One Animation, says the decision to produce an Oddbods spin-off was a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “It really came out of what we were seeing happening with kids last year. Kids, to us, were the real unsung heroes of the trying times they were going through and we wanted to bring the Oddbods, who are already entertaining millions of kids around the world, to offer this body-mind connection and give children an outlet to express themselves and connect with themselves,” she says. “Not only are the broadcasters looking at that [health and wellbeing content in the kids’ space] with a lot more importance, but parents are as well. They are realising that screen time is a reality but waking up to the fact that it is really important for kids that we don’t just entertain them with passive entertainment. It’s about finding that balance between letting them watch passive entertainment and engaging them in a fun way that shows them that entertainment can also be active and can help them calm down and take a moment for themselves. “This whole mindfulness idea of connecting with kids and giving them tools to deal with anxiety and stress and understanding how to maintain a healthy body and an active mind will become more and more important.” While there may still be some concerns among children’s channels around mental health-themed programming with a very serious tone, like Dandelooo’s Mum is Pouring Rain, it seems the appetite for more general content that supports positive mental attitudes and resilience is strong. So how do producers see the future of the genre? Zodiak Kids Studio’s Andrew says he is developing a new piece of content based on a book where the underlying themes address mental health and how to turn potential flaws into “superpowers and the best version of yourself.” He is also working on another project where some of the main characters have mental health issues that they will come to deal with, relating to loss and the aftermath of death. He says: “We’re going to see more content about mental health, we definitely are, and about encouraging children to find ways of tackling it. How much of it gets made will depend on what happens, but certainly for the next five or 10 years I don’t think it’s going to go away.”

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AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Cartoon Forum

Toon trends As the animation business prepared to gather again at Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, C21 touched base with leading players to find out their views on current industry trends and issues. is Here we select some of th most informative comments. the By Karolina Kaminska

he past year has undoubtedly been a challenging one as the world has continued to grapple with Covid-19 and businesses have had to contend with serious and significant changes to their operations. For many industries – hospitality, retail and travel to name a few – the coronavirus crisis has had disastrous consequences, which tragically some businesses have been unable to bounce back from. While the TV sector has also faced difficulties during these trying times, like delays to production and sudden gaps in linear schedules, for example, there is no doubt that some opportunities have arisen for the industry too, such as increases in viewing figures during lockdowns. The animation sector is one that has certainly benefitted from the pandemic, although that sounds like an awful thing to say and animation studios can’t help but feel guilty when they admit it. But with their liveaction counterparts struggling against Covid restrictions and social distancing measures, animators have found themselves comfortably able to continue working remotely from home. One of the questions C21 asked delegates heading to Cartoon Forum in Toulouse this year was if physical animation studios are still essential or whether working from home is now the future of the industry. For most contributors, ibutors, the answer was that a hybrid model would become me popular. The pandemic has allowed them to realise that at flexible working is possible, but faceto-face contact is still till vital, they said. For others, however, getting back into the he studio full-time is desirable. While remote working orking may not have posed a particular challenge for the animation industry, the sector faces various other issues es that have. Every year, we ask Forum attendees about the biggest challenge they are re facing and year-after-year one answer frequently pops up: p: funding. One put it simply, ly, saying the biggest issue ue they face “is always finding the financing.” Funding ng has proved a huge problem roblem for the sector forr years and doesn’t seem em to be letting up, pushing producers to increase

licensing and merchandising efforts to help make a proﬁt. Traditional consumer products, like toys, are an obvious way to achieve that, but in the digital world things like apps and mobile games are also becoming increasingly important to animators. Another challenge that often comes up when Forum delegates are asked about current issues is the recruiting of talent, with one highlighting that there is not enough talent to cater to the boom in demand for content. Other issues raised included the problem of maintaining very high production quality in the face of extremely tough competition, the length of time it takes to complete an animation project and gender equality, on- and offscreen. Whatever problems and opportunities the animation industry has faced over the past year, it has certainly been an interesting period for companies and producers in the sector. It’s probably safe to say that in a year’s time funding will still be an issue for many producers. But will animators still be working from home? Will this hybrid model of working pan out as planned? Or will everyone be back in the office? Only time will tell. X

Marie-Claude Beauchamp of Carpe Diem Film & TV pitched Butterfly Academy at Cartoon Forum. Below: Rozálie Brožková of Vernes launched The Seniors

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Cartoon Forum

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Left: Eléonore Sauzeau’s My Dog, God & the Pokethings. Above: Tamsin Lyons’ Ivy’s Bookshop

Are physical animation studios essential or is working from home the future of the industry?

Jo Daris, chief creative officer, Toon2Tango The pandemic made people realise they could do something as complicated as animation from home, as far as their bandwidth allowed it. It was amazing to see how fast the industry adapted to the situation. In the future there will be more opportunities for artists to work from home, at least partially. There will still be a need to come in from time to time for a brief, a review or a group discussion, but studios will deﬁnitely need less space and work from a hybrid model. Colin Williams, creative director, Sixteen South Ireland Part of me mourns the idea of being in a building full of like-minded people doing the same thing. Will we become so fed up with staring at computer screens that we’ll run back to physical studios? As humans we’re wired for connections and community, so I don’t think remote working is a permanent thing and there will be a swing back to studios. Eléonore Sauzeau, head of development, TNZPV Productions Working from home 100% of the time is not something that we believe is possible, mostly because of communication issues. In animation, you work as a team. It’s not an industry where you have individuals working on isolated projects, so it is important that team members can all bounce off one another in the same room. Marie-Claude Beauchamp, president, Carpe Diem Film & TV Working remotely, we’ve made a TV series and are eight months into production on a feature ﬁlm. I’m thrilled with the productivity of our teams while working from home but there are some creative aspects that require more than a 30-minute Zoom call. We’ve been having face-to-face meetings spread across the remote

work we’ve been doing for the last few months. One upside of working from home being more acceptable is that it helps reconcile the work-family balance. We could see women getting better industry positions thanks to this. Tamsin Lyons, producer, Ink & Light Because we have bases in Finland and Ireland we’ve always worked remotely, to a degree. The nice thing for us is it has allowed us to be much more open to a more diverse crew while making sure the industry is more accessible. We can draw from bigger pools for our crew; we don’t just have to draw from a small crew that is available who can afford to live in the city centre. We’re always going to need to get together for maybe one day a week, particularly for writing and brainstorming and for briefings and so on, but I think it’ll be a hybrid model, with people working much more from home. Pedro Lino, director, Ukbar Filmes As has been proven over the last two years, physical animation studios are not essential. But we are physical beings, so being together with other like-minded people, exchanging ideas and working together is essential. What does this mean for the future? Who knows. But hopefully we can find better ways of working together than the nine-to-five work routine. It might be that things will be more flexible and adapted to each person’s needs, mixing working from home and being in a studio. Rozálie Brožková, producer, Vernes It’s essential to work in working environments because if you work from home it’s harder to focus on the job at hand. It’s also really important for animators to come into the office so they can brainstorm, as that isn’t as effective online. I work in production and it’s better to have a workspace that you leave at the end of the day, so you can return home with a clear head and the ability to decompress. X

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C21Kids | Fall 2021

L to R: Cartoon Forum pitches Audrey’s Shelter from Philippe Alessandri, Lindsey Adams’ Big Tuna and Miren Berasategi’s Kima & Yamik

What is the biggest issue facing the animation industry?

Miren Berasategi, CEO, Lotura Overall, a lack of financial support. The industry needs the same kind of help live-action series are getting, because when an animation doesn’t get the public support it needs, it doesn’t get it anywhere else. Another problem is that no matter how far technology advances, the production process for animation is slow and that means we have to make large investments over long periods to maintain these work structures. This, in turn, means it’s harder for shows to still be relevant once they’re delivered. Lindsey Adams, founder and producer, Daily Madness Productions In Ireland and the UK, I’m finding that sourcing crew is becoming a big issue because there has been a big boom in demand in service work. It’s amazing because it shows that the animation industry is going from strength to strength, but it means that a lot of experienced talent are already committed to productions. Philippe Alessandri, founder & CEO, Watch Next Media It’s always putting the financing together because children’s channels do not pay for 100% of an animated series, which is a huge difference with other genres like drama or documentaries. And it’s even tougher than it used to be, because national broadcasters want exclusive SVoD rights in their home markets, but global players don’t want to be missing major territories.

Catch C21’s AHEAD OF THE CURVE - looking into new trends in the business, how to get ahead of the curve and where the money is to be made from this trend. Keep reading online and smarten up your programming strategy at c21media.net/departments/aheadof-the-curve

Lucia Geraldine Scott, producer, Red Monk Studios We are living in the animation industry’s golden age, so one of the main challenges is that production quality is becoming unattainably high. Every show is being developed in such a high deﬁnition, with meticulous attention paid to the graphics and the storyboarding. To compete in the market, you need to produce shows at a very high level across the board, and that is not always easy. Luis Matta Almeida, CEO, Sparkle Animation From when we start a show to its air date, the audience we were targeting could be as much as four years older. There are so many caveats to what could happen during production and

kids develop faster than anyone, so the toughest thing is to keep a show relevant during the whole process. Vanessa Robinson, creative producer and founder, Little Moon Animation Animation has become a truly global industry. There are so many animation projects happening around the world at the moment it can be hard to find the right talent for roles. Pablo Jordi, co-founder and producer, Pikkukala Gender equality and the representation of women in animation, both on- and off- screen. Progress is being made, particularly among global streamers such as Netflix, as they make it clear that they want content with diverse characters and staff. However, there is still a lot more that needs to be done. Caroline Audebert, director general, Groupe Média-Participations The international animation landscape has changed significantly. With the multiplication of streaming platforms, mergers and concentration of traditional broadcasters, the content produced needs to be more creative and original. Audiences nowadays want attractive graphics and a great story to entertain them. This new situation is challenging for producers all over the world and is raising the bar for animation content. Eliza Jäppinen, CEO, Visible Realms It’s always finding the financing; putting together the pieces of the puzzle is a struggle. There are not enough investors. The basic foundation for my company is to figure out a way around that. The thesis for the business is to create huge franchise IPs, starting with mobile gaming to see if there is a viable product and if it has a market fit. Maria Stevnbak Westergren, producer, Toolbox Film The industry wants more animation and is asking for more volume at cheaper prices but still expects high quality. So it’s really difficult to make it meet in the middle and find a balance between creative ambition and broadcasters’ needs.

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Catch in Cannes C2 C21Kids selects 21 new shows for buyers to consider at this year’s s MipJunior in Cannes, featuring monsters, robots and lots of M adventure. By Karolina Kaminska a

Chase & CATCH (13x22’) 2’) Producer: Saturday Animation ation Studio Distributor: Cookbook Media dia They say: “A high-octane octane action-comedy series aimed at boys aged seven and over that emphasises brotherhood, ood, collaboration, belonging and nd carving your own path.” We say: Inspired by 1980s 0s cartoons, the series sees es Kenzo Chase join the futuristic Vivacity police force where he must learn to work as a team with his strait-laced prototype otot ot tot otyp ype yp pe robot partner CATCH.

Florida (52x11’) Producer: Paper Owl Films Distributor: Jetpack Distribution They say: “Florida re-imagines the future for those in need of a fresh start. Throughout history, there have been many notable engineers who have changed the way we live through their creations and innovations. Florida is the next generation.” We say: Florida has come to live with Ms G in her G.E.M. (Gadgets of Everyday Marvel) shop, where she helps the unwanted and unused G.E.M.’s find a new purpose in the world.

Rita Peters: 1.19 Meters (26x11’) Producer and distributor: One Animation They say: “A new CG comedy adventure series that follows the story of Rita Peters, a small girl with a big justice button.” We say: Currently in development, the series is a collaboration between One Animation and writer and series producer Adam Redfern.

Polinopolis (52x11’) Producers: Mago Production, Godo Films, Apapacho Films Distributor: GoldBee They say: “About family, friendship and diversity, very different characters live and share fun adventures, each with their own personal point of view.” We say: Coproduced with Spain’s RTVE and TV3, and Pakapaka in Argentina, Polinopolis tells the story of an overgrown, sweet, furry monster and her best friend, a human boy with elvish heritage.

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Tinka & the Echo of Souls (24x26’)

Nina & Olga (52x7’) Producers: Enanimation, Mondo TV Producciones Canarias, Rai Ragazzi Distributor: Beyond Rights They say: “The series shows the characters getting acquainted with themselves, various objects and animals – as well as their feelings – in order to grow and understand the world around them.” We say: Inspired by the Olga the Cloud book series and commissioned by Italy’s RaiYoYo and RaiPlay, the show sees six-year-old Nina and her special friend Olga, a light, young cloud, where they learn about the challenges of everyday life and how to understand and manage their emotions.

Producer: Cosmo Film Distributor: APC Kids They say: “A family adventure about an extraordinary elven girl fighting for her family and to save their elven kingdom before it falls apart.” We say: The series is produced for TV2 in Denmark and explores the important themes of identity, tolerance, coexistence and reconciliation.

Superworm (1x30’) Producer and distributor: Magic Light Pictures They say: “A hero with a difference and a wonderfully entertaining villain clash in this joyful animation.” We say: Premiering as a special on BBC1 in the UK this Christmas, Superworm tells the story of a superlong, super-strong earthworm who always comes to the rescue of bugs and animals in distress. But who will come to Superworm’s rescue when he’s captured by a wicked Wizard Lizard?

Dounia (1x28’) Producer: Tabo Media Distributor: Dandelooo They say: “Dounia is one of a kind. It is the first TV special for children about the consequences of war told at a kid’s level: honest but nevertheless optimistic.” We say: Forced to leave her country, Dounia and her grandparents set off in search of a new home. As she travels around the world in search of asylum, she encounters many people and has great adventures.

GG Odyssey (26x22’) Producer and distributor: TeamTO They say: “Uses the ubiquitous world of gaming to enter the exciting, classic world of mythology.” We say: Kiran has no idea how he wound up in the world of Greek mythology, but it turns out he is the chosen one for a hero’s quest. With his new friend Leuki, the daughter of Hades, and Kiran’s video gaming skills, they have a chance of keeping history on track.

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Gabby’s Farm (60x7’)

B.O.T. & the Beasties (50x5’)

Producer: BGM Distributor: Abacus Media Rights They say: “An engaging new preschool series which guides young viewers through the world of farming and agriculture, encouraging their curiosity about nature, food, animal care and more.” We say: Produced by Sphere Media’s BGM for TVOKids in Canada, Gabby’s Farm will be accompanied by shortform series Count with Gabby! (40x2’), which explores the host’s love of maths and counting while exploring the farm.

Producer: Ragdoll Productions Distributor: Cake They say: “Dialogue-light and with strong visual comedy, playfulness and invention at the heart of the show, each episode offers wonderful storytelling that all children will enjoy.” We say: Developed by Anne Wood (Teletubbies, In the Night Garden) for CBeebies in the UK, the series follows the adventures and misadventures of a loveable robot as he discovers new worlds and an assortment of bizarre beasties that inhabit them.

123 Number Squad (40x11’) Producer and distributor: Omens Studios They say: “The series follows Paula, Tim and Billy – three best friends with a shared love of numbers, fun and games – hanging out together in their playroom HQ.” We say: 123 Number Squad is a spin-off series to fellow preschool show Counting with Paula, which has travelled all around the world.

Homeschooled (10x15’) Producers: Portfolio Entertainment, Boss & Co Distributor: Portfolio Entertainment They say: “Dives into the world of home education and teenage friendship, blending a unique faux documentary and traditional narrative style.” We say: Aimed at kids over 13, Homeschooled follows two best friends as they work on a revolutionary documentary that will enlighten the public on the largely misunderstood topic of homeschooling.

The Wee Littles (52x5’) Producer: Magpie 6 Media Distributors: Mondo TV, Toon2Tango They say: “Offering an appeal accessible to children across all cultures, The Wee Littles is produced in simulated stop-motion animation with puppets.” We say: Commissioned by RTÉ in Ireland, the series is about a family of four very small creatures who live in a great big forest world and must learn to handle their tiny size with their own unique and inventive flair.

Theodosia (26x30’) Producer: Cottonwood Media Distributors: Federation Kids & Family, ZDF Enterprises They say: “Alongside her feminist archaeologist mother and her father, who runs a museum, Theodosia is a special girl whose powers enable her to see and transform ancient curses in a series of exciting magical adventures.” We say: Based on the books by Robin LaFevers and coproduced with ZDF, ZDF Enterprises, HBO Max and Globo, the series centres on a 14-year-old girl and her brother who stumble upon a tomb and an artefact that allows them to unlock true magic. X

C21’s NEXT BIG THINGS - The people, programmes and businesses that are about to change the game. Keep reading online at c21media.net/department/next-big-things/

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Monsters in the Forbidden City (78x10’) Producers: Tencent Video, Original Force, Kidsland Distributor: Tencent Video They say: “The wondrous world of mythical Oriental monsters is brought vividly to life in this funny, action-packed mix of live-action and animation.” We say: When an ordinary girl picks up a mysterious gem in the Forbidden City, she accidentally opens a portal and wanders into the World of Mythic Monsters, a parallel realm where monsters, gods and spirits live together peacefully.

FriendZSpace (52x11’)

Ivory Towers (52x7’)

Producers: T&B Media Global, Flying Bark Productions Distributor: Studio 100 Media They say: “Created by Dan Clark and Oscar Covar, the series merges wild adventure and characterdriven comedy with action-packed stories. FriendZSpace is over-the-top, sweet, irreverent, silly, aspirational and more than a little nuts!” We say: This animated comedy follows three human children committed to making friends with alien kids across the supercluster of stars.

Producer: Sixteen South Distributor: Sixteen South Rights They say: “Reflects and celebrates ageing, intergenerational relationships and the precious bond between grandchildren and their grandparents.” We say: Ivory Towers is a home for elderly animals where mischief, mayhem and madness are delivered with the afternoon tea trolley. Its residents may look sedate, but they all have amazing stories to tell, and four-year-old elephant Erin loves to listen when she visits her grandpa.

Ruby & the Well (10x60’) Happy House of Frightenstein (10x3’) Producer: Headspinner Productions Distributor: Distribution360 They say: “Fiendishly funny mini-monsters Count Jr, Wolfie, Iggy and Griz play, laugh, and grow together in a giant castle-like play structure located in the charmingly spooky backyard of the iconic Castle Frightenstein.” We say: An animated reboot of 1970s liveaction children’s series Hilarious House of Frightenstein, the series will launch at Halloween on the MarbleKids YouTube channel in time for the original show’s 50th anniversary.

Producer: Shaftesbury Distributor: WildBrain They say: “The series follows Ruby, who discovers a magical well which leads to all sorts of adventures.” We say: This live-action family drama is an original commission from WildBrain’s Family Channel in Canada in association with BYUtv in the US.

Baloobians (52x7’) Producer and distributor: Cosmos-Maya They say: “A brand-new non-dialogue animated project planned to be a sci-fi alien comedy, written by Shane Perez from Hot Drop Films and directed by Dalton Grant.” We say: Currently in development, Baloobians is a 3D animated series aimed at four- to nine-yearolds, for which Cosmos-Maya is seeking potential partners and broadcasters.

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CHANNEL PROFILE: Spacetoon TV

C21Kids | Fall 2021

pacetoon TV serves around 22 countries and more than 578 million people across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), after launching in 2000 as the first free-to-air channel to target Arab kids and families. When streaming started to become a thing, the company set up VoD service Spacetoon Go, becoming the first Arabic kids’ network to expand into the on-demand space. The Spacetoon brand is based around 10 planets: Comedy, Action, Adventure, Bon Bon, Sports, Zumorroda, Movies, Abjad, History and Science, each of which targets different age groups and genres. Kamel Weiss, Spacetoon’s strategic business development director, describes the brand as “the perfect destination for parents who are looking for safe and educational content and the home of toprated Arabic-dubbed animated content for kids, young adults and adults. “We’ve seen top-line growth across our streaming and broadcasting channels in addition to our digital media platforms. Based on our latest performance report, our TV channel has reached over 118 million viewers while our online streaming service has surpassed seven million downloads and over five million registered users in less than a year. “Recently, we celebrated achieving a new milestone on our YouTube channel after reaching more than 6.5 million subscribers and over 2.5 billion overall views. We’re still expanding on our social media channels and using them as key platforms to communicate directly with our audiences, discover their interests and bring them original content.” When it comes to sourcing programming, Spacetoon’s strategy comprises a mix of acquisitions of ready-made shows, commissions and coproductions. Ready-made series it has acquired in recent years include preschool hits CoComelon and Little Baby Bum and children’s favourites My Little Pony: Pony Life, Blippi and Power Rangers. “Ready-made shows are a significant part of our content strategy. We always aim to bring the toprated shows and present the most inspiring stories, so we’re a little bit selective,” Weiss says. Coproductions Spacetoon has boarded include CG-animated series Zafari and preschool show Mia, the latter of which was coproduced with France’s Cyber Group Studios and Sardine Productions in Canada. “We have seen promising results from the coproduced shows we have delivered to our audiences in the last few years. We appreciate this model and always look for partners to work with and present entirely new experiences to the audience,” Weiss says. More recently, Spacetoon has branched out into originals, after last year deploying a strategy that

The Moshaya Family

Kids in space shares with us the same passion just send us an email and the team will get in touch with you. “We look for the best shows in terms of quality and are impressed by inspiring stories. We are open to all sorts of productions – live-action or animation – targeting kids, young adults, adults, mothers, and fathers. It is always about the audience, so we look for the best ways to give our audiences the content they love through the channel they prefer.” By Karolina Kaminska Looking to the future, Weiss hopes to expand concentrates on producing original animation. Spacetoon to new audiences both in and outside Through this, the company produced and released the MENA region, with a particular interest in animated series The Moshaya Family, inspired by a South-East Asia. “We definitely want to keep growing in the TV real-life influencer YouTube family in MENA. The series was a huge success, according to Weiss, and broadcasting industry in the MENA region, so we have plans to expand by targeting and attracting the company is now working on a second season. In line with this, Spacetoon is also open to new audiences. We have already reached a pitches from other producers. “We love to see more milestone by launching a new segment directed at mothers. It has been great for us to companies and people interested start targeting more niche audiences in investing in this creative while at the same time giving industry,” Weiss says. “Before the advertisers more options,” the exec pandemic you would see our team says. at conferences like Mipcom. We “With Spacetoon Go, we have have now moved to digital platforms wider opportunities to reach Arabs and this has opened doors for more outside MENA and ultimately people to reach us. We have a great explore new markets. We have an passion for what we do, so if anyone interest in investing in SouthEast Asia; it’s a promising market and there are a lot of investment opportunities there.” Spacetoon’s ambitions Spacetoon copro Zafari. Inset: Kamel Weiss mean there will be challenges along the way, Weiss admits, most significantly from the speed that trends change. “Obviously the media industry is evolving rapidly and we have to understand the fact that what worked yesterday might not work today. Audience habits are changing, so we need to learn from the success stories, be open to adapting new strategies and accept modern models,” he says.

The children’s TV market has come a long way since pan-Arab free-to-air channel Spacetoon TV la launched in 2000 and the b broadcaster has evolved along with it. a

C21Kids | Fall 2021

Three-year plan Anttu Harlin

Gigglebug Entertainment Gigglebug’s upcoming toon The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti

With the animation sector proving to be fairly pandemic-proof, Anttu Harlin, co-founder and CEO of Finnish animator Gigglebug Entertainment, talks about how Covid has advanced his plans for the company. By Oli Hammett

hile entire studios were forced to temporarily shut shop last year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, one branch of the production sector was able to soldier on relatively unimpaired. Animators all over the world who had been using computers to draw for years were much better equipped to work from home than liveaction filmmakers and producers. Despite knowing this, Gigglebug’s CEO and co-founder Anttu Harlin couldn’t help panicking a little. “It sounds silly,” Harlin says, “but we literally got the computers out of the office, put them in taxis and drove them to people’s homes. From there, we just kept on working and, as a result, animation in general has been able to continue effectively. We’ve been lucky, too, that Finland is so sparsely populated – it has not hit here in the same way as other countries.” Gigglebug’s ability to continue as normal has ensured the continuation of a growth period that started before the pandemic. Now, Harlin says, the company is doing more productions than the studio had foreseen at this stage and is also hiring. “Right now, we’re capable of working on two big productions at once. I want that to become three, and we’ve been getting queries about more services,” the exec says. “I’d also like to see a 50/50 balance between our original IP and service IP, like The BeatBuds, which we just made for Nickelodeon in the US. We want to be training talent and then retaining it, so we can become an animation hub in northern Europe.” Harlin feels that without the pandemic, Gigglebug, which is currently working on forthcoming cartoons The Unstoppable Yellow Yeti and Best & Bester, wouldn’t be in the position it is now. The three-project cycle idea, he says, was told to him by Cartoon Saloon founder Paul Young some time ago, but

With broadcasters diversifying, they want online rights as well as free TV rights, so overall there’s more appetite and more competition. For us, it can only be a positive.

“

Anttu Harlin Gigglebug

always seemed like a pipe dream. After the events of last year, the Finnish prodco is now in a position to step up, and it won’t be short of customers. “We’re getting more queries now than ever,” says Harlin. “I’m not sure if it’s all due to the pandemic; we’ve been on a growth trajectory for a while and word of mouth is spreading. We’re very strong on 2D animation and our animators are genuinely passionate about drawing – we even hold life drawing classes at the studio. As well as this we excel in comedy and optimistic content; we always want to spread joy in the kids that watch our shows. On a personal level, it makes me love my job and feel like I’m contributing something to the world.” Harlin’s personal ambitions reflect the industrywide trend for content that teaches kids about diversity and other social issues. This, he says,

is no different to blue-chip companies deciding to give value to their customers as well as their shareholders, as everybody wins. “What’s good for kids is good for business,” the exec notes, quoting Greg Childs, editorial director of the Children’s Media Conference. Another thing that’s good for business, according to Harlin, is the arrival of online services for kids’ shows that are contending with established public broadcasters. “SVoD rights are particularly in demand,” he says. “With broadcasters diversifying, they want online rights as well as free TV rights, so overall there’s more appetite and more competition. For us, it can only be a positive. Free TV is still very important for us, as it promotes kids’ content so heavily. Just because you’ve made a new friend you don’t stop talking to your old ones.” Some old friends, like Disney, however, are moving away, although the recent announcement it is closing several of its global kids’ channels doesn’t worry Harlin. The Mouse House’s interest in kids’ content hasn’t gone away, he says, instead the studio is moving the shows to platforms and finding a better way to showcase them. Ultimately, these innovations are good for Gigglebug. “Being a growing company, we can adapt more quickly to new technologies than studios with 20 years in the game,” Harlin says. “They’re more entrenched in the way they do things, whereas we’ve got experience with multiplatform productions. Characters nowadays don’t just exist in an 11-minute show but in apps and as merchandise. If a platform feels a new type of format is working, we’re agile enough to jump on it first.”

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C21Kids | Fall 2021

Development slate Moonbug Entertainment Content chief David Levine talks about the advantages of storing IP on YouTube and the kids’ firm’s acquisitions and development strategy. By Oli Hammett.

or many companies in the content business, the arrival of autumn means a new slate of programming for the fall season. Moonbug Entertainment’s David Levine, however, dismisses the idea of seasonal slates at the London- and LA-based kids’ content company. “We don’t really think of it as starting a new season,” says the chief content officer. “We’re constantly in production across various series for AVoD platforms and YouTube. “It’s one of the many ways we as a company are doing things differently. We have a huge range of IP and our plan for the next year is to expand our YouTube series with new formats, which will then be followed up with deals for new originals with partners like Amazon and Netflix.” Preschool series CoComelon and Little Baby Bum already have huge followings, and Levine’s plan is to build on the fan bases by getting material rial onto YouTube, where as many people ple can see it as possible. From there, ere, Moonbug will rely on extensions of the IP to bring in money from subscribers ers and other buyers. CoComelon, for example, will benefit from a dance video format, at, a new Netflix spin-off and exclusive ve compilations, all stemming from free ree YouTube material. Other plans for the company’s ny’s content include a new co-host for liveveaction educational series Blippi, which ich will also get a debut on Amazon Prime me Video, and a Little Baby Bum spin-off -off called Music Time, which will be on Netflix. Levine says this YouTube-fifirst rst strategy increases the sell-on value e of Moonbug’s shows to both international nal and local buyers, as while Moonbug’s ug’s content may be available for free, it’s not long before it’s sold somewhere. ere. In addition, Levine says YouTube e is the best place to reach young people. ple. “YouTube is the made-for-kids app and it’s a crucial platform for us. It allowss us to reach an incredibly broad audience, ce,

more so than any other. YouTube has a huge viewership of English-language content by people who don’t even speak it, and it’s a great place to build your IP globally,” he says. Levine wants Moonbug’s expansion to be more than virtual, hoping to use its reputation from YouTube to seal deals with international production partners and create local production teams that can then produce their own IP. He notes that the company’s YouTube strategy amplifies its reach, but its acquisitions strategy also helps to guarantee success. “When we bring on new IP, it’s never a brand new idea we’ve developed that has no awareness at all. We acquire shows and then expand them by diversifying the IP. A good example is Little Baby Bum – one of our first big acquisitions. From that show, we launched a spin-off with Buster the Bus, called Go Buster. We’ve done Little Baby Bum

that with several characters from Baby Bum and that’s how we operate overall,” Levine says. Whether or not this gives Moonbug an advantage over companies sourcing fresh or even original IP, Levine feels it

puts the company in a unique position to leverage the IP’s following. Racking up over seven billion views per month on YouTube, the company uses viewing data from the video platform to inform its creative decisions and help create new IP. One example is animation Morphle, which was spun off into Orphle the Magic Pet Sitter. As soon as the producers saw that Orphle was a popular character, they started putting him in more episodes. Within three months, Orphle’s own series was signed, sealed and delivered. Levine says: “We make the show and then we upload it strategically to different YouTube channels of ours. We’ve just done a dance spin-off from CoComelon that is proving to be more popular than an ordinary episode of the show. Overall, the demand for our content right now is huge, and I don’t see that changing.”

When we bring on new IP, it’s never a brand new idea we’ve developed that has no awareness at all. We acquire shows and then expand them by diversifying the IP.

“

David Levine

KIDSTALK: Heath Kenny

Tips to retain talent

ver the years our studio has built a Recruiting and pipeline that is both powerful and retaining talent in the agile in its application. You can see it animation industry is in the types of shows we have been working a challenge for many on. No matter what the technical or creative companies. Heath challenge, we have found innovative and project-specific solutions. Kenny, chief content officer However, the real strength of what we do at Canadian studio Mercury lies with the talent in the studio. We have Filmworks, reveals three key passionate groups of artists and production talent that form partnerships striving to solve ways the prodco attempts to interesting and important creative problems. It overcome this hurdle. is this experience and teamwork that we take employees. This programme is structured into developing our own originals. Finding and retaining talent has become a to allow a selected group of artists four full major focus for all studios around the globe workdays to work on a shortform idea, spread as the industry has leaned more and more over a two-month period, so there is time for towards creator-driven content. There was a the projects to develop and find their shape. These creators are supported by the period of producer-led content in recent times but over the past 10 years there has been a originals team at Mercury Filmworks new awakening around the importance of throughout the process. There is no intentional creators giving an authentic voice to original commercial goal and we do not seek to retain shows and brand-related content. The kind of any rights to the created projects. This is heart and soul brought to a genuine creator- about retaining people, not retaining rights. led project is felt by the production crew and Our people are constantly going above and beyond for our clients, and audience alike. It is always a this is a chance for them There are three key ways to do something creatively we are striving to continue challenge to find for themselves. We are in to build our talent base and keep folks who are and retain the experience growing and looking for the process of finishing the first round of four shorts we have gained over the and each artist has pushed years: outreach, community new opportunities. But themselves above even support and internal growth we believe with the right their own expectations. opportunities. approach, companies These kinds of things The first is the most will find and retain the are happening companyobvious – we are reaching talent they need. wide, but to further the out to connect with artists commitment to this all the time through various channels. The difference here is that folks are philosophy at the studio we have recently posting their work on all kinds of platforms, welcomed David Keneford as chief talent from LinkedIn to Instagram to Tumblr to officer. David is building an overall talent Facebook to Twitter, and even TikTok. We will management strategy that will focus on both also have a presence at online and/or physical existing and future members of our team. Of course, in a highly competitive industry events throughout the year. The ultimate way for us to connect with people is through a like animation, it is always a challenge to find mutual appreciation of great work and this can and keep folks who are growing and looking start as innocently as liking the same content for new opportunities. But we believe with the right approach, companies will find and retain online and sparking a conversation. In terms of community support, we are the talent they need. For example, support people who seek continuing to support our local community by sponsoring the PITCH event at The Animation other opportunities and remind them that the Conference which takes place during The door is always open if they choose to return. Ottawa International Animation Festival, For companies struggling to find talent, start for a second year running. This includes conversations with people that you admire. It mentorship, expert talks and interviews. We will always be easier to get someone involved see this as a chance to exchange knowledge, in a project if you know each other a little. Give more than you ask and if you are discover potential creators and let folks get to know our originals team a little better. It also asking someone to join a project because you keeps us connected to our community and really believe it is an opportunity for them you have a better chance of building a great team. what they are passionate about. Finally, look for people who are trying to Internally, we are always looking to find opportunities for our next group of storytellers make lateral moves to get ahead – maybe you to find their voice, and our latest effort is with can be the place where they take a chance to a shorts programme for Mercury Filmworks chase that goal.

“

C21Kids | Fall 2021

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You can read C21 every day on www.C21media.net – the world’s leading International Entertainment Business website. Also on C21Media.net you can find a number of channel brands and services including C21Kids, C21FormatsLab, C21Factual and Schedule Watch and an extensive industry MediaBase that is constantly updated and features more than 25,000 contacts worldwide. Subscribers to C21Media.net have access to the most respected information source in entertainment. Channel 21 International is published 6 times a year by Riccobono, France. Channel 21 International is registered as a newspaper. No part of this publication may be copied, stored or copied on to any electronic system or broadcast via any other medium without prior consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. All trademarks acknowledged. © Channel 21 International 2021 ISSN number: 1460-0668

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