Channel 21 International - Kids Fall 2024 by C21Media

1x84’ or 3x28’

It’s been a tough year for the international content industry, the toughest in quite some time. There may not have been a global pandemic, nor any long-term impact from the 2023 US writers and actors’ strikes, but 2024 has been plagued by a worldwide economic crisis that has led to a drop in commissioning and thousands of job losses.

Things have been particularly difﬁcult in the kids’ sector. Not only has it had to contend with the ﬁnancial upheaval but also the ongoing impact of children migrating to digital platforms and the decline in linear viewing.

Over the past few months, C21 has reported on the challenges faced by France’s animation industry, where some studios have been forced to downsize rapidly in response to pullbacks by the streamers, having upsized dramatically during the streaming boom. From page 7, we delve further into the issues the French sector is facing in a roundtable discussion with some of the country’s leading producers and distributors.

We also explore the state of the animation market in Africa (page 22), which beneﬁtted from the streaming boom too and has earned a place on the world animation map. The continent is feeling the effects of the economic crisis as well as the ﬁnancial and infrastructure challenges emerging markets typically face.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the kids’ arm of pubcaster NHK is following a new strategy of international coproduction in a bid to compete with digital platforms like YouTube (page 17).

On the subject of YouTube, from page 13 we hear from Canada’s Skyship Entertainment about how it has bypassed the broadcaster system and managed to create a successful, and proﬁtable, YouTube channel without having to rely on traditional ﬁnancing methods. We all know children are spending vast amounts of time on YouTube, but as the digital world evolves, other ways of consuming and, crucially, interacting with content are emerging. Roblox and similar social gaming platforms are enabling children to take the driving seat and create their own stories. We hear about this, what it means for producers and how the kids’ sector should respond, on pages 36 and 46.

The struggles in the children’s business come as the continuing rise of artiﬁcial intelligence threatens to disrupt the industry in the biggest way since the advent of CGI. We hear from producers about how they are already using this controversial tech in their work (page 33).

As the kids’ sector ﬁghts to adapt to the new landscape, the long-standing issue of funding, particularly in animation, persists. And with everything else going on, sourcing the ﬁnancing for a new project might be harder than ever. On page 20, we hear about a new animation fund that has started small in Serbia but has big ambitions.

It has been a tough year, and there will likely be further bumps in the road, but as one French exec says: “We are at the bottom of the cycle right now, so hopefully we can only go up.”

Karolina Kaminska

COUNTRYFILE: French animation

Industry execs discuss the challenges they face amid global content industry turmoil and how the country’s strengths can help it to bounce back.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: Morghan Fortier

How Skyship Entertainment has built a robust business through its Super Simple Songs YouTube channel while retaining all of its IP.

CONTENT STRATEGIES: NHK

Ai Shibata on the Japanese pubcaster’s new strategy for international copros and the content she is seeking out for educational channel E-Tele.

FUNDAMENTALS: Animond

The Serbian animation funding body, set up to finance projects in the Balkans, is now looking at worldwide expansion.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: African animation

A er the recent boom years, the sector could su er as the global economy declines and local stories are animated outside Africa.

CONTENT STRATEGIES: Akili Network

Je Schon at the Kenyan broadcaster outlines his expansion plans for 2025, the opportunities in Africa and why linear TV is still king of the continent.

DEVELOPMENT SLATE: Elysium Studios

The Aussie animation producer aims to transform storytelling through tech.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Cartoon Forum

A roundtable of producers discusses the major issues likely to a ect the future of the animation industry, with AI now the leading topic of debate.

NEXT BIG THINGS: 21 on 21

C21’s selection of shows to watch out for at this year’s MipJunior, ranging from an animated sitcom to a horror anthology plucked from YouTube.

KIDSTALK: Rob Doherty

The founder of consultancy Relevant Content explains why social gaming and interactive storytelling are the future of the kids’ industry.

Rocky rue ahead

In September, the annual UniFrance and CNC joint survey revealed a steep decline in exports of French animated programmes in 2023, with sales falling by 11.2% to €51.2m (US$56.7m) year-on-year. A major contributor to this was a dramatic drop in sales to the US, which slumped by 69.7% to €4.3m.

France’s animation sector is worldrenowned, having spawned hit TV series like Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Adventures of Tintin and Totally Spies! as well as films including the animated Asterix movies. But the global content industry is going through its toughest period in a long time and French animation is not immune.

“The good days are definitely over,” says Morgann Favennec, deputy MD of Mediatoon Distribution. “Inflation, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions – you name it, we have very good excuses to explain the situation.”

It’s not just the international distribution of French animation that is suffering; the global economic crisis has put local production and broadcasting under a lot of pressure too. Emmanuele Petry, partner at animation studio Dandelooo, says it has come to a point where broadcasters are faced with a moral dilemma over the assigning of commissions.

“One of the broadcasters told me that, as someone with commissioning power, it’s very difficult because they sometimes have to say no to a specific project and then the company might become bankrupt. They can only give one show to each company because a lot of them are struggling, so it’s an ethical decision about whom they give a commission to. It’s a vicious circle; if one company goes under, that attracts others in the downfall. And that’s really, really scary.”

The global content industry is in turmoil and France’s animation sector has taken a big hit.

In a roundtable panel hosted by C21, a group of French execs discuss the struggles they are facing and how the country’s strengths can help it to bounce back.

By Karolina Kaminska

The streaming boom allowed animation companies in France to expand their workforces when vast amounts of work started coming in, but when there’s a boom, there’s always a bust, and now many major French studios have had to scale back their operations after having projects cancelled by the US streamers.

Julien Chheng, who co-founded Paris-based Studio La Cachette in 2014, says the company grew “very rapidly” to 150 employees during the animation peak. The studio’s credits include Netflix’s adult anthology series Love, Death & Robots and

horror series

Discovery’s Adult Swim.

not collapse completely.

“We managed to split [our projects between] our clients. We were not Netflix-dependent. One show was developed with Netflix, one with Warner Bros and another would be with Disney, for instance. So when Netflix pulled out from the development of one of our shows, we did not collapse completely. We tend to split the investment from different clients so we don’t depend too much on them. And that’s maybe how we managed to survive,”

Chheng

Primal for Warner Bros

Mediatoon’s YouTube tie-in

Roger & His Humans

Julien Chheng

10 x 30’

says, although he adds that the company downsized to about 30 to 40 staff last year.

“That was quite brutal, but it was also an opportunity for us as producers to develop our own IP and not rely too much on production service, so we can build up a catalogue that’s valuable with our experience from working with the streamers.”

Chheng says the streamers are now “the last people” Studio La Cachette tends to approach for financing, as it relies more on regional public funding and traditional broadcasters.

One of the French animation sector’s strengths is the commitment it receives from the country’s public broadcasters, as well as its competitive tax incentives and subsidies. Mediatoon Distribution’s Favennec also hails the industry in France for its flexibility and creativity.

“Our advantage is that we are much more flexible than other territories and much more creative on the artistic side of things. But we have to become creative on the business side of things,” she says. “We have to change the model.”

Noting that “it’s all about cycles,” the exec adds that she is optimistic French animation exports will improve next year.

There could also be a silver lining in the form of animated feature films. “We’ve never lost one euro with animation. Animated feature films always tend to travel; they always sell,” says Yohann Comte, chair and co-founder of animation film sales house Charades.

According to Comte, there is “huge, huge appetite” for animated feature

films, while those targeting adults are becoming “easier and easier to sell” to the streamers.

“We had an adult animated movie a few years ago called I Lost My Body that only Netflix wanted at the time. We target theatrical distributors but no-one was super interested in that film. Things have changed for adult animation [films on streaming] – not drastically, but it’s a better environment,” he says.

“That is the only type of content today that is appealing to the youngadult audience outside of American Marvel movies and local comedies in France. So we’re hoping the young-adult audience that was only interested in anime is now opening up to non-Japanese adult animated content.”

Thibaut Ruby, partner at animation prodco Folivari, agrees that feature films are an area of animation that can still be relied on, noting that “the figures have been going up since Covid.” Explaining that “the animation industry in France has grown to an unprecedented size,” he echoes Favennec by adding: “We are at the bottom of the cycle right now, so hopefully we can only go up.”

Yohann Comte Charades

Ruby identifies the global animation sector as having been split into two factions, one for big IP and the other for original ideas, the latter of which is suffering as cash-strapped, riskaverse buyers look for safe bets.

“It really seems like the animation world is being split into two types of production and companies: the big IPs, where you can get more and more money and do bigger productions, and new independent creations, which are the most challenging now,” he says.

factions, one for big IP and the other is suffering as cash-strapped, riskmoney and do bigger productions, and the most challenging now,” he says.

“We have a lot of great IP coming from France but it seems it is

“ Things have changed for adult animation [films on streaming] – not drastically, but it’s a better environment. That is the only type of content today that is appealing to the young-adult audience outside of American Marvel movies and local comedies in France.

French adult animation titles Love, Death & Robots (above) and I Lost My Body, both for Netﬂix, and horror series Primal (below) for Warner Bros Discovery’s Adult Swim

going to be harder and harder to create new IP and have new IP evolve into something important. We need to be very cautious with developing something new; putting it to the world is expensive and risky. It’ll be one of the challenges, not only for France but for animation globally in the years to come.”

Dandelooo’s Petry supports Ruby’s comments, saying: “If you don’t have huge names and huge brands, they [the platforms] are not going to listen to anything you have. The big companies are getting bigger with their brands and the smaller companies are defined as ‘artsy’ with very small productions. It’s almost two different worlds, which has always been the case but it’s even more so now.

“It’s a question of surviving and not being too demanding on margins and profits to keep the companies alive and continue on a steady basis. We need to be very careful with every euro we put in development and not to get dispersed in too many projects. Sometimes I feel we’re developing too much.”

Animation producers are also facing the difficulty of how to work with YouTube – the number one media platform for kids. It’s where the eyeballs are, but how do you put a new show on there without the funding to make it? And if you can scrape together the funds, how can you generate a profit?

proved to be a success, reaching 125 million views,” Favennec says.

Another technological threat to the world of animation is the continuing rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which Chheng says is “frightening every artist in our studio right now.”

According to the exec, Studio La Cachette is focusing on developing stories that could not be perceived as having been made with AI, “because there is still a level for what feels true and handcrafted and made by humans.”

“We’re confident we can adapt to it, as long as we keep on making original art, content and stories that are specific, human and heartfelt,” he says.

“YouTube is great if you have a back catalogue to exploit. You can revive your catalogue and get revenues from there, which is obviously a very good thing,” says Mediatoon Distribution’s Favennec.

“But none of us [in the room] have found a way of producing for YouTube at reasonable costs,” she adds, acknowledging that while some content creators have managed to successfully launch new animation on the platform, quality can be compromised when budgets are low.

“We tried at Mediatoon with a show called Roger & His Humans, which was made with a very famous French YouTuber. But we have not found the business model to make it globally profitable, even though the series

Folivari’s Ruby foresees the loss of some jobs and the creation of others as a result of AI but doesn’t believe it will lead to the “disaster” some people claim it will. “We have to be hopeful that overall the balance will mean more creative jobs and fewer not-so-interesting jobs. It’s something we need to watch. There are risks but there may be rewards as well,” he says.

France’s animation sector, like its counterparts around the world, is going down a rocky road. But in tough times, people club together and collaboration can be key to getting that commission.

“One way to survive and keep active is to coproduce with European countries,” says Dandelooo’s Petry. “That’s a way to minimise risks; it helps a lot because we’re together in the same boat. It’s definitely something we rely on to get projects financed.”

France’s public broadcasters have been a cornerstone of the country’s animation sector, but Favennec is also encouraged by privately owned commercial channel TF1’s recent decision to increase its investment in animation from 2025. “It’s not all bad news,” she says.

Studio La Cachette’s Chheng stresses the industry needs to be “more responsible than ever with our money and public fundings. In France, we have this special power to make every euro look like €100 to the world.

If, for instance, our next feature is only €3m, it needs to look like it’s €10m to the world. And that’s something we can achieve,” he says.

“We need to make sure we reflect on how we use every penny we have on a project so that it is profitable. [The aim of] owning a business, for me, is to turn everything into profit so we can reinvest in original ideas and be ambitious.”

Ruby concludes: “At some point, people will get tired of Paw Patrol season 12. They [the streamers] want something different, even if it’s loosely based on something people know. A lot of IPs are running towards the end of their lives, or at least they need to be reinvented. It’s not the same as producing our own shows but at least it’s a door to keeping everything moving and being able to invest in our own shows.”

“

One of the broadcasters told me that, as someone with commissioning power, it’s very difficult because they sometimes have to say no to a specific project and then the company might become bankrupt.

Emmanuele Petry Dandelooo

This article was based on a roundtable discussion organised by Percy & Warren.

Thibaut Ruby

Morgann Favennec

Totally Spies!

This Is How We Get Dressed cleared two billion views on YouTube

Skyship Entertainment is that rare production company that has built a robust business by entirely bypassing the traditional broadcaster system.

The Toronto-based outﬁt, which is behind the juggernaut YouTube channel Super Simple Songs, has racked up more than 71 billion views on the Google-owned video platform across its various brands, with 42.6 million subscribers to Super Simple Songs alone.

Dedicated to animated videos, nursery rhymes and original songs aimed mainly at preschoolers, the channel features videos that help kids aged from one to eight learn to count, recognise colours and identify di erent animals.

The channel has become a hit with youngsters, their teachers and parents. In particular, teachers use it as an educational resource and as a curriculum supplement. New videos commonly rack up more than ﬁve million views, and some post signiﬁcantly higher numbers than that. Three videos on the channel have cleared two billion views, including This Is How We Get Dressed, while more than 30 attracted 250 million views, including My Happy Song.

Co-owner and CEO Morghan Fortier spoke at C21’s Content Canada in September about how Skyship has built its business in such a way that it never has to rely on other companies to cobble together the ﬁnancing to greenlight a show.

“Because it’s animation ﬁrst and

Keep it Super Simple

Morghan Fortier reveals how Skyship Entertainment has built a robust business through its Super Simple Songs YouTube channel for preschoolers, entirely bypassing the broadcaster system and retaining all of its IP. By

foremost, the plan has always been about iterating and innovating pipelines that were going to be sustainable for self-investment,” she said during an interview with Andrew Peterson, head of YouTube Canada.

“We’re self-ﬁnanced, don’t have any outside loans, don’t have any external parties ﬁnancing us, and

Jordan Pinto

we don’t pitch to broadcasters. We certainly could but we currently don’t – it’s not in our model. So it is 100% risk for 100% of the reward.”

As is the case when building a production company with a more traditional model, Skyship’s journey has been long, winding and not without its challenges.

Morghan Fortier

The company was in at the ground ﬂoor of what today is referred to as the ‘creator economy.’ Co-founded by Devon Thagard and Troy McDonald, the Super Simple Songs brand began posting YouTube videos in 2006 and four years later began monetising that content. In late 2015, Thagard and McDonald teamed up with Fortier to launch Skyship.

Attempting to build a selfsustaining business without going to traditional content commissioners for development and production ﬁnancing is a risky proposition, but with determination, skill and a bit of luck along the way, Fortier says the rewards can be signiﬁcant.

“It certainly requires long-term investment, but today that’s allowed us to retain 100% ownership of our IP. It is unburdened by any distribution requirements or restrictions and, with that, we’re really able to build out the model we have today,” she explained, adding that Skyship 

Super Simple Songs’ video My Happy Song exceeded 250 million views

doesn’t need to adhere to strict release dates for its content. “We can make them up,” she said.

Skyship’s strategy has evolved over the past eight years. In 2016, it was focused solely on producing, releasing and monetising its YouTube videos. Today, it has built new revenue streams on top of the YouTube business, including its Super Simple Songs app and books.

Given that music is the foundation of everything it does, it is also investing in live touring and consumer products. However, Fortier concedes that Skyship has struggled to make signiﬁcant headway with consumer products so far. “I don’t know how you make money on consumer products, and we’ve been doing this for three years,” she said.

For Skyship, Super Simple Songs is the ﬂagship brand around which everything revolves. That means proﬁts from the YouTube channel and its ancillary business lines are funneled back into other projects.

“Whenever we produce, we do it with cash in hand and that’s the slate for production for the year. So we don’t over-extend; we save up for a rainy day these days. But the day job paying for the production still applies –the day job now just happens to be the Super Simple Songs channel and it feeds everything else we do.”

Other brands created and produced by Skyship include Finny the Shark and Mr Monkey, Monkey Mechanic.

Driven by revenue generated from YouTube, Fortier said Skyship is “more of an entertainment company today than we were in 2016,” but the foundations of the company remain very similar to eight years ago. Today, however, it has been able to scale up using the global success of Super

“ The fact we’ve been able to stay so independent and retain full ownership of our IP has allowed us to expand in a lot of areas we might not have been able to otherwise.

Morghan Fortier Skyship

Simple Songs as the bedrock of its business activities.

“We are, at our heart, a production company. If you walk through the doors of our o ces, there are animators, designers, board artists. We have two sound booths so we can do our voice recording for songs and series, we have live-action talent, we have a shooting stage that we’ve built in that facility,” she said.

“Being a production entity in the digital landscape can be one person, or it can be us today, where we have between 40 and 50 people who work with us, not including the freelancers and additional companies.”

Opting to avoid the traditional broadcaster commissioning model, as well as not taking on any service work, has also forced Skyship to grow its storytelling and songwriting capabilities internally, said Fortier.

“If we were to work with a broadcaster, the pipeline we’ve created and the strength we’ve built in our storytelling would probably never have happened,” she said.

How to use and interpret data gleaned from YouTube is, for many companies, a complex undertaking that dictates future business moves and strategic decisions. That is not the case at Skyship, where Fortier said

the data is interpreted and applied in its most basic sense.

“Yes, we can look at the data from the backend analytics, you can get really into the weeds with it, but what it comes down to is a show either does well or it doesn’t. A brand is either doing well or it isn’t,” she said. “The way we use [YouTube viewership] analytics is no di erent to ratings for a television broadcast.”

Particularly coming out of a neardecade-long spell when producers, in many cases, have been forced to give up their IP in order to get shows made, Fortier said going direct to the audience on YouTube and bypassing the more traditional gatekeepers has, in the long run, made a signiﬁcant di erence for Skyship.

“The fact we have been able to stay so independent and retain full ownership of our IP has allowed us to expand in a lot of areas we might not have been able to otherwise,” she explained.

The model the company has built also doesn’t preclude it from pursuing traditional network or streamer commissions, she noted. “It’s not an either/or model,” Fortier claimed. “We just happen to not do a lot with broadcasters, but there’s no reason why we couldn’t go to a broadcaster and pitch a show we’ve produced.”

In its current phase, however, the model of using the Super Simple Songs brand as its proﬁt engine and building outwards from there continues to be Skyship’s core strategy – which, in turn, gives it far greater control of its own destiny.

Fortier said: “We’ve found the independence in the ownership of our IP has been far more fruitful now we’re at this stage of our company’s growth.”

Morghan Fortier speaks to Andrew Peterson at Content Canada

Mitateru-Phose: Let’s Change Perspectives!

ETV on the copro trail

TAi Shibata of NHK talks about the Japanese pubcaster’s new strategy for international coproductions, as children continue to swap TV sets for smartphones, and what content she needs for the pubcaster’s educational channel E-Tele. By Karolina Kaminska

he youth and educational programming division of Japanese pubcaster NHK is on a mission to secure international coproduction partners in a bid to compete with the likes of YouTube and other digital platforms on which children are spending more and more of their time.

With NHK having previously mostly produced and commissioned kids’ programmes domestically, Ai Shibata, senior producer for the pubcaster’s educational channel E-Tele (ETV), is eyeing content ideas NHK could board as a coproducer and visited the UK over the summer looking for opportunities.

“Like all the other countries across the globe, children in Japan are moving away from television to smartphones. NHK has managed to keep the kids in front of the TV screens, but we know we will ﬁnd ourselves in a tougher situation in the near future if we keep using the same old production strategies,” Shibata says.

“At the same time, we believe it is our duty as a pubcaster to deliver high-quality, authentic programmes to our children. That is why we are in need of new content that comes from new ideas. In order to realise this, we believe collaboration with international productions and broadcasters could be a powerful option.”

One previous copro that has been successful for ETV is Discover Science, a series that introduces scientiﬁc

theories through big, unique experiments shot using the latest ﬁlm technology. The series was coproduced for three seasons with Al Jazeera Children’s Channel in Qatar, WDR in Germany, SABC in South Africa and PTS in Taiwan.

Another success story is Faces – How I Survived Being Bullied, a collection of testimonies from people who have experienced bullying, coproduced with 14 countries over the course of six years.

At present, Shibata is in charge of developing a largescale project with international copro potential that addresses the issues facing Japanese youth and kids.

ETV broadcasts educational content for all age groups, from children to the elderly, with programme blocks for the different demographics. The day begins with a 06.30-09.00 block for toddlers and preschoolers, followed by curriculumbased school content from 09.00 to 11.00. Children’s programming returns at 15.30, following which there is an entertainment block for family viewing from 19.00.

Content from ETV can also be streamed on NHK’s service NHK Plus. Elsewhere in the digital space for children, the broadcaster operates a platform called NHK for School, which has more than 2,000 episodes from 90 programmes designed for curriculum-based school education. There is also a portal site called NHK Kids World, which targets infants and preschoolers.

One of NHK’s goals is to develop “a one-of-a-kind 

“NHK has managed to keep the kids in front of the TV screens, but we know we will find ourselves in a tougher situation in the near future if we keep using the same old production strategies.

Ai Shibata NHK

programme that will be loved by children not only in Japan but also around the world,” according to Shibata.

“ETV covers various genres, but we want to develop programmes that are authentic – a programme that not only children but parents would want to watch as well,” she adds. “And to emphasise: not mere entertainment but something that is proved to be ‘real’ by thorough research and academic supervision.”

While Shibata says the broadcaster is open to “any type” of programme, she notes that animation and drama face a lot of competition, both internationally and domestically, from Japan’s extremely successful anime sector.

NHK also has its own in-house production arm, and one of its most internationally acclaimed kids’ programmes, according to Shibata, is Pythagora Switch. The series, which has been running for 20 years, introduces children to structures, rules and interesting ways of thinking that are hidden in everyday life, through songs and animation.

A more recent success was Mitateru-Phose: Let’s Change Perspectives!, which won the award for best programme in the under six non-ﬁction category at the 2024 Prix Jeunesse Children’s Festival.

Other existing shows that have become hits among NHK’s viewers are puppet show Ganko-chan of Zawazawa Forest, which teaches the importance of family, friendship and diversity; Stretch Man, which aims to help children with disabilities ﬁnd joy in exercising; and long-running liveaction entertainment series Tensai Terebi-kun, in which children take on various challenges.

“The majority [of kids’ content] is being made in-house at NHK, but we do commission and acquire content from both inside and outside Japan,” Shibata says, although she adds that “the acquisition slot for kids’ content is not that big.”

“We try to offer to Japanese children a variety of rich content from abroad. We consider it one of our missions as a public broadcaster to keep producing and airing high-quality programmes that would beneﬁt society while maintaining a good balance between what is made in-house and outside.”

New shows coming up on ETV from October to March include a drama based on real stories of school kids, smartphones and the internet, and a science programme that answers simple questions for children with accompanying experimental footage, such as ‘what are clouds?’ and ‘what is sound?’

In the animation space, ETV will air an anime adaptation of manga Science Manga Survival, which explores scientiﬁc knowledge and social issues, and has also acquired a new season of Aardman Animations’ Shaun the Sheep

Other recent international acquisitions that have done well for ETV include Sinking Ship Entertainment’s Canadian animated series Dino Dana; Gritsmill Productions’ Australian live-action drama The InBESTigators; and family docs The Platypus Guardian (WildBear Entertainment and Tetrapod Films) and Attenborough & the Jurassic Sea Monster (BBC Studios Natural History Unit).

NHK, like its counterparts all around the world, is having to contend with a tough ﬁnancial climate amid the global economic crisis. This, coupled with the lowering of its licence fee last year, means the broadcaster “is facing a difﬁcult situation in terms of costs in all aspects of production, including in-house, commissioning and

acquisition,” Shibata says, adding that NHK is “making every effort to be as cost-effective as possible.”

Another challenge for the pubcaster, the exec adds, is to improve its diversity and inclusion efforts, particularly in relation to women.

“With women making up only 37% of those working in the production ﬁeld, NHK has more to work on with diversity and inclusivity. There has to be an understanding among ourselves that a diverse and inclusive production group will lead to a programme with new voices and perspectives,” she says.

Despite the challenges, 2025 will be a year of celebration for NHK as it reaches its 100th birthday. “Since the early years, kids’ programming has constantly been a solid pillar of NHK that is trusted by the viewers,” Shibata says.

“However, as numerous platforms emerge day by day, we are aware we are no longer in the safe zone. We will mark our 100th year as a chance to evolve, appeal, promote and underline the signiﬁcance of NHK’s kids’ content as a public broadcaster.

“Also, especially with today’s worldwide turmoil, ﬁlled with environmental problems, economic downturn and war, we must produce more programmes that help children with creative problem solving and give them a voice.”

Discover Science demonstrates scientiﬁc theories through unique experiments

Above: Stretch Man aims to help children with disabilities exercise. Left: NHK puppet show Ganko-chan of Zawazawa Forest

Beyond the Balkans

Serbian animation funding body Animond was established to help finance animated projects from the Balkan region but is now looking at expanding worldwide.

website in a way similar to crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter.

ﬁnanciers and the production companies involved at a predetermined percentage. For its services, Animond charges a fee of 5% of the funded ﬁnance.

Kickstarter has been used to raise money for animation projects before, for 2017 adult animated ﬁlm Loving Vincent, about the life of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. The Polish-UK copro was funded by the Polish Film Institute and a Kickstarter campaign.

By Karolina Kaminska

Belgrade-based Animond is a private investment fund focused on the development and production of animated projects, including ﬁlms, series and shortform content for children, families, young adults and adults.

Launched in Serbia during the Covid pandemic, the fund’s initial aim was to be a bridge connecting investors and animated projects from the Balkan region – but that has now expanded to include the rest of Europe.

Vojin Vasović, co-founder and creative director of Animond, splits his time between Serbia and Canada and says the fund was launched as a response to the more advanced funding methods he had witnessed in North America.

“In the Balkan region, we have very limited funds. The most each country has is one fund – national public funding. There are no others. Living between Canada and Serbia, I realised how the North American market is almost completely based on investment methods and studio methods, especially in the US where studios can own 100% [of a project],” Vasović says.

“The public funding in Europe is super slow and very low-level. The reason why North America is so much faster than us is because of the funding system. So the idea was to make a funding body that would bridge the gap between the two.”

Animond sources its funding from two streams: private investors and public fundraising. The latter comes through crowdfunding, where members of the public can contribute via the Animond

In comparison, the way Animond’s crowdfunding platform works is that an experienced team of animation professionals evaluate the projects seeking support, select those that have potential and share them with

“

The public funding in Europe is super slow and very low-level. The reason why North America is so much faster than us is because of the funding system. So the idea was to make a funding body that would bridge the gap between the two.

Vojin Vasović Animond

According to Vasović, 70% of the fund goes towards commercial projects in order to see a return on investment, while the remaining 30% supports non-commercial, more niche content to help grow the entire industry and promote all areas of animation.

To be eligible to apply for funding via Animond, projects must be in the gap ﬁnancing phase, with 30% or less funding left to source.

As the fund grows, Animond aims to be in a position where it can provide funding at an earlier stage, including development. “We’re trying to ﬁnd big investors now to give us our own money so we can be faster with the distribution of funds,” Vasović says.

Successful applicants must also have an art director attached, visuals, script, treatment, production timeline, distribution plan and marketing plan.

One project that has reached completion thanks to funding from Animond is Macedonian sci-ﬁ adventure-comedy feature ﬁlm John Vardar vs the Galaxy, from Skopje-based Lynx Animation and Savannah Entertainment of Denmark, which will hit cinemas later this year.

the public, who can then choose and support the projects they would like to see made.

Investors benefit from providing project finance and they are among the first to get paid after the animation is released and it starts to earn money.

After the deferrals and debts are paid o , the money earned by the ﬁlm or series is split between the

The first film Animond supported was Just for the Record, a short from Vasović’s prodco To Blink Animation and Magnet Films that premiered at the DOK Leipzig film festival. The film was picked up by HBO Europe for European distribution, Shot TV for Russian and Baltic territories and Super Channel for Canadian broadcasting.

Just as Animond has expanded from the Balkans into Europe more widely, Vasović intends for the fund to eventually become a global funding body.

He says: “We have received applications from Africa and several very ﬁnancially underdeveloped countries that we can’t help because they do not have any funding. The idea is to grow as a fund so we can support other parts of the world as well and become a trusted body. We will settle in Europe for a year or two and then open a call to the entire world.”

John Vardar vs the Galaxy

Animation in Africa benefitted hugely from the arrival of global streamers which led to a series of commissions from the continent, beginning with Netflix’s first original animated show from Africa, Supa Team 4, back in 2019.

The show was created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema and coproduced by South African studio Triggerﬁsh and UK-based producer and distributor Cake. It launched on Netﬂix in 2023 and is currently two seasons in.

Also in the past five years, YouTube launched animated series Super Sema, which is exec produced by Black Panther actor Lupita Nyong’o. The show comes from Kenyan studio Kukua, with animation services by Nigeria’s Basement Animation. Disney+, meanwhile, commissioned a mammoth project in Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, an anthology series comprising 10 short films written by different writers from across the continent. The series was produced by Triggerfish and won the Annie Award for best limited series earlier this year.

Also from Triggerﬁsh, in coproduction with French prodcos Frog Box Productions and TeamTO and Lionsgate Canada, came Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes, which premiered on Disney Junior last year.

“Since 2020, there has been a spike [in animated projects originating in Africa]. There was a change in the market with people looking for diverse content and ideas they could collaborate on or coproduce, with the focus shifting from service work to longform productions and content creation that could be exported for the likes of Netﬂix and the other platforms,” says Mbuotidem Johnson, founder and creative director of Basement Animation.

At Nalo Studios in Kenya, which worked on You Give Me Heart, the ninth ﬁlm of the Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire anthology, founder Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya echoes a similar view to Johnson, explaining that the animation sector in both Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa on the whole “has grown in scope and quality over the last few years.”

“Since Covid, a few multinational entertainment companies have been willing to experiment with untested job markets to meet production needs and this is opening up our territory to the international animation ecosystem.

Africa’s toon boom setback

African animation has boomed in recent years but could su er a hiccup as the global economy declines and animators on the continent face the issue of local stories being animated outside Africa. By Karolina Kaminska

Productions like Kizazi Moto have invited a healthy handful of African directors, animators and producers to work at a global level,” she says.

“I’d been trying to work with international companies for a while, but I was being rejected because they didn’t have international hiring policies, especially for untested job markets. But when Covid hit, they were willing to take that risk because they weren’t able to shoot live-action. It didn’t matter where you were from,

as long as you could draw, deliver well and on time. Studios like Netﬂix were recruiting pretty aggressively. That really opened up my production capacity and what my studio was able to do.”

In South Africa, Triggerﬁsh’s creative director, Anthony Silverston, says 2023 was the local industry’s peak year, thanks to the launch of multiple projects.

“A few launches happened at once, and I don’t know if that would have

been possible a few years ago,” he notes. “There’s still obviously a lot more room to grow, but there are a lot more artists in the pool of talent and a lot of smaller studios have started up. New studios start up and they often don’t survive, but there are a number of new South African studios that have been around for a few years and are now established.”

Acknowledging that now is “not the most healthy time for the industry,” given the global ﬁnancial crisis and

Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire is an anthology of 10 short ﬁlms

budget cuts that have led to the closure of some studios in other parts of the world, Silverston adds that the South African market is still in a stronger position than it was 10 years ago.

The country is not immune to the global challenges, however, and after a big increase, international demand for African animation is now in a bit of a “lull,” the exec says, although he is conﬁdent that when more money becomes available demand will go up again.

“We’ve proven what we can achieve so it’s seen as less risky [to commission African content] and there’ s a lot more talent that has experience now, so everyone’s more ready to take the opportunity,” Silverston says.

Basement Animation’s Johnson points out that a global industry shift from original content to existing IP during the economic downturn has led to “a little push-back” against original African ideas, but that there are still new projects in development behind the scenes.

“People are trying to play around where there is already an existing audience and build on that rather than do original content. But there’s so much happening in the background. We’re just not hearing announcements yet because of where the wider industry is generally,” Johnson says, adding that the demand for African animation “is still there.”

industry. But if that studios

happens on a larger scale without it affecting local productions and the local animation industry, it means the local studios here are not getting jobs. And our stories are being told in the same way as the mining of crude oil being sold as petroleum back into Africa. The stories are being reﬁned, we’re watching them through Netﬂix and we’re in no part of the production of them.

industry, we just need to make sure we’re on the receiving end of the ﬁnancial rewards.”

One such example of an animated project that is set in Nigeria but produced outside the country is Disney+ sci-ﬁ miniseries Iwájú. The show, which debuted earlier this year, was produced by Disney Animation Studios and Africa-focused, UK-based entertainment company Kugali Media.

that, while Africa’s animation sector is growing, it is not yet as mature as the animation industries in other places.

“I understand that, ultimately, the streamers’ best interests are not to protect our territory, but to protect their companies. So if they want to deliver high-quality product, then it’s in their best interest to work with partners who they know can deliver. And the truth is their ecosystems are more mature; they have a longer track record,” she says.

“I understand that, ultimately, the interests want with is their ecosystems are more mature; they have a longer track record,” she says.

But also in Nigeria, Somto Ajuluchukwu, founder and CEO of content and entertainment company Vortex Corp and director of trade organisation Animate Africa, identiﬁes an issue with the global streamers commissioning African stories while handling production outside the

“ We should do the groundwork to prepare our industry for the interest that it’s gathering. We have all the cards, we’re in a fantastic place in the African animation industry, we just need to make sure we’re on the receiving end of the financial rewards.

“There is a lot of appreciation for African stories and how they can be translated into animation. In the past decade, a lot of local animation studios have sprung up. Just in Nigeria, we have over 30 active animation studios, so the industry locally is growing,” he says.

The exec adds, however, that “constellations of boutique studios across the continent are upskilling rapidly, producing work and distributing it on their own terms” and that the “responsibility for closing the gap and addressing that problem falls on us and not the larger studios.”

Somto Ajuluchukwu

Animate Africa

Triggerfish’s Silverston notes that while some of Kizazi Moto’s short films were produced in the countries of their creators, others were produced in countries outside of Africa that have the infrastructure to complete them. African artists were still working on the films, however, and were able to learn new skills and gain invaluable experience for their next projects.

“In countries like South Africa, there is education in animation. And that’s why South Africa has been able to level up in terms of production capacity with its international counterparts.  continent.

“The advantage of the global streamers [commissioning local stories] is that it spotlights the local

“The ownership of IP as it begins to take form in a global space is important. We need to think about the end from the beginning. We shouldn’t confuse excitement for actual industry growth. We should take our space in the animation industry globally. We should do the groundwork to prepare our industry for the interest that it’s gathering. We have all the cards, we’re in a fantastic place in the

Another is Iyanu: Child of Wonder, which US-based, black-owned studio Lion Forge Entertainment has adapted from the graphic novel series of the same name for Warner Bros Discovery’s Max and Cartoon Network.

Nalo Studios’ Oluoch-Olunya says production on African stories occurring outside of the African continent is “deﬁnitely an issue,” but recognises

Animate Africa’s Ajuluchukwu says improvements to animation education in Nigeria could help boost the level of production work happening inside the country as it would increase the quality and quantity of talent available.

economic downturn has

of crude oil being sold as petroleum

African animation

project that is set in Nigeria but Disney+ sci-ﬁ miniseries Iwájú

Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes premiered on Disney Junior

It has an educational system that fuels it with consistent talent in the space. In Nigeria, west Africa and other parts of Africa, the education for animation is not so prominent or structured,” he says.

The biggest challenge that OluochOlunya identiﬁes in Kenya is a lack of funding and the money to pay production teams. Once money has been sourced, the next hurdle is how to generate a proﬁt from the project through distribution. According to the exec, linear TV channels in Kenya mostly only invest in live-action.

Triggerﬁsh’s Silverston and Basement Animation’s Johnson add that a lack of funding and low broadcaster budgets in their respective countries also result in low investment by the local linear channels into animation.

“It’s still non-existent, to be frank,” Johnson says. “Over the years they’ve been used to buying content from the international markets and they buy that at very low rates. They have very small budgets allocated to animation or kids’ content from within the continent.”

The biggest opportunity for animation in Africa is “just how much talent there is,” according to Triggerﬁsh’s Silverston. “A lot of people try to pitch us projects and I wish I could do them all because there are just so many good ones. Our slate is building up and up, and it’s got to that point where we’ve got too many to be able to push them all and represent them all fairly,” he says.

As for the future, Silverston expects the growth of animation in Kenya and Nigeria and increased activity in countries like Ghana and Ivory Coast to “snowball” into other African markets.

“It can only grow because there are a billion people on the continent and most of them are young. There is an audience locally for animation and the

next step is ﬁguring out how to capture it. As soon as that happens, that’s really going to open up the ﬂoodgates.

I don’t think it’ll take long for all the other countries in Africa to catch up [with South Africa],” he says.

“In the past, it was always like Africa was seen as a single country. And if you’ve got one show from Africa, you’re good. Now people are starting to see that they need a show from Nigeria, a show from Kenya and another from South Africa.”

“ People are trying to play around where there is already an existing audience and build on that rather than do original content. But there’s so much happening in the background. We’re just not hearing announcements yet.

Mbuotidem Johnson Basement Animation

The hoops Ajuluchukwu identiﬁes include high expectations of animation quality, large studio capacities and experience working on big productions.

“If we begin to jump through all the hoops of the international industry, we stay where we are for another decade. But if we begin to look within ourselves, raise money ourselves, change the visual language of how we tell our stories and understand that we have a large diaspora – the biggest evangelist we can have for our products internationally – we begin to create a new blue ocean of how we can sell African animation,” he says.

Animate Africa’s Ajuluchukwu, meanwhile, calls on the wider sector to view African animation “as an industry and not as a headline. A headline saying Disney is collaborating with this African creator to make a story does not excite me. It’s normal if it’s happening elsewhere in the world; I’m not jumping off my seat when I see they’re working with American directors. It’s expected they should come and work with African directors to make African storytelling,” he

“Do we want the African industry to be a hand-me-down industry where we all stand up in one line and wait for Disney or Netﬂix or Hulu to give us a handout; where if we have one production per year we celebrate and run around the ﬁre? If that’s the vision, I don’t want to be part of it.”

Ajuluchukwu urges the animation sector in Africa to ﬁnd its own unique style, in a similar way to how Japan took the animation world by storm with anime.

“Japanese anime has evolved so far from where it started. Walt Disney had already gone far, Hanna-Barbera had already gone far; they were oceans apart from animation in Japan. But the Japanese were able to make cartoons that appealed to their population and create distribution networks that could sell to their population. And eventually they took over the world,” he says.

says. “There seen a single dollar. As we clearly jump through a lot

“There are still hundreds of animators that don’t have jobs. There’s still an industry that, in all of this brouhaha, has not seen a single dollar. As we clearly can see, local investment is the only way we are going to be raising money, because with international investment you must jump through a lot of hoops.”

“For any industry to be sustainable, it needs to look within. There is no market that is sustainable by solely selling outside. We need to scale locally and as we scale locally we have more local participation. We’re selling out in cinemas locally and on local networks. We have a following locally. Then Netﬂix is commissioning us because it is trying to get into the local markets, which is hundreds of millions of people.

“We need to look at our population capacity as our wealth. And when we look at every single region as a pocket of wealth that can be tapped into only through African animation, produced through a visual language that only we can make, and we can make it fast, then we have unlocked an industry market that we are the gatekeepers of.”

Above: African superhero series Super Sema. Below: Anthony Silverston of South Africa’s Triggerﬁsh and Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya of Kenya’s Nalo Studios

Where linear still thrives

Je Schon, CEO and co-founder of Kenyan kids’ broadcaster Akili Network, outlines his expansion plans for 2025, the opportunities in Africa and why linear TV is still king on the continent.

It’s been four years since former Scholastic executives Jeff Schon and Jesse Soleil launched Akili Kids, which bills itself as the only free-to-air children’s TV channel in Kenya.

Since then, the network has built up an audience of more than eight million children and five million adults per week, representing 43% of the 80% of kids in Kenya who have TVs and 35% of the adults with TVs.

be pretty wealthy [in Kenya] to have a smartphone that you’re then going to hand to your kid,” Schon says.

on the

By Karolina Kaminska

Akili Kids is part of Akili Network, which Schon and Soleil co-founded to address the lack of free TV content for children in Kenya and help to grow the country’s creative economy. The word ‘akili’ means ‘brain,’ ‘smart’ or ‘mind’ in Swahili.

The 24/7 channel targets children of all ages and families, with programme blocks throughout the day aimed at different age groups. About 80% of its content is broadcast in English, with around 13% in Swahili and 7% in Kenyan Sign Language.

“The average viewership on the channel is one million kids per half-hour. In the US, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network are averaging 200,000 children per half-hour. Granted, that’s between the ages of two and 12 and [with Akili Kids] we’re talking 17 and under, but any of the big children’s broadcasters in the US would be delighted with our numbers.”

As well as the linear channel, Akili Kids is available on YouTube and on an OTT platform called Baze via mobile network operator Safaricom, although Schon says the latter doesn’t attract many viewers, given the prominence linear TV still has in Africa.

given on TV, that’s the preferred way of

“It is not particularly successful because you’re having to subscribe and it’s competing with YouTube. So, as a business proposition, it hasn’t worked. We don’t get a lot of people streaming the channel, but is available. Given the cost of data in Kenya and given that we’re available on TV, that’s the preferred way of reaching a very large audience,” says Schon, who is Akili Network’s CEO.

Around 50% of Akili Kids’ programming is produced in Africa, with the other half coming from international producers. The channel airs both animation and live-action, and all content must have some kind of learning outcome while also being entertaining.

“For young children that could be the alphabet and numbers; for older children it could be around critical thinking, imagination or encouraging girls to do science. The learning outcome has to be entertaining because otherwise children don’t watch. There is an education channel in Kenya that is doing core curriculum; we have 33 times the viewership it has,” Schon says.

All content that Akili Kids picks up is evaluated by Akili Network’s local programming team, who determine whether it will resonate with Kenyan viewers.

Even YouTube, which in other parts of the world has become the most prominent platform for children, “hasn’t yet become a significant competitor” to Akili Kids, the chief exec adds, noting that while other countries are lamenting the so-called ‘death of TV,’ in Kenya, “TV is still growing.”

Even YouTube, which in other a significant competitor” to Akili smartphones, you have to

“Even though there’s increasing penetration of smartphones, you have to

Jeff Schon

International shows that have been successful for the channel include North American animated series Wild Kratts and Word Girl, and hybrid liveaction/animated science series SciGirls. All three series have aired on PBS Kids in the US.

Another success, which Schon says was a “surprise,” was animated UK classic Bob the Builder. Having initially believed the series was “too Western” for Kenyan viewers, it turned about to be “enormously successful,” according to the exec.

Hit series from Africa include animated series Akili & Me and Ubongo Kids, both from Tanzania-based prodco Ubongo. Schon also notes that recently the two highest rated shows on Akili Kids were Kenyan Sign Language programmes, which attracted 2.3 million children and 1.2 million parents in their half-hour slots.

“The viewership of the Kenyan Sign Language programmes is really remarkable, because it suggests there may be opportunities [for similar content], not just in sub-Saharan Africa but across the world. What we’ve seen is enormous interest among children to learn sign language, so there may be a global opportunity to do more specifically around sign language,” Schon says, adding that Akili Kids is also striving to ensure all content is closed captioned to help children improve their literacy.

On Akili Kids’ content wish list are programmes for family viewing for the 18.00-22.00 slot. So far, the channel has picked up a series called Girl Power, which follows children in Nairobi who are competing in dance and using it as a vehicle for motivation.

The channel has also licensed new seasons of Canadian sports-focused series All-Round Champion, has picked up a series centred on autistic children from Ubongo, as well as South African animated show Supa Strikas, and is in development on a local series about careers.

“It would be great to get some really wonderful science programming and something covering technology; that’s something both children and adults would be interested in. We are always looking for movies but obviously can’t get the great Disney films, so what are the other movies that are appropriate

for a family audience? And competition programmes where there’s some kind of learning outcome [are required],” Schon says.

“We would love to find the right kind of comedy show, that still has family values. That’s tricky but would be lovely to have.”

The biggest challenge Akili Kids has faced, according to Schon, is raising sufficient capital. But the exec is confident more funds will come through as interest in the burgeoning African market increases.

“Building revenues to get to break even has taken time, but we’ll get there in the next year. We have to find the organisations that see the opportunity in sub-Saharan Africa to invest, and we’re seeing more activity. There’s much more talk about Africa; it is a growing market. Children’s programming is alive and well in sub-Saharan Africa, with very hungry viewers,” the exec says.

Beyond Kenya, Akili Network’s ambition is to launch Akili Kids in other sub-Saharan African countries, where Schon says the children’s audience is equally underserved.

“Forty percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa is aged 14 and under, while close to 50% is aged 17 and under. In the US, 19% of the population is aged 14 and under. So on average you have twice the population of children aged 14 and under in sub-Saharan Africa compared with the US,” Schon says.

“The number of children that are underserved [in sub-Saharan Africa] exists everywhere. And Kenya is a relatively wealthy country compared to its immediate neighbours Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya has a similar population size but twice the gross domestic product. So what we see as we look at other countries is the product gap is there. We know we will be able to build viewership, particularly if we enter as a free channel.

“Over the next few months we’re looking at raising a significant funding round with a strategic investor that will allow us to pursue expansion. Initially it will be TV, although we will also be looking at what kind of OTT offering might work and seeing what the best entry point is in each of the countries.”

Schon’s hope is that Akili Kids will become the “destination” for any company that creates content for children in Africa.

He says: “That’s beginning to happen as people learn that we exist and they have content that’s been produced in Africa – they’re coming to us first. As we look to expand, it means the offering we’ll be able to take into these other countries will include a lot of content that’s been produced in Africa. We see ourselves as an important player for the content creators in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Top: South African animated show Supa Strikas. Tanzanian animated series Akili & Me (above) and Ubongo Kids (below)

Australian executives Lucy Markovich and Peter Divers launched their own production company last month, in the form of Elysium Studios, a full-service animation ﬁrm that aims to use “innovation and technology to deliver transmedia content and transform the art of storytelling.”

Based on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Elysium offers a full production and post-production service, as well as spin-off ancillary brand and IP experiences such as live events, mobile apps, games, e-books and immersive media.

“We identified a significant gap in the Australian screen sector offering services to the international market,” says Markovich, who is CEO of the new venture. “The future of filmmaking on a global level has become increasingly reliant on technology and innovation. Filmmakers are searching for faster, more efficient, effective and engaging means to deliver stories.

“Addressing skills shortages in production and post-production and a lack of facilities on the Gold Coast, Elysium offers a technology toolkit that encompasses previsualisation systems, real-time immersive and interactive interfaces, and a realtime pipeline for virtual production, motion-capture, animation and VFX. What this means for production is that it will serve to streamline the process and deliver both cost- and time-effective creative content.”

Markovich was most recently an executive producer at Chop Shop Post, where she oversaw the post-production and delivery of hit preschool series Bluey for Ludo Studio. Divers, whose virtual production credits include Alien: Resurrection, Wonder Woman, Kingsman: The Golden Circle and The Hobbit trilogy, has taken on the role of chief content ofﬁcer and head of VFX.

The pair are joined by chief operating officer Dr Jordan Beth Vincent, whose post-production credits include Teletubbies: Go! for WildBrain, and chief financial officer Hugh Frames.

Launching a company during a global ﬁnancial crisis, when buyers are commissioning less and some studios are collapsing, might seem like an odd move. But Markovich says:

Development Slate Elysium Studios

Lucy Markovich, CEO of newly launched Australian animation producer Elysium Studios, talks about the projects on the company’s slate and its ambition to transform storytelling through advanced technologies.

By Karolina Kaminska

“Ironically, the crisis is one of the reasons Elysium came to be. The cost of producing high-quality content, particularly in animation and VFX, was becoming prohibitive as budgets and commissions shrank.

“Our systems and processes are designed to work with creatives to deliver quality content in a more cost- and time-efﬁcient manner, giving you more bang for your buck. That, along with the Australian tax incentives, is an attractive draw for both local and international productions.”

Elysium recently delivered virtual production

“ Keeping an eye on AI is incredibly important with the way it is infiltrating and impacting the industry. Machine learning is always an important tool in pipeline creation, but we feel strongly that creative should be led by artists.

Lucy Markovich

camera tracking for Bronte Pictures’ feature ﬁlm Beast of War. It is currently working on a First Nations animated series for Australian pubcaster ABC Kids and is developing two coproductions with Ireland’s Tri Moon Films: animated feature ﬁlm The Keeper and Son of Cool, a live-action adventure series for families grounded in both Australian and Irish mythology.

The studio is also developing its own slate of original IP for kids and families, including an

animated series based on the Mini & Milo children’s books, an animated Christmas feature and a thrillerhorror ﬁlm for adults.

Elsewhere, Elysium delivers motion-capture projects for the Sydney Children’s Hospital and mobile apps for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Research Centre and the Department of Health Victoria, while also running training and courses.

Markovich says Elysium’s place at the centre of technology and innovation means it is following the progress of artiﬁcial intelligence (AI) closely and working with industry partners towards regulation.

“Keeping an eye on AI is incredibly important with the way it is inﬁltrating and impacting the industry,” she says. “Machine learning is always an important tool in pipeline creation, but we feel strongly that creative should be led by artists. While we may use machine learning for work such as rotoscoping, we train our junior animators in the creative processes as well as in coding.

“We believe in upskilling our team and ensuring they learn skills that will serve them well as they progress their careers. Our vision is to create a more future-focused and collaborative screen industry in Australia that is able to compete on an international level. Combining a collective of diverse yet complementary skills into a collaborative ecosystem, working together to bridge the gaps in the industry, and provide training and education, we have a better chance at success.

“We are committed to upskilling and training talent and we want to redeﬁne the art of storytelling through technology and innovation.”

Pete Divers Hugh Frames

Jordan Beth Vincent

Toon trends

AProducers heading to Cartoon Forum in Toulouse in September chatted to C21 about some of the major issues likely to a ect the future of the animation industry, with AI now the leading topic. By

Karolina Kaminska

head of and during Cartoon Forum in 2023, C21 spoke to numerous producers pitching at the event about the use of artiﬁcial intelligence (AI) in animation, which was just starting to make waves in the industry.

Conversations on the subject were extremely tentative at the time and few people were willing to talk about it. Those who did had very strong opinions at both ends of the spectrum – either they were excited and already using AI in their work or they were horriﬁed and extremely critical of the dangers it could present.

A year on and discussions about AI are much more widespread, while many more producers are openly experimenting with it to help streamline certain production processes. The fear around it has not subsided, however, and staunch critics remain.

Given the continuing rise and impact of AI in animation, we asked producers heading to Cartoon Forum 2024 for their latest thoughts on the subject, including how they are using generative AI in their work.

One producer we talked to was Perrine Gauthier, founder of La Cabane Productions in France, who has been a vocal critic of AI. “We don’t use generative AI as part of our creative process and we don’t intend to,” she says.

“Is fully automating and standardising creations what we truly want, as a society, as companies, as individuals? I don’t believe we should see the massive use of AI as inevitable. Freedom of choice is also a powerful tool and business leaders’ decisions have an impact.”

In Ireland, the response of Studio Meala MD Stephen Fagan was simple: “We focus on producing unique and engaging high-end animation. AI tools cannot do that, so we have yet to have any use for them.”

to adapt when the time

“We’re convinced that in many areas AI will be able to meet several of our needs and reshape the way we create animation. We’re open to it and ready to adapt when the time comes.”

And in Cyprus, Maria animators going into AI, exploring a

And in Cyprus, Maria Pavlou, producer at Pixel Giants, says the integration of AI is “inevitable. It’s the new trend. I see a wave of veteran animators going into AI, exploring ways in which one can speed up the pipeline.”

She adds, however, that the prodco is using it as a “testing tool, only feeding it with our own work, on certain development

Dimitrij Gorbunov, founder of Metaxilasis in Serbia, meanwhile, says he hasn’t seen “anything that matches the ingenuity and artistry of human talent. Some text-based assistants can spark creativity and help writers overcome blocks, but they are far from being able to craft even a simple script.

“In terms of graphics, our experiments with AI have yet to yield signiﬁcant results. The human touch remains irreplaceable in the realm of animation.”

On the other side of the argument, Émilie Djiane, founder of Have a Nice Day Films in France, says the prodco hasn’t integrated AI into its production pipeline yet, but adds:

steps for small projects,” rather than in production. “We still very much rely on the imagination, craftsmanship and expertise of our creative team

and will continue to do so,” Pavlou says.

Back in Ireland, Alex Sherwood, Giant Animation’s CEO and head of development, says the prodco “has leaned into the area of AI automation to upgrade our production pipeline for our projects, which has sped up and streamlined almost every department.”

The exec adds: “The roles of our artists have stayed exactly the same, with the new AI automation working behind the scenes to speed up their process and allow more time for creativity and important tasks that are uniquely challenging.”

The use of AI in animation has progressed since this time last year, but it is still very much in the experimental phase for most of those who are using it. And while opinions remain mixed, the consensus among producers in Europe is that it is only suitable as a tool to help make certain tasks more efﬁcient, rather than to be used in the creative process.

At least that’s the case for now. Only time will tell what inﬂuence AI will have on the future of animation, but its impact is likely to be felt for years to come.

As Pixel Giants’ Pavlou says: “We’ll see what the future brings. We need to be extra careful with this new tool and make sure it is used ethically.”

Shows that made their debut at Cartoon Forum included Kombina from Pixel Giants (above), Rachel’s Pet Parlour from Giant Animation (left), Steel Hearts from EyeCandyFilm (below) and Andarta Pictures’ 5 Worlds (bottom)

How are you using generative AI tools to make animated projects and how are these altering the role of the animator?

Maria Pavlou, producer, Pixel Giants

Working with AI is inevitable; it’s the new trend. I see a wave of veteran animators going into AI, exploring ways in which one can speed up the pipeline. As a team, we are using it as a testing tool, only feeding it with our own work, on certain development steps for small projects; but it is not in our production pipeline. We still very much rely on the imagination, craftsmanship and expertise of our creative team and will continue to do so. We’ll see what the future brings. We need to be extra careful with this new tool and make sure it is used ethically.

Dale Robinson, CEO and producer, Treehouse Republic

We use AI at the beginning of stuff. When it comes to, say, character designs, we might do a few prompts. It’s not to replace a concept artist. We view it in the same way we would a moodboard back in the day, but much quicker and more succinct. We don’t want what comes out of the AI to be the ﬁnal artwork. It’s just the initial sketch where the writer or director has got their idea visually to a level that can then be passed to an artist, who can then start doing it for real. We’ve seen people use it for pitch bibles. But it’s not something we’re going to do, not at the minute anyway. We’re not going to use anything that comes out of AI on screen or in pitch materials at Treehouse.

Émilie Djiane, founder, Have a Nice Day Films

We haven’t yet had the opportunity to integrate AI into our production pipeline. However, we’re convinced that in many areas AI will be able to meet several of our needs and reshape the way we create animation. We’re open to it and ready to adapt when the time comes.

Stephen Fagan, MD, Studio Meala

We focus on producing unique and engaging high-end animation; AI tools cannot do that, so we have yet to have any use for them.

Giusi Santoro, creative producer, POPCult

AI isn’t very effective in storytelling. We use it for making a ﬁrst draft as a starting point to avoid the blank page, which is hard to face at the beginning. We also use it to understand what is already done to try to ﬁnd new ways of storytelling. Indeed, in writing for marketing and promotion, AI is very helpful.

Perrine Gauthier, producer and founder, La Cabane Productions

We don’t use generative AI as part of our creative process and we don’t intend to. And none of the three studios we currently work with use these tools on our productions either. Is fully automating and standardising creations what we truly want, as a society, as companies, as individuals? I don’t believe we should

see the massive use of AI as inevitable; freedom of choice is also a powerful tool and business leaders’ decisions have an impact. Also, I enjoy working with people, so the prospect of a ﬁlm made by copy-pasting prompts doesn’t really excite me. As often, the danger lies in the massive, unreasonable use of a tool. If an artist decides to use AI, fed with images they have created, serving their research, it’s very different of course.

Anthony Silverston, creative director, Triggerfish

We are looking into how AI can be integrated responsibly into our pipeline, but we aren’t using it in any signiﬁcant way yet. The role of the animator is to deliver a performance that communicates an emotion, lands a punchline, or creates an appealing character moment. New tools might help the artist get there quicker, but the role does not change.

Dimitrij Gorbunov, founder, Metaxilasis

While AI tools are emerging, we haven’t seen anything that matches the ingenuity and artistry of human talent. Some textbased assistants can spark creativity and help writers overcome blocks, but they are far from being able to craft even a simple script. In terms of graphics, our experiments with AI have yet to yield signiﬁcant results. The human touch remains irreplaceable in the realm of animation.

script. In terms of graphics, our experiments with AI have head of development, Giant

Alex Sherwood, CEO and head of development, Giant Animation

which has sped up and streamlined

for creativity and important tasks that are

Giant has leaned into the area of AI automation to upgrade our production pipeline for our projects, which has sped up and streamlined almost every department. The roles of our artists have stayed exactly the same, with the new AI automation working behind the scenes to speed up their process and allow more time for creativity and important tasks that are uniquely challenging.

From top: Funny Tales’ Star Chasers, Captain Carrie from Treehouse Republic, All Good from Spain’s Glow and Tant Mieux Prod’s The Sandwolf La Cabane Productions’

Dinner Detectives from Wolkenlenker

What does the popularity of Roblox tell us about young audiences and can online social platforms be used effectively to launch new animated IP?

Bruna Pegoraro, development manager, Andarta Pictures

Young audiences spend more time on social media and mobile devices, so our industry must adapt to new ways of producing content. Today, they don’t just want to watch their favourite shows, they want to immerse themselves in universes. They want to be part of the show, interact with the characters and create stories. It’s the perfect blend of social media (community) and storytelling. This approach can create a stronger connection between viewers and the IP. Leveraging social networks and digital is essential to ensure the IP remains in the audience’s mind.

Bonnie Lener, producer, Millimages

We are just getting familiar with Roblox, however it is clear that it, and other social platforms, show how young audiences consume content and interact with brands. Today, it is key to understand that synergies can be made between traditional content and digital content. We are exploring what can be done with [animated series] Molang on Roblox as we are aware fans have already produced games on the platform which is a great indicator of Molang’s popularity. We will focus our efforts on such platforms to better engage with our community.

Dimitris Kazantzis, general manager, Funny Tales

The success of platforms like Roblox shows us that young audiences crave interactive and immersive experiences. They don’t just want to watch – they want to engage and be part of the story. This shift presents a great opportunity to use online platforms for launching new IPs. With [Cartoon Forum pitch project] Star Chasers, we’re exploring ways to create content that allows kids to dive into the world we’ve created and interact with the characters in meaningful ways. It’s about meeting them where they are and offering them more than just a passive viewing experience.

Sebastian Wehner, co-founder, Wolkenlenker

Roblox’s success has shown that online social platforms can be effective for launching new animated properties, especially for younger audiences. The combination of interactive storytelling, community-driven engagement and cross-platform experiences allows creators to test and scale their content in ways that traditional media does not easily offer. By integrating social elements carefully, these platforms can be fertile ground for starting new animation franchises or extending existing ones.

Diogo Carvalho, producer, Sardinha em Lata

That’s a huge question – it’s almost like knowing how to create ‘viral content’ for the internet a few years ago. The truth is that young audiences have a completely new way of consuming content, maybe because the traditional platforms’ impositions on content went too far and the products became less authentic.

Mateusz Kowalczyk, CEO and producer, Laniakea Pictures

We actively seek individuals who excel on platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, YouTube and Twitch because they understand the new audience. They can create large and recognisable brands with simple storytelling that reach millions and generate revenue. This suggests that animation should adapt similarly to the live-action industry by focusing on micro-targeting audiences and producing local content based on IP and talents emerging on these platforms.

Linni Rita Gad, producer, EyeCandyFilm

Obviously online social platforms are already being used to promote and create IP. This is where young (and older) audiences spend a lot of time and perhaps the best place to target audiences in a way the target feels is relevant to them.

Karina Kabanova, CEO and creative producer, Studio Metrafilms

We believe children’s gaming social platforms are opening new ways to launch IPs. Recently, we have received several proposals to participate in such projects. This is an effective approach because it provides direct access to the audience.

Véronique Siegel, producer, Bagan Films

It is clear that social networks play a major role for the new generations, both in terms of broadcasting and in terms of public debate and communication. What’s more, the sector is evolving very quickly and that means we have to be very attentive to all these new players.

Millimages’ Bin Buddies

L-R: POPCult’s Guglielmo centres on radio inventor Marconi, Mia Moké was developed by Special Touch Studios and docuseries Once There Was... is from Bagan Films

Laniakea Pictures’ Mechozaurs

A 52 x 11’ family sitcom based on the best-selling books by

Chitra Soundar

Top picks for Cannes

Producer: Paper Owl Films

Distributor: Aardman

They say: “Fantastical heroes, legendary villains and a reality that bends around Celtic magic are at the heart of the adventures of sassy 12-yearold Lí Ban. With origins as old as the lands and shores that shaped it, each incredible episode brings some answers, but even more questions, as Lí Ban’s quest unfolds.”

We say: Telling tales that have passed down the Celtic generations, this animated series is aimed at children aged 7-9 as well as their families. It launches in October on Irish broadcaster TG4’s local-language children’s channel Cúla4 and in Welsh on S4C in Wales.

C21Kids selects 21 new shows to watch out for at this year’s MipJunior in Cannes, ranging from an animated sitcom and science edutainment series to a horror anthology plucked from YouTube, preschool 2D toons and drama. By Karolina

Kaminska

Dinomite & Lucy (39x11’)

Producers: TRIKK17, M.A.R.K.13, Fabrique d’Images

Distributors: Toon2Tango, ZDF Studios

They say: “A wild, and wildly original, animated show for kids set in an alternative prehistoric world in which dinosaurs are the superior species. Expect all kinds of fun from a show that delves into the adventure of childhood and all the small, and large, challenges that come with it.”

turns normal life by

We say: Based on a series of books called Minus Drei by German author Ute Krause, Dinomite & Lucy on its head by following the friendship and crazy ideas of an inventive dino boy and his cavegirl pet.

BeddyByes (52x11’)

Producer: Jam Media

Distributor: Thunderbird Distribution

They say: “BeddyByes is a visually rich and uniquely tactile CG-animated series designed to help toddlers and young preschoolers get ready for sleep by taking them on a gentle, undulating journey to bedtime.”

We say: Pitched at Cartoon Forum in 2022, the show has been commissioned for the BBC’s CBeebies in the UK, with a premiere scheduled for spring 2025. Ireland’s RTÉ is on board as a coproducer, while Denmark’s DR, Finland’s YLE and SVT in Sweden have pre-bought the series.

High Hoops (10x30’)

Producer: Can Can Productions

Distributor: APC Kids

They say: “When Aoife O’Neill moves school she’s determined to make a change – no longer clumsy, gangly Aoife, she wants to be a cool girl and hang out with the popular crowd. So joining the school’s lame basketball team, at the bottom of the league and the school pecking order, is not in her game plan. Only Aoife being Aoife, she can’t resist the challenge and she’s soon making changes on the court and causing chaos off it.”

We say: High Hoops is a live-action comedy scheduled to premiere on the BBC in the UK’s CBBC in the fourth quarter of 2025. It is directed by Ian Curtis and produced by Dominique Malloy.

26 half hours

Kids @

Jan. 20-23, Hilton Miami Downtown

Meet these key childrenʼs programme buyers and commissioners at the market

Content Americas Kids Advisory Board members include:

Pablo Zuccarino

Head of kids and animation, LatAm and portfolio strategy, international Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America

Adriano Schmid VP of PBS kids content PBS

Ed Galton CEO, Cake

Agustina Dompe

Content acquisitions senior manager The Walt Disney Company Latin America

Agnes Augustin

and CEO Shaw Rocket Fund

Carolina Lightcap CEO, LightCubed Media

Adina Pitt Kids Media Specialist

Josh Mandel Senior executive, development and production, Amazon

Ken Faier CEO and president Epic Story Media President

Gormiti – The New Era (20x22’)

Producer and distributor: Rainbow Entertainment

They say: “Four young heroes are called to save the fantasy realm of Gorm – and Earth itself – from war and destruction by harnessing the powers of the elements. As the series progresses, the four scions learn the importance of respecting nature, self-sacriﬁce and the power of friendship and unity against adversity.”

We say: Italian toy franchise Gormiti, which ﬁrst spawned a TV series in 2008, is reinvented for a contemporary audience in this live-action reboot mixed with CGI effects. Aimed at kids and tweens, the show is produced in collaboration with toy company Giochi Preziosi, which created the original franchise.

Lord of the Mysteries (13x35’)

Producer and distributor: Tencent Video

They say: “Lord of the Mysteries unfolds in a captivating otherworld, a stunning blend of Victorian Europe and steampunk style, where superhumans coexist with ordinary humans. Unwittingly propelled into this world, a college student transforms into a series of fantastical characters, gaining superhuman powers and facing forces for evil, as he searches for a way back home.”

We say: This animated series, aimed at the 12plus audience, is based on the hit web novels of the same name, bringing them to life for their millions of online fans.

Secrets of the Forest (26x11’)

Producer: Fifth Ground

Distributor: Blue Ant Studios

They say: “Follow the ever-curious (and funny!) Taviss on amazing adventures, as she joins forces with scientists and conservationists. Together, they get to the bottom of the forest’s many mysteries, like why do leaves change colour? What exactly does an underground fungal network do? And what on Earth is slime mould!?!”

We say: In this nature-science series produced for Canada’s TVO, host Taviss embarks on a mission to discover the true majesty of nature and all the secrets of the forest.

Tippi T-Rex (26x5’)

Producer and distributor:

Ánima Kitchent

They say: “Tippi T-Rex brings fantasy to life through a visual experience that captures the curiosities of Generation Alpha. It accompanies them in their daily lives with educational and fun content, focusing on learning and adventure. Tippi T-Rex adapts to the modern environment that children are growing up in, offering an experience that is both enriching and entertaining.”

We say: Aimed at preschoolers, Tippi T-Rex is an animated comedy about a four-year-old tyrannosaurus rex and her family, who live in a modern world inhabited by dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. The ﬁrst 26x5’ episodes are scheduled to launch in this quarter, while a further 26x5’ episodes are seeking coproduction partners.

Tiddler (1x25’)

Producer and distributor: Magic Light Pictures

They say: “Taking a deep dive into the underwater world of a little ﬁsh with a big imagination, Tiddler celebrates the power of storytelling as it tells the tale of a small grey ﬁsh who is lost in the big wide ocean until he gets saved by his own story making.”

We say: Based on the book by author-illustrator team Julia Donaldson and Axel Schefﬂer (The Gruffalo), Tiddler is Magic Light’s 12th animated festive special for the UK’s BBC and premieres this Christmas.

Dino Mates (26x11’)

Producers: MACK Magic, B-Water Animation Studios

Distributor: Studio 100 International

They say: “Sophie and Leo’s summer takes a wild turn when they ﬁnd dinosaur eggs in the legendary Dragon Hole cave. Their retired biologist grandma recognises the pulsing life within, leading to a mission to protect the eggs. Once hatched, these dinosaurs display incredible talents. As Sophie and Leo bond with their new dino friends, they must protect them from those who would exploit them, turning each day into a game of hide-and-seek.”

We say: This 2D and CGI animated adventurecomedy is aimed at 6-10s and was commissioned by Germany’s KiKA. The series is based on dinosaur-themed family attraction Madame Freudenreich Curiosités at Europa-Park in Germany and its associated picture books.

Children (1x90’)

Producer and distributor: BBC Studios Kids &

Family

They

They say: “The cinematic drama follows Phoebe, her older siblings and their mum who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow when suddenly they are uprooted and moved to the Highlands of Scotland after their father mysteriously goes missing. A story about growing up, secrets, being displaced and ﬁnding your way in a community that seems alien.”

The Velveteen Rabbit

We say: Adapted by Tom Bidwell ( ), this feature-length family ﬁlm is based on Jacqueline Wilson’s novel, which is a modern reimagining of British author E Nesbit’s classic book The Railway Children, on which the much-loved 1970 ﬁlm was based.

Earth Science Investigators (50x30’)

Producer: Nine Network Distributor: Fred Media

They say: “If aliens came to Earth, what would they think of humans – the way we act, how our bodies function, what we rely on each day, how we choose to spend our time? It’s time to ﬁnd out all the answers to the questions you may never have considered.”

We say: Produced by and for Australia’s Nine Network, this live-action series follows the antics of two amateur detectives from an alien planet who have come to Earth to investigate the human race. Taking the form of comedic investigations, each episode focuses on a different aspect of human behaviour or biology.

Under the Sofa (52x7’)

Producer: Teidees

Distributor: Dandelooo

They say: “Under the Sofa is a new take on a recomposed or, should we say, ‘recycled’ family. In a world where discarded and forgotten objects have a life of their own, they are dysfunctional because they are composed of leftovers or stray objects that come together. The essence of the series follows the heart and humour of Toy Story with the friendship dynamics of Friends.”

We say: The 2D animated sitcom follows a group of lost objects that reside under the sofa in an apartment. Aimed at 6-10s and families, it is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of this year.

Don’t Walk Home Alone A er Dark (12x13’)

Producers: Mercury Filmworks, La Chouette Distributor: Mercury Filmworks

They say: “Often exploring coming-of-age themes, these stories are intended to be in equal parts scary and heartfelt. The series embraces the crossover between podcast and lo-ﬁ YouTube content that allows the audience to watch, listen or both. Each episode is essentially a mini scary movie. Individually they stand alone and can be enjoyed independently of each other, but all are a piece of a larger world.”

We say: Currently in development and seeking media partners, this animated horror anthology series for tweens and teens comprises a collection of modern folk tales and is based on the YouTube channel of the same name.

Nikhil & Jay (52x11’)

Producers: King Banana TV, Paper Owl Films, Cake

Distributor: Cake

They say: “Full of curiosity, joy and a cheeky sense of adventure, Nikhil & Jay authentically represents the everyday experience of dual heritage children with warmth, heart, humour and family themes that children all over the world will relate to.”

We say: Scheduled to premiere on the BBC’s CBeebies later this year, the 2D animated preschool series follows two brothers who live in a multicultural family with a rich blend of customs, traditions, festivals, food and music. Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton, Alex Rider) stars.

C a r t o o n

B u s i n e s s

20 Dance Street (26x26’)

Producers: Cottonwood Media, ZDF Studios

Distributor: Federation Kids & Family, ZDF Studios

They say: “20 Dance Street centres on 11-year-old Maya who leaves the Caribbean to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School, unaware her destiny is about to change forever.”

We say: Greenlit by France Télévisions and Germany’s ZDF, the CG animated drama for 6-11s is adapted from French author Elizabeth Barféty’s book series 20 allée de la danse. It was pitched at Cartoon Forum last year and has been pre-bought by Belgium’s RTBF. Preproduction starts this fall.

Red Rocks (8x24’)

Producer: Libertine Pictures

Distributor: WildBrain

They say: “Red Rocks follows 12-year-old Jake as he is drawn into a world of mythical creatures and adventure when he ﬁnds a sealskin hidden on the rocky shores of his father’s seaside home in Wellington, New Zealand. When unexpected dangers are unleashed, Jake is called upon to protect his family.”

We say: Set to be delivered by the end of this year, Red Rocks is adapted from Kiwi author Rachael King’s novel of the same name. Aimed at 8-12s and their families, the live-action adventure-drama is produced for BYUtv in the US and Sky in New Zealand.

Piggy Builders (52x11’)

Producer and distributor: Xilam Animation

They say: “Piggy Builders follows a trio of charismatic piggy siblings who love building but have a lot to learn about working together. When they don’t function as a team, the projects they’re working on go wrong in very silly and funny ways. But when they manage to work as a team, the impossible becomes possible.”

We say: France Télévisions, the UK’s BBC and ZDF in Germany have boarded this CG animated preschool series, which aims to highlight team spirit, kindness and respect for others. It is set for delivery in the third quarter of 2025.

Bin Buddies (52x7’)

Producer and distributor: Millimages

They say: “Bin Buddies isn’t a rescue show or a vehicle show that turns a job into something fantastical or heroic, but rather a show that highlights an ordinary profession in an extraordinary way.”

We say: Aimed at 5-7s, this 3D animated series celebrates a crucial job that rarely receives the recognition it deserves. The heroes of Nicelittletown are the trash collectors, a group of animals on a mission to clean up their town. Even when things go wrong, they never let themselves get down in the dumps, always believing they can achieve anything.

Piripenguins (52x11’)

Producers: Eaglet Films, Red Monk Studio, Wild Child

Animation

Distributor: Banijay Kids & Family Distribution, PBS Distribution for North America

They say: “The series centres on ﬁve lively penguins, each with distinctive personalities and voiced by a diverse cast. Life on the iceberg throws up lots of challenges and funny situations for Pancake, Nugget, Brinicle, Looph and Flutter. Along the way these ﬂippered friends learn about life, friendship and, above all, themselves.”

We say: Piripenguins is a 2D/CG animated sitcom-inspired series aimed at 5-8s. The comedy was commissioned by the BBC in the UK and Rai in Italy, alongside the UK Global Screen Fund.

Obocchama-kun (26x22’ or 52x11’)

Producers: TV Asahi, Sony Pictures Networks India

Distributor: TV Asahi

They say: “With one of the world’s largest fortunes and a mansion so vast one could get lost without a guide, the Obo family is incredibly wealthy. It is said the head of the family can inﬂuence global affairs with just a word. This is the splendid and tumultuous daily drama of their only son and the 999th head of the family, Chama, also known as Obocchama-kun.”

We say: This 2D animated series aimed at 6-11s is based on Yoshinori Kobayashi’s 1986 manga of the same name and acts as a sequel to the 1989 TV series. The main character’s unique way of speaking, known as ‘Chama-nese,’ became a social phenomenon in Japan.

Walking the line between consumer and creator

The world of kids’ content is currently undergoing seismic evolution, some might say revolution, with traditional media ﬁnding itself increasingly marginalised by a new wave of content formats that are fundamentally altering how young audiences engage with stories.

Among these, social gaming and interactive storytelling are leading the charge, offering dynamic, participatory experiences that stand in stark contrast to the passive consumption models of old. This transformation is not merely a trend but a paradigm shift that traditional content creators must take seriously if they wish to remain relevant in coming years.

For decades, children’s content was largely a one-way street. Television shows, movies and books were created by adults and consumed by children, and while they often sparked imagination, they rarely invited direct participation from the audience itself.

The digital age has ushered in a new era where the lines between consumer and creator are increasingly blurred. YouTube may have been the market-leading platform for this revolution, but social gaming and interactive storytelling on multiple platforms now empower children to become active participants in their own entertainment, not just passive viewers. A recent YouTube-led survey found 65% of Gen Z consider themselves content creators.

“Rob Doherty founded consultancy Relevant Content to bridge the gap between traditional content creation and the new wave of content formats. He explains why social gaming and interactive storytelling are the future of the kids’ industry.

to connect, create and share with their peers.

The implications of this shift, from passive to interactive, are profound. As social gaming and interactive storytelling continue to grow, they are redeﬁning what it means to create content for kids. Future content will likely be less about creating polished, linear narratives and more about providing the tools and environments where kids can create their own stories.

To stay relevant, content creators need to rethink their approach, not only to the content they are creating but where they are creating it and how it finds its audience.

Platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, TikTok, Zepeto and, yes, YouTube exemplify this shift. These are not just games; they are expansive, immersive, interactive worlds where children can build, explore and create their own stories. Roblox, in particular, has become a hub for user-generated content, where kids can design their own games, share them with friends and even monetise their creations. This participatory model is deeply engaging because it taps into children’s innate creativity and desire for social interaction, puts them in the driver’s seat and offers a sense of ownership over the content they consume.

In games like Fortnite, the narrative is shaped by the community. Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, regularly updates the game with new storylines, events and even crossovers with popular franchises, but it is the players who ultimately drive the story forward through their actions. This communal approach to storytelling is very resonant for kids who are increasingly looking for social connections in their digital interactions. Kids today are looking for more than just entertainment – they want

Moreover, the rise of social gaming is leading to new business models in the kids’ content space. Traditional revenue streams like toy and merchandise sales are being replaced by microtransactions, subscription services and virtual goods. Companies like Roblox are already capitalising on this shift, generating billions by selling virtual currency that kids can use to customise their avatars and build their worlds. This not only changes the economics of content creation but also shifts the focus towards long-term, continued engagement rather than one-off sales. Maybe not really all that different from brand building, to use old-school parlance.

The continued and inescapable growth of social gaming and interactive storytelling marks a pivotal moment in the (r)evolution of kids’ content, and the landscape will be increasingly deﬁned by participation, creativity and social connection. For traditional content creators, this is both a challenge and an opportunity – to innovate and engage with young audiences in ways previously unimaginable.

To stay relevant, content creators need to rethink their approach, not only to the content they are creating but where they are creating it and how it ﬁnds its audience. Ultimately, children still want to engage with content and brands. As creators, we need to collectively educate ourselves on the content children are engaging with and where and how they are consuming it. Those who can successfully navigate this new terrain will not only survive but thrive in the future of kids’ content.

Email: post@c21media.net

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