Comedy Is King

Cyber Group Studios introduces two colorful new toons at Annecy.

We had the chance to catch up with Dominique Bourse, Chairman and CEO of Paris- and L.A.based Cyber Group Studios to find out what the animation powerhouse is bringing to Annecy this year:

Can you tell us what’s on Cyber Group Studios’ agenda at Annecy this year?

Dominique Bourse: Cyber Group Studios is bringing to Annecy two newly developed comedy shows. First one is Erica & Trevor vs. the Spooky Monsters. It is an original, one-of-a kind comedy series for kids and we believe that it will appeal to their parents as well. The second one is Yum Yum & Chew Chew, a comedy series for preschoolers.

We are eager to develop for all targets and whenever possible to create shows with co-viewing content that the whole family will enjoy together. In addition, comedy is a genre we particularly love at Cyber Group Studios. We always try to find a new approach to it. We started with Taffy, our very first cartoon that is now a global success with a third season commissioned by Gulli and directed by the talented Ahmed Guerrouache.

We recently completed the production of 50/50 Heroes. The series was launched last year here at MIFA and so far that has been sold to Warner Bros. Discovery in Latin America, Italy and Southeast Asia, to Disney in Germany and Eastern Europe and to ITV in the U.K., RTVE Clan in Spain and France TV in France (original commissioner).

We are also launching the production of the fourth season of our flagship series Gigantosaurus and we’re delighted by its success, which continues to expand into more and more territories. Additionally, we will attend Annecy with the first images of Alex Player and new elements on Press Start! that we’re producing for Peacock in the U.S.

What makes these shows stand out in the competitive animation landscape?

We aim to bring great shows, driven by strong creative teams that appeal to the widest audience possible. We are IP creators at heart, whether the IPs are purely original such as Erica and Trevor vs. the Spooky Monsters, Alex Player or Yum Yum & Chew Chew, or adaptations from great books such as Gigantosaurus or Press Start! Our ambition is to develop and propose to our clients and partners all around the world best-in-class content for kids of all ages, and in many different genres.

What are you most pleased about your current slate?

At Annecy, we’re excited to introduce Yum Yum & Chew Chew, a new preschool series from the creative minds of Dave Coulier (Full House) and Bob Harper (veteran animator) and developed by Rachel Ruderman. The show follows the life of a family with an appetite for adventure. They live on the floating island of Munchamuncha and travel around the world celebrating food and family!

Alex Player is one of the first e-sport series in the world and the opportunity of a great multilateral partnership among France, Italy and Singapore. In this show, our amazing director, Arnaud Bouron, is magnificently pushing the boundaries of real-time animation technology applied to linear animation. Press Start! is our very first show with Peacock, executive produced by Scott Kraft (PAW Patrol) and directed by Éric Cazes (Vic The Viking). The series is based on the Scholastic best seller that has sold more than 3.9 million copies (across the U.S., Canada, China, Korea and in most European and Latin American countries).

GIGGLES AND THRILLS: Cyber Group Studios brings a full animated slate to MIFA this month: Among the family entertainment studio’s new shows are comedies such as Press Play! , Erica and Trevor vs. the Spooky Monsters , Alex Player and Yum Yum & Chew Chew .

What are some of the goals of the studio in 2023 and beyond?

We will continue developing great content and try to push the boundaries of quality and originality whenever possible. We have a few sneak previews of our shows in development for the people we will meet at MIFA, including brand-new series.

What would you say are the biggest challenges faced by indie studios this year?

The current market situation is challenging as our industry’s old paradigm is rapidly changing. Among the changes: content consumption tends to shift from linear broadcasters to streaming platforms, SVOD players must now become prof- itable, and audience fragmentation reduces the awareness of new IPs and increases the hurdle to build them into global franchises. In such a market environment, agility is a key success factor. The good news is that this skill resides more on the indie side than on the majors.

What would you like our readers to know about Cyber Group Studios?

Our passion is to tell great stories that will entertain and move children and families around the world. Our track record in building global IPs with a large diversity of animation types and genres (2D/3D/cartoon/comedy/ preschool/bridge/kids/tweens, etc.), helps us attract the best talent and we are always on the lookout for top artists, writers, show runners, engineers and other key professionals.

We have a strong culture of innovation and are thrilled with the opportunity to reengineer the way we produce series, thanks to real-time animation, AI, and machine learning that help us create new entertainment experiences. Besides producing our own shows, we also love working on production services for other producers in various parts of the world. ◆

For more info, visit cybergroupstudios.com.