SEÑAL NEWS 201 | MIFA 2023

MAGIC LIGHT PICTURES CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

"MAVKA. THE FOREST SONG," A GLOBAL UKRANIAN HIT

#2

DISNE Y+ SAW A DECREASE IN ITS SUBSCRIBERS BASE FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT QUARTER, THIS TIME TO 157.8 MILLION FROM 161.8 MILLION.

46.3

2% WAS THE DROP OF DISNEY+, DURING THE LAST QUARTER-OVER-QUARTER.

13%

COMPANY’S REVENUES GREW 13% IN THE LAST QUARTER.

In the United States and Canada, Disney+ lost about 300.000 subscribers, reaching 46.3 million. At the same time, it added nearly 1 million in international markets, excluding Disney+ Hotstar.

DANDELOOO APPOINTS MIDOLALA TO PROMOTE ITS SLATE IN CHINA

Dandelooo appointed Paris-based media and distribution company Midolala, founded by Manya Zhou, to boost the company’s slate in China. Midolala will focus on developing pre-sales and managing co-production partnerships and opportunities in that market. “With Manya’s experience and expertise, we are confident that we will deepen our presence in the region. Manya’s first ‘mission’ is ‘The Upside Down River’ series,” Emmanuèle Pétry Producer & Head of International at Dandelooo said.∙

MEDIAWAN

MILLIMAGES TAPS CLÉMENT LE STRAT AS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Millimages added Clément Le Strat to its development team. Under his new role as Development Manager, Le Strat will report to Producer and Head of the Development Division, Bonnie Lener. Lener and Le Strat will attend Annecy MIFA to present the third season and second feature film of the classic “Lascars” property.∙

Mediawan Kids & Family is teaming up with The Sandbox to develop an immersive experience around “The Little Prince” to mark the 80th anniversary of the book’s first publication. “The Little Prince” will be available to players in The Sandbox around the world, where they can discover the story. Fans could rediscover Saint-Exupéry’s hero in a brand new adventure where users will be able to enjoy a fully personalized experience around a “The Little Princethemed NFT avatar” collection.∙

KIDS & FAMILY AND THE SANDBOX TO DEVELOP “THE LITTLE PRINCE” FOR THE METAVERSE

BBC STUDIOS PARTNERS WITH STUDIO 100 MEDIA FOR “BLUEY” LICENSING

CAKE PARTNERS WITH

ANNIE MUMOLO AND ARIANE PRICE FOR “LULU AND THE HELP YOU CREW”

Cake has teamed up with Annie Mumolo and Ariane Price on “Lulu and The Help You Crew,” a 3D CG series originally developed with Reel FX Animation. “Lulu and The Help You Crew” was created by Mumolo, writer of blockbuster feature ”Bridesmaids” and writer and star of instant cult classic “Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar,” and Ariane Price. Working in collabroation with Annie and Ariane, Cake is leading development and production with Reel FX Animation as executive producers. With 52x11-minute episodes and targeting 3-5 year-olds, the series will be distributed internationally by Cake.∙

BANIJAY KIDS & FAMILY SECURES SALES WITH ABC AND ZDF FOR “SUPER HAPPY MAGIC FOREST”

Banijay Kids & Family announced its sales division, Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution, has agreed pre-sales with ABC (Australia) and ZDF and ZDF Studios (Germany) for its upcoming animation “Super Happy Magic Forest.” Produced by Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, with Movimenti Production, “Super Happy Magic Forest” has also attracted the interested of broadcast partners BBC and Rai Kids. A pre-sale agreement has also been secured with Canal+.∙

BBC Studios has appointed Studio 100 Media as licensing agents for “Bluey” in the GSA region, with products launching in market this summer. Licensees set to launch “Bluey”

products in Germany in addition to master toy partner Moose Toys include Amscan (partyware and dress up) Hasbro (co-branded classic games and Play-Doh), HTI Toys (large role play, cases, bubbles and outdoor toys), OTL (headphones, walkie talkies, and microphones), Ravensburger (puzzles and proprietary formats), Stor (lunchboxes, bottles and tableware), and TOMY (Toomies bath toys).∙

WildBrain unveiled a set of new license and content partnerships for the classic “Teletubbies” franchise. The recently reimagined live-action series, narrated by actor Tituss Burgess, which launched on Netflix in December 2022, has also sold in China to Youku, launching in June for an exclusive sixmonth window, then on Senyu and Bilibili later this year. The brand-new CGanimated show “Teletubbies Let’s Go!,” produced by WildBrain Spark’s digital studio and launched last fall on the official Teletubbies YouTube channel, has been sold to Senyu (China), Bilibili (China) and ITV (UK).∙

WILDBRAIN SECURES LICENSING PARTNERSHIPS FOR “TELETUBBIES”

"CHILDREN'S CONTENT SHOULD PROMOTE OPENMINDEDNESS, RESPECT, AND SOLIDARITY"

 Francesco Manfio

Gruppo Alcuni attends MIFA 2023 with new series and projects in its pipeline. Francesco Manfio, co-founder and CEO of Gruppo Alcuni, spoke with Señal News and described the production process of each of them.

Gruppo Alcuni will be at MIFA 2023. What do you expect from this key market?

"We're delighted to be back in Annecy. We're sure this will be a great opportunity to present our newest productions and original projects in development. First, we are developing a series: 'The Black Diamond Race,' which is definitely a show for older kids. Each episode revolves around the extraordinary adventures of a group of teens from different backgrounds who are forced to rally a race against the sinister Mr. K. Seemingly. The prize should be four famous and precious diamonds, but much more is at stake. The series takes place in Europe and India in 1929, and, as a full CGI venture, it's incredibly challenging from a creative and production perspective. Creatively speaking, it's a series that involves relentless, exhilarating plot twists. From a production point of view, it means accurately reconstructing the characters, locations, and cars (strictly inspired by the actual 1929 ones) of that time."

What are the most recent updates about the "Mini Pet Pals" brand?

"After four seasons in our 'Mini Pet Pals' brand, with a total of 208 episodes, we decided, together with co-producer Rai Kids, to set the adventures of our adorable little animals in a whole new environment, where they face new and exciting challenges. So we came up with 'Mini Pet Pals and Mini Dinos.' Beyond the idea of having our 'Mini Pet Pals' enter a mysterious cave that takes them to the hidden world of the Mini Dinos, the series is about the meeting of two worlds that, at first glance, seem to have very little in common. In fact, they are complete opposites. The different lifestyles, habits, games, and ways of thinking surprise 'Mini Pet Pals' and 'Mini Dinos.' Fighting the urge to convince others that their idea is better, they all learn the true value of diversity. Gruppo Alcuni feels that animation, specifically children's content, should promote values like openmindedness, respect, and solidarity, which are crucial for living together peacefully."

Do you have any new partnerships going on?

"Another new series we will present at MIFA is 'Gateway 66,' co-produced with RAI Kids, the MUSE Museum (science museum in Trento), the Renzo Piano Foundation, and the Trentino Film Commission. The series talks about science to youngsters in a fun and innovative way. The two main characters (Anna and Gabriele) go on an amazing journey through a space-time portal, searching for a scientist apparently lost in another dimension. This series is also particularly challenging to produce since it mixes live-action with 2D animation. There is much interest in this new production, and we are very excited to show our potential clients a lot more material during this market."

What is the most recent news about the new "Leo da Vinci" series?

"'Leo da Vinci 2' consists, like the previous season, of 52 episodes of 13 minutes and is co-produced with Rai Kids, HR, ARD, and Cosmos Maya. The phenomenal boy-genius returns with his buddies, and they embark on a risky mission to recover a legendary ruby disclosed by Marco Polo in his travels. We are confident that 'Leo da Vinci 2' will confirm the excellent ratings of the first season, which has been distributed worldwide."

By Romina Rodríguez

FRANCESCO MANFIO, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF GRUPPO ALCUNI, DETAILS THE NEWEST PRODUCTIONS THAT WILL OFFER AT ANNECY MIFA AND DESCRIBES THE ORIGINAL PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT FROM THE LEADING ITALIAN ANIMATION COMPANY.

MAGIC LIGHT PICTURES, TWENTY YEARS OF PASSION FOR STORIES

MARTIN POPE AND MICHAEL ROSE , CO-FOUNDERS AND MANAGING DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY, HAVE BEEN BRINGING JULIA DONALDSON AND AXEL SCHEFFLER’S BELOVED CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO THE SCREEN FOR TWO DECADES IN A COMPLEMENTARY AND PASSIONED WORK.

The filmmaking partnership of Magic Light Pictures' co-founders Martin Pope and Michael Rose has lasted for twenty years, where they've built one of the most enduring British animation production companies, bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved children's books to the screen. Señal News spoke with them to describe the work of their Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning company.

How would you describe the story behind Magic Light Pictures?

MP: "Michael and I became friends in the early 1990s when I was producing my first feature film, and Michael was a buyer at Channel Four. While I continued running my own business making feature films and TV dramas, Michael joined Aardman in Bristol. In 2002, Michael moved back to London and saw my film 'The Heart of Me' at the Closing Gala film of the London Film Festival. We got back together over coffee and realized the possibilities of working together."

MR: "We talked a lot about what we wanted to do. We realized we had very different skill sets and experiences, but we could build something special by joining forces. We were sufficiently different that we'd complement each other, while we shared the belief that what matters is not the technique you use but the stories you tell and the passion they're told with."

MP: "I think we were standing on Wardour Street when we came up with three ideas which formed

the bedrock of our business plan: make live-action films first, develop animation, and if we could find the right property, build that into a lasting brand. So even at the beginning and even though we didn't know the exact next steps, we already had the idea of a trajectory and where we wanted to go."

What is the most popular Magic Light IP in these twenty years?

MR: "It has to be 'The Gruffalo.' We knew that if we could develop an animation IP for the whole family, it could have lasting worth, positively impact people over time, and underpin our business. We were sure it was the 'one' and that we could create a special classic, but it took a long time to get the rights, from 2003 to 2007. 'The Gruffalo' was already a huge publishing success, and we had to convince Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler, and publisher Macmillan that we were the best partner to bring it to the screen."

MP: "Many companies wanted it, some as a series, others as a feature film, but we wanted to stay true to the book and determined it was perfect as a half-hour Christmas special. There are various moments where I can remember Michael saying confidently, 'we're going to produce it for BBC1 on Christmas Day,' and my heart was pounding, thinking, how on earth are we going to pull that off?"

What values are the heart of the company?

MR: "We've built a business known for wonderful films, some of which are enduring classics, viewed repeatedly, which we're pleased to think to deliver an incredible pleasure to our family audiences. But alongside that, we've built a company with outstanding values at its root, and those values cascade through all our work. We want to ensure that 'The Gruffalo' is still a much-loved classic brand in 50 years. If we err on the side of caution, it's because we need to get it right. In everything we do, we're pushing for high quality with strong values which can have a long life."

When you look back on the past 20 years, what are you most proud of?

MR: "I'm proud that we've built a business known for great films with an incredibly high-quality threshold. Above all, I'm proud that we've built a company with great values underpinned by integrity and quality and a desire to delight audiences. Those values cascade through our work and all the people working with Magic Light."

MP: "I'm very proud of our team. There are people here who are doing great work. Also, of course, it makes me proud when we get comments from parents who are amazed their kids have watched one of our films every day for two months or where a film has helped and connected with a child. It's just amazing to be making things that families embrace."

By Romina Rodríguez

PROJECTS THAT REFLECT AN ORIGINAL, IMAGINATIVE, AND IMMERSIVE FANTASY WORLD

MAGIC FRAME ANIMATION AND CREATION ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE QUALITY ANIMATED WORLDS FOR GLOBAL KIDS AND FAMILIES. LIDIA CHIRITA , HEAD OF SALES AND COPRODUCTIONS AT MAGIC FRAME ANIMATION, AND SEFI CARMEL , CEO AT CREATION ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA, DESCRIBE THAT PARTNERSHIP.

Magic Frame Animation is an animation studio headquartered in the United Kingdom and Cyprus that produces visually stunning stories across film, television, and digital platforms. It is an international studio comprising a team of creatives from around the world with a passion for animation. "Our partner Creation Entertainment Media is a production company specializing in storytelling through film, television, and immersive technologies. Its mission is to create global highend content through collaborating with filmmakers from around the globe and facilitating international coproductions. Its credits include 'Legacy of Lies' for Netflix and 'Albion Tales' for Prime Video, and animation titles including 'Secret Magic Control Agency' for Netflix," stated Lidia Chirita, Head of Sales and Coproductions at Magic Frame Animation.

"Together, we build the highest quality animated worlds that global

kids and families enjoy," added Sefi Carmel, CEO at Creation Entertainment Media. Both companies are passionate about creating high-quality animation that appeals to families worldwide. "Our projects feature educational content, creativity, and strong, diverse characters. It's important to us that each project reflects a completely original, imaginative, and immersive fantasy world. Each story features emotional moments and characters that resonate with kids and encourages learning and emotional development, selfconfidence, kindness, inclusion, and acceptance," both executives explained.

BEST ANIMATED PROJECTS

Magic Frame Animation and Creation Entertainment Media have announced the upcoming feature films "Secret Magic Control Agency II: Mission Sleeping Beauty," sequel to the hugely popular Netflix film from 2021, and "Aliens FC," which are currently in development, as well as the new Christmas animated film adaptation of "Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass." Both companies have also announced that writing and directing duo Tim Clague and Danny Stack will write for the new kids' animated series, "BuddyBots."

Magic Frame Animation and Creation Entertainment Media are attending Annecy MIFA for the first time, and they are bringing a catalog with titles such as "Secret Magic Control Agency II: Mission Sleeping Beauty," "Aliens FC" and "Paul Martin and the Magic Magnifying Glass." "We'll also be presenting the series 'BuddyBots,' that has been selected into the MIFA 2023 program, and we will present the series at the 'Meeting the…Producers - Gap Financing' event on 14th June," Chirita and Carmel stated.

When creating content for kids, both executives agreed that it's crucial to develop projects that will reflect and engage with the target audience and can travel globally with universally appealing messages. "The content also needs to account for the nuances and differing demands in kids' content around the world, as well as catering to the interests of young viewers. We also have to ensure that our project pitches and presentations are appealing to industry buyers," they concluded.

By Romina Rodríguez

"Secret Magic Control Agency II: Mission Sleeping Beauty" "Aliens FC"

SEFI CARMEL

LIDIA CHIRITA

TEAMTO'S ORIGINALS, A PROVEN WAY TO CAPTURE GLOBAL AUDIENCES

TeamTO's established productions, such as Emmynominated "Angelo Rules" (five seasons and a Christmas special), animated comedy series "Presto! School of Magic," and "Mighty Mike," which have been sold worldwide, have helped to build the French studio's reputation as a leading, high-quality content creator in Europe.

In 2022, the company launched the first season of "Jade Armor," a new action-adventure comedy series starring a strong, kung-fuloving female central character. The series debuted on France Télévisions' Okoo last September and Super RTL's toggo.de in November. "The results were excellent, the channels were extremely happy with the show, and we look forward to bringing the show to Latin America soon," Corinne Kouper, co-Founder and SVP of Production and Development at TeamTO, told Señal News. The company is developing the show's second season and will start production in June. "'Jade Armor' is turning into a brand and has the potential to become an exciting franchise," added Patricia de Wilde, Director of Marketing & New Business and producer. Another strong TeamTO title for kids is "Angelo Rules," with a fifth season launched this year

THE FRENCH ANIMATION STUDIO OFFERS A RANGE OF ORIGINAL SERIES TO A BROAD AUDIENCE, SUCH AS "JADE ARMOR" AND "BEHIND THE BEATS." CORINNE KOUPER , COFOUNDER AND SVP OF PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AND PATRICIA DE WILDE , DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & NEW BUSINESS AND PRODUCER AT TEAMTO, DESCRIBE THE STRATEGY BEHIND EACH TITLE.

in France and Germany. "The show has been going very well for over ten years," commented Kouper. The series is a co-production with long-standing partners France Télévisions, Canal+, and Super RTL.

TeamTO has also started the global distribution of "Behind the Beats" after being launched as a YouTube Original last fall. "The show is now available for broadcasters, platforms, FAST channels, and any client interested in an animated pop music anthology with a uniquely wide audience potential,"

de Wilde stated. The first season, with 26 five-minute episodes, is now available in English, French, and Spanish, so it is a perfect fit for Latin American players. "The documentary series has a voiceover, so it is quite simple to dub in any language," she added.

NEW PROJECTS

Among its new productions, TeamTO's executives mentioned the original action-adventure comedy show "Next Level: Odyssey," starring 11-year-old Kiran, who falls through a portal into the world of mythology and is tasked with saving the legendary King Odysseus. "We have three partners coming on board, which we hope to announce soon," Kouper said. Other developments include the adventure feature film "Ninn," based on a series of graphic novels by Jean-Michel Darlot and Johan Pilet, and "Orion and Journal 24," an animated sitcom set in space. "It's a sci-fi comedy. We are also currently working on the development of 'What's up Esha,' which we pitched at Cartoon Forum. It's a preschool show that takes place in a small village in the snow with a whole cast of endearing characters that have little adventures together," de Wilde added.

By Romina Rodríguez and Karla Flores

Corinne Kouper

Patricia de Wilde

"WE AIM TO NURTURE CHILDREN'S CREATIVITY AND INDEPENDENCE"

JIELLA ESMAT, CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER AT AMUSE STUDIOS, ENUMERATES THEIR MAIN ANIMATED SHOWS FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND SHARES THEIR CONTENT STRATEGY FOR BUILDING INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOL HITS.

Kids’ content specialist Amuse Studios has created 33 original preschool properties that have achieved billions of views on YouTube. Jiella Esmat, Chief Revenue Officer, talked with Señal News about the company’s goal of producing animated hits with global appeal.

Amuse Animation creates animated heroes for kids. What are the values of those series?

"Our priority is to create relatable stories for preschool children that promote positive values such as kindness, compassion, and empathy and inspire play. Achieving high animation quality with a digital-first distribution approach is our goal. We aim to nurture children's creativity, independence and promote an inquisitive approach to life."

What are the main titles of your current catalog?

"Our catalog features 33 original properties for preschool children, including some of the most beloved characters on digital platforms, such as 'Super Truck,' which has accumulated over 5 billion views since its launch on YouTube, 'Tom the Tow Truck' with over 3.2 billion YouTube views, or 'Shark Academy' with more than 1.2 billion YouTube views. Other titles include 'Plum the Super Witch,' 'Robo Fuse,' 'Animacars,' Increditales' and 'Miliki Family,' our most recent co-production with the acclaimed studio Caribe."

Do you create a 360° strategy around your IPS?

"Our digital-first model develops properties from the ground up, growing global viewership and popularity. We are currently adapting our concepts into premium longer-form shows for broadcast distribution with a longtail 360 franchise goal. We build our content strategy based on four key pillars: research and data segmentation, testing and scoring, continuous IP iteration, and leveraging insights. We localize our content into 27 languages for global distribution. Our strong Chinese distribution has provided access to global viewership data, which we use to assess an

IP's potential and adjust storylines to suit audience preferences. We continue to build on this methodology as we strengthen our content portfolio."

What are the main challenges you face when you create a new series?

"We face two primary challenges when creating new IP: first, the data-driven approach for content creation is complex. The data lacks granularity, and we have had to produce, upload, and analyze over 5.000 episodes to achieve the data bank necessary to create a truly audience-centric series. Moreover, the production process can be costly and rigid, but necessary to provide us with the raw data required to analyze audience preferences. Our model is based on producing content at a fraction of traditional animation costs while maintaining high-quality animation. We have had to dive deep into our creative and production workflows to evaluate the crucial versus the 'nice to haves' when determining how to streamline the process and reduce costs at each production step."

How do Amuse Animation's shows stand out in an overcrowded content landscape?

"We're focused on creating the most audience-centric content on the market by understanding the underlying reasons behind the content success and what elements generate children's interest and engagement. Our new slate incorporates these learnings into building new cost-efficient formats for self or co-financing. We're moving into premium digital-first content that will have a high enough quality to perform on YouTube, premium platforms, and within broadcast environments. Our priority is to create great content at scale and to continue iterating and broadening our viewership across a global marketplace."

By Romina Rodríguez

 Jiella Esmat

"MAVKA. THE FOREST SONG," AN UKRAINIAN GLOBAL PHENOMENON

Animated feature film from Film UA, "Mavka. The Forest Song," started its wide theatrical release across the world, and it is already a big hit in Ukraine, where it became the highest-grossing local film ever and the highest-grossing animated feature ever released in the country. "Our story is based on Ukrainian myths and legends and partially on Lesya Ukrainka's classic poem, but we made it more modern and relevant, including fundamental human values such as true love, friendship, dedication, and how good will always overcome evil. That is why it resonated so much with the audience during these hard times for our country," producer Anna Eliseeva explained Señal News. "Mavka is a unique female character, and her features attract children worldwide. Green hair, magic in her eyes, and a profound connection with nature. Mavka is unlike anyone else, and girls want to be like Mavka," she described.

THE ANIMATED FEATURE FILM PRODUCERS

ANNA ELISEEVA, IRYNA KOSTYUK, AND DIRECTOR

OLEG MALAMUZH TALK ABOUT THE LATEST GLOBAL HIT COMING FROM UKRAINE, AND THE PLANS FOR THE IP, EVEN IN DIFFICULT TIMES FOR THE COUNTRY.

More than 80 countries have already acquired the film's distribution rights. "The animated feature had been presold in more than 20 territories before its release. Professionals saw the high quality of the film and were confident in its further success. Up to now, the film has been sold to more than 80 countries. That means that Ukrainian animation not just survived but strengthened its position during the turbulent we have already started developing the series and new animated feature film based on 'Mavka. The Forest Song.' We are also developing the 'Roxelana' feature film, which had already been selected to be pitched at Cartoon Movie this year," Kostyuk noted.

 Iryna Kostyuk

times of the pandemic and, eventually, war," producer Iryna Kostyuk stated. "Our team continued the production despite everything, under different life circumstances, intending to deliver the film around the world and export Ukrainian culture and values," she added.

Despite "Mavka. The Forest Song" global hit, Film UA does not stop working on new projects. "We have not had time to move away from the active period of releasing the movie, which still continues, and

Moreover, Oleg Malamuzh, Director of the "Mavka. The Forest Song," asserted that the Ukrainian animation industry needs funding and more robust communication on its quality and potential. "But communications without funding boost the process of hunting talented artists by international studios. So, by now, funding is the primary need," Malamuzh affirmed.

By Romina Rodríguez

 Anna Eliseeva

 Oleg Malamuzh

DISTRIBUTION

THE SUCCESSFUL PATH OF BUILDING BRANDS

"COCOMELON,"

AND

ARE SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR IPS OF MOONBUG ENTERTAINMENT. NICOLAS EGLAU, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR EMEA AND APAC, AND DILEK DOYRAN, HEAD OF CHANNEL PARTNERSHIPS FOR EMEA, DESCRIBE THE EVOLUTION OF THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS STRATEGY.

Moonbug Entertainment was launched in 2018 by René Rechtman and John Robson, who had the idea to acquire creator-led IP that had already generated a fan base, which meant they weren't building an audience from scratch. Five years later, the media company has a robust catalog with strong IPs for kids and families. Today, hit series such as "Little Baby Bum," "CoComelon," and "Blippi" resonate worldwide. "We started distributing the series on premium SVOD and AVOD platforms and linear broadcasters like RTL in Luxembourg, Clan in Spain, and Cartoonito in Italy. We believe every family should be able to access our entertaining and enriching content in whichever way they are used to consuming content," mentioned Nicolas Eglau, Managing Director of EMEA and APAC at Moonbug.

Over the last few years, the company has experienced significant growth in the EMEA region. In 2021, Moonbug partnered with OSN to launch the Moonbug branded 24/7 linear preschool kids' channel in the Middle East and North Africa, reaching 28 countries. Later, in September 2022, Moonbug

announced an agreement with MultiChoice for MoonbugChannel on the African pay TV service DStv, reaching 45 countries. "We started with the most challenging multi-territory part of EMEA," commented Dilek Doyran, Head of Channel Partnerships. "Turkey is also an interesting market for Moonbug because it is where we are most successful regarding YouTube views, right after the UK. We have launched the Moonbug Channel with TV+, Tivibu, and Kablo in Turkey over the past year," Doyran said. She added that Moonbug also focuses on Western territories and mentioned agreements with O2 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. "Our ambition is to expand the reach of Moonbug Channel because the linear consumption is still a popular ecosystem for parents with preschool children across EMEA and APAC," she said.

Moonbug's executives attributed the company's success to their insights and knowledge about kids' and parents' needs and the creativity of its studios' team. "Moonbug has a strong reputation for co-viewed preschool content. In addition, the young audience is very loyal, illustrating a 'super-fan' engagement across brands with a high repetition rate," described Eglau. Moreover, the company is very selective in its new projects. "We spend much time reviewing our own shows, being very critical about

all our content, and constantly improving and thinking about how we can develop a brand. It's all about franchise building," he said.

360 STRATEGY

At Moonbug, one relevant criteria when identifying great content is ensuring that a show promotes empathy, compassion, and resilience. These universal values resonate across all Moonbug projects, which aim to inspire and engage children with fun and responsible storytelling. By leveraging Moonbug's creative and production expertise, the company grows these properties from much-loved YouTube shows into global entertainment franchises.

Music is integral to the Moonbug shows, so the company has a dedicated music business. "We are also trading premium originals, which is another product with partners, whether global partners like Netflix or Amazon, or local partners like Sky or Viaplay in the Nordics," said Eglau.

Additionally, Moonbug Entertainment boasts a robust consumer product and live entertainment business. "That strategy makes sense because kids love 'CoComelon,' and want to extend their storytelling into their playrooms. That is another way for us to expand our brand beyond the screen," Doyran stated. "We also want to bring our characters on stage so our fans can see them and interact with the brand in a shared environment. It is definitely a 360 approach, but it always starts with good content," Eglau remarked.

By Romina Rodríguez and Karla Flores

 Nicolas Eglau

 Dilek Doyran

"BLIPPI,"

"ODDBODS"

"WE PROVIDE A SHORTCUT TO THE CONTENT BUYER"

C-DRAMARIGHTS IS AN ONLINE STORE FOR GLOBAL CONTENT BUYERS SEARCHING FOR ASIAN TITLES. THE PLATFORM ALSO SUPPORTS CHINESE PARTICIPATION IN ANNECY MIFA. JIN HANG, DIRECTOR OF CONTENT MANAGER, EXPLAINS THE BUSINESS MODEL AND STRATEGY TO HELP ASIAN CONTENT TO RESONATE WORLDWIDE.

C-dramaRights is a leading global B2B digital film and TV marketplace that showcases massive Chinese content to the worldwide community of buyers, providing a one-stop online service experience. Jin Hang, Director of Content Manager, spoke with Señal News about the platform's advantages for creators and buyers and explained how C-dramaRights helps Asian companies to reach global success.

How would you describe the business model of C-dramaRights?

"C-dramaRights works directly with the copyright holder and provides a 'shortcut' to the content buyer while searching for suitable content. All the title information will be displayed with a simple click, including basic information, synopsis, stills, trailers/screeners, and rating. Since C-dramaRights was established, we have known how important rating is to our clients, so we are working with a few major domestic data companies to offer feedback and content ratings from the market in

English while they are evaluating certain content. C-dramaRights is a free online store for content buyers to pick up titles that meet their requirements and inquire directly. Compared with the typical transaction mode, it's more flexible and transparent for saving buyers' time on evaluation or figuring out the right channel to make the deal."

What is the content selection criteria for the platform?

"All kinds of content are welcome to join us. Uploading shows on C-dramaRights is free. We intend to build a portal that helps more Asian content holders reach out to the world and connect to those

interested in buying Asian content. However, after we learned more about the international market and the impact of Asian culture on the world, instead of just selling our content, we decided to enlarge our goals. We want people to know more about Asian content and Asian culture, audiences, and content creators."

C-dramaRights supports the Chinese companies' attendance at Annecy MIFA. How would you describe that initiative?

"C-dramaRights was founded by The National Cultural Export Base-China International Cooperation Zone For Film and Television Industry which have

Jin Hang

been undertaken and co-organized various international film and TV festivals, exhibitions, and forums. In 2020, CFG started representing the China Pavilion to organize an online Chinese animation forum at the Annecy Festival. Every year we gathered over 20 Chinese animation companies to participate in online networking and pitching session. In 2022, C-dramaRights set up an online business matchmaking system and a live forum for Chinese exhibitors contacting overseas participants. The live streaming room gained high popularity, with over 1.000 audience joining and having discussions. C-dramaRights continued to expand the social impact of all exhibited Chinese animation programs through the festival period, even facilitating several successful cases of business collaboration after the event."

What are the main C-dramaRights objectives for this year?

"We believe there is a great potential for Asian content, and we are responsible for spreading this power worldwide. For those intending to enter the Southeastern Asia or Chinese market this year, we welcome more content holders to join C-dramaRights. However, we understand there might be some restrictions to entering the Chinese market; other than bringing great foreign to Chinese audiences. We help copyright holders prevent pirated content, providing fullcircle service for our clients."

By Romina Rodriguez

