MEDIAWAN AND ZAG CREATED MIRACULOUS CORP. THIS JOINTVENTURE REUNITES ALL “MIRACULOUS” FRANCHISE. (APPROXIMATELY 60% FOR MEDIAWAN, 40% FOR ZAG).
150
TERRITORIES REACHED “MIRACULOUS” SINCE ITS DEBUT IN 2015.
$44
“MIRACULOUS, THE MOVIE” PULLED $44 MILLION IN CINEMAS AND 35 MILLION VIEWS ON NETFLIX.
“Miraculous” boasts a formidable presence across various platforms, dominating screens on Disney, Globo, and TF1, while amassing a devoted following with 37 billion YouTube views, over 250 million app downloads, and 550+ million plays on Roblox.
French animation studio Xilam Animation has greenlit its brandnew adventure comedy “Submarine Jim”, following the signing of its first pre-sales for the series with European broadcasters France Télévisions (France) and Super RTL (Germany). Xilam Animation started production on the 52 x 11’ 2D animation, which targets kids aged 6-9 years old and is set to be delivered by Q2 2026. “Submarine Jim”, created by Frédéric Martin, the acclaimed director behind Xilam’s hit preschool series “Oggy Oggy.” •
Rainbow Studios’ CGI-animated “Winx Club” series is scheduled to
premiere on Netflix globally in 2025. Over the past two decades, “Winx Club” evolved into an iconic global phenomenon, spanning eight animated seasons, three theatrical movies, four TV movies, two animated series coproduced with Netflix, and two seasons of a Netflix Original live action series “Fate – The Winx Saga.” The Winx Club community also generated over 20 billion views on YouTube. •
Moonbug Entertainment launched its first FAST channel for “Blippi,” the show that sparks curiosity in children all over the world by turning real-world learning into playful adventures. The 24/7 channel is available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in the U.S., with plans to launch soon in Canada. Families can now watch over 55 hours of Blippi content on Samsung TV Plus. “The way families enjoy entertainment today is evolving. So we’re thrilled to launch our first free, 24/7 ad-supported streaming channel on Samsung TV Plus,” said Dan’l Hewitt, Head of Global Partnerships at Moonbug Entertainment. •
Fr ance’s TeamTO sold its animated pop music documentary series, “Behind the Beats” to RAI (Italy) and KiKA (Germany), joining co-production partner France Télévisions. The sales coincide with the series’ official selection and presentation at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. “Behind the Beats” debuted on France Télévisions in 2023 and RAI launched the series in Italy in February 2024, with KiKA to follow in the coming months. The series was created by Baptiste Jaquemet and produced by Corinne Kouper (TeamTO) and Emmanuel Deletang (22D Media Group), in partnership with France Télévisions. •
Incredible Films will showcase “Tummy Tom and the Lost Teddy” new animated film series at MIFA Annecy. “We have a screening event on June 11 th , with the presence of Directors Joost van den Bosch and Erik Verkerk,” Danielle Raaphorst, CEO of Incredible Films said. The film, produced by Phanta Animation, will be released in Netherlands’ cinemas on June 19. “Tummy Tom” is an 2D hand-drawn animation, narrated in English by Tim Gunther. “The second film, ‘A New Friend for Tummy Tom,’ with a 1.75 million Euros budget, will be ready in December 2024,” Raaphorst anticipated. “With Tummy Tom, preschoolers and toddlers will get the chance to get his or her first real cinema experience. With Tummy Tom, kids can talk, sing, clap, and stomp. In fact, participation is a must!,” she said. •
Gaumont closed sales for its animated series “Bionic Max” and “Do, Re & Mi”. M6/Gulli (France) commissioned the slapstick comedy series “Bionic Max.” Targeting kids aged 6 to 11, the series has been picked up by Warner Bros Discovery (Italy), MBC (MENA), Globosat (Brazil), ABC Australia (Australia), Pluto TV (USA), EITB (Spain), Happy Kids (USA), TDM (Macao) and the French-speaking channel Tivi5Monde. Furthermore, the Amazon Prime Video original series “Do, Re & Mi” was sold to ABC Australia (Australia), Knowledge (Canada), YLE (Finland), RTS (Switzerland), MTVA (Hungary), Thai PBS (Thailand) and ViuTV (Hong Kong). •
STUDIO 100’S “MAYA THE BEE” HAD
Studio 100, in collaboration with Generation Media, launched a cinematic experience with the character “Maya the Bee”. Following special premiere events in three Polish cities, families across Poland enjoyed a special 60-minute interactive cinema event at nearly 50 Multikino Vue locations. The “Maya the Bee” cinema event had an immersive journey into Maya’s world on the Poppy Meadow. It includes four popular episodes of the CGI series, featuring the story of Maya’s birth. Between episodes, children and their families were invited to participate in fun-filled activities, including puzzling, dancing, and sing-alongs. •
A NEW EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION, TRANSMEDIA, AND METAARTS FESTIVAL TOOK PLACE IN PESCARA, HIGHLIGHTING THE FUTURE OF ITALIAN ANIMATION AND FEATURING GLOBAL TALENTS WHILE FEATURING SPAIN AS THE GUEST COUNTRY.
The 28 th edition of Cartoons on the Bay, the international animation, transmedia, and meta-arts festival promoted by Rai and organized by Rai Com, took place in Pescara. "The festival has such a long life because, fortunately, behind it, there is the Italian public television, RAI, so there is a security of continuity that other festivals do not have," Roberto Genovesi, Artistic Director of COTB, told Señal News. "The event was born in 1996 to monitor the evolution of the market and its scenarios. For that reason, it changes yearly according to the global trends," he added.
Cartoons on the Bay selects different guest country every year. This time, it was the turn of Spain. "The choice was not made by chance but by analyzing the market. We decided to have Spain as a guest country precisely because it represents a European point of reference for animation and, at the same time, an important dialogue partner for the exchange of information and co-production. It is essential to have different multimedia broadcasters, but also Spanish directors and creators," he said.
Another relevant point of the 28 th edition of Cartoons On the Bay was the presence of recognized
professionals from the Italian and global animation arena, such as Oscar and Emmy-nominated documentary director and producer Leslie Iwerks, former Disney director and animator John Musker, and Spanish comic book author Juanjo Guarnido. "We brought influential personalities from the animation world because Cartoons on the Bay is a nomadic event. Usually, every three years, we change location. Having John Musker, Leslie Iwerks, and Juanjo Guarnido together for us was a pleasure," he concluded.
This year's "Pitch Me! Contest" was the main focus of the first day of the event. Juries Agnès Bizzaro (Cartoon Springboard), Sara Cabras (RAI Kids), and Elena Capparelli (RAI Play e Digital) gave the awards for the three best projects presented by students. The first place was for "Zilìa". "It's an awesome family story with nature elements like waves, sea, and wind sounds. It's a very different and strong topic in a poetic harmony," Agnès Bizzaro, Content Director of Cartoon Springboard, said. Winners were invited to participate in Cartoon Springboard, which will take place in Madrid in October. The second award was for "Night Shift," while the third place was for "La Mamma di Mario Papà."
The panel "The Future of Italian Animation: The Role of the IPs" invited animation experts Francesco Manfio (Gruppo Alcuni) and Federica Maggio (Enanimation) to discuss how to create successful brands and strong IPs. "There is no magic formula to create a successful IP, this is certain, but starting from a product that already exists, like a book, certainly helps to build a potential, a possibility of subsequent IP development," Maggio expressed. "At the same time, it is necessary to experiment and innovate, so there must be a general balance," she added. Manfio mentioned that Italian producers have to invest, in a greater way, in IP creation. "This is fundamental because there is always a connection between the brand and the studio that has created it," he asserted. "We have to invest in creating these brands. Doing it is difficult, but we have to accept that challenge. Otherwise, I'm afraid we will be marginalized," Manfio added, who also introduced the AI concept. "When we talk about artificial intelligence, it will support our creatives, but the creatives are us; it's not artificial intelligence," he said. Maggio and Manfio also discussed the dilemma of creating an Italian IP for the global market or one that conserves its original language, title, and culture. "Since we aim to make a product to export, we never think just on the Italian market," Maggio said. Manfio mentioned Gruppo Alcuni's Italian IP "Leo Da Vinci." "We thought that Leo could be something that would go around the world, and in fact, it was sold to 80 countries in the world," he described.
By Romina Rodriguez, from Pescara
Brazilian Content is a specialized non-profit program that aims to promote new opportunities for co-production and export of audiovisual content and new media for independent Brazilian producers. Created in 2004 through a partnership between Brasil Audiovisual Independente (BRAVI), the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), and the Audiovisual Secretariat, the program currently has 115 member companies in all five regions of Brazil. For Annecy MIFA, the Brazilian delegation will have a strong presence and different business goals.
“Spirit Animation's expectation in returning to MIFA for another year is to meet once again existing contacts and to start new business relations through the incredible networking that Annecy allows us, with its incredible lake and Old Town.”
J.R. BRAZ
"We currently have five series and one feature film in development,
THE BRAZILIAN DELEGATION FOR ANNECY MIFA WILL HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE AND DIFFERENT BUSINESS GOALS. EXECUTIVES FROM ATTENDING COMPANIES DESCRIBE THEIR GROWTH OBJECTIVES FOR THE EVENT.
and we are actively seeking international partnerships. In today's globalized world, financing comes from various fonts and players worldwide. Because of that, it is crucial to produce content that appeals to an international audience. That is where MIFA plays a pivotal role. It provides the perfect platform to improve our global networking, find new partnerships, and continue conversations from previous events, elevating our growth expectations. So, we have high expectations for the event, mainly to meet new people, new partners, and new friends and produce Brazilian Content for the world."
"Being present at MIFA with our film 'Abah and his band' and with spin-off projects with the same intellectual property is an opportunity to find space in the international market and expand our business. Holding meetings with sales agents and buyers will help us understand the real market value of our film. Our interest also expands in prospecting for funds, co-producers, and investors to finance our TV series, streaming, game, and music projects for YouTube with the same IP. We will certainly take an important
step forward in the growth of our company."
"We are starting a robust internationalization plan for Oz Produtora, and participating in MIFA for the first time is an important step towards taking our projects and the Oz brand to other countries. We were selected to participate in 'Meet the Buyers,' and we are excited about the opportunity. We already have meetings with global buyers, which could open doors for current and future projects. It's the chance we needed to start relationships that could mature and result in excellent partnerships and projects."
"Animaking Studio is seeking strategic partnerships to produce and distribute content. Animaking will be presenting, for the first time, the pitching deck for its second stop-motion animated feature film in pre-production, titled 'Vicky.' This project includes the American co-production company Verité Entertainment, art by Grangel
Studio (Corpse Bride, Pinocchio, The Pirates), and a screenplay by Chris Jenkins (Surf's Up). We are also looking for distribution for its fourth 3D-animated series, 'Past in Time.' The series is set in a magical museum, with each episode exploring a different historical civilization. It consists of 20 episodes, each 13 minutes long, totaling 260 minutes of animation. The series was produced using Animaking's proprietary software Animaction, which features real-time rendering based on a game engine."
MARIA LUIZA KHOURI
"As it's my first time in Annecy, and I'm launching the pilot of my first animated kids' project, my idea is much more about exchanging experiences with those who have been in the market much longer than I have, rather than expecting big deals to be made. For first-timers, undertaking a major animation project without considering the possibility of coproduction is too risky, so the idea is to connect with studios whose projects resonate with mine."
"Thanks to the support from Spcine, this will be our first time participating in MIFA, and we are very excited. We expect to understand better the current global panorama of the animation market, its trends, and new technologies, and to establish contact with executives and artists, especially from Europe and Latin America."
"For Tortuga Studios, participating in MIFA is essential to consolidate its growth strategy for international co-productions. Today, we have co-productions with Spain, Mexico, and the US, which resulted in various award nominations, such as the Goya and Platinum. We aim to continue strengthening relations with other countries, thus seeking new business opportunities and cultural exchanges."
"44 Toons is a very active studio in the international market. We are the creators of the first Brazilian series aired on USA television. Even so, MIFA was never our main market for presenting our projects. The market is changing a lot, and I see Annecy transforming into a special market for quality animation projects and shows. I hope to find coproducers and new broadcasters to expand our awareness."
"Our most significant objective is to further internationalize Lanterna Mágica - International Animation Festival. We aim to create connections and ties with international directors, distributors, and producers, expanding our production capacity."
NELSON BOTTER JR.
"Animation has always been an industry where remote work played a big part and even more so after the pandemic. In a time when most of the work is done online, meeting places like MIFA are necessary to remind us that we are all much more than our virtual selves. We expect to expand our networking with international companies and share experiences to understand the industry's current state better. We are also looking for coproducers for the projects we bring to the market, including 'Hurricanimals,' which is part of the official MIFA Pitches."
"MIFA is one of the most important events in the animation market and is crucial for maintaining our presence. At this particular time, our participation is even more relevant due to our recent expansion into Canada and the increase in our feature film and gaming projects, such as 'Among The Stars.' Being present at MIFA will allow us to strengthen connections, present our new initiatives, and explore collaboration opportunities that will further drive our growth and innovation. We hope to find co-production, distribution, publishing, and pre-sales."
"This is our first time attending MIFA and the Annecy Festival, thanks to the support from Spcine. We plan to meet new companies and potential partners, expand our contacts in the international market, present our projects, and learn about what is coming in the animation industry all around the globe."
By Diego AlfagemezMagic Light Pictures is a prolific film and TV series producer and distributor that also distributes titles for theatrical release. Hannah Jones, Senior Distribution Manager, discusses children's engagement with the big screen and reveals Magic Light's 360-degree strategy for each movie.
What is Magic Light's strategy for the theatrical window business?
"We continue to work closely and collaboratively with our cinema partners to create an engaging year-round program of Magic Light titles for audiences in the UK. Where possible, we lean into seasonal programming and work closely with cinemas to determine the most opportune release schedule. That takes into consideration both the competition and our objectives as a business. We are also expanding our theatrical presence internationally by launching exciting new partnerships and releasing our specials in new territories such as Australia and New Zealand. There has been a focus on new content this year, with the recent launch of our second 'Pip and Posy' cinema show and the upcoming UK release of our most recent special, 'Tabby McTat.'
We need to provide cinemas with a rich catalog of our familiar classics, which can be combined in different ways to create appealing one-hour double bills, but we also recognize the increasing need for new and bespoke preschool cinema content, and we've tried to prioritize that."
How is the balance between the films you screen in the UK and those you screen abroad?
"There is much familiarity with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's books and their film adaptation produced by Magic Light Picture in the UK, and that translates to an increased amount of theatrical activity compared with other territories, but that's not to say there isn't a level of international familiarity. Our worldwide distribution in the realms of TV, home entertainment, and festival participation has garnered a level of international recognition that lends itself to theatrical distribution. We work with broadcasters, distributors, and dubbing studios to produce the highest quality dubs, and we are always looking for opportunities to share localized films with audiences worldwide. It's important for us not to adopt a 'one size fits all' approach but rather to treat each territory individually and respect the local movie-going traditions and experiences. What works in one territory may not work in another, and we rely on the expertise of our international
partners who know their audiences well and can work with us to create an appealing cinematic offering, keep customers coming back, and get audiences to engage with our wonderful stories and characters."
How could you describe the audience's engagement with movie theaters?
"It's been fascinating to see the cinema landscape shift in the wake of Covid, and it's been great to see preschool content and other events going from strength to strength. Preschool programming offers a different kind of experience where families can have a great day out at a reduced price, and although new content is key, we have found that audiences love to return to the big screen time and time again to watch familiar favorites like 'The Gruffalo' and 'Room on the Broom,' as well as valuing brand new bespoke cinema content. We've also found that our audiences enjoy and appreciate elements of interactivity such as games and singalongs, and the expectation that children should sit still and be quiet in the cinema doesn't apply to preschool screenings. We want children to sing, play, and enjoy every moment of the experience. One thing that motivates us is that when children see a Magic Light production, it may well be their first trip to the cinema. That is a special thing we cherish deeply, and we will continue to strive to create a fun, inclusive, and relaxed environment for families and the best first cinema experience a child can have."
By Romina Rodriguez
FRANCE'S MIAM! HAS MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ANIMATION, DEVELOPING, PRODUCING, AND DISTRIBUTING HIGH-QUALITY CONTENT WORLDWIDE. HANNA MOUCHEZ , FOUNDER AND CEO, EXPLAINS THE KEY TO THIS SUSTAINABLE COMPANY'S GROWTH.
Founded in 2016 by Hanna Mouchez, MIAM! is a Paris-based independent and integrated group of three companies active in the development, production, and international distribution of high-quality animated and hybrid programs. MIAM! Animation is in charge of the development, financing, production, and coproduction. MIAM! Distribution controls the global distribution of those series. "We currently work with 21 independent production companies, all led by talented producers whom we are very proud to work with", MIAM! Hanna Mouchez, CEO & Founder, said. Finally, MIAM! Studio is where they handle the line production of their real-time CG animated
series. "Since 2019, we have started developing an innovative and sustainable real-time 3D production pipeline. Our goal is to be able to produce top-quality animation series while reducing their carbon footprint and controlling production costs and timelines," explained Mouchez.
The executive mentioned that the animation industry is facing the same significant challenges as all other content genres: how to keep on producing while there are wars in Europe, essential resources are scarce, potential broadcasting partners are fewer, and their budgets are globally being reduced, and, most of all, while worldwide biodiversity is at risk. "To face the situation lucidly, the first step is to build a battle plan. We work in the animation industry, and our job is to tell stories and spread them worldwide to kids and families. What an opportunity to bring hope, joy, and meaningful content to trigger an impact on behaviors," Mouchez expressed.
"The animation industry, just like any other, is GHG productive. We can have a positive impact on such GHG by adapting our production pipeline. We need to train ourselves and our team to understand the priorities of action. The positive element is that the European regulation and most broadcasters and financing partners, such as the French CNC, are aligned to support sustainable productions and inclusion and diversity within production teams. Producers, studios, and distributors have also joined forces to anticipate the situation, adapt our work patterns and studio facilities to reduce our carbon impact and train our talents. It's the beginning of a greater change," she completed.
MIAM! studio is producing "The Tinies", its newest preschool sitcom comedy in co-production with Panique! and Lunanime, and commissioned by Canal+ in France and VRT in Belgium. "We aim to offer children a different way of buying toys by suggesting they do the same as their idols: collecting the packaging and playing while reusing it, giving it a new purpose and therefore reducing the quantity of plastic and cardboard on Earth," commented Mouchez. "The Tinies" first episode will be available on Mipcom. On the other hand. MIAM! Animation is also producing "Goat Girl" in coproduction with Daily Madness and Thuristar. "Gigi's journey is about being comfortable in her skin, being happy being herself, and embracing differences and peculiarities," Mouchez said.
MIAM! Distribution is bringing "Our Summer of Freedom"to MIFA in competition at the Annecy Festival. Darjeeling produces the show in a co-production with Belgium's Panique!, Lunanime, and broadcasters RTBF and VRT. "Five European broadcasters are already on board: RTBF, VRT, France Télévisions DR and RTS, as well as TV5 monde," Mouchez mentioned. "The show is about universal themes. It explores how children can transcend community differences, advocating for justice and understanding across communities. The series nurtures a dialogue across generations, ensuring that history is not just what we learned from books but shared within families and schools, shaping our collective future," Mouchez concluded.
By Romina Rodríguez
"’STORYZOO
The educational platform StoryZoo has launched its "StoryZoo & Friends" FAST Channel, collaborating with remarkable content partners and featuring a library of 150 hours of content. Señal News spoke with Johannes Gropp, Founder & CEO of StoryZoo, who described the company's new strategic move.
StoryZoo entered the FAST business. How would you describe this new milestone for the company?
"It was a fascinating and astonishing journey. For sure, the term FAST is a trendy word these days in the television world. With 'StoryZoo' we have beautiful edutainment content suited for an international audience. Kids from 3+ years of age don't want to watch only StoryZoo content; they like the variety of brands, characters, and storytelling methods. We contacted other production studios and partners offering safe, high-quality educational content to create a strong alliance and compete with
the big studios. We quickly formed a unique and world-class lineup with several brands from several production houses to amass a library of 150 hours of content".
How would you describe the process of creating the channel's content lineup?
"It was a lot of coordination and work, but also much fun as we were suddenly in the luxury position of cherry-picking the best-suited brands for the 'StoryZoo & Friends' channel. We created test panels with kids from 3+ to understand what content they want to watch within our boundaries. The offer had to be safe, family-friendly, high-quality, and engaging. Our aim is also to refresh the channel lineup with seasonal content, and we are we managed to add the most popular brands with a seasonal refresh quota of 30%."
What are the highlights of "StoryZoo & Friends" content schedule?
"We added the best series of the 'StoryZoo adventures,' paired with content from our Irish partner Monster Entertainment and the very popular brand 'Jungle Beat' and Spain's DeaPlaneta hits 'Bernard' and 'Willy Fog,' combined with France's Millimages and their worldwide hits 'Molang' or 'Hilltop
Hospital,' and several other top brands that suit our vision. I can happily confirm that new partners have already signed up to join our journey and make 'StoryZoo & Friends' FAST channel an established international brand."
"StoryZoo& Friends" is available on Germany's waipu.tv. How will its launch roll-out continue?'
"That's a great and very current question, as we are just about to sign several deals with major platforms for the German-speaking territories and the Benelux. With a robust content offering, we quickly convinced many platforms to take the channel on board. We want to extend our footprint thoughtfully and carefully, from country to country, with a unique selling proposition and content that suits the local audience."
Does the success of the 'StoryZoo & Friends' impact StoryZoo's global strategy?
"Yes, it does! Our production studio still focuses on making StoryZoo an internationally recognized kid's brand. We create new adventures and license the content all over the world. We are dubbing the content into the most widely spoken languages, and with our partners, we maximize brand exploitation, such as merchandising and music. The show will also have its first theater tour starting in September this year. Now, our responsibility is to make 'StoryZoo & Friends' the FAST channel a huge international success."
By Romina Rodriguez
JOSEF PALLWEINPRETTNER , DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, AND CEO AT SINE LEGE FILM, DESCRIBES THE SERIES' SECOND SEASON'S GLOBAL POTENTIAL WHILE DEFINING ITS STORY'S CENTRAL VALUES.
Sine Lege Film will attend Annecy MIFA with the brand-new second season of "Rookie Robot Explores the World," which has 52 three-minute episodes available. Señal News spoke with Josef PallweinPrettner, Director, Producer, and CEO at Sine Lege Film, who described the global potential of this new launch.
What are the main highlights of "Rookie Robot Explores the World" second season?
"This second season of 'Rookie Robot' has become even more colorful and fun. Our show is about a little friendly bot and his adventures and was created by kids and for kids. Rookie is special and so easy for kids to relate to
because both characters and stories are developed from original kids' drawings and ideas. That's a huge difference from most programs on the market: when kids watch shows, they usually see something totally out of reach regarding their abilities. With Rookie Robot, they see something they could have made themselves, and we can tell from their faces that this is intriguing and attractive and makes it very relatable and easy to follow, and even recreate, as the fan art we receive proves."
What central values are highlighted in "Rookie Robot Explores the World"?
"The show focuses on values like friendliness, openness, curiosity, friendship, patience as well as perseverance, responsibility, and respect for self and others, while it also promotes care for each other and our environment, every living being, and our beautiful planet."
The show's first season was sold to Canada, Korea, Austria, Estonia, Spain, and Portugal, and MetaMedia has announced recent sales to DR, NRK, and Kidoo. How
would you explain the show's global impact?
"Rookie stands for important universal values that are easy to understand for all of us, not only kids. Stories focusing on creativity and problem-solving are inspiring and fun and demonstrate that education and social behavior can be translated into funny and cheeky cartoon adventures. Drawing and music are universal languages and connect all of us without borders. The fact that Rookie is nondialogue with no dubbing required makes it even easier to transfer worldwide."
What will the series' following international business goals be?
"Rookie has solid international potential, with the first season already available in several countries, so we are now looking to roll it out internationally further. Our distributor, Meta Media, is thrilled with the new season and looks forward to showing it to new buyers at Annecy MIFA. The new season makes it even more attractive to buyers, and they already have deals in discussion, which we will announce shortly. We are also planning to launch toys and print products as well as educational games, both online and offline, and for all of that, we are looking for ambitious partners who are interested in further international development together with us."
By Romina Rodriguez"'GOD'S
NIMROD AVRAHAM-MAY, CEO OF GOD'S GANG, DEFINES ITS ANIMATED IP, WHICH AIMS TO BRING TOGETHER CHILDREN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, SPREADING A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND UNITY.
"
God's Gang" is an animated kids' series that brings together four heroes from different religions who go on adventures around the world, promoting a message of peace and unity. Nimrod AvrahamMay, CEO of God's Gang, talked to Señal News and explained the potential of the IP.
How difficult is it to develop narratives that inspire and entertain people today?
"In today's climate of polarisation, media outlets often prioritize sensationalism over fostering unity and understanding. However, when we take the time to delve into the depths of individuals' hearts and minds, we find a stark contrast to the divisive narratives. The vast majority of people around the globe yearn for peace, harmony, and cooperation among all nations and communities. As we grow and increase our recognition and influence, we remain steadfast in our commitment to building a better world from the grassroots up. We believe in the power of collective action and the inherent goodness within humanity. As we continue to grow and expand our reach, we are confident that more and more individuals will join us in our shared mission to foster a healthier, more united global community."
"God's Gang" features multicultural and multinational characters. How could the series help children from all over the world?
"'God's Gang' isn't merely a series; it's a dynamic franchise that knows no bounds, embracing cultural diversity and transcending borders through exhilarating superhero escapades. With characters drawn from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and beyond, we offer children a tapestry of relatable role models embodying courage, teamwork, resilience, and fortitude. Our stories resonate universally, imparting essential messages that inspire children to recognize the shared values that unite us all, irrespective of cultural or religious backgrounds."
What lessons could the content industry learn from an innovative kids' IP?
"With over a million subscribers and followers spanning YouTube, TikTok, and various social media platforms, our rapid audience growth underscores the vast potential for children's content brands to challenge conventional industry paradigms and engage diverse audiences through imaginative storytelling. That shows that content is 'King and Queen'". With the right motivating, powerful messages, we have built our following on YouTube without
needing a traditional platform. Our commitment to diversity and inclusivity has distinguished us within the market and will open doors to lucrative merchandising and licensing ventures. This early success serves as a testament to the hunger for fresh, inclusive narratives and paves the way for further expansion into uncharted territories."
Having built a YouTube-first kids' brand, how has 'God's Gang' gathered millions of views?
"Our strategic focus on YouTube as our primary platform has been pivotal in cultivating a loyal fanbase and igniting enthusiasm for our content. Through good, positive storytelling on digital channels, we've forged connections with millions of viewers globally, nurturing a vibrant online community. This digital footprint amplifies our brand's reach and synergizes with our merchandising and licensing plans, providing fans with distinctive avenues to interact with 'God's Gang' beyond conventional media boundaries. Once established, 'God's Gang' aims to expand into longer time-length episodes suitable for linear TV, mobile, and beyond. God's Gang will live on multiple screens, even in movies and games like Roblox."
By Romina Rodriguez