TV Kids September 2020

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TVKIDS

WWW.TVKIDS.WS

SEPTEMBER 2020 EDITION

Distribution Trends / Diversity in Kids’ TV / Dan Povenmire & Jeff “Swampy” Marsh Lion Forge’s David Steward II / Kidoodle.TV’s Brenda Bisner / In-Demand: Known IP

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CONTENTS

Serving Children Children have always deserved quality entertainment, now more than ever.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Chelsea Regan Associate Editor David Diehl Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Genovick Acevedo Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Kids ©2020 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvkids.ws

While in many countries, schools have reopened, and daily life has resumed a semblance of normalcy, the coronavirus is still a dangerous threat—and one that youngsters may not fully understand. In some countries, children may be attending classes virtually, not seeing their friends, not participating in afterschool activities, not visiting grandparents. And life at home may be stressful, as parents are working remotely and juggling multiple responsibilities.

Not to mention families experiencing financial difficulties.

Kids may feel disoriented, confused and misplaced, but their favorite shows and characters provide a valuable safe haven in a world of disrupted routines.

There has been a silver lining to this very challenging year—producers worldwide are reaffirming their responsibility to featuring diverse characters and inclusive storylines in their shows. They recognize the power of entertainment to shed light on different ways of living and thinking and the importance of programming that resonates with kids all over the world. We examine those trends in the two features in this issue of TV Kids.

We speak to David Steward II, the founder of Lion Forge Animation, whose mission is to showcase diversity in content that better reflects the world we live in.

A silver lining for platforms has been the increased time kids and families have spent viewing content. We talk to Brenda Bisner, the chief content officer of the family-focused Safe Streaming service Kidoodle.TV. She tells us how much the service has grown lately.

Beloved characters and series remain important to kids for a long time, even past childhood. I witnessed that recently with my daughter, now 21 years old. I had the fun opportunity to interview Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, the creators of Phineas and Ferb, an animated series Alessia and I watched together when she was a child. When I mentioned to her I was doing the interview, she immediately said, I remember that show and rattled off all the characters’ names. What’s more, we both started singing one of the show’s signature songs, “Gitchee Gitchee Goo.” Povenmire and Marsh recently created Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe for Disney+ and talk about serving loyal fans and attracting new ones. Serving children is key, with diverse, inclusive and laugh-outloud quality entertainment.

—Anna Carugati

FEATURES 12 TOONED IN Distributors discuss the qualities that make for hit shows that can travel internationally.

18 BETTER TOGETHER The kids’ industry is embracing more diverse and inclusive content for young viewers.

18 32 IN-DEMAND: KNOWN IP Spotlighting three kids shows based on existing brands: GO-N’s Simon, Aardman’s Brave Bunnies and Studio 100’s SeaBelievers.

INTERVIEWS

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Dan Povenmire & Jeff “Swampy” Marsh

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Lion Forge Animation’s David Steward II

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Kidoodle.TV’s Brenda Bisner

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Genius Brands International Rainbow Rangers / Llama Llama / Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten Genius Brands International has two seasons of Rainbow Rangers, an animated show for preschoolers about the adventures of seven magical girls from Kaleidoscopia, for the international marketplace. “With an all-star creative team behind Rainbow Rangers, which includes Rob Minkoff, the director of Disney’s The Lion King, and Shane Morris, co-writer of Disney’s Frozen, the series explores themes such as environmentalism, empowerment, activism, tenacity and diversity,” says Jess Brinder, VP of international distribution. The slate also features Llama Llama, based on best-selling books and featuring the voice of Jennifer Garner. The show promotes themes of friendship, community, acceptance and diversity. Meanwhile, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by John Landis, has storylines that incorporate messages of health and wellness, anti-bullying, diversity and mindfulness. “This is one of Stan Lee’s last projects, and it is co-written by Fabian Nicieza, the creator and writer of Deadpool, and Steven Banks, who is known for writing hit series such as SpongeBob SquarePants, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius and Planet Sheen,” Brinder says. “We are also on the lookout for both new and classic children’s series to further fuel our Kartoon Channel! pipeline.”

Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten

“Our mission from day one at Genius Brands has been to provide ‘content with a purpose’ for toddlers through tweens.”

—Jess Brinder

Jetpack Distribution Master Moley / Chuggington / A Week to Beat the World Among the titles on the Jetpack Distribution slate is Master Moley, which features Warwick Davis, Julie Walters, Richard E. Grant and Gemma Arterton in its voice cast. “The moles are lovable, relatable and will appeal to kids and families globally,” says Dominic Gardiner, Jetpack’s CEO. “The style of animation is timeless. James [Reatchlous, the creator] wrote and read the stories to his children 20 years ago. He has shown incredible tenacity in bringing the moles to screen, as well as vision and creativity. It’s got lots of heart and humor, something we know our buyers—and, most importantly, our audiences—truly value.” The catalog also features the preschool hit Chuggington. “It offers preschoolers a fun and engaging place to explore and learn, with lovable characters in the form of animated trains,” Gardiner says. “With the right balance of entertainment and education, it’s also particularly popular with parents.” In the live-action arena, A Week to Beat the World, led by CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual and comedian Camille Ucan, involves six sporty young stars traveling around the world to compete in some of the toughest and most unusual sports on the planet. Countries they travel to include Guatemala, Kenya, Brazil, Mongolia, Japan and Malaysia.

“It’s been a brilliant addition to our live-action slate and has a truly global appeal,” Gardiner says.

A Week to Beat the World

“At Jetpack, we remain as committed as ever to blasting the best shows across the planet.”

—Dominic Gardiner

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Magic Light Pictures Zog and the Flying Doctors / Pip and Posy / The Gruffalo Magic Light Pictures’ brand-new 30-minute special Zog and the Flying Doctors will premiere this Christmas on BBC One. “A fabulously original, hilarious and heartwarming story based on the global hit book by award-winning author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, it sees lovable dragon Zog and his loyal friends Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout embark on a thrilling adventure,” says Muriel Thomas, Magic Light’s head of international distribution. Based on picture books by Scheffler, the 52x7-minute series Pip and Posy features a tale of friendship and understanding that captures the emotional highs and lows of preschooler life and shows that we all can be there to help each other. “Pip and Posy is packed with warmth, humor and sympathetic understanding of the little dramas of young children’s lives,” Thomas says. The Gruffalo, Magic Light’s first special based on the multi-million-selling book by Donaldson and Scheffler, has become “an evergreen favorite, adored by millions around the globe,” says Thomas. It has won a multitude of international awards and has been nominated for an Oscar. The Gruffalo follows a magical tale of a mouse who sets out on a woodland adventure in search of a nut. As he ventures further into the Deep Dark Wood, he encounters hungry predators who all wish to eat him, but the quick-witted and brave little mouse creates a terrifying, imaginary monster to frighten them away.

Studio 100 Media

Pip and Posy

“Magic Light Pictures has built a global reputation for excellence in kids’ and family programming with universal qualities.”

—Muriel Thomas

SeaBelievers

SeaBelievers / 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone / Heidi Each episode of SeaBelievers, represented by Studio 100 Media, leads kids on a new eco-adventure. Its genre of ecotainment “combines the benefit of edutainment for children, being informative and realistic about real-life issues affecting our ocean, and encouraging kids to make a difference— because they can!” says Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution at Studio 100 Media. The series presents this all in “a fun and entertaining way, as the show emanates as a stunning and engaging musical eco-adventure with original tunes to sing and dance along to.” Also a highlight, 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone follows Freddy Lupin, heir to a proud family line of werewolves, who accidentally turns himself into a poodle and is now making his way through life at the mysterious Howlington Academy. “100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone is special because of its hilarious and dramatic concept about a boy trying to find his way in a challenging world, one in which he is an outsider: he is a pink poodle in a world of werewolves,” Bühr explains. “This guarantees a lot of laugh-out-loud humor, not leaving out the difficulties our hero has. That makes 100% Wolf—Legend of the Moonstone a unique action-adventure best-friend comedy with a very distinctive main character and a strong message with high social relevance: heroes come in many forms.” There are 26 new episodes of Heidi, described by Bühr as a “real worldwide evergreen.”

“SeaBelievers is an outstanding TV series, the first ever to represent the whole new genre of ecotainment.”

—Dorian Bühr

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Superights Pat the Dog / Clay Time / That’s Joey!

There’s a third season of the animated series Pat the Dog on offer from Superights, which also has a second season of Clay Time as well as the comedy That’s Joey! for buyers.

“These three highlights strengthen our strategy of offering a diversified selection of top-quality programming available on all linear and nonlinear media platforms,” says Nathalie Pinguet, Superights’ deputy managing director of sales and acquisitions. “They cover all topics a buyer could look for to complete its programming grid: action, comedy, humor, edutainment, creativity, tenderness and friendship.” The company is also on the lookout for new properties to bring into its portfolio. “We will attend Cartoon Forum with the aim of making acquisitions to enrich our catalog,” Pinguet says.

“Superights’ catalog is still growing.”

—Nathalie Pinguet

That’s Joey!

Toon2Tango Hey Fuzzy Yellow / Monster Loving Maniacs / Agent 203 Toon2Tango launched a little over a year ago and already has two shows in production: Ja Films’ Monster Loving Maniacs and Mondo TV’s Grisú, a comedy for 5- to 8-yearolds. “We are in the final stages of financing Agent 203, Hey Fuzzy Yellow and our new slapstick comedy Aliens vs Cavemen, and we are confident we will finalize at least one of them before the end of the year—hopefully, two out of three—so we can greenlight production,” says Ulli Stoef, CEO and producer at Toon2Tango. Agent 203 is billed as a “spy-fi” action-comedy series, while Monster Loving Maniacs is pure comedy and Hey Fuzzy Yellow is an animation/live-action hybrid show for the preschool set.

The company will be at Cartoon Forum to introduce Hey Fuzzy Yellow as part of the official program.

Hey Fuzzy Yellow

“We are very proud of the first year of our new company and the great support and trust we have received from our partners and broadcasters.”

—Ulli Stoef

Sheila HippoDreamer

WildBrain Green Hornet / The Woods / Sheila HippoDreamer Based on the classic superhero franchise, Green Hornet is a new 2D animated series that WildBrain is developing with the renowned filmmaker, screenwriter and actor Kevin Smith.

“Kevin has a bold, creative vision, which will provide the perfect fuel for the project, and his voice will touch every aspect of the show,” says Deirdre Brennan, executive VP of content partnerships at WildBrain. For teens, the live-action drama The Woods follows as Noah, his sister Viv and his best friend Flip set out on a dangerous search for their missing grandfather in the remote woods of Halloran County. For preschoolers, Sheila HippoDreamer centers on a headstrong, single-minded, clumsy, big-hearted, hilarious hippo. Many characters in this animated series are based on characters found in the picture books of renowned children’s author David Walliams.

“Imaginative worlds, characters and stories are the core of the WildBrain business.”

—Deirdre Brennan

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Dandelooo’s Stinky Dog.

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TV KIDS

TOONED IN Ahead of Cartoon Forum, leading distributors reveal how they work with producers to offer content that strikes a chord with children the world over. By Chelsea Regan

W

hen surveying kids’ content execs about the industry—from the overall state and the types of titles deemed worthy of investment to the nuts and bolts of production and development strategies— there is typically a rather linear throughline of supply and demand. It comes down to what the networks and broadcasters and streamers want and how distributors can bridge the gap with producers to supply it. Several months into the coronavirus pandemic, in speaking to the state of any industry, one has to do so with some trepidation, understanding that there will be a level of uncertainty for some time to come. Speaking to the state of the kids’ content industry, specifically, there is no question of the certainty that demand is high. And thanks to companies with stacked catalogs and the flexibility of animation, amid the concerns are plenty of reasons to be thankful for being in this particular sector, where the question is more often about how to meet the demand rather than if there is one.

Indeed, Cartoon Forum this year is set to feature 86 new projects from 30 countries as the industry finally returns to physical events. “Animation has been particularly resilient in this health crisis we are experiencing,” says Annick Maes, director of Cartoon Forum and Cartoon Movie.

“The kids’ content industry is still and continues to be a great industry to be a part of,” says Martin Krieger, CEO of Studio 100 Media. “Even in these special times, with challenging and heightened conditions, we have learned

that it is still possible to produce outstanding animation— with some limitations, of course.”

Sharing Krieger’s optimism is Emmanuèle Pétry Sirvin, partner at Dandelooo in France. “Ironically, the COVID revolution has created a spotlight on children’s programs for kids staying at home,” says Pétry Sirvin. “Parents, teachers and broadcasters have increased their awareness and caring about the quality of programs, which I believe is beneficial to the industry by raising the bar in kids’ entertainment. It’s certainly enabling the opportunity to produce some amazing and outstanding shows.”

At U.K.-based Jetpack Distribution, the idiom “when one door closes, another one opens” is bearing out. The company may not be doing the business it was expecting to do, but it’s still doing business. “Right now, in the business of distribution and selling series, for every series we’ve had put on hold, deals on hold—mostly for budget reasons—we’ve had a deal that we didn’t see coming,” says Dominic Gardiner, CEO of Jetpack.

“There are people buying because they’re filling production holes. It’s a good time to have a library.”

THE ROAD AHEAD Looking ahead, Gardiner concedes the possibility that the road to new deals may take considerably longer to smooth out. “I think we’re still only at the beginning of the economic impact on advertising,” he says. “I don’t think we’ll feel the effects of the levels of advertising going into 2021 for some time because folks are probably still spending budgets that were set last year. We may see some people pulling back, making a few adjustments to their 2021 budgets.”

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Jetpack picked up the distribution rights to the SpanishChinese co-pro Emmy and GooRoo last year.

Gardiner adds, “We don’t know what’s coming, basically.

We don’t know how long this is going to last. If it’s all over by Christmas, then we’re back on track in another six months and we should be good. I heard a quote right at the beginning that said, ‘Every World War, before it kicks off, people think it’s all over by Christmas. But, five years later, that’s not the case.’ I think we all need to be more cautious. Don’t expect a rapid recovery.”

Ulli Stoef, CEO and producer at Toon2Tango, believes that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored how vital kids’ content is for so many broadcasters and SVOD services. But he shares Gardiner’s more wary outlook that comes down in part to concern about budgets. “People are trying to stay positive, but I feel that the pandemic has slowed down many productions,” he says. “Broadcasters largely have to work on productions that have been stuck during the last few months of the pandemic, and so budgets for 2020 and 2021 are basically gone. I guess that most of the broadcasters are now working on 2022/2023.”

SILVER LININGS A less disputable positive about today’s kids’ content industry is its evolution to putting forth more programs for children that tackle topics like the environment and feature more diversity in their characters. “It’s amazing to see how the industry has evolved in these last few years,” says Studio 100’s Krieger. “The process of selection is now driven by strong core values and messaging like diversity and sustainability. We appreciate this very much, and before we make our decision to finance or distribute third-party productions, we take a closer look at what’s beneath [the surface]. It doesn’t make sense anymore to simply jump on trends; we are looking for content that makes a difference, that conveys some values but is also fun and entertaining at the same time.” Among the titles on Studio 100’s slate is the ecotainment show SeaBelievers, which teaches kids about real-life issues affecting the ocean while encouraging them to make a difference themselves.

Hand-in-hand with the diversity of content is the diversity of platforms to host them, according to Julia Rowlands, VP of

sales, acquisitions and co-productions for Zodiak Kids. “The kids’ content industry is a much more diverse place than it used to be with the continuous emergence of new platforms, especially in the digital space,” she says. “This means, of course, greater opportunity for distribution and also co-production financing.” Rowlands, who also acknowledges the fragmentation of the market in both viewership and revenue that has led traditional linear broadcasters to expand their own digital services and compete for the same rights as the VOD platforms, believes it’s important for distributors to get in early on a project when possible.

“At Zodiak Kids, we have been fortunate to pick up the distribution rights for a number of Amazon’s kids originals, but it is very rare to find such fantastic content available for distribution once financing is closed,” she says. “To secure good content, distributors have to commit early and, in many cases, will influence the creative and drive the financing in the role as a co-producer.”

Toon2Tango’s Stoef isn’t too sure that every distributor would be up to the task of elevating a production, as it requires broad in-depth knowledge that may be lacking.

“Many distributors think they can play an important role in the development and creation, but have never really produced a show in any great way,” he says. “On top of this, distributors often know just a part of the business, such as audiovisual distribution, but what about L&M, marketing, PR, digital in general, etc.? There are only a few companies who understand this well enough.”

SALES SAVVY At Jetpack, Gardiner is happy to keep the creative reins firmly in the hands of the producers as the distributor gets that creation into the hands of buyers. He explains the philosophy like this: “A good producer is focusing on production; in being a dedicated distributor, we can specialize and focus on the distribution. The producers don’t have to think about, What if I sold the rights to this person, does that mean I can’t sell it to that? We always say that’s where we come in to do that heavy lifting for them

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while they can concentrate on the bit that they probably enjoy more, which is making the series and being creative.”

A BOUTIQUE APPROACH Jetpack is happy to offer a third-party opinion and give notes on an incomplete project but wants to remain out of the day-to-day involvement in production. “If we were investing in a property, then you would probably want more control because, in a way, you sort of become a co-producer even if you’re not doing the production yourself. You’re kind of in the mix. We try to stay out of that.” And that reluctance has done a service for the company, as Gardiner says that it can come as a comfort to producers to know that they won’t be competing for time and resources with any in-house productions. “We have pretty much the same commercial terms with everybody. You can feel rest assured that the deal that this guy is getting is the same deal that you’re getting. It’s not to say that this is the best way to do it, but we think that for us and for the size that we are, and specializing in kids, it works. We like to stay in our lane, and for now, that’s working for us.”

The dynamic at Dandelooo is slightly different, Pétry Sirvin says. “As we produce and also distribute, we have a very good internal relationship. We only produce shows that we believe will sell internationally. We, as in Dandelooo Distribution, can also offer MGs to independent producers to help them early in the development of their show in order to make sure the program will be right for the market.”

Referring to the involvement of distributors on productions, she adds, “It is still crucial that a project indevelopment somewhat coincides with what the international market is looking for. We need to make sure the balance between a commercially sellable show and creative originality is maintained.”

When eyeing projects to invest in, Dandelooo doesn’t subscribe to the idea of there being a tried-and-true list of necessary ingredients. “We trust in our experience and mostly in our instinct in spotting the projects that make our hearts accelerate, and we follow our hearts,”

Studio 100 is working with the team behind SeaBelievers to roll the ecotainment property out across the globe.

Zodiak Kids’ Totally Spies has been a hit among children all around the world.

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For this content to travel, “in our experience, especially in development and production, it is of great value to get different perspectives on a show or topic,” Krieger adds. “If a production— our own or third-party—is created from the beginning by an international team, from different continents and with various backgrounds, the storytelling gets to be international too. Diversity doesn’t only happen on-screen; it needs to be behind the camera as well. We have learned that good humor doesn’t have boundaries at all. So comedy, combined with strong storytelling and core values, seems to travel a lot easier than many other genres.”

While keen to focus on animation for kids and families at Toon2Tango, which is behind titles like Hey Fuzzy Yellow and Aliens vs Cavemen, “it has to be different, very creative and represent a certain type of deep storytelling and character-related stories,” says Stoef. “All titles we are producing have international appeal.

They can easily have a little touch of regionality, but we try to make sure that we are telling stories that are of interest to all kids regardless of where they come from, and we do that with great creativity and relevant stories.”

GUT INSTINCT Toon2Tango is co-producing Agent 203 with Mondo TV and V House Animation.

says Pétry Sirvin. “We believe in creative visions, and with our vast experience, we think that there is a demand for stories that are based on a child’s point of view; this has universal appeal.”

And in place of following the common wisdom that kids want CGI, round design, colorful, easy-to-absorb content they can “chew on,” Pétry Sirvin believes “that good stories linked to [kids’] daily concerns and everyday life— whether the series takes place in the middle ages or the future—are still key. We think it is crucial that children can acquire ‘take away’ information from a program, whether it is academic information—such as our new series Kosmix about astronomy, or Cubs about animals—or gaining selfconfidence (social skills) or laughing at their own silly mistakes such as in the comedy Stinky Dog. Kids are naturally smart and are eager to learn, so we need to foster/encourage this intelligence and curiosity.”

GLOBE TROTTING At Studio 100, the company sees the ongoing potential of gender-neutral comedy adventure for the preschool to school-age target groups. “At the same time, we believe that great content does not exclude the possibility of also having commercial appeal,” says Krieger. “Especially when you are looking at further exploitation, for example, in the L&M area, bringing an IP not only to the screens but also into the hearts and homes of the kids physically.”

At Zodiak Kids, there’s a sentiment, shared by Dandelooo’s Pétry Sirvin, that there’s an unknowability in terms of what shows will truly resonate with kids internationally, so they keep an open mind. “International potential is key for distribution and while very few shows will become an outright global success, we need to be confident that the shows resonate in the key markets that drive the revenue,” says Rowlands. “There is so much content out there for kids nowadays that it is a challenge for any new show to break through. However, I think that great characters and good storytelling remain key for any audience, whether it is preschool or older. Generally speaking, animation tends to travel better internationally, as it is usually less culturally specific and can appeal to young audiences of different nationalities. Totally Spies is a prime example from our Zodiak Kids catalog that has transcended cultures and has been a global success for distribution.”

As the wheels of the kids’ content industry keep turning, with deals and production moving forward, albeit, at a distance, there is hope that a return to normal with the lifeblood of markets and face-to-face interactions isn’t too far away. “We are looking forward to meeting all our colleagues again soon in person,” says Toon2Tango’s Stoef. “We miss the markets and the personal contact with all of them, and most importantly, the fun we all have in our fantastic industry.”

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Superights’ Moko the Young Explorer.

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Better Together

TV KIDS

The kids’ industry is embracing more diverse and inclusive content for young viewers. By Chelsea Regan

T

he Black Lives Matter movement gathered new support in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earlier this year.

The tragedy, in conjunction with scores of others in a similar vein, led millions of Americans to take to the streets, calling for justice. Around the world, millions more followed suit, with the protesters’ demands adapting to each country’s particular set of problems pertaining to race and ethnicity, sexuality and gender. While many wrongs must be righted through politics and policy, media has a role to play in changing hearts and opening minds by putting forth diverse stories with diverse characters. For kids, the value of watching shows about kids and families that don’t look like them—or watching a show that’s finally about kids and families that look like them—can’t be overstated. And in the current climate, kids’ content producers and distributors— many of which have already heeded the call for more diverse content—are determined to deliver.

Safi Productions, a London-based company that makes ethically-minded content across film, animation and interactive media, has a core mission “to create a more ethical purpose to filmmaking,” according to Wa’qaar A Mirza, writer and global CEO of Safi Productions. “We want all of our content to feature mindful messaging and to demonstrate an understanding and celebration toward diversity, with an honest portrayal of history, peace and goodwill.” He adds, “Safi Productions’ key focus is on creating harmony and mindfulness across all cultures. The purpose is to improve the understanding of people and humanity, with a focus on young people, because that’s where education begins.”

In keeping with the company mission, Safi is producing Zayn & Zayna’s Little Farm, an animated English-language preschool series. Each episode follows siblings Zayn and Zayna

on their British family farm. It introduces kids to the concepts of mindfulness and sustainability, incorporating Arabic while it portrays both cultural diversity and diversity in abilities. The company is also in preproduction on a yet-to-be-titled travel show for 14- to 18-year-olds. It focuses “on countries that many people view in a negative light,” says Mirza. “We aim to explore each country’s culture, the people and history, and shine a light on the diverse cultural differences.”

REAL-WORLD APPEAL Among the titles on CAKE’s slate that offer their young viewers a more inclusive look at the world around them is Pablo, a preschool show for CBeebies that centers on a little boy who is on the autism spectrum. “The wonderful thing about the series is that it never mentions autism; it is just about a boy who sees things differently,” says Tom van Waveren, CAKE’s CEO and creative director. “Pablo shows people on the spectrum on television, and by doing so, effectively makes them part of the world as it is seen on-screen. That’s a big part of diversity—to make sure that the world we see on-screen reflects the real world. In the real world, there are a lot of people on the spectrum, but unfortunately, there are not that many people on the spectrum on the screen.”

Mama K’s Team 4, a superhero series that CAKE is producing for Netflix, follows four teenage girls living in the neo-futuristic African city of Lusaka, Zambia, who save the world in each episode. “The show is a very entertaining action-comedy that happens to be set in Lusaka,” says van Waveren. “Here again, the simple fact of having an entirely African cast is hugely significant when it comes to seeing yourself on-screen.

Consequently, that makes it an important contribution to improving diversity to the storytelling available to children of all ages and around the world.”

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Genius Brands’ Rainbow Rangers features storylines rooted in themes of empowerment, diversity, friendship and sustainability.

“The whole industry is interested in diverse stories and characters that reflect children’s worlds; their friends, their interests, what they see around them,” says Bernadette O’Mahony, head of development and production at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF). “Projects that entertain and reflect the diverse makeup of society, as well as model positive relationships, behavior, kindness and inclusion, are important right now.” Traveling well for ACTF is the comedy series Hardball, which centers on a group of kids from different backgrounds and has a lead character with cerebral palsy. “Buyers love the diversity and how it’s just naturally a part of this group of friends—it’s not commented on in the show, it just is normal to kids and accepted—both onscreen and by the audience.”

GLOBAL RESONANCE Superights is also witnessing the appetite for stories that center on those that are more often than not on the margins. “Our experience proves that diverse characters travel easily and that the demand for diversity is significant,” says Nathalie Pinguet, deputy managing director for sales and acquisitions at Superights. “There is a real desire to broadcast open-minded programs, especially from public free TV around the world.”

Superights’ catalog contains several series that feature diverse characters and stories, including Story Time!, a collection of tales for preschoolers that takes its viewers on a journey to a new country in each episode. There’s also Moko the Young Explorer, about the titular African boy whose biggest goal is to explore the entire world; Koumi’s Animated Picture Book, about a 5-year-old mixed-race girl who travels the globe to meet the animals in her picture book; and Zibilla, which centers on a zebra in a world of horses struggling to find acceptance. “This lovely special about adoption celebrates differences and tackles the issue of children who feel different finding their place in the world,” says Pinguet.

Key to effectively and authentically making diverse shows is having casts and crews that are representative of the diversity portrayed. “If you don’t have diverse cast and crew on your shows, how can you hope to effectively capture and communicate the experiences of those different races and cultures?” asks Jon Ollwerther, executive VP of global brand and business development at Genius Brands International, which counts among its tentpole properties Rainbow Rangers

and Llama Llama. “There is truth and authenticity in these stories, which resonates with kids, and we would be missing that if our cast and crew were not diverse.”

Rainbow Rangers follows seven superhero girls that are each represented by a different color of the rainbow and have a different skin color. The show incorporates themes like empowerment, individuality, leadership, inclusivity, diversity and environmental care. “Llama Llama is a slightly different take on diversity than Rainbow Rangers, and each character is a different member of the animal kingdom,” says Ollwerther. “In season two, we also introduced Audrey the Antelope, who is limb different, and the outpouring of support from the limb-different community has been exceptional.”

CREW DIVERSITY For CAKE’s van Waveren, nothing is more important than getting the diversity right behind the scenes. “The stories of Pablo came from either people on the spectrum themselves or from people who have children on the spectrum or work with people on the spectrum. All the voices were done by children on the spectrum and this results in wonderfully unique stories, authentic and diverse, but most of all, with a unique and fresh voice.” As for Mama K’s Team 4, “all the scripts are being written by African female writers. There is no other way in which we could tell stories about children in Africa from an authentic perspective.”

A common sentiment for those delivering diverse kids’ content to platforms and broadcasters is that the content needs to organically show different faces and perspectives without making these differences the focus of the show. As the world is made up of many different people with many different stories, it really shouldn’t be all that hard to do. “We live in a world with people of different abilities and disabilities, of different genders and geographical and cultural backgrounds,” says van Waveren. “The beauty of storytelling is embracing the richness of our world on both sides of the screen while resisting the urge to make the content about that.”

Referring to shows on ACTF’s slate such as First Day, Little J & Big Cuz and The Inbestigators, O’Mahony concurs, explaining, “What sets them apart is that they are just great storytelling; authentic stories that ring true to an audience and have a lot of heart and warmth. Diversity comes naturally to these projects; it’s not heavy-handed or preaching, it’s just reflecting real life and the makeup of society.”

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Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh

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he zany antics of two school-age stepbrothers in the animated series Phineas and Ferb have engendered legions of loyal fans—kids and adults. In each episode, the two boys would come up with an improbable project to fill their summer vacation days, which would inevitably annoy their older sister Candace. All the while, their pet platypus Perry was working as a spy for the mad scientist Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, co-creators and writers of the series, have jumped back into this madcap world and created Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe. Povenmire and Marsh talk about the genesis of the movie, having to finish animation and editing during the COVID-19-imposed lockdown, and serving fans of the series while attracting new ones.

By Anna Carugati TV KIDS: How did the movie come about?

POVENMIRE: Gary Marsh [the president and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide] gave me a call when we were finishing up Milo Murphy’s Law and said, Hey, they’re doing this new streaming service, and Bob Iger [executive chairman of The Walt Disney Company] has asked all the different divisions to contribute to it. They want stuff that is co-viewing-friendly, something kids and adults can watch together. Gary said, 40 percent of the audience of Phineas and Ferb was adults; would you like to do a Phineas and Ferb movie for the service? Swampy and I had just finished doing a crossover the year before with the Phineas characters and Milo Murphy’s Law. We were talking about how much fun that was and how much we had missed those characters. So we jumped right on it and said, Yes! TV KIDS: Is your level of involvement in the movie the same as it was for the series? You wrote, drew the characters and voiced two of the characters. And did you still write songs?

POVENMIRE: Yes, we wrote lots and lots of songs. We did this movie more or less the way we did the original movie [Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension].

We tried at first to do the original movie like we did the series, which was we put two funny board artists who are also writers in a room and let them go crazy with the gags and stuff. But we found that doesn’t work on a feature because you give them a section and say, OK, we need to get from A to B here, this is your section. And they do what they do best, which is to go off on all these little tangents and make us laugh. Then when we put it all together, it’s sevenand-a-half hours long!

MARSH: We needed to connect the bits.

POVENMIRE: What you need in a feature is to get from one spot to another as expeditiously as possible while still making it funny. We ended up having to rewrite all of that first movie and throw out a lot of really great stuff just [because it was too long].

[With Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe], instead, we started with a script and allowed the artists and director to add on to that, and we were adding on to it constantly. In the editing room, we would rewrite stuff and have stuff written in, but it was a much easier process to come to the same results. And it wasn’t heartbreaking to throw out all this amazing stuff. Some of my favorite gags are ones that we threw out in the original movie.

MARSH: But if you start with a strong script and character arcs and you have a nice structure in place and a good foundation, it gives you the freedom to go and play a little bit when people come up with good ideas and ways of telling the story that we didn’t think of.

POVENMIRE: Swampy and I, with three or four writers from the original series, sat in the room and figured out the story.

Then we split that out script-wise and everyone wrote their sections. We came back and we took a pass to make it all cohesive. I think it’s the best thing that we’ve ever done.

TV KIDS: Did COVID-19 impact production or editing? Did you have to do any work remotely?

POVENMIRE: We did. We were pretty thick into editing. Not all the animation had been finished yet. We were editing and calling retakes, and the tech team at Disney realized that we were probably going to have to go into lockdown in the next five days or so. They spent a hurried week buying

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POVENMIRE: Don’t quote me, but no one’s complained to me about it!

Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe arrived on Disney+ at the end of August.

equipment they could send home with every editor that would allow them, with internet security, to still access the files that are in the main computers at Disney, so we could all edit from home. It was a Friday when they said, We’ve got it. All the editors can pick up their package at this building tonight any time after 5 p.m. But that morning is when they shut down everything, and they were not allowed to go in and get their stuff.

TV KIDS: What did you do?

POVENMIRE: We were six hours away from being able to do it all from home, and they shut down. We had a week or so to figure out what protocols we needed to follow—because we didn’t want to be in violation—to get this stuff into the editors’ hands. They figured out how to do it, and all the editors got the machinery they needed to hook up to their computers. Then we were doing editing sessions that we would have been doing in the editing room, but we were on a Zoom type of chat. The editor would play a section, and I could pause it and actually draw on my screen because I have a tablet here, and it would show up [on everybody’s computer]. They would copy that and send it to the overseas studio or send it to the background artist or whatever they needed to do. It was more or less the same. It took a little more time, and the joke was that I finally got to see my editor’s face because I’m usually sitting behind her and just see the back of her head. But when we were on Zoom, Oh look, that’s Anne’s face! That’s what she looks like!

TV KIDS: Who had a more perilous journey: you getting the movie done or the characters in the movie?

POVENMIRE: We had never put anybody in real jeopardy in the series. [In the movie], Candace gets in real jeopardy, and the boys have to save her. [In the series, in each episode] Phineas and Ferb [have to decide] what are they building today. [But in the movie], Candace gets abducted by aliens.

They realize that and have to figure out how to get there, save her and bring her back.

MARSH: The answer to your question is that they had it much more difficult than we did!

POVENMIRE: Yes! None of us that I know of got abducted by aliens during the editing process.

MARSH: I’m not saying that didn’t happen, we just don’t know about it.

TV KIDS: How do you balance serving the loyal fans of the show against attracting new viewers?

MARSH: That was honestly one of the challenges of doing this.

POVENMIRE: This was the second story we did a full treatment on. The first story we did a full treatment on, the executives said this would be a great story if we were on the air and everybody was watching the show, but we want to bring new people in. They wanted to do something more accessible to people because there is a younger generation coming up that may not have seen Phineas and Ferb.

MARSH: It took some convincing to get us to believe that.

POVENMIRE: [Laughs] If you watched the series, there are lots of Easter eggs and lots of jokes specifically for you. But I feel like we’ve hit this nice balance where you’re not going to feel like you’ve missed anything if you are watching it for the first time, and maybe it will make you want to check out the series. The entire series is available on Disney+.

MARSH: It was a little bit like doing the series when we talked about doing jokes for the youngest kids in the room as well as throwing in some jokes for the adults and even some of the astrophysicists from time to time. We wanted to make sure there was something in there for everybody, so even if there may be an inside reference you have to be a massive fan of the show to love, don’t worry, two seconds later we have a joke for all the people who haven’t seen the show.

TV KIDS: Are there any procedures you had to implement while working remotely that you might use going forward?

POVENMIRE: I think the idea that people can work from home almost as efficiently helps in a lot of ways. You save the time that everyone is driving to and from work, especially in L.A. Anything that helps morale always helps the show get made. When people realize, Oh, I can do this and it will be easier on me; I can watch my kids at the same time, for example, I think you’re going to see a lot more people working from home a lot more often.

MARSH: I can’t wait to get back to the point where we’re all getting together in the same room to do the wacky brainstorming. But [until then], you will see a lot more people working at home. It’s going to increase the quality of their family life; they’ll have more time with their kids. They’ll be off the road.

The other technical thing I thought was cool is that we have found an efficient way to record voice actors from their homes. It’s not that we’ll do that all the time, but it certainly means there will be fewer problems if we have some difficulty with somebody who has a scheduling conflict or can’t travel. Whatever it is, we’ve got that down pat!

POVENMIRE: Swampy and I wrote the last song and the end credits after lockdown on FaceTime on our phones.

I did a quick demo of it and sent it off. It turned out well.

MARSH: We were so pleased we could be so creative without having to be in the room with each other.

POVENMIRE: Yeah, because that’s bothersome!

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acquired Oni Press. We’ve since merged the two comics publishing companies into Oni-Lion Forge. A couple of years ago, we started Lion Forge Animation. Then, a year and a half ago, we created an umbrella company, Polarity, which all of these organizations sit under.

Our mission focuses on creating new content paradigms with an eye on diversity and inclusion and making sure that the stories we are telling and the mediums we are using push the boundaries of what expectations are in those mediums. We’re working with diverse creators on content that is authentic and reflective of the communities that they represent. We’re trying to find those unique genres, angles and voices to foster and grow and develop things that haven’t had the opportunity to be seen.

TV KIDS: How did Hair Love come about, and how did it land with Lion Forge?

STEWARD II: The project was brought to us by one of our coproducers, Karen Toliver from Sony Pictures Animation, who had a relationship with Jimmy Thomas from our business development team. We met with her, looked at the project and got to meet creator Matthew Cherry. We recognized the vision and what he was striving to do, and we felt very compelled to get behind it; it spoke to our tenets of what kind of content we want to do as an animation studio.

It spoke to the tenets of diversity and inclusion, to showcasing Black characters in a medium that we’re woefully

David Steward II Lion Forge Animation

By Kristin Brzoznowski

his year’s Oscar for best animated short went to a touching tale about an African American father struggling to style his young daughter’s hair. Hair Love quite perfectly sums up the ethos of what David Steward II wants to do through his Lion Forge Animation studio: to showcase diversity in content that better reflects the world we live in. Lion Forge Animation, the only African Americanowned animation studio in the U.S., is expanding the story of Hair Love with a new series for HBO Max, Young Love. The company has also landed an exclusive first-look partnership with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Kids+Family.

Steward II tells TV Kids about the importance of amplifying content that challenges expectations and reflects the diversity of modern viewing audiences.

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TV KIDS: What led to the launch of Lion Forge?

STEWARD II: It started as a comics company, Lion Forge Comics, in 2011. We built that publishing company and along the way we acquired Magnetic Press, which focuses on foreign reprints and premium comic books. We also

underrepresented in: animation. In a lot of ways, it spoke to not only the African American community, but also had the potential for far-reaching impact across various communities. It was a great property that socialized an aspect of African American culture to audiences across the country and across the world. It was a very touching tale as well.

We helped to produce the project and to make sure that Matthew’s vision was seen. We made sure that he was able to work with the team in an unfettered way. All too often, projects get developed underneath a studio guise, and a lot of times the studio executives feel the need to put their imprint on a project or change it from what the intention of the artist is. With this one, we wanted to make sure that Matthew’s intention and direction remained pure. We got a great product that we’re very proud of.

TV KIDS: How did the deal come together to develop a series inspired by Hair Love with HBO Max? STEWARD II: We are getting the “old gang” back together that helped to produce the original series, including Matthew.

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The series is about taking the initial narrative and view that we saw within the animated short and expanding on it. We are going to explore more within the family, with Stephen, Zuri and Angela. We will see more slice-of-life moments that occur within this family unit. It’s about a millennialgeneration family in today’s world and how they go about life. We’ll have some more sweet moments and funny moments, as there were in the short. Fans of the original will find something to love in this new series.

TV KIDS: Lion Forge also has a first-look deal with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Kids+Family. What made you want to collaborate with them?

STEWARD II: Imagine has been a great partner of ours. We’ve been having conversations with them off and on for a while.

We were able to come together and find some projects that really spoke to us and spoke to them to collaborate on. They very much have a similar vision in how they look at content and how they look at bringing that content to fruition in various formats, whether it’s something that maybe starts as an animated series or starts as a feature, and how to give it extended life in other areas. So much of that comports with how we conduct our company. We look at things that we’re creating and what life they may have in comic books, in animation, in other potential mediums. We very much think along the same lines. They also have a view on diversity and wanting to see authentic and marginalized voices put out there. That spoke to us as well.

TV KIDS: What does the partnership with Starlight in China entail?

STEWARD II: When Peter [Luo] from Starlight approached us, it was a great opportunity to look at, what does content look like in China, what are the cultural opportunities to take an American sensibility and content-creation capability and apply it with a Chinese voice? I find it very interesting that in the U.S., our culture is very much enumerated through the medium of the things that we put out. Other voices from other countries don’t have the opportunity as much; a lot of that content ends up being localized and regionalized but doesn’t really become a global phenomenon. We’re looking at those stories and working with them to find those cultural paradigms that are interesting and that can play not only in China but on a global scale as well.

TV KIDS: What message would you like to send to the animation community about the value of programming that challenges expectations and reflects the modern, diverse times?

STEWARD II: Representation matters—especially for kids’ content. Content creators need to keep in mind: what do we want our future generation to be and how do we want them to be able to see themselves and to see themselves in many different ways? I am a kid of the ’80s and I remember Saturday morning cartoons. There weren’t shows that had an African American lead character, but maybe had a character who was African American. There were these paradigms of the Black character would be “the strong guy,” and later that the Black character was “the smart guy.” There are so many things that a Black person can be within content and we shouldn’t be limited to the same thing at all times.

Content creators need to think about how they’re portraying and putting out content with diverse characters—but also behind the scenes, how are we making those teams that are

helping to produce the content diverse as well so that we’re getting an authentic voice and an authentic portrayal in that.

All too often, content is produced through the lens of someone else. While the diversity and inclusion may be wellintended, the mark is missed. That’s another important thing to think about when creating content.

In one case, we had a book called Superb that was in our superhero line for Lion Forge, and it featured a character who had Down syndrome. In order to make sure that we were portraying that character appropriately and giving him a real and authentic voice, we worked with David Walker, who is a writer working with kids with Down syndrome, and also with the National Down Syndrome Society to engage them and have them weigh in on how the portrayal was. We wanted to have that authentic voice.

The number of letters and pictures I got when that book came out, it really makes you tear up. It shows you that representation matters.

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The Oscar-winning short Hair Love is being developed into a series for HBO Max.

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and so many others. From the beginning of the pandemic till today, our whole company stepped up to ensure we were meeting families where they were at and providing a channel that everyone could feel good about watching.

TV KIDS: What are some of the factors driving the service’s recent gains?

BISNER: Our AVOD channel is geared for families and kids 12 and under globally, with a primary point of entry being connected TVs (CTVs). We serve low-, middle- and highincome homes and do not have a barrier to entry; be it that you’re watching on the TV in the living room or on a tablet or phone, we are there for free. Our Safe Streaming standards of adhering to the highest letter of the law give relief to families looking for a better alternative, and have proven successful. So successful, we have grown over 1,035 percent and now service over 5 million monthly active families and expect that monthly growth to continue at 35 percent per month for the remainder of 2020. Kidoodle.TV continues to rank as the number one trending app.

Brenda Bisner

Kidoodle.TV

By Kristin Brzoznowski

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he family-focused Safe Streaming service Kidoodle.TV has been growing by leaps and bounds. Since the beginning of 2020, it has seen an increase of over 1,000 percent in users and now services more than 5 million monthly active families. Expanding its slate is top of mind as Kidoodle.TV prepares for even more growth ahead. Last month, it revealed Wes Tank’s popular StoryRaps series as the first Kidoodle.TV original programming, with a slate of new episodes that land monthly throughout 2020 and into 2021.

Brenda Bisner, chief content officer, tells TV Kids more about what’s to come.

TV KIDS: With children and caregivers at home more amid lockdown measures, how did Kidoodle.TV step in to fill the needs of the marketplace?

BISNER: With parents juggling so many things, like homeschooling, Kidoodle.TV has immediately become families’ go-to trusted source for screen time, not just because of our Safe Streaming assurance, but because we have harnessed so many brands from around the world, like Talking Tom, Paw Patrol shorts, Wallace and Gromit, Winx Club

TV KIDS: What led Kidoodle.TV to move into the original programming space?

BISNER: We believe in co-viewing; we always have. In March, we came upon a viral sensation, Wes Tank, and instantaneously engaged in meaningful dialogue with him to discuss a partnership. What Wes did was create a movement in households full of families on edge and overworked. The idea of taking something otherwise ordinary and up-leveling it to appeal to not just the kids but the whole family was extraordinary. We watched his success and carefully measured what could be done, hence the recent launch of our first Kidoodle.TV originals. We have always wanted to create content for today’s families, and Wes was a great person to do that with. What we have developed together will continue to grow, and you can see new StoryRaps episodes every month on Kidoodle.TV. TV KIDS: With regard to acquisitions, what types of programs are you currently on the lookout for?

BISNER: We are looking at everything, all the time. We love data, and want to bring fresh and relevant programming to our audiences globally. We love viral, established sensations and are looking to change the game across the board, not just with where and how families consume but what they see.

Making a show based off of traditional co-production means is less interesting to us, and we’ll be looking for partners who have not only an audience that loves them, but partners who care deeply about the important work we are doing at Kidoodle.TV to keep kids Safe Streaming.

TV KIDS: What’s the strategy for continuing to grow the Kidoodle.TV platform?

BISNER: Viewing data shows co-viewing through CTVs has not only grown but is continuing as the new normal, and we are at the front lines of that. Our research studies show that 97 percent of parents are co-viewing, and with the steady increase of cord-cutting, advertisers are looking for a safe destination to place their brand adverts and reach families.

With a September full of a lot of uncertainties, we will be increasing content launches even more to align with the needs of families. With the growth data we have been measuring, we only expect to keep soaring.

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WorldScreenings Click here for full list of benefits and examples of previous Exclusive Reports.

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In-Demand: Known IP In a crowded content landscape, delivering properties based on known IP always helps to cut through the clutter. This report on shows based on existing brands spotlights Aardman’s Brave Bunnies, GO-N Productions’ Simon and Studio 100 Media’s SeaBelievers.

Brave Bunnies Produced By: Glowberry (Ukraine), Anima (Spain) Origin: Brave Bunnies originated as a successful storybook about a traveling Bunny family, released in Ukraine, created by Olga Cherepanova, who is creative producer on the series.

Rights Available: Worldwide in all media excluding certain rights in the U.K., Germany, Australia, Israel, Finland, Ukraine and Italy, from Aardman Animations.

Description: Brave Bunnies shows children the diversity of the world, encouraging viewers to accept differences, no matter how big or small. The series will launch autumn 2020. Targeted to the 3-to-5 set, the series encompasses 52 7-minute episodes and a digital miniseries, format to be determined. A second season is in development.

Pitch Perfect: Launching in October 2020, this is the perfect time to partner on a refreshing new brand, with diversity and inclusion at the heart. Aardman Animations manages distribution rights worldwide, except Italy (DeAgostini), Spain (Anima) and Ukraine (Glowberry).

Sales Contact: Alison Taylor, Director, Distribution & Business Development.

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Simon Commissioned By: France Télévisions Produced By: GO-N Productions Origin: Based on the worldwide best-selling children’s books by Stephanie Blake, published by l’Ecole des Loisirs, with over 3.5 million books sold in key territories such as France, Japan, China, the U.K., Italy, Spain and South Korea.

Rights Available: All international rights are available from GO-N International.

Description: Simon is an adorable little rabbit who exudes all the vitality of childhood. He is at an age when little rabbits (and indeed children!) are starting to come into their own—challenging relationships with parents, embarking upon school life and learning about the world in general.

Geared at kids aged 3 to 6, Simon encompasses three seasons of 52 5-minute episodes.

Pitch Perfect: Simon has reached worldwide audiences thanks to its unique, realistic, fun and cute tone. Our little bunny Simon is an international phenomenon, garnering audiences all around the planet. With over 4 million subscribers on YouTube, Simon also has an impressive international and digital presence. With three seasons of 52 episodes completed, Simon is going on a new journey with a new spin-off season in development with France TV! Slot Winner: Our partners include France TV, Télé-Québec, RTS, YLE, NHK, Clan RTVE, Cartoonito, SVT, NRK, DR, NPO, ERR, HOP!, RUV, RTV, Channel 5’s Milkshake!, Discovery Kids MENA, Jim Jam and VRT. Sales Contact: Eric Garnet, Producer & Co-Founder.

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SeaBelievers Produced By: Baboon Animation (U.S.), Telegael (Ireland), AnCartoon (China). Brien Arone is the producer.

Origin: Founded and owned by SeaEO Brien Arone, SeaBelievers was inspired by the SeaBabies property of the 1990s created by Cathleen Arone. The property celebrated the environment and inspired children to care about the future of the planet. Determined to reboot this franchise and realize its full potential as environmental concerns reach an all-time high, SeaBelievers will teach a new generation of children the importance of caring for the planet in a fun and positive way. SeaBelievers is a member of 1% for the Planet, a global organization that connects businesses, individuals and nonprofits.

Rights Available: Worldwide rights (excluding Russia & CIS) for all audiovisual as well as L&M exploitation from Studio 100 Media.

Description: SeaBelievers is the first TV series to represent the genre of ecotainment. In each episode, the positive SeaBelievers problem-solve and take action around key environmental issues with their Magic Sand Dollars, which ignite their unique superpowers—fueled by their self-belief! The target demo is preschoolers aged 4 to 7. Season one consists of 52 11-minute episodes.

Pitch Perfect: “SeaBelievers is the world’s first ecotainment show for kids and will entertain children in the best possible way, especially as each episode comes with original tunes to sing and dance along to,” says Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution at Studio 100 Media. “A series with such high quality together with a strong message is something really special.”

Sales Contacts: Dorian Bühr, Head, Global Distribution; Tanja Aichberger Schaetzle, Senior Sales Executive; Vanessa Windhager, Sales Executive.

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