Captain Flamingo, currently in production on season 2 for TV, will soon be seen in online, pay and set-top box games. © Breakthrough Animation Inc., Heroic Film Co., Atomic Cartoons Inc. and PASI Animation 2006.

From websites to mobile phones, iTV and more, independent animators are finding new ways to deliver interactive content.

Captain Flamingo is flying high. Created by Canadian writers John May and Suzanne Bolch, along with their partner in Heroic Film Co., Karen Lee Hall, the animated show about a junior superhero who is “looking out for kids in a big-beaked way,” is currently in season 2 production for YTV (a Breakthrough Animation, Heroic Film Co., Atomic Cartoons and Phillipine Animators Group co-production).

But Captain Flamingo is bringing his good deeds to more than just the television screen, thanks to independent producer Breakthrough’s new media division. “The whole interactive area is a key area for future growth of our company,” says Michael McGuigan, cfo, Breakthrough Films & Television Inc. and managing partner, Breakthrough New Media Inc. “Animation lends itself well to many interactive platforms including gaming — online games, console games, mobile games and PC-based games.”

The Bell Fund provides money for new media development in Canada. Andra Sheffer, director of the fund, defines new media as anything that is delivered digitally and can be interactive. The fund aided Captain Flamingo.

New media exploits unusual existing media; only this material is being developed actively — and interactively. “I would define ‘new media’ as content that is interactive in nature and has the potential to be delivered over multiple platforms,” McGuigan says. “These platforms include the Web, mobile devices, iTV (interactive television), etc.”

With Captain Flamingo, Breakthrough has been able to showcase the character in a variety of existing and new media. “Breakthrough has a new media company, Breakthrough New Media Inc.,” McGuigan says. “The company produces interactive content based on Breakthrough’s television properties. When creating content in areas such as console games or mobile games, we traditionally will partner with a developer company that has expertise in game development.”

“Breakthrough is in production on season 2 of the television series,” advises McGuigan. “At the same the same time, our new media division is entering into production on a combined iTV and web-based package of games that will be delivered both online and through iTV capable set-top boxes to consumers (i.e., Bell ExpressVu’s Game Galaxy Channel where customers download a game to their set-top box and pay for it on their monthly bill).”

“As we gather more information on the viewer demographic and move closer to placing the series in the U.S.,” McGuigan says, “we are considering a mobile package of content including a mobile game, ringtones, wallpapers and possibly mobisodes. Finally, we will possibly build a comprehensive stand-alone website to support the property for fans of the show and for licensees.”

New Media Support
To give Captain Flamingo his new media wings, the animated program received funding for new media development in Canada from the Bell Fund: Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund.

“New media for the Bell Fund in particular, is anything that is delivered digitally and can be interactive,” explains Andra Sheffer, exec director, Bell Fund. “It does include all those other ‘platforms’ other than traditional linear television and theatre.”

The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian independent producers who develop and produce outstanding television content complemented and enhanced by innovative, interactive content designed for digital delivery. These new media projects reflect state-of-the-art technology and are helping traditional television producers and broadcasters to discover the value added benefits of a web presence. The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund receives annual contributions of approximately $8 million from Bell ExpressVu as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry. In addition, the Development Program is supported by the interest generated by a $10 million endowment resulting from BCE-CTV benefits.

Sheffer says that all of the Bell Fund new media projects must be based on associated television programs. “There have been some great animation projects,” Sheffer says. “Angela Anaconda broke new ground with user-generated content from children at angelaa.com and went on to be licensed to broadcasters around the world.”