Newly formed Alligator Planet, based in San Francisco, has formed a joint venture with tv-animation, the Copenhagen creator of animated and interactive characters. Alligator AP will market to North America programs made with tv-animation's revolutionary Cartoon Broadcast System (CBS) technology and develop new products to utilize this real-time animation broadcast tool. Ralph Guggenheim, AP's exec. producer (former Pixar VP and producer of TOY STORY), told AWN he encountered the tv-animation people at MIPCOM in October 2002. Guggenheim formed his own company in January 2003 with former Colossal Pictures execs and creatives Eli Noyes, Tim Boxell and Alan Buder. "We've been talking with TV cabler channels and the like. We constantly hear, 'How can you do it cheap?' The CBS system is a great opportunity to produce content fairly cheaply and still be fun and compelling." The technology is used now on the NELLY NUT show airing on the BBC, as well as shows airing on many other European channels, including a two-hour talk show. Guggenheim said he's seen how other types of shows, popular in Europe are making their way to the U.S., and sees this is a good opportunity. Guggenheim firmly believes this technology is the new scale of animated TV to come.The Danish firm will market any shows AP comes up with to the European market. Guggenheim said they named the new enterprise Alligator Planet (www.alliagtorplanet.com) because the founding partners like alligators and it's helpful to have a company name near the top of the alphabet while the planet in its name signifies AP's global approach to entertainment and business. The goal of AP is tap into the creative and production capacities of emerging animation studios around the world to produce and distribute stories and characters across a variety of media and ancillary markets.
