Growing original kids programming slate also includes ‘Wishenpoof!’ and recently greenlit series ‘Just Add Magic’ and ‘The Stinky & Dirty Show.’
SEATTLE -- Amazon Studios today announced it has renewed second seasons of its current kids series: Creative Galaxy, Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, and recent Annie Award winner Tumble Leaf. All four series will return exclusively to Prime Instant Video for Prime members to stream and enjoy as part of their membership. Amazon Original kids series are among the top kids titles across all of Prime Instant Video, with Creative Galaxy, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and Tumble Leaf delivering some of the most-streamed kids seasons on Amazon. These shows, along with Annedroids, have recently been honored by the Parents’ Choice Foundation.
“Tumble Leaf, Creative Galaxy, Annedroids and Gortimer have all experienced a tremendous response from our customers and we’re excited to bring them back for another season,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming for Amazon Studios. “Working with such remarkably talented and impactful creators in both the preschool and kids six to 11 space, it’s exciting to see where the storylines and characters will take us for another season.”
Annecy International Festival and Annie award-winning series, Tumble Leaf was created by Drew Hodges (Saturday Night Live, Community) and executive produced by Hodges and Kelli Bixler (Saturday Night Live, The Roadents) of award-winning studio Bix Pix Entertainment. Created for preschool-aged children, each episode of the stop-motion world of Tumble Leaf follows Fig, a delightfully curious blue fox, and his best friend Stick, a quirky caterpillar, as they embark on a fun and nature-filled adventure, learning science through their natural play. The series features voice work from newcomers Christopher Downs as Fig, Brooke Wolloff as Maple, Zac McDowell as Hedge, Addie Zintel as Pine, and Alex Trugman as Ginkgo.
Creative Galaxy, from Out of the Blue Enterprises, with Angela C. Santomero (Blue’s Clues, Super Why! Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) serving as Creator and Executive Producer, and Samantha Freeman as Executive Producer, is a make-along, create-along art adventure series for preschool-aged children. The series, animated by 9 Story Entertainment, features Arty, an adorable alien artist, and Epiphany, his inspirational side-kick, on their adventures through the Creative Galaxy solving problems through art. To give kids and parents the real-life tools they need to recreate Arty’s experience, a live-action piece at the end of each animated episode takes families through the craft project Arty showcased in the galaxy. Creative Galaxy features vocal talent from Christian Distefano (PAW Patrol) as Arty, Kira Gelineau (Dear Viola) as Epiphany, and guest stars Samantha Bee (The Daily Show), Jason Jones (The Daily Show), Cloris Leachman (Malcolm In the Middle), Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills 90210) and Brooke Shields (Lipstick Jungle).
Annedroids, created by Emmy-nominated J.J. Johnson (Dino Dan) and Sinking Ship Entertainment, is a kids six to 11 live-action adventure series about Anne, a young female scientist, her human friends and their android assistants, and the amazing scientific discoveries they make while undertaking the biggest experiment of them all: growing up. The series spotlights, through trial and error, how science, technology, engineering, the arts and math (STEAM) can inspire children to do great things. Annedroids stars Addison Holley (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) as Anne, Adrianna Di Liello (Stage Fright) as her friend Shania, and Jadiel Dowlin as Nick. The series also features vocal talent from Millie Davis (Orphan Black) as Pal.
Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, created by first-time writer David Anaxagoras and executive produced by Oscar winner Luke Matheny (God of Love), stars Sloane Morgan Siegel (Partners), Ashley Boettcher (Aliens in the Attic), Drew Justice (The Little Rascals Save the Day), and Robyn Lively (Saving Grace, Twin Peaks). The series, for kids six to 11, is a coming-of-age tale of friendship that centers around Gortimer (Siegel) and the bond with his two best friends Ranger (Justice) and Mel (Boettcher), as they chronicle their adventures on Normal Street -- an ordinary suburban neighborhood that has a hint of something unexpected just beneath the surface. Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street is the first kids series to receive a greenlight from Amazon Studios’ open-door pilot submissions process. Anaxagoras, a preschool teacher, was one of many aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters who submitted their ideas for original series through AmazonStudios.com, and whose concept moved forward as a pilot that debuted on Amazon Instant Video in February 2014.
Prime members can now watch episodes from the first seasons of Tumble Leaf, Creative Galaxy, Annedroids and Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street as often as they would like with the Amazon Instant Video app for TVs, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at amazon.com/prime. Additionally, apps for Tumble Leaf and Annedroids, exclusively for Fire devices, are available to download for free at the Amazon App Store. Tumble Leaf, Creative Galaxy, Annedroids, and Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street are also available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids—FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire HD Kids Edition.
Source: Amazon Studios
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
