The Jim Henson Company will debut several new properties at the Licensing International Expo, it was announced by Melissa Segal, SVP, Global Consumer Products, The Jim Henson Company.
Press Release from Jim Henson Company
Los Angeles, CA (June 3, 2010) -- The Jim Henson Company will debut several new properties at the Licensing International Expo, it was announced by Melissa Segal, SVP, Global Consumer Products, The Jim Henson Company.
WILSON & DITCH: DIGGING AMERICA, a Jim Henson Company internet destination produced for PBSKIDSGO.org, invites kids ages 6 to 10 on a cross country adventure with two comical gophers as they explore America’s most famous (and perhaps not-so-famous) destinations. While learning about American culture, history and geography, brothers Wilson and Ditch ride in style in their green powered van, sharing family-friendly experiences and real world adventures as they visit some of the country’s top cities, national parks and attractions. Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the project for PBSKIDSGO.org includes original online video and interactive games as well as blogs and podcasts posted by the brothers. The PBS KIDS GO! video player delivers an average of 1.3 million streams per week. Animated webisodes star Wilson and Ditch (performed by Brian Henson and Paul Rugg) and are brought to life using the Emmy Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary technology that allows performers to puppeteer and voice digitally animated characters in real time. The Company is primarily seeking licensing partners in the areas of publishing, travel games, educational products, iPhone apps, and travel accessories.
THE POSSIBILITY SHOP with Courtney Watkins, a Jim Henson Company original broadband series created for Disney Online (www.FamilyFun.com/PossibilityShop) and featuring an array of ideas for family-friendly art projects and activities, and new seasonal or holiday-based content. Brimming with a zillion things to discover, ponder, decorate, create, play, imagine, investigate and giggle about, THE POSSIBILITY SHOP is an extraordinary new web site. Families everywhere will get in on the fun by joining host and store proprietor Courtney Watkins as she teaches and demonstrates how to turn ordinary afternoons into extraordinary creative adventures for the whole family. The Company is primarily seeking licensing partners in the area of publishing, activity products, stationery products, and arts & crafts.
ME AND MY MONSTERS, which tells the story of the Carlson family who have recently relocated from Australia to the UK to discover there are three out of control and hilarious monsters living in their basement. For ten-year old Eddie Carlson, these houseguests are the best three friends a kid could have, but they are also three more rowdy kids for Eddie’s working Mom, a constant source of chaos and stress for his highly-strung Dad and an ongoing embarrassment for his teenage sister. ME AND MY MONSTERS is created by Mark Grant (“PERFECT WORLD, BBC and STAR, ITV). The comedy stars human actors and three monster puppets developed by the world-renowned Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and is set to air on the BBC in the UK, ZDF in Germany and Network 10 in Australia. The BBC Worldwide is spearheading licensing for the series in the UK, Germany and Australia where the show will be airing and the Jim Henson Company is managing for the U.S. Market.
THE SKRUMPS, based on the collectible toys by artist John Chandler featuring irreverent rock star hopefuls and targeted at tweens and teens. THE SKRUMPS television project is in active development as part of the Jim Henson Company slate of animated television projects. Rich with characters, comedy and music, THE SKRUMPS continue the irreverence, comedy and heart of the strongest brands in The Jim Henson Company’s legacy. Brian Henson, Lisa Henson and John Chandler will executive produce. The Company is primarily seeking licensing partners in the areas of interactive video games iPhone apps, and collectible toys.
Debuting under The Jim Henson Company’s the third party brand umbrella HIP Brands is THE STRING DOLL GANG, from Kamibashi Corporation. THE STRING DOLL GANG is a band of kooky characters in the form of handmade string figures, each with his or her own special power that is always positive and helpful. THE STRING DOLL GANG dolls are already a hot craze in the specialty market and are in over 1,000 U.S. retail stores including museum shops, clothing stores, gift shops and bookstores. There are currently over 40 original designs to choose from, many of which were featured in the New York Times Gift Guide this past holiday season as “the perfect gift to give.” An exciting plan is underway to extend these wonderful and funky characters and their special powers into other categories aimed primarily at tweens and teens. The Jim Henson Company is looking for partners to extend these small dolls into larger sized dolls with and without electronics, apparel, accessories, stationery, social expression, room décor, personal care, books and mobile content and accessories. The Company is also in active development on a stop motion animated television series aimed at tween boys and girls.
“From THE SKRUMPS’ characters demonstrating the very same qualities that have defined the Company’s strongest family brands, to the educational and fun travel adventures of the lovable WILSON & DITCH: DIGGING AMERICA; and the creativity of THE POSSIBLITY SHOP, which empowers families to embrace daily opportunities to be imaginative and artistic, to the already successful line of THE STRING DOLL GANG kooky characters, our new line-up provides a diverse range of exciting licensing opportunities appealing to various age groups across all major categories,” comments Segal.
About The Jim Henson CompanyThe Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy nominated SID THE SCIENCE KID, DINOSAUR TRAIN, WILSON & DITCH: DIGGING AMERICA and PAJANIMALS. Features include THE DARK CRYSTAL, LABYRINTH, MIRRORMASK, and UNSTABLE FABLES. Television productions include FRAGGLE ROCK and the sci-fi cult series FARSCAPE.
With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment.
The Company’s Henson Alternative brand recently launched the New York run of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, a live puppet improvisational show at the Union Square Theatre. http://www.henson.com
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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