Entertainment Rights has signed a global publishing deal with the Penguin Group for new preschool series TINGA TINGA TALES.
The deal sees Puffin Books act as the publisher in the U.K. and control all foreign publishing rights. Grosset & Dunlap act as the publishing partner in North America. The Penguin Group has a varied publishing program for the brand, including the production of storybooks, novelty books, electronic books, audio books and manuals.
TINGA TINGA TALES is a brand new animated series (52x11) produced by Tiger Aspect Productions in partnership with children's broadcasters CBeebies in the U.K. and Playhouse Disney in the U.S. Aimed at 4-6 years old children, the series will have global appeal and sees a return to traditional storytelling, bringing to screen animal stories that have been passed down from generation to generation throughout Africa.
The style of the production is based upon the famous Tinga Tinga art of Tanzania. All images in the series are hand painted by local African artists and then expertly computer animated to produce a wonderful and unique visual experience.
ER will begin to assemble a group of key global and pan-regional consumer product partners for the brand, anchored by the strength of the Puffin relationship. With Penguin globally, CBeebies in the U.K. and Playhouse Disney in the U.S. are already amongst the brand's key partners, according to Andrew Kerr, Exec Director, Marketing & Consumer Products, U.K. & International, Entertainment Rights
ER announced the major new commission of TINGA TINGA TALES in June 2008. The series is being produced in Kenya for delivery from autumn 2009 into 2010. ER is managing the worldwide distribution rights for the brand across all forms of media, including consumer products and it will form a key part of ER's global business plan for the next seven to 10 years.
Tiger Aspect in association with Homeboyz in Nairobi has set up a fully-equipped animation studio in Kenya and employed local designers, writers, musicians and animators to work on TINGA TINGA TALES. After production completes in 2010 the studio will continue to provide jobs for a new animation industry in East Africa, encouraging the creation of original African content that can be licensed internationally.
