TV-Loonland will join with ZDF tivi to produce the series RUDI AND TRUDI. TV-Loonland and ZDF Enterprises will start marketing the worldwide TV and subsidiary rights at MIPCOM. Production of the series is slated to begin in the fall. Broadcast launch in Germany is planned for spring 2006.
Peter Völkle, ceo of TV-Loonland said, "We are very pleased about the new co-production with ZDF. It is the continuation of many years of successful collaboration.
Dr. Irene Wellershoff, head of the editorial team at ZDF tivi, said, "TV-Loonland productions are of particularly high quality, both artistically and from a technical point of view, and thus have all the pieces needed for a successful show."
Many children are already familiar with the main character Rudi the raven of RUDI AND TRUDI (26x11) from SIEBENSTEIN, the preschool and elementary school show broadcast on ZDF and Kinderkanal. In RUDI AND TRUDI, he resurfaces as a cartoon character and, at the beginning of every episode, starts on a flight to an unknown, often fantastical, world full of adventure and surprises. In the new series, the mischievous and fearless Rudi is accompanied on each expedition by the clever kitten, Trudi.
The series is produced for children 4-8 by the TV-Loonland subsidiary Telemagination, one of the largest animation studios in the U.K. It is directed by Alan Simpson, who is currently also working with Telemagination and the Canadian cartoon producer Nelvana on the TV-Loonland feature film HEIDI, based on the classic children's book.
Founded in 1993, ZDF Enterprises GmbH is the wholly-owned subsidiary and commercial arm of ZDF German Television Network, one of Europe's largest and most respected broadcasters. Headquartered in Mainz, Germany, ZDF Enterprises is responsible for the development, production and global distribution of original programming. The company is also responsible for all program acquisitions and international co-productions on behalf of the network, and acquires programming for world-wide distribution. ZDF tivi is the children's and youth programming division at ZDF Enterprises.
TV-Loonland is an integrated media company and counts among the leading international producer-distributors of animation for children, youth and families. With its own development teams and production facilities in Continental Europe, Great Britain and the U.S., a comprehensive rights catalog as well as a worldwide operating distribution team, TV-Loonland has today become a world leader among the independent majors in the industry. For more information, visit www.loonland.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
