marblemedia Begins N. American Skatoony

marblemedia has begun production on the North American version of the U.K.'s smash-hit, animated/live-action series, SKATOONY.

This new version of SKATOONY will build on the success of the Cartoon Network U.K. series by adding a distinctly North American twist including all new voices, older contestants, an interactive website and new animated characters borrowed from the TELETOON hit series TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND, produced by Fresh TV Inc. Pitting real kids against quirky animated characters for prizes in a HOLLYWOOD SQUARES-type trivia game, cameras started rolling this week in Toronto for this 26-part series (13 half-hour English and 13 half-hour French episodes). This first-of-its-kind show in North America and its new format will be targeted towards a tween audience.

The show's hilarious host Chudd Chudders and his sidekick announcer The Earl will play intermediary between the tweenaged contestants and the animated world while deflecting many interruptions from a cast of animated characters, including intimidating pirates and attacking aliens. New to the North American edition of the show is the character of Charles La Puck -- a former hockey coach and menacing owner of the SKATOONY studio. The challenge for the contestants is to survive three rapid-fire trivia rounds and the antics of their cartoon competitors in order to win great prizes.

The live-action portion of SKATOONY will be shot in both English and French. The contestants, already selected through open casting, will compete in front of a green screen; animation post-production will take place at Toronto's Smiley Guy Studios.

SKATOONY began as an internet microsite and has since gone on to become the most popular show on Cartoon Network in the U.K. and is in its fourth year of production. The North American rights to the show were secured by marblemedia earlier this year and the 26 episodes will debut on TELETOON in spring 2010.