Los Angeles-based producer/distributor PorchLight Ent. has signed an exclusive agreement to collaborate with LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. to develop television programming based on LeapFrogs valued educational content and popular brand.
Under terms of the agreement, PorchLight acquires the rights to develop and attract new television properties that will be launched with the LeapFrog brand name and make TV stars of the lovable LeapFrog characters Leap, Lily, Tad and others.
Moving into television production is a natural extension for us, said LeapFrogs Mike Houlahan, vp of business development. We are an innovative company, and we will be bringing that innovation to television in association with the creative team at PorchLight.
LeapFrog and PorchLight have successfully partnered on several critically acclaimed and successful direct-to-DVD releases based on the LeapFrog brand, characters and pedagogy. LeapFrog has won numerous awards for the five DVDs it currently has in the market and shipped more than million videos.
Weve had an exciting creative collaboration with PorchLight during the past several years, but the best is yet to come, said Chris DAngelo, LeapFrogs exec producer. Were looking forward to working with Bruce Johnson and the entire PorchLight creative team as we bring LeapFrogs branded content and characters to television.
The reason parents and children have responded so positively to LeapFrogs various learning products is that they empower children to learn on their own, said Bruce Johnson, president/ceo of PorchLight Ent. Our goal will be to use television to extend that empowerment, and to make LeapFrogs learning strategies and educational content available to children in the U.S. and around the world in a fun, highly accessible format.
LeapFrog is always looking for new ways to extend our unique learning brand to more people and we see great synergy in teaming with PorchLight Ent. to accomplish this goal, said Houlahan. Citing PorchLights track record in creating successful, quality entertainment content and television franchise programming, Houlahan added this, will boost our efforts to extend our popular LeapFrog brand and learning franchise across multiple media platforms.
Johnson said LeapFrog, has become the brand synonymous with trusted educational products. Were excited by the incredible potential for creative content tied to the LeapFrog brand. The television programming possibilities are limitless and are greatly advantaged by LeapFrogs vast pre-existing awareness and trust. Were looking forward to working closely with the LeapFrog team in developing that content.
LeapFrogs cast of characters has been created and developed through its extensive product lines for children from infants to middle school. Products featuring the popular range from plush infant learning toys, to LeapPad learning system books, to the acclaimed learning video products that have become instant top sellers in the U.S., featuring LeapFrog characters in engaging adventures to help children build early math and reading skills.
The primary LeapFrog characters include a boy frog named Leap, his sister, Lily, and their little, brother Tad.
Founded in 1995, LeapFrog Enterprises is a leading designer, developer and marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. Based in Emeryville, California, LeapFrog has developed a family of learning platforms that come to life with more than 100 interactive software titles, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, writing, math, music, geography, social studies, spelling, vocabulary and science, as well as 35 stand-alone educational products for children 0-16. LeapFrogs award-winning U.S. consumer products are available in six languages at major retailers in more than 25 countries around the world. The LeapFrog SchoolHouse-curriculum programs are currently in more than 80,000 classrooms across the U.S. with more than 200 interactive books and over 450 skill cards representing more than 6,000 pages of educational content.
Los Angeles-based PorchLight Ent., (www.porchlight.com) is a multi-faceted company focused on the production and distribution of family entertainment. Since its formation in 1995 by veteran entertainment execs Johnson and William T. Baumann, PorchLight has produced the Emmy Award-winning animated series, TUTENSTEIN, for Discovery Kids and Jetix Europe, the award-winning animated children's series, JAY JAY THE JET PLANE for PBS and ADVENTURES FROM THE BOOK OF VIRTUES (PBS), as well as more than 30 live-action and animated feature films. PorchLight also distributes a library of more than 175 movies and 500 half-hours of childrens programming to the global market.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
