Category: Television

While most of Nelvana's computer animated programs have been done with the assistance of outside studios, the Toronto-based production house, which is part of Corus Entertainment, turned out an entire 3D CGI one-hour special, ç, completely in-house, now airing on Nickelodeon. It premiered in primetime March 31 with rebroadcasts on April 1 and 14 at noon. The studio is becoming increasingly more self-contained, under the direction CGI pioneer and production chief Scott Dwyer. Based upon the best-selling book series by acclaimed children's author, David Kirk, MISS SPIDER stars Brooke Shields as the voice of a full-grown spider who discovers she doesn't know everything there is to know about being a terrific mom. Having been adopted herself when she was young, Miss Spider's lessons multiply when she and her young ones try to reunite an abandoned chicken egg with its mother. Nelvana used primarily Maya and combustion to create the rich, colorful natural environments and soft characters. The Nelvana production in association with Callaway & Kirk was exec. produced by Michael Hirsh, Dyer, Kirk, Nicholas Callaway and Nadine va der Velde. Pam Lehn served as supervising producer and Susie Grondin was producer. Mike Fallows directed the script by van der Velde while Mike Shiell was animation director. While animation remained at Nelvana, voice recording was done in Canada and the U.S. Tony Jay as the voice of the evil Spiderus was recorded at Voice Trax West in Los Angeles. Shields and Rick Moranis (the voice of her husband Holley) were recorded at Magno Sound in New York City. The majority of the voices were recorded at Studio 306 in Toronto under the direction of Jessie Thomson. Nelvana also produced in-house the ROLIE POLIE OLIE: GREAT DEFENDER OF FUN special last year that aired on Disney in the U.S. and CBC in Canada. MISS SPIDER'S SUNNY PATCH KIDS will air later this year on TELETOON in Canada. The special is sponsored by U.S. retailer Target, which just launched a lifestyle brand for children called Sunny Patch, in stores across America featuring images of Miss Spider and friends on clothing, garden tools and home décor.

Some critics say that a monkey can make better decisions than a TV programming executive, while others, especially in the Animation Nation chatroom, say monkeys run production and broadcasting companies. To prove a point, Cartoon Network brought an actual chimpanzee (technically an ape, not a monkey), named Jimbo in to select the cartoons from CN's programming library during its April Fools' Day Monkey Marathon April 1, 2003 from 8:00 a.m.-11:00 pm (ET/PT). Jimbo picked a lineup of toons starring monkeys and apes in prominent roles.

FXDigital/DiFarm, a Korean and Los Angeles based digital studio specializing in 3D animation production, is debuting its BUMPER KING ZAPPER (26x30) animated series aimed at kids 7-12, at MIP-TV. Set to broadcast on SBS Korea in September 2003, BUMPER KING ZAPPER takes place in the year 2034 in the city of Kore, where a young boy named Tyron dreams of becoming the king of "Bumper Cross," the remote control racing game that dominates pop culture society.

Sunwoo USA, the Burbank, California based division of Sunwoo Entertainment in Korea, has entered into a co-production and co-development agreement with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), to make THE UNHUGGABLES, a 26x30 animated series based on the book published by the NWF. The NWF will premiere a comic strip based on the book in spring of 2003. THE UNHUGGABLES features a group of school-aged animals, whose unappealing characteristics make them the outcasts. The action-packed coming-of-age misadventures of a spider, snake, porcupine, skunk, armadillo and an Asian False Vampire Bat is targeted for kids 2-11 and tentatively scheduled for the 2003/2004-television season. "We are very excited to be working with Sunwoo, one of the most innovative production and animation companies in the business," said Christopher Palmer, president/CEO of National Wildlife Productions, the production arm of the NWF. In addition, Sunwoo USA is offering in its first MIP product slate, SPACE HIP HOP DUCK, a 52x11 animated series already sold to KBS Network in Korea, according to Jae Moh, president/CEO of Sunwoo USA. SPACE HIP HOP DUCK features two near-do-well slackers who hip hop across the Hip Hop Galaxy in search of odd jobs while pursuing their dreams of becoming rock stars. It stars Hip Hop, a green sharp billed female duck and her human companion Wangja, a young male with a talent for gadgetry, who travel aboard Argo, a multi-purpose robot who serves as both a butler, a spaceship and a peacemaker. Sunwoo Entertainment, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is comprised of three animation studios: Sunwoo Animation, Grimsaem Animation and Anivision Korea. These studios work closely together with Sunwoo Digital International to provide state of the art animation services. Its recently launched U.S. division seeks co-production deals, recruits talent and develops content with international appeal for its Korean-based studios.

The North Sydney, Australia-based Kapow Pictures is taking its first animated series YAKKITY YAK the brainchild of KPs founder Mark Gravas to MIP-TV. The co-production with Canadas Studio B for kids 8-12 is already airing on Canada's TELETOON and has been sold to sold to TF1 (France) and Channel 10 (Australia). KP partner and executive producer Sandra Walters is presenting the 52x11 series at MIP. "Its a character-driven series, and its quirky by nature, she said. "That gives us license to reference reality, but to really push the boundaries," she said. Kapow (www.kapowpictures.com) has built its six-year-old reputation doing commercials for Kellogg's, Optus and Bonds, as well as pilots EGO FROM MARS and AGENT GREEN, which aired on Nickelodeon. The outfit made a big impact with its animated short film SHOW AND TELL, which was nominated for an AFI in 2002, and was named best short film at the Telluride Indie Fest and Most Popular Animated Film at Ausfest 2002. It followed on the heels of Kapows first short film, WYATT EARP, which won Best Animated Short in the Vancouver animation festival in 2000. WYATT EARP has since screened at more than 20 festivals, while Australian television rights have been bought by SBS.

Umbrella organization European Broadcasting Union is coproducing an animated series PITT & KANTROP (26x26) with Millimages (France), using funding from nine EBU member broadcasters ARD (Germany), BBC (U.K.), France 2 and France 3, RAI (Italy), RTBF and VRT (Belgium), RTVE (Spain) and SRG-SSR (Switzerland). Targeted at kids 6-12, the toon features 13-year-old Pitt and his pterodactyl pet Kantrop, created by Isabeau Merle and Fethi Nedjari. The series is an off-beat modern comedy set in prehistoric times, which recounts the adventures of Pitt, and Kantrop, the last pterodactyl, as they try to bring progress to Pitt's tribe. Wolfgang Wegmann (ARD), Theresa Plummer-Andrews (BBC) and Babette Vimenet (France) are set to exec produce. Millimages Licenses, Millimages UK and Millimages USA will handle international distribution rights when the series launches in fall 2004. "We are confident that the series PITT & KANTROP will be another success for the EBU and its members in providing quality European programming to children across Europe," said Philippe Jacot, head of the EBU coproduction unit. Millimages, based in Paris (www.millimages.com), is one of the largest producers and distributors of animated programming with its own post production and stop-motion service studios. The Geneva-based EBU (www.ebu.ch) is the largest professional association of national broadcasters in the world. It serves 71 active members in 52 countries of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and 45 associate members in 28 countries around the world. Working on behalf of its members, the EBU negotiates broadcasting rights for major sports events, operates the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, organizes program exchanges, stimulates and coordinates coproductions, and provides a full range of other operational, commercial, technical, legal and strategic services.

French broadcaster FR1 and CGI animation producer Sparkling are showing their first episode of ZOÉ KÉZAKO (26x13). The 3D animated series is based on books of the same name written by Véronique Säuquère. The show, directed by Serge Elissade, revolves around the adventures of seven-year-old girl and her friends. Zoé loves to speak her mind about annoying things that others would choose to ignore, then learns how to transform the negative into a positive. TF1 greenlit the series last October following a presentation at Cartoon Forum.

Nickelodeon will add five new animated series, two live-action series, one animated primetime special, plus a miniseries of live-action specials to its 2003-2004 schedule. The diverse programs range from an older cast of RUGRATS, a spin-off series from OH YEAH! CARTOONS and a new show from THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS creator Butch Hartman, it was announced by Cyma Zarghami, EVP/GM of Nickelodeon during the network's upfront meeting in New York City on March 19, 2003. ALL GROWN UP takes a look at the RUGRATS baby brigade as pre-teens. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Susie and Dylan display a bit more confidence and smarts to negotiate the bossy Angelica. This first-ever RUGRATS spin-off is created and produced by Klasky Csupo, to premiere in fall 2003. MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT, a spin-off of the hit show OH YEAH! CARTOONS, centers on Jenny, a super-powered robot who has to protect the planet while coping with typical teenage trials and tribulations. Created by Rob Renzetti, who will serve as exec. producer with Fred Seibert for the series that premieres in summer 2003. From FAIRLY ODDPARENTS creator Butch Hartman comes DANNY PHANTOM, a 14-year-old kid who transforms into a phantom-fighting superhero with ghost-like superpowers. The series will be produced at the Nicktoons Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif. The 3D animated preschool series THE BACKYARDIGANS is an interactive music and dance-driven show about three animal friends who embark on fantastic singing and dancing adventures. The show features original music with an interactive dance segments for viewers. The series was created by exec. producer Janice Burgess (LITTLE BILL). Co-exec. producer Robert Scull (LITTLE BILL, LITTLEBURG) directs the show produced at Nick Jr. in New York City. Premiering in August 2003 is RUBBADUBBERS, a stop-motion preschool series about a spirited group of bath-toy friends whose lively imaginations take them on fantastic journeys. It is produced by HIT Entertainment in the U.K. MISS SPIDER AND THE SUNNY PATCH KIDS, featuring the voices of Brooke Shields and Rick Moranis, will air as a one-hour animated primetime special. Geared to a preschool audience, the show is based on David Kirk's best-selling children's book series LITTLE MISS SPIDER and is produced by Nelvana. Other shows include WHOOPI'S LITTLEBURG, a series of three live-action specials starring Whoopi Goldberg with puppets, preschool kids and celebrity guest stars. Nick alumni Drak Bell and Josh Peck reunite as an odd couple of teen stepbrothers in DRAKE AND JOSH, a new live-action comedy series from Tollin Robbins Prods. Nick will also feature hip-hop icons Master P and Lil' Romeo in ROMEO!, a live-action comedy series from the Tom Lynch Co.

Toronto-based Cambium Catalyst International Entertainment (CCI) has partnered with U.K. animation studio, Collingwood OHare Entertainment (COE), to co-produce the animated series HARRY AND HIS BUCKETFUL OF DINOSAURS. Based on the successful book of the same name, the animated pre-school series explores the vivid imagination of a child and his dinosaur companions. Production is set for fall 2003 in the U.K. and Canada. CCI Releasing will hold worldwide distribution rights.

Firestone Communications will launch the first digital 24-hour Hispanic kids service in the U.S., ¡Sopresa,! on March 15, 2003 to be carried on three cable platforms on 350 systems reaching approximately 400,000 subscribers. Spanish-language programming acquired from Spain, Latin American and the U.S. aims to reach a broad kids audience. Mornings and afternoons are targeted at pre-school and younger children with animation, pre-school series, variety, documentaries and special events.

Bardel Entertainment will be unveiling its new animated action series SILVERWING at MIP-TV. Based on the first novel in a trilogy by Ken Oppel, it follows the coming-of-age tale of Shade, who is in search for his father. The book is selling well in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Australia, Holland and will soon be available in Italy. Negotiations are underway for the trilogy to be re-released to coincide with the launch of the television series in fall 2003 on TELETOON in Canada.

Restructuring continues at Egmont Imagination as its president Tom van Waveren follows the company's programming catalog to Telescreen. The Egmont Group sold the media exploitation rights, outside of the Nordic territories, to Palm Plus Multimedia BV, which in turn has handed over the rights to its subsidiary Telescreen, a stable animation player for the past 20 years. The extended Telescreen catalog will now include properties such as LIZZIE MCGUIRE, PAZ, THE FAIRYTALER, HAMILTON MATTRESS, REX THE RUNT, TRACY MCBEAN, SKIPPER & SKEETO and UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS BEAR.