Category: Television

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.

Broadcaster CBBC in England debuted NELLY NUT on Monday, March 3, 2003, the children's channel's first totally live interactive animated on-screen character, which hosts a weekday 7-9:00 am breakfast show. Nelly Nut is a nine-year-old bundle of energy, smart, sassy and strong-minded who never leaves her trusty teddy bear friend, Miss Bunny, far behind.

Anime fans should rejoice that ASTRO BOY will be getting a new animated series from Sony Pictures Television based on the original 50-year-old series from Manga master, Osamu Tezuka. Aimed at kids 6-11, Sony Picture Television International sales execs will launch the new ASTRO BOY at MIP-TV this month. The show continues Tezuka's comics-to-TV tale of a scientist who builds a robot boy after the death of his own son.

STUART LITTLE premieres on HBO Family in an all-new 2D animated series Saturday, March 1 at 8:00 am and replays at 1:30 the same day, as well as on the following Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sony Pictures Television and Red Wagon are producing the half-hour series of 13 episodes, based upon the book by E.B. White. The series features the adventures of the three-inch tall mouse (voiced by Hugh Laurie) who has been adopted by the Little family. Other characters featured in the series are Stuart's brother George; Mr. and Mrs.

The strategy for FOX BOX during the busy network upfront ad selling season is to make customized presentations for clients and advertising agencies instead of doing a mass meeting according to Daniel Barnathan, EVP of sales, marketing and promotion. AWN caught up with the marketing veteran in Los Angeles. Based in the FOX BOX/4Kids headquarters in New York City, Barnathan will be on the road through May, selling space for the programming block his company airs on the Fox TV network on Saturday mornings in the U.S.

On February 24, 2003 Cartoon Network kicks off a week of some of the best action/anime series starring giant fighting machines in TOONAMI'S first Giant Robot Week, culminating with a special presentation of the acclaimed animated feature THE IRON GIANT on Friday, February 28, 2003, at 8:00 pm ET/PT. DAI-GUARD and NADESICO, which have never aired on U.S. television, are part of the anime series featured Monday, Feb. 24 Friday, Feb. 28 from 4-5:00 pm ET/PT each day.