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Right: As an official World Book Day selection for 2016, Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet's Supertatoe (Simon & Schuster) saw expansive publicity across the country, both in terms of book sales and other brand-boosting activity such as festival appearances.
Talking To...Vicki Willden-Lebrecht
the three titles that followed (Random House Children’s Books). Now a fully animated, prime-time children’s TV show on Channel 5’s Milkshake, Nickelodeon Global has full distribution rights. However, the broadcast world is a changing one, and as such, Bright is evolving from a Above: Rex and his friends come from tradional literary agency into an illustrated world created by author a full media agency, Yasmeen Ismail. creators of the worlds and managing television and film characters built in children’s picture options alongside the brand extension of books are the best people to bring characters and books for its authors and them to life as they begin their artists and – crucially – developing content transmedia journey. For this reason partnership and in partnership with them. trust is key; experienced artists such as Benji Davies, Having retained its authors’ television, film and Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet instinctively know how merchandise rights to an exciting line-up of awardtheir creations would appear via these new media winning and bestselling children's books, Bright is platforms and we support their creative now in a position to take advantage of the myriad involvement every step of the way.” of new media opportunities with which it can bring Already working with innovative animation studios its illustrators’ characters to life. and experimenting with new software, the next 12 “We are already looking at exploiting characters months will see Bright looking for media platforms, and stories that are ready to move beyond the relevant broadcasters, partners or studios that will page and start their transmedia journey on new be able to develop the phenomenal content it has platforms,” said Vicki. “Alongside our New York to offer, keeping each story real and believable in its office and publishing co-edition routes, we develop new form. content that has appeal to markets in Asia, “Our content alongside forwardthe USA, Europe and South America and we thinking and top quality aesthetic want to put our expertise and understanding studio approach will make for a of the global market to good use.” powerful combination at a time Working in conjunction with international where big new players are creative agency, Vámonos, Bright is currently coming into the market in terms developing and pitching animation proposals of broadcast and reach with on for Time for Bed Fred!, Specs for Rex and I’m demand and subscription A Girl!, a series written Right; Multi-award-winning models,” said Vicki. “So yes, we and illustrated by award- book The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield (Frances really are very excited about winning author illustrator Lincoln Children’s Books) offers a number of new what the future holds.” Yasmeen Ismail. media opportunities. “By securing Right: Richard Scrivener, non-executive director, broadcast Team Effort Bright Group International. opportunities in this Earlier this year Richard Scrivener of the Creative Rights Agency way we are staying joined Bright's board as a non-executive director with special responsibility for the company’s portfolio of film, TV and true to our working merchandising rights. ethos; to globally “The key thing is to be open-minded about the best way to manage and add value develop a property,” said Richard, an industry-leading expert in to our author and the publishing media sector. “Gone are the days when a network broadcast commission guaranteed a successful licensing illustrators’ assets,” programme. These days it’s more a question of taking a long-term view and building Vicki explained. “We an understanding of the different media platforms available.” believe that the LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2016
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