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Feature FMKFE’s Rick Glankler
DHX Media’s Steven DeNure
Also keen to adhere to the spirit of a classic being given a remake is Hasbro, which will be releasing a movie version of its hit Eighties series Jem And The Holograms. Simon Walters, Hasbro’s general manager and senior vice-president of entertainment and licensing, says: “The notion of being true to yourself has always been at the heart of Jem And The Holograms, and that’s just as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.” It is undoubtedly true that there are many compelling reasons for rebooting classic brands. As FMKFE’s Glankler says: “A number of broadcasters and content groups have had significant success with such projects.” However, it is equally true that not all properties lend themselves to such treatment. “A key element that makes a property potentially suitable for this process is recognition,” DHX’s
FMKFE’s Bob Higgins
Planeta Junior’s Ignacio Segura de Lassaletta
HIT Entertainment’s Christopher Keenan
DeNure says. “The market is now so crowded that discoverability is increasingly becoming an issue and, if a property has the recognition of Inspector Gadget, Teletubbies and Yo Gabba Gabba!, that’s a big attraction for broadcasters.” He adds: “For us, this is a process that starts with a conversation with broadcasters because, before embarking on such a project, we have to believe there is an audience for the end result — and that means believing there is a broadcaster for the new version.” Confidence in market demand was also central to FMKFE’s decision to go ahead with the new version of Danger Mouse. Glankler reveals that this belief was strengthened in January 2013, when CITV ran an Old Skool weekend to mark its 30th anniversary. The celebration included airing an episode of Danger Mouse, which attracted some 523,000 viewers
VIMN’s Caroline Beaton
— CITV’s highest ever audience. “In addition, when we looked at the market, we saw a real gap for a comedy-action series,” Higgins adds. “There was a lot of great comedy and a lot of great action, but there was an obvious gap for a ‘buddy’ comedy-action series.” Planeta Junior’s de Lassaletta is another who taps brand recognition as a key factor in a property’s suitability for a reboot. “When a brand has been previously tested in the market with great success, as is the case with Heidi and Maya The Bee, then you are on much safer ground,” he says. But he also stresses the importance of “a good strong story” when choosing a property for a makeover. For VIMN’s Beaton, it is important that a property has “good strong characters that form an emotional bond with their audience”. Another key point is that the property can work across
preview magazine I September 2015 I www.mipjunior.com