TV Kids March 2022

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WWW.TVKIDS.COM

MARCH 2022

TV Kids Festival Videos / In-Demand: Diversity & Inclusion, STEM/STEAM, Girl Power & Korean Animation

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10 TV KIDS

CONTENTS M6’S PHILIPPE BONY The general manager of thematic TV channels at M6 Group and president of Gulli on the company’s winning combination of linear and digital platforms.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S PETER GAL The chief creative officer for television at DreamWorks Animation articulated the studio’s approach to developing content.

Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director

MATTEL’S FRED SOULIE The senior VP and general manager of Mattel Television on how the toy giant is expanding its content slate.

STUDIO 100’S HANS BOURLON The CEO and co-founder of Studio 100 discussed the company’s 360-degree approach to building brands.

WILDBRAIN’S JOSH SCHERBA The president of WildBrain weighed in on how the kids and family giant is evolving amid changes in the market.

EONE FAMILY BRANDS’ OLIVIER DUMONT The president of eOne Family Brands on the approach to developing new IP and managing known franchises.

NICK PARK The four-time Oscar winner, a co-director at Aardman, spoke about the enduring appeal of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

POCKET.WATCH’S CHRIS M. WILLIAMS The founder and CEO of pocket.watch explained the company’s approach to developing IP for a digital-first generation.

BLUEY’S JOE BRUMM The creator shared the genesis of the hit Australian show.

COMMON SENSE NETWORKS’ ERIC BERGER The company’s CEO outlined the strategy for the recently launched AVOD service Sensical.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF ALMA’S WAY Sonia Manzano and Ellen Doherty offered an inside look at the creation of the new PBS KIDS show.

THE KIDOODLE.TV WAY Brenda Bisner, the platform’s chief content officer, discussed working with programming partners, the Safe Streaming movement and more.

ALICE’S WONDERLAND BAKERY’S CHELSEA BEYL The Emmy-nominated writer and producer took viewers behind the scenes of the Disney Junior series.

Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Chelsea Regan Managing Editor Jamie Stalcup Associate Editor David Diehl Production & Design Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Genovick Acevedo Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

HIT SEEKERS WarnerMedia Kids & Family’s Adina Pitt, KiKA’s Sebastian Debertin, M6 Group’s Maud Branly and CBC’s Marie McCann shared their acquisition strategies.

ENGAGING KIDS TODAY WildBrain’s Deirdre Brennan and Guru Studio’s Frank Falcone in a candid conversation about the complexities of the kids’ business.

THE MCFIRE FAMILY Pierre Sissmann, chairman and CEO of Cyber Group Studios, and Coralie Boitrelle-Laigle, head of content for M6 Group’s kids’ channels in France, gave a preview of the animated series.

LITTLE LEARNERS Serious Kids’ Genevieve Dexter, Jetpack Distribution’s Dominic Gardiner, Dandelooo’s Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin and CAKE’s Daniel Bays on appealing to preschool audiences.

FRENCH FLAIR Cyber Group Studios’ Raphaëlle Mathieu, TeamTO’s Corinne Kouper and Zephyr Animation’s David Sauerwein discussed the latest developments in French animation.

THE THUNDERBIRD & ATOMIC SPIRIT Thunderbird Entertainment’s Jennifer Twiner McCarron, Matt Berkowitz and Richard Goldsmith on the company’s strategy to become a global studio.

THAT’S A WRAP! TV Kids’ Anna Carugati offered up a closing message.

IN-DEMAND: KOREAN ANIMATION Hot new series from South Korea.

IN-DEMAND: DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Shows that put diversity and inclusion front and center.

IN-DEMAND: GIRL POWER Series with powerful girl characters in the lead.

IN-DEMAND: STEM/STEAM Properties that feature science, tech, engineering, arts and math curricula.

GET DAILY NEWS ON KIDS’ PROGRAMMING

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Kids ©2022 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvkids.com

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12 TV KIDS

Nefertine on the Nile

Cyber Group Studios Nefertine on the Nile / Gigantosaurus / 50/50 Heroes Leading Cyber Group Studios’ highlights, Nefertine on the Nile is an adaptation of a best-selling book series, co-produced with Graphilm Entertainment in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi. The first ten episodes of 50/50 Heroes are available from Cyber Group, along with Gigantosaurus, which is in production on its third season, and the animated feature The Case. “They all are, in their special way, feel-good programs or shows with meaning in addition to having great storytelling and animated style,” says Raphaëlle Mathieu, senior VP of sales, new media and acquisitions.

“One of our aspirations as a provider of content is to come to the market with a wide diversity of content to be able to satisfy most of our clients’ needs.”

—Raphaëlle Mathieu

Kidoodle.TV Safe Streaming Since 2012, Kidoodle.TV has been leading the way in the AVOD space for kids by providing a Safe Streaming offering with age-appropriate content. The service boasts more than 30,000 episodes, with a weekly release schedule that debuts 10 to 20 new shows. Its programming is handpicked and human-vetted. “Every day, there is reinforcement in the press about the dangers that children face online, further elevating the need for the important work we do to keep kids Safe Streaming,” says Brenda Bisner, chief content officer at Kidoodle.TV.

“The AVOD space has been growing significantly, and Kidoodle.TV has a major role to play in that happening.”

—Brenda Bisner

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TV KIDS

Mattel He-Man and the Masters of the Universe / Deepa & Anoop / Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go Earlier this month, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe season two launched on Netflix.

Meanwhile, Deepa & Anoop, which marks the first Mattel Television project based on all-new IP, is about a 7-year-old at her Indian family’s bed-andbreakfast. “Deepa & Anoop will give children all over the world the opportunity to experience South Asian culture in their very own homes on Netflix,” says Frederic Soulie, senior VP and general manager of Mattel Television. There is also a new season of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.

Deepa & Anoop

“The ethos of each of our brands is threaded throughout each piece of content we produce.”

—Frederic Soulie

NBCUniversal Global Distribution Dragons: The Nine Realms / Take Note / Gabby’s Dollhouse Marking the next chapter in the DreamWorks Animation franchise, Dragons: The Nine Realms is a highlight of the NBCUniversal Global Distribution slate. It “has the same adventure and heart as the How to Train Your Dragon films that fans know and love, but for the first time, it’s set in modern times,” says Chloe Van den Berg, senior VP, head of kids and family entertainment at NBCUniversal Global Distribution. Further highlights include Take Note, a Peacock and Sky co-production, and Gabby’s Dollhouse, a mixedmedia series for preschoolers.

Take Note

“Our big, new focus is on live action.”

—Chloe Van den Berg

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14 TV KIDS

TV Kids Pioneer Award K

PHILIPPE BO

Philippe Bony, general manager of thematic TV channels at M6 Group and president of Gulli, received the TV Kids Pioneer Award after speaking to delegates about the company’s winning combination of linear and digital platforms.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

rd Keynote: M6’s

BONY

Now when you are launching a new show and start the first sentence on a white page, you know that you are working for the next generation.

You need to be able to anticipate their behaviors, their tastes, their interests, which are changing so quickly. You know [it will be] several years before you can broadcast the show. So it is really exciting to work for children and try to help them discover this new world.

”

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Keynote: DreamWorks A

PETER GAL

As the chief creative officer for television at DreamWorks Animation, Peter Gal discussed the studio’s approach to developing resonant, compelling content for Netflix, Apple TV+, Peacock, Prime Video, Hulu and other platforms worldwide. Stay tuned after Gal’s keynote for a sneak peek at a new show from NBCUniversal Global Distribution.

Read the recap here.

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ks Animation’s

L

We’re always looking for great partnerships globally. It’s more important than ever as a way to get top-quality work done. There’s more animation happening than ever.

The market for talent in Los Angeles, as elsewhere, has gotten so competitive. We like to work with the best artists, wherever we can find them, and with the best studios. That has led to incredible co-production opportunities.

”

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Keynote: Mattel’s

FRED SOULIE

Fred Soulie, senior VP and general manager of Mattel Television, discussed how the toy giant is expanding its content slate ahead of a screening of the brand-new Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

LIE 2021 was the biggest year on record for Mattel and Mattel Television on the content side. We debuted more than nine series and specials based on our iconic IPs. What we saw in 2021 were the results of the seeds we planted a couple of years prior. We have one of the largest libraries of IP at Mattel. Creating compelling content takes time. But we’ve been very busy the last few years, focused on becoming a highperforming, IP-driven toy company.

2022 will be even bigger.

”

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Keynote: Studio 100’s

HANS BOURL

Studio 100, led by CEO and co-founder Hans Bourlon, operates across all segments of the kids’ business, from animation studios and a distribution arm to theme parks, TV channels and a successful L&M operation.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

s

RLON More than 3.5 million people every year visit our theme parks. In Poland, we’re creating two new theme parks.

We’re looking at other territories.

All are [connected to] our TV characters. We are convinced that Covid will be something that passes one day. That’s why we are still trying to expand and grow in this sector. Our group is unique in that we combine the production of live-action and animated series with the leisure business like theater shows and theme parks.

”

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Keynote: WildBrain’s

JOSH SCHERB

Josh Scherba, the president of WildBrain, weighed in on how the kids and family giant is evolving amid changes in the market. Following the keynote conversation, stay tuned to watch episodes of Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

ERBA The global streamers are focused on global deals, where they are in most cases funding the entire production. It’s been a good [model] for the industry in a lot of ways. On the other hand, it does reduce the opportunities you have for distribution. We try to balance our slate between fully funded global streaming series along with series we put together through co-productions and partnerships.

”

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Keynote: eOne’s

OLIVIER DUM

Olivier Dumont, president of eOne Family Brands, discussed the unit’s approach to developing new IP and managing known franchises from the extensive Hasbro portfolio.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

UMONT Our slate covers the full spectrum of demographics and genders, always with a strong commercial angle to them. We’re looking to develop properties with significant licensing and merchandising potential.

”

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Creative Keynote: Aardma

NICK PARK

Four-time Oscar winner Nick Park, a co-director at Aardman, spoke about his journey as an animator and the enduring appeal of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

dman’s

K

The good animators do have an actor deep down inside them. The best animators tend to be good actors. Not all—a lot are very shy people! I do like getting in front of the video camera and acting out what I’m after. I often do that as a way of directing. I will become Gromit. It’s a good way of conveying exactly what you want to the animators.

”

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Keynote: pocket.watch’s

CHRIS M. WIL

Chris M. Williams, the founder and CEO of pocket.watch, discussed the company’s approach to developing IP for a digital-first generation.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

ch’s

WILLIAMS We’ve had a tremendous amount of success taking YouTube content, repackaging it, reformatting it, upscaling it to more premium-feeling content, and then distributing it broadly across over 40 different platforms in 80 countries.

Everywhere we put the content, it performs, always.

”

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Creative Keynote: Bluey’s

JOE BRUMM

Joe Brumm, the creator of the global megahit preschool show Bluey, discussed the genesis of the Australian series and why it resonates so broadly with kids and parents alike.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

uey’s

M

Most of the stories are emotional arcs. I steer away from too much moralizing or teaching abstract things. It’s quite relatable because the little emotional lessons the kids learn are usually something you still use as an adult. When I can get a script right, it’s the little kid learning the seed of that thing, but we’re also seeing how the same emotional pattern still plays out 40 years later when you’re the parent.

”

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Keynote: Common Sense

ERIC BERGER

Eric Berger, the CEO of Common Sense Networks, outlined the strategy for the recently launched AVOD service Sensical.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

ense Networks’

GER

We built the service from the ground up to meet kids where they are. It’s the shortform, creator-driven content that they’ve demonstrated they love.

It’s learning-based. It’s ageappropriate. And it’s grounded from a content level to connect with the changing demographics you see in the market. We want the content we license and program to be a reflection [of diverse audiences], so kids can see themselves and others.

”

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Behind the Scenes of

ALMA’S WAY

Sonia Manzano, best known for her long run on Sesame Street as Maria, and Ellen Doherty, the chief creative officer at Fred Rogers Productions, offered an inside look at the creation of the new PBS KIDS show Alma’s Way.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

f

WAY I want the legacy of Alma’s Way to be: After that show aired, there were a million shows about diverse people in the U.S. And not just people of color policing the content, but actually people of color creating the content.

”

—Sonia Manzano

Sonia said, ‘I want kids to know they have a mind and can use it.’

That was a clear call to action for how to make this show and what we wanted to achieve with it.

”

—Ellen Doherty

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The

KIDOODLE.TV

Brenda Bisner, the chief content officer at Kidoodle.TV, discussed working with programming partners, the Safe Streaming movement and more.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

TV WAY As we look at the AVOD landscape, there is a need for a focus on differentiation, value-add and, of course, partnerships that are supportive.

The focus for us is to keep growing and supporting families and kids globally while elevating our relevance in the AVOD space with our partnerships and brands.

”

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Creative Keynote: Alice’s W

CHELSEA BE

Emmy-nominated writer and producer Chelsea Beyl took TV Kids Festival viewers behind the scenes of the brand-new Disney Junior series Alice’s Wonderland Bakery.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

e’s Wonderland Bakery’s

BEYL

Our show is about the power of food. Alice is a baker. She always says, ‘Where there’s a whisk, there’s a way!

There’s a recipe for anything!’ Food can just bring a smile to someone’s face. Sometimes, all you have to do is sit down and share a meal with someone and a friendship forms.

That is a huge theme of the show.

Alice takes food and brings people together and makes friends. Also, food is a way to express yourself, to be creative, which is another core theme we wanted to express.

”

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The TV KIDS SUMMER FESTIVAL is a four-day must-attend virtual event taking place a week prior to Annecy/MIFA and a month before Kidscreen Summit.

Taking place from June 7 to 10, 2022, the TV KIDS SUMMER FESTIVAL will feature keynotes and panels with leading executives and creatives discussing the major trends in the children’s programming business. It will be streamed live and available on-demand for two months on TVKidsSummerFestival.com.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ricardo Guise at rguise@worldscreen.com or Dana Mattison at dmattison@worldscreen.com.

ay

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HIT SEEKERS

WarnerMedia Kids & Family’s Adina Pitt, KiKA’s Sebastian Debertin, M6 Group’s Maud Branly and CBC’s Marie McCann shared their strategies for finding the best properties the international market has to offer.

Read the recap here.

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RS

s

TV KIDS

We’re looking at specials, snackable series, serialized series. The portfolio of demos and genres we’re looking for has expanded.

”

–Adina Pitt

We use acquisitions strategically to bolster our offering, often to look for international brands that will attract audiences.

”

—Marie McCann

In the last year, we acquired more nonlinear rights.

We started to make acquisitions for exclusive SVOD rights.

That’s a big change.

”

—Maud Branly

Acquisitions enrich the view of our audience into this wonderful world.

”

—Sebastian Debertin

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Engaging Kids

TODAY

Deirdre Brennan, COO of WildBrain, and Frank Falcone, president and executive creative director at Guru Studio, participated in a candid conversation about navigating the complexities of the kids’ business today.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

If someone believes in it for a children’s audience, that’s going to be the greatest thing. It’s also: What do our clients want? What is the capability of production? What’s the financial viability?

What’s the platform fit? Our role is to bring all of those factors into those decisions about what goes into development. It’s creativity as a business as well as that spark of, what is going to make a child smile?

”

–Deirdre Brennan

There’s always a constant push and pull between what we know works for children—and that can tend toward the pedantic and be obvious and insult a child’s intelligence—and moving toward something new. That involves risk, and it’s much harder to bring to market.

”

—Frank Falcone

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Panel & Premiere:

THE MCFIRE

Pierre Sissmann, chairman and CEO of Cyber Group Studios, and Coralie Boitrelle-Laigle, head of content for M6 Group’s kids’ channels in France, gave a behind-the-scenes look at the animated series The McFire Family ahead of the premiere of the trailer for the show.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

RE FAMILY It has a lot of diversity. It’s a mixed family. And the kids are real kids.

It’s a show that has a lot of comedy.

Siblings arguing with each other, playing tricks on their parents. It’s all very friendly and very fun to watch.

”

—Pierre Sissmann

For a children’s channel, a fireman program is a must-have, and now we have ours. We are so proud of it. We would like to have a good balance between The Incredibles and a sitcom, the comedy and the real adventures. A family of firefighters is perfect for this.

”

–Coralie Boitrelle-Laigle

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LITTLE LEARN

Genevieve Dexter, founder and CEO of Serious Kids and Eye Present; Jetpack Distribution CEO Dominic Gardiner; Emmanuèle PétrySirvin, partner and producer at Dandelooo; and Daniel Bays, VP of development at CAKE, discussed the keys to appealing to preschool audiences.

Read the recap here.

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RNERS If you want your brand to succeed in the long term, you’ve got to be thinking about how it can work in different spaces.

”

—Dominic Gardiner

If [an idea] has a beating heart, it shows, and it’ll give it a strong foundation.

”

—Genevieve Dexter

The whole world has realized how important it is for the eyeballs to not just waste their time and be purely entertained.

”

—Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin

Kids nowadays are presented with a wall of content. It’s important to be visually distinctive.

”

–Daniel Bays

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French

FLAIR

Raphaëlle Mathieu, senior VP of sales, acquisitions and new media at Cyber Group Studios; Corinne Kouper, senior VP of development and production, co-founder and executive producer at TeamTO; and David Sauerwein, producer and co-owner of Zephyr Animation, APC Kids’ production arm, discussed the latest developments in French animation.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

The models are evolving. There is cocommissioning between platforms and television. There is the model of global co-production. And there are the orders [for originals] from platforms. You want to live on creating IPs, owning IP.

”

–Raphaëlle Mathieu

We’ve had the tax credits and other tools to help us reinforce ourselves. In the last ten years, we have seen a huge increase in the number of talents, technicians and studios. We have a pool of dynamic producers. And it’s very efficient. There is no country doing the same kind of things the way we do.

”

–Corinne Kouper

People abroad think [France is] a haven of subsidies and tax credits, but it’s much more than that. Between the schools and the amazing studios—it’s an amazing ecosystem.

”

–David Sauerwein

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The Thunderbird &

ATOMIC SPIR

Thunderbird Entertainment’s Jennifer Twiner McCarron, CEO; Matt Berkowitz, president and chief creative officer; and Richard Goldsmith, president of global distribution and consumer products, shared details on the company’s strategy to become a global studio.

Read the recap here.

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TV KIDS

IRIT

We felt we were mature enough in terms of working on content that it was time to switch over and get into both revenue streams.

”

–Matt Berkowitz

There’s a huge appetite at the subscription platforms for highend series. At the same time, you have the new AVOD platforms coming up.

Lastly, the traditional television networks all have to compete.

Everybody needs content, more than ever. We think this boom will continue.

”

—Richard Goldsmith

One of the differentiators for us is making sure that content is diverse and inclusive. Our studio was awarded most diverse and inclusive company in British Columbia this year.

”

—Jennifer Twiner McCarron

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That’s

A WRAP!

Anna Carugati, our group editorial director, offered up a closing message and checked in with a pair of delightful young ones in the extended TV Kids family about what they’re watching!

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TV KIDS

Thanks for tuning in! Join us for the TV Kids Summer Festival from June 7 to 10.

More details here.

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In-Demand: Korean Animatio Working with the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), TV Kids is putting the spotlight on the Korean animation business.

OYOYO Producer: Aurora World Corp.

Distributor: Aurora World Corp.

Description: (Kids 6-9 K-pop/cats/idols/fashion/school, 52x11 min.) Fifty percent kittens, 50 percent harmony, 100 percent adorable.

Pitch Perfect: OYOYO takes its viewers on a journey through the ups and downs of becoming a celebrity through the lens of relatable (and adorable) characters. The story follows the members of the girl group OYOYO as they chase their dreams of becoming pop stars in the entertainmentcentric world of Catmia.

Sales Contacts: Albert Lee, Celine Ahn.

Super 10 Commissioner: Young Toys Producers: Young Toys, Winsing Distributor: Young Toys Description: (Kids/boys action/adventure/fantasy, 104x11 min.) A fight through time and space to protect the Super Stone fragments and save the world.

Pitch Perfect: Historical background, time travel and camaraderie.

Sales Contact: Yohan Kim.

Dinosally Producer: Mostapes Distributor: Mostapes Description: (Preschool, 78x5 min.) In Dino Town, everything is awesome! A pink young dinosaur named Sally goes on adventures every day in Dino Town with her friends.

Pitch Perfect: A peppy, plucky dinosaur named Sally and her besties, Blambi and Tibo, see an exciting opportunity for fun in Dino Town and Dino School. Sally is roaring fun whether in class or out on a field trip. Spectacular things will happen if she has friends to stomp along with!

Sales Contact: Lucy Park.

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mation Virtual Guardians Commissioners: KBS, SBA, SK Broadband Producers: LUX Studio, Bamhaneul Studio, Pixtrend Distributor: Pixtrend Description: (Kids 7-11 action/adventure, 26x11 min.) Doctor Gang, the developer of the Gaia World, selected five genius boys and girls and a clever puppy as the so-called “Guardians” to defend against the threat of the AI. Will they be able to win the virtual battle with the AI? Pitch Perfect: Virtual Guardians need to save the world from the AI, which calls itself God reigning over mankind, dominates the virtual world and eventually attempts to expand its reach to the reality of mankind!

Sales Contacts: Do Young Yim, Jane Lee.

Tomon Car Commissioners: MBC, Tooniverse, JEI, Bravokids, Btv, KT, U plus, YouTube, Wavve, Watcha, TV Chosun, JTBC, MBN Producers: Studio Gale, CJ ENM, YUJIN Media Distributor: Studio Gale Description: (Kids edutainment, 60x3 min.) Characters full of diverse personalities that reflect the trend of global automobile toys.

Pitch Perfect: Characters designed based on toy cars that children of ages 3 to 5 are attracted to.

An equal ratio between genders is intended to conform to trends in preschool content.

Sales Contact: Tom Yoo.

Tayo, the Little Bus 6 Commissioner: Iconix Producer: Iconix Distributor: Iconix Description: (Preschool, 26x11 min.) Tayo and the other city buses live together in a home that has been refurnished. What else will happen in the second-floor garage?

Pitch Perfect: Tayo, the Little Bus is a South Korean animation series, depicting the stories of a variety of transportation characters living in harmony. The series deals with core values such as friendship, adherence to traffic rules, respect and consideration for others.

Sales Contacts: Jungeun Kim, Sunghee Park.

TV KIDS

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58 TV KIDS

In-Demand: Diversity & Inclusion

Scream Street Commissioners: CBBC, ZDF Enterprises Produced By: Coolabi Productions, Factory, Nau Productions, Porcelain Pig Television Distributor: ZDF Enterprises (worldwide rights outside CBBC territory) Description: (Kids 6-10, 78x11 min. & 1x22 min. Christmas special) Scream Street is a fast-paced, stylish, comedy-horror extravaganza, based on the hit book series by Tommy Donbavand, following Luke Watson: a regular teen— apart from the werewolf gene!

Pitch Perfect: With plenty of action as well as sharp and witty dialogue, the series captures the challenges of teen friendship groups. A recurring narrative is the importance of being who you are, but the themes and messages are delivered with plenty of humor, wit—and some kick-ass moves too!

Slot Winner: Following the successful launch on CBBC (U.K.), this series is also a ratings winner wherever it has been broadcast across Latin America, Europe and Australia.

Sales Contact: Peter Lang, VP ZDFE.junior.

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Big Blue Commissioners: CBC, SRC Produced By: Guru Studio Distributor: Worldwide content and L&M rights from Guru Studio.

Description: (Kids 5-9 comedy, 52x11 min.) Siblings Lettie and Lemo lead their quirky submarine crew to solve the ocean’s mysteries and find the origins of a new magical recruit named Bacon Berry.

Pitch Perfect: Big Blue drops young viewers deep into a wacky world of comic adventure, while helping to redefine what a family means. The series underscores the timely message of how caring for our planet and each other is the most important thing of all.

Slot Winner: Big Blue is coming off an incredible launch on CBC Kids, SRC and Nicktoons (U.K.). Soon to launch are ABC (Australia), EBS (South Korea), NRK (Norway) and Boing (France, Africa and Israel). The series is created by Ghanaian Canadian Gyimah Gariba, who was praised by Forbes magazine as one of 15 Young African Creatives Rebranding Africa.

Sales Contacts: L&M: Jonathan Abraham, VP, Sales & Business Development; Content: Corey Caplan, Director, International Sales.

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In-Demand: Diversity & Inclusion

FriendZSpace Produced By: T&B Media Global, Flying Bark Productions Distributor: Studio 100 Media has all rights worldwide, excluding Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.

Description: (Kids 5-9 comedy adventure, 52x11 min.) Meet three best friends, Alice, Leo and Kim—seemingly regular human kids, but behind their normal facade, they are risk-taking, deep-space friend makers! Each episode follows the three kids as they jet into space in their unpredictable star cruiser, “The Dart.” Accompanied by BotDog, their mission is simple and wonderfully weird: locate planets, find alien kids, introduce themselves and make friends.

Pitch Perfect: “The idea of FriendZSpace is: Different is good! The core messages are about friendship, inclusion and welcoming diversity with open arms.

The goal with this series is to create a rich immersive world of fresh characters for a universal community of kids.” —Dorian Bühr, Head, Global Distribution Slot Winner: International/Australian TV premiere on ABC Kids.

Available on iView from January 25, 2022, daily (episodes 1-20).

Sales Contacts: Dorian Bühr, Tanja Aichberger-Schaetzle, Fabrice Laventure.

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Tilly, The Power Within Produced By: DeAPlaneta Entertainment, Lion Forge Animation, MOBO Digital Factory Distributor: DeAPlaneta Entertainment manages the series’ worldwide rights, excluding the U.S. and Canada, which are managed by Lion Forge Animation.

Description: (Bridge 4-7 adventure/emotional intelligence, 52x11 min.)

With the help of Tilly, their power within, 6-year-old stepsiblings Gem and Joe learn to face the challenges that come with exploring the world around them.

Pitch Perfect: Stepsiblings Gem and Joe are discovering the world, facing new challenges every day. Tilly is a soft plush that comes to life to help the children find confidence in unfamiliar situations. The show celebrates diversity through inclusive storytelling that embraces building new habits while celebrating customs and traditions. Created by award-winning writer Lina Foti, an executive producer at Lion Forge.

Sales Contacts: Judit Foz, Lucia Vismara.

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In-Demand: Diversity & Inclusion

Li’l Doc Produced By: GALA Prod Distributor: All rights available from CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution.

Description: (Kids 6-9 edutainment, 52x2.5 min.) Li’l Doc seeks to demystify and de-dramatize, in a humorous way, a whole range of medical topics that children may encounter. The episodes feature Li’l Doc, an empathetic female doctor and friend to kids, who explains diseases and their symptoms, and her funny and lovable assistant, Li’l Munchkin, a hypochondriac chameleon!

Pitch Perfect: We at CBC/SRC Distribution are so proud to represent Li’l Doc. This series keeps traveling around the world and continues to be a top performer. It is entertaining, inclusive, diverse and delivers humor and topics that matter to kids, especially during Covid-19.

Slot Winner: The series has performed well on Hopster, Canal+, YLE, TVP and ERR, among others.

Sales Contacts: Mia Desroches, Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos.

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In-Demand: Girl Power

Heirs of the Night Commissioners: NRK, AVROTROS, NDR, ZDF Enterprises Produced By: Lemming Film, Hamster Film, Maze Pictures, Maipo Film, ZDF Enterprises Distributor: ZDF Enterprises worldwide, excluding co-pro partners’ territories.

Description: (Kids 10+/family, 26x26 min.) Set in 1889, tells the story of the five remaining vampire clans in Europe and their young ones, “the Heirs.” In their midst is Alisa, 14, who has the power to choose between eternal life as a vampire or for all vampires to become humans once again.

Pitch Perfect: The never-ending clan wars and the threat of vampire hunters have forced the vampires to retreat into isolation to protect their heirs. They realize that they need to come out of hiding and unite their powers if they want to survive. An epic adventure for tweens, teens and families, filmed on location all over Europe. This is a fantastical coming-of-age saga with international appeal, an incredible cinematographic look and outstanding production values.

Sales Contacts: Arne Lohmann, VP ZDFE.junior; Katharina Pietzsch, Director ZDFE.junior; Jan-Frederik Maul, Director ZDFE.junior; Marei Bruckmann, Director ZDFE.junior.

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Glowbies Commissioner: Developed and acquired by CBC Kids.

Produced By: Gallus Entertainment Distributor: Worldwide rights available except Canada from CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution.

Description: (Preschool comedy, 38x12.5 min.) Like any preschoolers, Jelly, Randy, Alby and Poppy go through emotions that light them up bright. It is OK to show your emotions when having fun, facing problems, or being sad or frustrated. Even though Jelly, Randy, Alby and Poppy’s personalities are very different, they always remain the best of friends, no matter what the situation or conflict is.

Pitch Perfect: Jelly is the unofficial leader of the gang. She plays the big sister to Poppy, Alby and Randy, taking on a protective role. Jelly is the mechanicalminded one willing to attempt to fix things and has the ideas. Jelly is also the sports lover of the group, while Poppy is a strong-minded, straight-talking, genuinely talented girl with a desire to do things. Girl power all over!

Slot Winner: CBC Kids and CBC Gem Sales Contacts: Mia Desroches, Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos.

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In-Demand: Girl Power

Gabby’s Dollhouse Commissioners: Netflix, NBCUniversal Global Distribution Produced By: DreamWorks Animation Distributor: NBCUniversal Global Distribution is offering up linear rights with catch-up VOD. Description: (Kids 3-6 animation/live action, S1: 25x30 min., S2: 15x30 min.) Join Gabby in her fantastical animated world full of adventure and adorable cat friends.

Pitch Perfect: Gabby takes us on magical adventures where we’ll learn, laugh and play alongside her adorable kitty friends. The series embraces a unique growth mindset curriculum encouraging cognitive skill development, and Gabby’s positivity and determination make her an incredible, strong role model for boys and girls.

Slot Winner: 327 million-plus Netflix U.S. streams since launch; number one global kids’ series (during season one and two launches); top ten kids’ show in 47 countries; 370 million-plus global YouTube content views.

Sales Contact: Chloe Van den Berg, SVP, Head, Kids & Family Entertainment, NBCUniversal Global Distribution.

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Girls of Olympus Commissioner: RAI for RaiPlay and Rai Gulp Produced By: The Animation Band Distributor: Serious Kids represents all rights available outside of Italianspeaking markets.

Description: (Kids 8-12 fantasy adventure, 26x24 min.) Three high school girls discover their true identities as reincarnations of Athena, Aphrodite and Artemis. Embracing their supernatural talents, they move between reality and fantasy worlds. Fighting mythological creatures and maintaining school grades, they divert adult suspicions and go after Ares, the God of War. Based on the books by Elena Kedros.

Pitch Perfect: The data so far suggests an interesting split of 65 percent girls and 35 percent boys, with the most successful age group being kids aged 8 to 14, followed by 4- to 7-year-olds. Girls of Olympus appeals to a wide age group and would therefore be a very appealing proposition for our partners.

Slot Winner: Broadcast daily three times a day, at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Sales Contact: sales@seriouskids.com

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In-Demand: STEM/STEAM

Earth to Luna!

Commissioner: Discovery Kids Produced By: Pinguim Content Distributor: Monster Entertainment Description: (Kids 3-6 educational, S1-7: 182x26 min.) Luna is a 6-yearold girl who is passionate about one thing: science! For Luna, the Earth is a giant laboratory she explores with energy and enthusiasm.

Pitch Perfect: Earth to Luna! is a series that uses boundless humor and unforgettable characters to explore the world around us! There is nothing that Luna and her friends won’t do or imagine to answer their scientific questions. Every episode is based around the investigation of a natural phenomenon, presented in a simple manner that is easy to follow. This is the perfect tool to help younger viewers nurture their curiosity, and it encourages them to think creatively about things they encounter every day.

Slot Winner: Broadcast in 120 countries. Sales highlights include Sky, Discovery Kids, Kids Central, RTHK, Česká televize, TG4, Minika and Hopster.

Sales Contacts: Andrew Fitzpatrick, Ania Rozenszprung-Clinton, Ben Murphy.

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Space Nova Commissioners: Super RTL, ABC ME, 9Network Produced By: SLR Productions Distributor: ZDF Enterprises worldwide, excluding Australia and New Zealand.

Description: (Kids 6-10, 26x24 min.) Set in 2162, it stars tween siblings Jet and Adelaide, who live not-so-ordinary lives on an international space station with their astronaut parents and schoolmates.

Pitch Perfect: Space and understanding Earth’s place in the universe are major areas in the science education curriculum. The episodes in Space Nova use real science throughout the series that can be used as educational tools to discuss a scientific concept, aspects of space exploration, aeronautical technology we need to get us there and the astrophysics related to space itself. We explore ideas of alien planets and potential alien life as we take real science and expand into new ideas.

Sales Contacts: Arne Lohmann, VP ZDFE.junior; Katharina Pietzsch, Director ZDFE.junior; Jan-Frederik Maul, Director ZDFE.junior; Marei Bruckmann, Director ZDFE.junior.

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In-Demand: STEM/STEAM

That’s Cool!

Commissioner: Radio-Canada Produced By: Toast Studio Distributor: Worldwide rights are available from CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution.

Description: (Kids 6-9 edutainment, 120x3 min.) Does the human body really contain gold? Can eating spinach truly make us stronger? A series of edutainment capsules, That’s Cool! asks questions like these and answers them in a straightforward and entertaining way. Astonishing but true facts are analyzed and secrets of the animal world revealed, using a simple and effective format that is both engaging and amusing.

Pitch Perfect: This series is traveling so well! The audience is learning with fun and amazing facts. With a STEAM curriculum for each episode, the 6- to 9-year-olds are engaged and excited. The series is effective at getting their attention.

Slot Winner: Broadcast partners include TF1, Da Vinci Kids, Hopster, ERR, EBS, TV5 and more.

Sales Contacts: Mia Desroches, Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos.

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Polkaroo Counts!

Commissioner: TVOkids Produced By: GAPC Entertainment Distributor: All digital and TV rights, excluding Canada, from Distribution360.

Description: (Preschool 2-5, 30x2.5 min.) A fun live-action series that supports numeracy learning and foundational math concepts. Along with their kangaroo friend, Polkaroo, preschoolers quickly see how their day-to-day activities involve counting and how learning can be fun.

Pitch Perfect: “The series captures the important notion that when it comes to mathematics, play is the engine of learning. Polkaroo Counts! was developed with an early math education specialist and uses tangible materials to teach children to think about numbers and how they are made. Featuring a diverse local cast of kids learning for the first time, each 2.5-minute episode incorporates easy-to-understand language and explains relatable mistakes, encouraging viewers to reach new milestones in math learning.” —Diane Rankin, SVP, Rights, Distribution360 Sales Contacts: Diane Rankin, SVP, Rights; Smiljka Baljozovic, Director, Sales; Joanna Rowley, Sales Consultant.

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In-Demand: STEM/STEAM

Numberblocks Commissioner: CBeebies Produced By: Alphablocks, Blue Zoo Animation Studio Distributor: Aardman Animations globally, except North America, China, the U.K., France and Germany and global SVOD, which Blue Zoo Rights represent.

Description: (Preschool edutainment, S1-4: 120x5 min. & 1x20 min., 3x10 min. specials) BAFTA-winning series engages children with songs and silliness while helping them understand numbers by visually making sense of how they work.

Pitch Perfect: Numberblocks celebrates numbers and learning, helping children master key math skills with every adventure. It’s a story about a group of friends who can always count on each other but, most importantly, Numberblocks is about having fun with numbers!

Slot Winner: Numberblocks is a global series airing on multiple channels and platforms, including CBeebies, Netflix, Noggin in the U.S., ABC Australia, RTP Portugal and TVO Canada. This BAFTA-winning series regularly achieves the top position on kids’ platforms and comes with a huge YouTube following with over 3.4 billion views to date.

Sales Contacts: Aardman: Alison Taylor, Miguel Mestre; Blue Zoo: Alison Warner.

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