TV Kids MIPTV 2017

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TVKIDS

WWW.TVKIDS.WS

APRIL 2017

MIPTV & INTERNATIONAL EMMY KIDS AWARDS EDITION

Development Slates / Preschool / Toy-Based Shows / Michael Stumpf & Sebastian Debertin on KiKA at 20 Studio 100’s Hans Bourlon / Cyber Group’s Pierre Sissmann / Disney XD’s Marc Buhaj

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8 TV KIDS

CONTENTS FEATURES

By Kids, For Kids

36 THE MAGIC NUMBER? Producers share their strategies for crafting the perfect development slate.

42 SMALL WONDER Exploring the latest trends in preschool.

Kids have always known how to entertain themselves. With a book or a toy or a doll, young ones can create their own universes to play in, no grown-ups required.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Joanna Padovano Tong Managing Editor Sara Alessi Associate Editor Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Nathalia Lopez Sales & Marketing Assistant Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Kids © 2017 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvkids.ws

With the internet and social media, that natural tendency towards creativity and expressing your imagination has been amplified. There are countless kid-run channels on YouTube with young ones creating their own art for the world to see. Instagram, Snapchat, musical.ly, Club Penguin, iTwixie, Kidzworld…the list of online destinations where kids can express themselves is endless. So what’s the role of a TV channel in that environment? These days, it’s actually more important than ever.

As we all know, the internet can be a dangerous place for impressionable minds. For every kid-safe browser and filter, there’s a workaround. How can parents feel safe and secure about their child’s entertainment?

Leave them with a trusted brand that they know well.

And among the most trusted and revered kids’ brands in the world today is Germany’s KiKA. Operated by the public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, KiKA has been entertaining and educating German youth for two decades. This issue of TV Kids contains a special anniversary report on KiKA in which we hear from the channel’s managing director, Michael Stumpf, and its head of fiction, acquisitions and co-productions, Sebastian Debertin.

Another parent-approved brand is Disney, whose portfolio of global channels includes Disney XD. The most irreverent and edgy of the Disney services, skewing towards boys 6 to 11, Disney XD is eagerly tapping into emerging digital talent as it cultivates its programming offer, working with Maker Studios to develop a new generation of storytellers. Marc Buhaj, general manager and senior VP of programming at Disney XD, shares with TV Kids what kinds of programming are resonating with the service.

We also hear from numerous producers and distributors in this edition as we explore the trends that matter to executives in the kids’ business. In addition to in-depth stories on preschool content, crafting the perfect development slate and shows based on toys, we have Q&As with Hans Bourlon, CEO of Studio 100—which recently took a majority stake in m4e—and Pierre Sissmann, the chairman and CEO of Cyber Group.

—Mansha Daswani

42 48 TOY STORIES A look at the wealth of series and specials on the market inspired by toys.

48

60 KIKA @ 20 The top-rated kids’ broadcaster in Germany is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Michael Stumpf and Sebastian Debertin reflect on the channel’s milestones.

INTERVIEWS

56 Studio 100’s Hans Bourlon

58 Cyber Group’s Pierre Sissmann

82 Disney XD’s Marc Buhaj

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10 TV KIDS

4K Media Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V/ Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions The fifth installment of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, will be presented by 4K Media to international buyers at the market. The series looks on as Yuya Sakaki strives to become the best duel-tainer in history. The company is also showcasing the new movie Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions. Other titles in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise— which has 16 years of brand awareness—include Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s and Yu-GiOh! ZEXAL. Late last year, Konami launched the Yu-Gi-Oh! mobile game in Japan. Since then, it has rolled out in more than 150 territories and 11 languages, being downloaded over 30 million times and ranking as the number one free game on the App Store in dozens of countries, including Japan, the U.S., France, Germany and Taiwan.

Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V

9 Story Media Group Vivi /Monica Chef / 3 Amigonauts A 7-year-old girl travels to magical places with the help of her scrapbook in the series Vivi. The show “uses handmade drawings and a collage style to create a charming look and feel,” says Alix Wiseman, the VP of business development and acquisitions at 9 Story Media Group. “Vivi is all about a child’s imagination, free and unhindered by the constraints of adults or geographical boundaries.” The company is also presenting the live-action tween series Monica Chef. “Part drama, part comedy, the series features original songs and a great story arc,” Wiseman says. “Monica Chef is produced in Spain, was commissioned in Italy and is distributed by an Irish/Canadian distribution company! This project is truly a global effort.” There is also 3 Amigonauts, which Wiseman believes “will make for great viewing for older kids.”

“One of our mandates is to become a more global organization.”

—Alix Wiseman Vivi

Australian Children’s Television Foundation Little J & Big Cuz /Little Lunch specials /Balloon Barnyard Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) is launching the brand-new animated series Little J & Big Cuz. The show follows Indigenous Australian kids Little J and Big Cuz, who live with Nanna and Old Dog. “In a world that is becoming increasingly in need of positive messages about multiculturalism, diversity and acceptance of others, Little J & Big Cuz has arrived at the perfect time,” says Tim Hegarty, international sales manager at ACTF. Following on the success of the Little Lunch series, ACTF is presenting two specials. “The two Little Lunch specials were largely developed and created due to sheer popular demand,” Hegarty says. One is Halloween-themed, while the other is about graduation day. Another highlight is Balloon Barnyard, a preschool series that follows the adventures of Pip and Streak.

“The ACTF is known worldwide for its high-quality, Australia-made children’s television programs.”

—Tim Hegarty Balloon Barnyard 170 WORLD SCREEN 4/17

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Baraem/JeemTV Badr: Legend of the Pearls /Saham Adventures /Monskey From the channel JeemTV, currently available on the beIN platform, comes the in-house production Saham Adventures.

The show spotlights topics related to health, sports and innovation, promoting cooperation and teamwork. Monskey, meanwhile, is a non-dialogue 3D-animated series that helps to enhance children’s creativity. Badr: Legend of the Pearls tells the story of an adventurous boy who sets off to search for his father. Additionally, the channel Baraem, also on the beIN platform, presents programs that help develop kids’ social skills, enhance their potential and improve their concentration. Saad Al-Hudaifi, acting executive general manager and channels director, says, “Our participation at MIPTV reflects the intent to acquire and co-produce the very best international kids’ programs for our channels JeemTV and Baraem.”

“We are passionate about bringing to our audiences highquality, comprehensive edutainment content.”

—Saad Al-Hudaifi Monskey

CAKE Angry Birds Blues /Tolibob /Space Racers The blue birds and hatchlings from The Angry Birds Movie star in Angry Birds Blues, a new comedy series that is on offer from CAKE. The company is also promoting Tolibob, a preschool show that is meant to inspire teamwork and creative play, and a second season of Space Racers, which follows the adventures of five cadets as they travel through the solar system.

“The first season of Space Racers proved a big hit internationally, airing in 130 countries and 25 languages and winning a number of awards,” says Ed Galton, CAKE’s chief commercial officer and managing director. “This season sees the introduction of new characters who explore emotional and universal issues, including bullying and growing up with physical challenges, and continues to show young viewers the wonders of space exploration in a fun and engaging way.”

“Tolibob is a unique, interactive and fun series that inspires creative play in preschool children.”

—Ed Galton Tolibob

CJ E&M Rainbow Ruby / Robot Trains / Naughty Nuts Toys come alive in Rainbow Ruby, an animated series on offer from CJ E&M at the market. The show “extends children’s imaginations,” according to Dongsig Shin, head of the company’s animation division. Another highlight is Robot Trains, an adventure series focused on such themes as selfdevelopment, teamwork and friendship. The animated show is aimed at young viewers between the ages of 4 and 7. Then there is Naughty Nuts, a detective story featuring elements of universal comedy. “CJ E&M strives to be the leading content provider starting in Asia and extending worldwide,” says Shin.

“Our goal is to build up long-lasting brands based on quality content that will enlighten everyone around the globe. At this MIPTV, we’d like to introduce new shows and unique content that reflects our goals.”

“We are [at MIPTV] to find new partners and, of course, to strengthen our existing partnerships.”

—Dongsig Shin Naughty Nuts 172 WORLD SCREEN 4/17

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Cyber Group Studios Mirette Investigates / Zou / Zak Jinks

“We hope that the diversity of our hit series will fit the many different programming structures available on the five continents.”

The 2D buddy comedy Mirette Investigates follows the adventures of a girl detective and her feline companion as they travel around the world. The show is filled with “lots of laughter, adventure, investigations and sightseeing,” says Pierre Sissmann, the chairman and CEO of Cyber Group Studios. The animated series Zou has been a top seller for Cyber Group, and a third season is now available. This time, Zou and his friends share with viewers their passion for sports and arts and crafts. “It takes the series a step further in a family-life setting for preschoolers around the world,” Sissmann says. For an older demo, of kids 6 to 10, Zak Jinks is a highlight. The show, which is based on a comic strip and produced for France Télévisions, focuses on a mischievous but lovable 8year-old boy. “Zak Jinks is one of those great comedies that kids can identify with in their daily lives at school and Mirette Investigates with their friends,” says Sissmann.

—Pierre Sissmann

DHX Media Mega Man / The Zoo / Creeped Out From the writing team Man of Action comes Mega Man, a new series in the DHX Media catalog. Set in Silicon City, the show portrays a slightly futuristic world in which robots and humans live, work and play together in harmony thanks to the efforts of a 10-year-old superhero. “The series is a fresh take on existing IP that already has a strong international fan following,” says Josh Scherba, the company’s executive VP of distribution and content.

Also on offer is The Zoo, a mockumentarystyle program that follows the everyday interactions between various animal characters at a zoo. There is also Creeped Out, a new original drama series that tells spooky tales. The show, co-produced with CBBC Productions, is filmed on location in the U.K. and Canada. “Every episode will be told with absolute conviction and grounded in familiar circumstances so the audience is left feeling that maybe this could [actually] happen,” The Zoo says Scherba.

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“We are constantly diversifying our slate to showcase the freshest, most dynamic new content to the market.”

—Josh Scherba

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Entertainment One Family Peppa Pig / PJ Masks / Winston Steinburger & Sir Dudley Ding Dong The preschool series PJ Masks is one of Entertainment One (eOne) Family’s MIPTV highlights. “PJ Masks is the first superhero show that has been created especially for the preschool audience, so although it has more action and a faster pace than your average preschool show, it has been developed specifically with a preschool viewer in mind,” says Monica Candiani, the company’s head of international sales. “This means that it also contains moral messages and simpler story arcs and, as a result, benefits from parental endorsement.” eOne Family is also offering up the megahit preschool series Peppa Pig, which Candiani says “is continuing to appeal to global buyers due to its proven success across the world,” as well as Winston Steinburger & Sir Dudley Ding Dong, an older-skewing animated comedy co-produced with ABC Australia and TELETOON in Canada that is “gaining momentum in a number of key markets.”

PJ Masks

“The themes of adventure, teamwork and friendship found in PJ Masks are guaranteed to resonate with young fans around the world.”

—Monica Candiani

Gaumont Belle and Sebastian / Trulli Tales / Furry Wheels A number of broadcast partners are already on board Belle and Sebastian, a new animated series that is based on a live-action television show from the 1960s. Gaumont is also presenting Trulli Tales, which follows the adventures of four young and talented Wizard Chefs.

“It’s part storybook magic with a little MasterChef Junior and a dash of wizardry—there’s nothing quite like Trulli Tales in the market right now,” says Vanessa Shapiro, the company’s president of worldwide distribution, TV and animation. “Targeted to upper-preschool children, Trulli Tales was commissioned by Disney Junior EMEA, Rai, Radio-Canada and Globosat, and is co-produced by Gaumont, Groupe PVP, Congedo Culturarte and Fandango.” Another highlight is Furry Wheels, an animated comedy that is meant for kids between the ages of 6 and 11. The show is about a hyperactive young sloth who is learning how to become a race-car driver.

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Trulli Tales

“We have several new animated series in development and are eager to meet with co-production partners from around the world.”

—Vanessa Shapiro

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Gloob S.O.S. Fairy Manu / Paper Port /Valentins Globosat’s first children’s channel, Gloob, launched in 2012. The network, which is targeted to youngsters between the ages of 6 and 9, reaches approximately 40 million viewers and features a variety of live-action and animated programming. Highlights of the lineup include S.O.S. Fairy Manu, an International Emmy Kids Award nominee about a fairy godmother who is learning from her retired grandmother; Paper Port, a paper-motion series following a 12-year-old girl who wakes up with a different superpower each day; and Valentins, a drama centered on four siblings searching for the truth about their missing parents. According to Paula Taborda dos Guaranys, who serves as Gloob’s head of content and programming, the channel has “growing experience in international partnerships with heavyweight players such as Disney EMEA, ZAG, PGS, Rai, Gaumont and Millimages.”

“Gloob is a key co-pro partner in LatAm not just for our cultural expertise but also for our solid association with some of the best production companies in the region.”

—Paula Taborda dos Guaranys

Paper Port

GO-N Productions Simon / Zip Zip / Tootuff Based on a book collection by Stephanie Blake that has been translated into more than 20 languages around the world, Simon is “a modern-day classic for preschoolers,” according to Marie Conge, the head of sales and business development at GO-N Productions. Zip Zip is a comedy “full of unexpected jokes and much foolishness,” she says. There is also the fourth season of the animated series Tootuff, which is an adaptation of a comic series. “These three titles already enjoy a certain degree of awareness among kids worldwide, through both publishing and television success, and their delightful and fun characters are immediately accessible and relatable to kids everywhere,” says Conge. “GO-N’s commitment to developing high-quality entertainment for kids worldwide is stronger than ever.

The studio continues to strengthen working partnerships with exceptional Simon authors and creative talents.”

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“GO-N’s expansion continues with the launch of GO-N International in the aim to bolster our commercial activities.”

—Marie Conge

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Hasbro Studios Transformers: Robots in Disguise / My Little Pony Friendship is Magic / My Little Pony Equestria Girls On offer from Hasbro Studios at the market are continuations of two of the company’s most successful brands: Transformers: Robots in Disguise, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and My Little Pony Equestria Girls. “All three series continue to achieve high ratings...and will premiere new content in 2017,” says Finn Arnesen, the company’s senior VP of international distribution and development. Both properties will also be launching new motion pictures later this year. My Little Pony: The Movie is slated for theatrical release on October 6, while Transformers: The Last Knight is due to debut on June 23. “The My Little Pony and Transformers franchises continue to appeal to audiences thanks to their multigenerational fan bases, compelling stories and rich characters,” says Arnesen.

“Hasbro Studios’ mission is to use immersive, cross-platform storytelling to bring Hasbro’s most iconic brands to kids and families.”

—Finn Arnesen Transformers: Robots in Disguise

INK Global The Mojicons / The Barkers / Masha and the Bear A zany group of condensed emotions takes center stage in The Mojicons, one of INK Global’s highlights at the market.

“The first [season] of the show has been snapped up by digital platforms and broadcasters across Greece, Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Asia, Portugal and Israel,” says Claus Tømming, the company’s managing partner. “There are also three movies in the pipeline.” Also being presented by INK is The Barkers, which follows a canine family on vacation at a country house. “The show is based on a classic family sitcom dynamic, allowing for fast production turnaround,” says Tømming. Then there is the third season of the animated hit Masha and the Bear, which “mixes sumptuous CGI visuals with story lines that are packed full of visual gags.”

“To find something that really succeeds, you need to look away from the same old thing and pick a show that tells a new story in a new way.”

—Claus Tømming The Mojicons

Jetpack Distribution Kitty is Not a Cat / Valt the Wonder Deer / The Sisters An animated comedy targeted at viewers aged 6 to 11, Kitty is Not a Cat follows the adventures of a young girl who is being raised by a group of felines. Dominic Gardiner, the CEO of Jetpack Distribution, says the show is “a beautifully designed 2D series with a funny reverse perspective on the classic kid-and-cat story line. There is nothing in the market that looks like this right now; it’s bold storytelling with brave characters and is beautifully directed.” Another highlight from the company is Valt the Wonder Deer, an animated comedy geared toward the 6-to-9 demo about a deer on a mission to rescue his captured parents. There is also The Sisters, an animated comedy aimed at 6- to 11year-olds that focuses on two female siblings who have very different personalities.

“We would love to meet with new producers who are looking for a fresh approach to distribution.”

—Dominic Gardiner The Sisters 180 WORLD SCREEN 4/17

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The Jim Henson Company Splash and Bubbles / Dot. / Fraggle Rock Co-produced with Herschend Enterprises, Splash and Bubbles is an ocean-themed animated series that is made using The Jim Henson Company’s Emmy-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio. The show, which features lively music with a Motown flair, debuted on PBS Kids in the U.S. last year. Dot. is meant to teach little ones how technology can be used in a positive way. “Dot and her friends’ use of tech is fueled by their most basic kid needs—which are the same for all kids around the world—to connect, play, capture moments, tell stories and, most importantly, to feed their curiosity,” says Ian Lambur, the management consultant for global distribution at The Jim Henson Company.

Fraggle Rock, meanwhile, stars a cast of puppet creatures who live in an underground world that is filled with caves.

“We will be announcing several key broadcast partners for these shows.”

—Ian Lambur Splash and Bubbles

Lacey Entertainment Kiva Can Do! / Dinosaur King A spirited young girl is featured in Kiva Can Do!, which Lacey Entertainment is promoting to international buyers. “The storytelling is playful and fresh, the animation design is colorfully multi-textured and the ensemble cast of characters helps to ensure a series that will deliver a strong viewing audience,” says Brian Lacey, the company’s president. “The kid-identifiable characters living in their own magical worlds gently remind young viewers that, like Kiva, anything you can dream, you can do.” Also on offer is Dinosaur King, which combines fun-loving children with dinosaur battles in CG animation. “Dinosaur King is a fantasy adventure series that underscores the universal and timeless appeal of dinosaurs,” says Lacey. “It’s an evergreen and proven ratings winner worldwide, making it especially appealing for digital platforms.”

“We are currently involved in the creation and packaging of several new series for the 2018-20 broadcast seasons.”

—Brian Lacey Kiva Can Do! Mia and me

m4e Wissper / Mia and me / Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small A little girl who can talk to animals is the main character in Wissper, which is on offer from m4e. “Our new preschool property has been launched successfully in many markets, and we are continuing our sales efforts in more territories around the world,” says Hans Ulrich Stoef, the company’s CEO. Another highlight is Mia and me, which has three seasons available, with a fourth installment and feature film in development. There is also Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small, an animated series about the iconic bunny created by the recently deceased Dick Bruna. “With Miffy, creator Dick Bruna, who died in February 2017, has created a worldwide success story,” says Stoef. “The new series Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small makes the character even more adorable than ever.”

“Studio 100 Media and m4e are joining forces in all of their business activities under the roof of the Studio 100 Group, thereby forming one of the largest European kids’ and family entertainment companies.”

—Hans Ulrich Stoef 182 WORLD SCREEN 4/17

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Mattel Creations Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures / Enchantimals / Turning Mecard Barbie and her fun-loving sisters are featured in Mattel’s new animated comedy series Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures. “For years we’ve been asked by buyers to have a series for Barbie and now it’s here,” says Alex Godfrey, the company’s director of content distribution, home entertainment and new media distribution. “This is a fantastic show with humor, fashion and everything that Barbie stands for—sure to delight audiences around the world!”

Mattel is also promoting Enchantimals, about a group of girls who live between the human and animal worlds. “This is a beautiful, magical and imaginative special that will strike a chord with young audiences,” says Godfrey. Another highlight is Turning Mecard, which follows the story of a boy as he discovers he has powers that come from within.

“We’re always interested in hearing from new partners.”

—Alex Godfrey Enchantimals

Mediatoon Distribution Little Furry

Little Furry / MaXi / Teen Crumpets A lovable character is thrown into extraordinary universes in Little Furry, a preschool show from the portfolio of Mediatoon Distribution that is slated for delivery this summer. “Being a non-dialogue program, Little Furry is accessible for children across the world,” says Jérôme Alby, the company’s managing director. “Its vibrant use of colors and short format in conjunction with Little Furry’s constant moving forward throughout his world draws preschoolers into the adventure without becoming confusing or repetitive.” Another highlight is MaXi, a new series created for both television and mobile devices. “MaXi is an original comedy series that draws on the strengths of its contemporaries to create something fresh and appealing to a young generation,” says Alby. There is also Teen Crumpets, a sequel to The Crumpets.

“We make sure we are keeping up with current and prospective trends in the industry while always retaining our link to the classics.”

—Jérôme Alby

Mercis Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small The endearing bunny character created by the recently deceased Dick Bruna is the star of Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small, which is heading into its third season. “Miffy’s Adventures’ high production value clearly stands out in the vast landscape of preschool offerings, and buyers will recognize its quality and values,” says Frank Padberg, who serves as the business development manager and producer at Mercis. “The new episodes see Miffy enjoying many seasonal adventures, such as spooky fun at Halloween, a Christmas dinner party and a holiday safari trip. Also this season, a playhouse for Miffy and friends is introduced as a regular feature where they come to play all sorts of games.

Miffy’s Adventures celebrates the big and small challenges, adventures and experiences our young viewers encounter.”

“Celebrating the values of kindness, respect and friendship, season three promises more of what our viewers have come to love about the show.”

—Frank Padberg Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small 184 WORLD SCREEN 4/17

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Pirata & Capitano

Millimages Molang / Pirata & Capitano / Paper Port Now airing in more than 200 territories, Molang is a bestselling non-dialogue preschool series that is being presented at the market by Millimages. Licensing and merchandising activity for the brand is spreading “like wildfire,” says Roch Lener, the company’s CEO. “Master toy licensee Tomy will launch its range of products in fall 2017.” Also on offer is Pirata & Capitano, an animated show that is enjoying success on France Télévisions. “The best 3D series ever made is the epic adventure of a passionate pirate girl and her best friend Capitano, an ace pilot,” says Lener. “That is the perfect show for buyers seeking a gender-neutral target.” Then there is Paper Port, a new paper-motion and 2D-animated program.

“With its strong identity, the series will soon be expanding its worldwide broadcast,” says Lener.

“Millimages is a fully integrated company with its own worldwide distribution, merchandising and new media divisions.”

—Roch Lener

Mondo TV Heidi, Bienvenida a Casa /YooHoo & Friends /Invention Story For the first time, Mondo TV is co-producing a live-action comedy series for tweens, Heidi, Bienvenida a Casa. “We are very happy with this cooperation with Alianzas Producciones, and we have plans to jump into a second season soon,” says Micheline Azoury, the company’s head of television sales.

“Girls today between the ages of 7 and 12 years old are not watching animated series anymore, so this kind of show is ideal for them, with fitting stories and topics.” Also on offer are the animated shows Invention Story and YooHoo & Friends. “Invention Story is more of a gender-neutral comedy for [ages] 5-plus,” says Azoury, while “YooHoo & Friends has a 3- to 6-year-old target audience—boys and girls—with a lot of adventures and many animal- and ecofriendly messages.”

“Our offering varies for different age groups, target audiences and genres.”

—Micheline Azoury Heidi, Bienvenida a Casa Bravest Warriors

Nelvana Bravest Warriors / Ranger Rob / Mysticons Nelvana has the multiplatform series Bravest Warriors and homegrown hit Ranger Rob to showcase. “Bravest Warriors represents a new wave of animation with its modern take on space exploration featuring futuristic teenage heroes and its established and organically grown online fan base,” says Scott Dyer, the president of Nelvana. “With Ranger Rob, we continue to see high levels of audience engagement, with the series consistently ranking number one on Treehouse in Canada.” Nelvana also has a range of second-window programs, including Mysticons, about four girls who transform into legendary warriors; Hotel Transylvania: The Series, based on the blockbuster hit; and The ZhuZhus, inspired by the toy phenomenon. “These series consistently perform well and continue to draw in large audiences globally,” Dyer says.

“Bravest Warriors brings a built-in audience of highly engaged viewers.”

—Scott Dyer

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Portfolio Entertainment The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! / DOKI / Freaktown The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! has been greenlit for a third season on PBS Kids in the U.S. and Treehouse in Canada, bringing the episode count up to 80 half-hours. “The new episodes are being produced in-house at Portfolio Animation, and Martin Short is once again the voice of the Cat,” says Joy Rosen, co-founder and CEO of Portfolio Entertainment. Portfolio Animation is in production on season three of DOKI, which “continues to be a worldwide success,” says Rosen. Freaktown has also proven to be a hit for Portfolio. “Kids love the imaginative action and hilarious story lines as Ben Bones and his friends square off against Princess BooBoo of Sweetlandia and her attempts to ‘sweetify’ their home,” Rosen says.

“We are expanding our development slate into tween and live-action programming in 2017.”

—Joy Rosen The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!

Rainbow 44 Cats / Regal Academy / Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends Audiences can continue to follow the fairy-tale adventures of Rose Cinderella and her schoolmates in the second season of Regal Academy. There is also another season of Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends, a live-action show aimed at the tween audience. “We are excited to present 44 Cats, a gender-neutral, preschool comedy CGI series that we have been focusing on for a few years now,” says Cristiana Buzzelli, the senior VP of licensing and acquisitions at Rainbow. “44 Cats is a great character-driven physical comedy with strong story lines based on very powerful musical assets.” The show is about how cats see the world.

Key themes include friendship and altruism, and the stories will promote tolerance, diversity and offer important life lessons.

“Rainbow is showcasing a raft of new series that will appeal to wider audiences than ever.”

—Cristiana Buzzelli Regal Academy

Saban Brands Power Rangers Ninja Steel / Glitter Force / Cirque du Soleil Junior—Luna Petunia The 24th season of the hit Power Rangers franchise, Power Rangers Ninja Steel, debuted in January on Nickelodeon in the U.S. and will roll out globally throughout the year. “The series appeals to buyers around the world because of its extremely passionate global fan base and core themes of teamwork, friendship and helping others that can resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds,” says Frederic Soulie, the executive VP of global distribution and consumer products for Saban Brands. The company also has the Netflix original kids’ series Cirque du Soleil Junior—Luna Petunia and Glitter Force. “Cirque du Soleil Junior—Luna Petunia is unlike any kids’ series on television today,” Soulie says. “Glitter Force satisfies the strong global demand for female leads,” as the show follows five girls who turn into superheroes.

“We have an exciting slate of existing shows along with several new series on the horizon and many other shows in development.”

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Serious Lunch Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter /Operation Ouch! / Horrible Science Doctors Chris and Xand return for a sixth season of Operation Ouch!, comprised of half-hour episodes and specials. Airing on CBBC, Operation Ouch! is a “top ratings hit wherever it transmits, including most recently on YTV in Canada,” says Genevieve Dexter, the founder and CEO of Serious Lunch. In addition, Studio Ghibli’s animated series Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter is now available in German and English. “Ronja has enjoyed huge success following its launch on Amazon in the U.S. and U.K. on January 27, and we are seeking broadcast partners in Germany, France and Italy, in particular, to replicate that success.” Serious Lunch is also showcasing Horrible Science and seeking co-production partners for the second season.

“We are seeking a fifth brand to add to our portfolio and would love to hear from producers who feel they have a show with potential to grow into a longrunning brand.”

—Genevieve Dexter Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter

Sesame Workshop Sesame Street / Elmo’s World /The Furchester Hotel Kids can learn and play alongside Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and the rest of the gang in Sesame Street. “They encourage kids to become smarter, stronger and kinder,” says Risa Greenbaum, the assistant VP of international media business for Europe at Sesame Workshop. In addition, Elmo’s World is back with an updated look and feel. “Elmo learns about preschool-relevant topics through live-action films, interactive game sections, chalk-drawn characters and, of course, help from his special friend, Mr. Noodle,” she adds.

The Furchester Hotel also features Elmo, along with his cousin Phoebe and her parents. Together, they run an almost worldclass hotel. Greenbaum says, “In the U.K., season three of The Furchester Hotel has launched on CBeebies, and it’s being picked up by major broadcasters around the world.”

“We focus on a core cast, meaningful story lines and an unwavering commitment to our educational mission.”

—Risa Greenbaum Elmo’s World

Sixteen South Claude /WildWoods / Lily’s Driftwood Bay A beret-clad dog is at the center of Claude, a 1950s-inspired animated comedy series based on the best-selling books by Alex T. Smith. “It’s a very colorful community where everything is hand-drawn in only three colors and has big stories starring Claude and his best friend Sir Bobblysock (who’s really a sock),” says Colin Williams, the creative director at Sixteen South. “Claude is a very fancy dog who has loads of grit and tenacity and always believes ‘I can do that’—sometimes to his detriment!” Another highlight for Sixteen South is WildWoods, a puppetry series filmed outdoors in Ireland. Williams notes that the comedy encourages kids to disconnect from the virtual world by exploring “the awe and wonder of the real world.” The second season of Lily’s Driftwood Bay is also available.

“Sixteen South has a burgeoning development slate that covers multiple genres, from animation to live action, aimed at preschoolers through to a family audience.”

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Splash Entertainment Oh Yuck! / Kulipari: An Army of Frogs / Norm of the North The wild adventures of “filth hunter” Dr. Septico Yuck set up the action in the comedy Oh Yuck!, a live-action series from Splash Entertainment. The show is targeted to kids 6 to 11.

Splash also has in its catalog the Netflix original animated series Kulipari: An Army of Frogs. “The series showcases themes of bravery and heroism through our hero Darel that will appeal to all audiences,” says Mevelyn Noriega, the president of distribution at Splash Entertainment. Kulipari is in preproduction for a second season. After its successful theatrical release in 2016, Norm of the North is back with two new 45-minute animated specials. “Get ready for great excitement and silliness with the king of the Arctic in these brand-new adventures, where positive messages of friendship and courage are highlighted,” Noriega says.

“Our mission at Splash Entertainment continues to be the creation of great, innovative, multiplatform content with universal appeal.”

—Mevelyn Noriega Oh Yuck!

Studio 100 Media Arthur and the Minimoys / Maya the Bee / Ghost Rockers A regular boy falls into a world of fantasy, magic and action in the series Arthur and the Minimoys, a key highlight from Studio 100 Media. Also known as Arthur and the Invisibles in North America, the CGI series is based on children’s books by Luc Besson. The company’s offering also includes the second season of Maya the Bee, which will become available in July. “Families worldwide have fallen in love with Maya through the CGI series and the theatrical feature released in 2014 (season one and the movie both sold to more than 170 countries),” says Hans Bourlon, the CEO of Studio 100. “Maya has such huge brand awareness that it is a natural step for us to produce a second season.” There is also the live-action series Ghost Rockers, with the fourth season becoming available in July.

“We are confident that Ghost Rockers will continue to do well internationally both as a TV series and as a brand.”

—Hans Bourlon Ghost Rockers

Sunrights Beyblade Burst Sunrights is continuing to pitch the first season of the animated series Beyblade Burst and wants to secure home-video distribution for the first three seasons of the 2002 Beyblade series. The company is also looking to build awareness for the second installment of the boys’ action series Beyblade Burst.

“The original Beyblade series is mainly geared toward the existing generation of fans who have a sense of nostalgia for the brand they used to know and love during their childhood,” says Natasha Gross, Sunrights’ head of TV and licensing sales. “The new Beyblade Burst series maintains the same core themes of friendship, competition and real sports as the previous generations, appealing to both new and existing fans, but updates the look and content to resonate with this new generation of international, interconnected fans.”

“Sunrights is gearing up for the allnew second season of Beyblade Burst.”

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Superights Emmy & GooRoo /Helen’s Little School / Pat the Dog Five-year-old Emmy and her best friend GooRoo, a big, furry creature, have daily adventures in the magic forest in the brand-new show Emmy & GooRoo. Morgann Favennec, the deputy managing director of international sales and acquisitions at Superights, says the series is a “traditional, stunning co-production mixing magic and fantasy for kids aged 3 to 4.” Superights’ slate also features the CGI series Helen’s Little School for the upper-preschool set. The socialdevelopment series is co-produced by Superprod and Muse Entertainment. Pat the Dog, which ranked number three at the 2016 MIPJunior Screenings, rounds out the slate. “We invite all the independent producers with unique projects to come and see us if they are looking for someone to take good care of their programs,” says Favennec.

“As a boutique distribution company, we like the idea of tailor-made partnerships with buyers and producers.”

—Morgann Favennec Pat the Dog

WDR mediagroup WildWoods /Timmi /Gigglebug Cooper the Sasquatch and Poppy the sugar glider have outdoor adventures in the puppetry comedy WildWoods. “Shot in the woods all across Ireland, the real outdoor locations provide a backdrop that reinforces the series’ key messages of appreciating the wonder of nature and respecting the environment,” says Stefanie Fischer, the head of content at WDR mediagroup (WDRmg). Timmi, meanwhile, combines live action with animation to tell the story of a boy who dreams of going to space.

Gigglebug centers on a little insect who is always optimistic.

“Gigglebug is a true 360-degree brand” that originated as an app, says Fischer. “The series adaptation highlights that laughing is healthy and important.” She adds, “We offer comprehensive brand management for some of our kids’ programs across various platforms and countries.”

“WDRmg not only sells kids’ programs globally but also acts as an agency for licensing and merchandising.”

—Stefanie Fischer WildWoods

Zodiak Kids Kody Kapow / Magiki / Secret Life of Boys The central character in Zodiak Kids’ Kody Kapow is an aspiring martial arts-style superhero who spends the summer with his extended family in a small Chinese village.

There, his grandfather, who is a martial arts master, teaches him about mindfulness, patience and perseverance. The preschool series Magiki is set in a magical world found on the other side of the toy box. The show follows a curious little girl who is a bit of a tomboy. “Magiki explores how fantasy and imagination help resolve real-world issues that kids are facing,” says Jean-Philippe Randisi, the CEO of Zodiak Kids. Another company highlight is Secret Life of Boys, a live-action interactive comedy. The show centers on an Australian girl who spends her summer holidays surrounded by her boy cousins in the U.K.

“Zodiak Kids makes its broadcast partners successful by creating unique shows with global appeal.”

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David Wood speaks to several leading production groups about crafting the ideal development slate. s there such a thing as the perfect development slate? In terms of size, it seems it depends on who you talk to.

The bigger players in kids’ production tend to have, not surprisingly, larger numbers of projects in development.

Nicolas Atlan, the president at animation at Gaumont, has between eight and ten at any one time, while British kids’ entertainment company CAKE aims for eight to 12 projects.

At Paris-based Cyber Group Studios, Olivier Lelardoux, senior VP of the studio and executive producer, has 15 projects at different stages, whereas Stephanie Betts, VP of development and production at DHX Media, insists that “there is no magic number.”

For other players, including Claus Tømming, the managing partner of INK Global, the whole idea of a development slate seems wrong. “We think of ourselves as a development boutique rather than a factory, we don’t think in terms of a ‘slate,’ but the maximum is five projects—all at different stages of development. We focus on very few projects rather than invest in a voluminous catalog in the hope that something will stick if we cater to every demographic, genre and platform imaginable.”

Eye Present CEO Genevieve Dexter is another advocate of the boutique approach. Her IP and production outfit only takes on one new project a year and currently has three projects at different stages of development. Dexter says that focusing on a few properties at a time is the main thing for Eye Present, which produces animation such as Messy Goes to Okido for CBeebies in the U.K. and is touting its newest project, Flix, at MIPTV.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Eye Present’s Flix.

There are lots of reasons for focusing on just a limited number of projects during development, Dexter explains.

First, it keeps the show’s creators on your side; they can easily feel neglected and become understandably frus trated if there are too many other competing ideas being worked on. Also, too big a development slate can result in a scattergun approach. “You can end up just throwing things at the wall to see if they stick,” says Dexter.

Getting lots of different shows commissioned by different broadcasters can create financial headaches, she adds. “Ultimately, it will make it much harder for you to find finance as each broadcaster will only be putting in a small percentage of the production budget.”

Big or small, everyone agrees that the ideal development slate needs to be diverse and balanced.

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Gaumont’s 52-episode Trulli Tales is in production for broadcast partners that include Disney France and Rai.

Lelardoux lists originality of concept, an innovative approach, creativity and a main character or characters with emotional strength as the basis of what Cyber Group looks for in a potentially successful development project.

But there are other questions that need answering too, adds CAKE’s Whinnett. “Who is the target audience? Boy or girls, or is it gender neutral? Are there any interested buyers and what is their level of interest? As an international company, we ensure the show has the potential to appeal to global audiences.”

Lelardoux adds a few other considerations. “We also assess the project’s international potential, as well as evaluate the best technical approach for the animation and any necessary changes in the case of adaptations. Finally, the budget. If all these points are greenlit, development can start.”

Time spent in development can vary markedly, says Gaumont’s Atlan. “With animation you know you will live with a project for a long time from development to finance. We take our time when developing the story, but sometimes development can go fast when artists come to us with projects that are well developed—then the time to market can be rapid.”

How shows are developed depends largely on what they are being developed for, says CAKE’s Whinnett. “Some shows are purposefully developed to a tight broadcast brief, while others are created with the intention of presenting them to a wider selection of international buyers.”

How CAKE pitches also varies from project to project, she adds. “Some buyers prefer a pitch to be fully developed with materials to include a pitch bible, sample scripts to help give a sense of pace and tone and a test animation/animatic. Other buyers prefer to come on board when a concept is nothing more than a simple treatment, and we shape the show together.”

“If we’re feeling really great about how a project is coming together (it could simply be designs and a bible), we may go out and do a topline pitch to key clients to get some initial feedback before we progress with scripts, a trailer, an animatic and/or a full pilot,” reports DHX’s Betts. “Sometimes we’ll decide

DHX’s Betts says that the company’s strategy is to create a diverse slate across multiple genres and age groups. “At a very base level, we break down our slate into four quadrants— preschool, animated comedies, animated action and live action. Our internal breakdown is much more specific but at its most basic, those are the areas we’re focused on developing, so we have a well-rounded slate.”

At CAKE, the VP of creative, Emily Whinnett, says that the overall aim is to craft a slate that offers a variety of animation and production styles targeting preschool, pre-cool (slightly older) and tween demographics, as well as maintaining a cross section of genres—comedy, action, adventure and drama.

IN THE PIPELINE For many players, a big consideration in the development process is having enough new ideas sufficiently prepped for potential commissioners at key markets such as MIPTV, on the basis that it’s the fresh projects that always attract the most attention. “We ensure we have enough on the development slate so that we’re ready to present new ideas at major markets and different times throughout the year,” says Betts.

Balance is the key at Gaumont, which makes shows such as Belle and Sebastian and Furry Wheels. “That means not too many preschool shows with music, not too many comedies,” Atlan reports. “Sometimes we say no to projects that we know are strong simply because of the importance of creating that balance.”

Eye Present’s Dexter also recommends the careful structuring of development slates to avoid pitching projects that might potentially compete with one another.

“Messy Goes to Okido is preschool, Xephos & Honeydew (about to start production) is kids/family and our next project Flix—a classic publishing property for 6- to 8-year-olds, about a dog who lives in a cat town and based on the books by writer Tomi Ungerer—is about to go into development.

They are all positioned so they don’t clash.”

DHX’s Betts agrees, noting, “Josh Scherba, executive VP of distribution and content, and I work closely to ensure we never end up pitching five action series in the same quarter.

We avoid putting ourselves in a position where we’re competing against our own slate.”

For ideas to make it into development in the first place, they must have key attributes, with character and originality coming top of the list.

INK’s Tømming reports, “We need engaging stories, strong characters, originality, and a purpose beyond being yet another show. In combination, these qualities provide for starting a lasting franchise.”

Rainbow worked with Netflix on its World of Winx series, which premiered on the platform last year.

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CAKE’s development slate includes Olive & Moss.

INK Global sees itself as a development boutique, working on a select number of projects, among them Zafari.

an idea needs a full package to properly present, so we take it on a case-by-case basis.”

If you are developing with a specific broadcast platform in mind, pitch it as early as you can, recommends Cristiana Buzzelli, the senior VP of licensing and acquisitions at Italian animation studio Rainbow. “When we have a concept with storytelling and design, by pitching it we can hear feedback, and progress step by step,” says Buzzelli.

“We value the input of broadcast platforms in development,” adds INK’s Tømming. “The more actionable notes we get, the better. Often authors get concerned about too many cooks, and we do protect the original vision, as its uniqueness was what made us pitch it to the world in the first place. However, outside opinion is healthy stimulation, and stewing in our own juices for too long is sometimes counterproductive.”

Appointing a creative champion to steer the whole development process can be a sensible step, advises

DHX’s Betts. “There can certainly be lots of voices around the table to help shape a show, but I think there needs to be someone or a team at the center to ensure it all lines up from day one of development to production, execution and the toys that hopefully appear on the shelf.”

At Cyber Group, Lelardoux says the focus is increasingly on finding writers with movie storyboarding backgrounds. He adds, “We try to produce global content, so it makes sense to have a global creative team. That’s why, although we are a French company, we are working with American writers and storyboarders on shows such as Disney’s Gigantosaurus.”

Alongside shows earmarked for active development, there are always others that end up on the backburner.

“We actively follow some ideas,” says CAKE’s Whinnett. “They may have struck a creative chord with the team but are shows that, for the moment, don’t allow us the opportunity to invest either from a time or financial perspective. We offer our topline thoughts, but don’t come on board in an official capacity.”

ON THE BACKBURNER Setting aside projects that have clear potential but are not ready for active promotion can sometimes be useful, says Eye Present’s Dexter. “In development, you can get very bogged down because you are so close to a project you can’t see it as clearly as the outside world. But when you reexamine something that you have parked for a while, in hindsight you can see it with fresh eyes—and suddenly realize what it is that’s not working about it.”

Development can be a ruthless business, reveals Dexter—you have to be unsentimental about axing characters that are not working for one reason or another.

It’s all about nailing down who your key characters are, and how they react to those around them, early on in the development process, insists Dexter.

“Beware of designing character by committee,” she warns.

“Flix, for example, is basically writer Tomi Ungerer; he is multinational, with no boundaries of spirit or ambition, and is a prankster but not naughty or evil. He sees the world with a slightly wider lens because of Ungerer’s dual nationality.”

CAKE’s Whinnett says answering a hit list of questions helps in the process of character development. “Who are our heroes and why do we care about them? What makes our characters unique? What are their strengths and weaknesses, their passions, vulnerabilities and flaws? What makes the show appealing and relatable to the target demo? What are the emotional drivers throughout the series and what are the relationship dynamics between the characters?”

The danger is that, in comedy in particular, it’s quite common to sit on the fence in terms of key character development, says Dexter. “The key characters can become a bit of a straight man—while the subsidiary characters develop a rich life of their own because nobody is scared of deciding who they are,” she argues. “Key characters can end up relatively ‘vanilla,’ which can be a problem because you need stories that are driven by decisions taken by the key character rather than by stuff simply happening to them—stories driven by the key character is something that broadcasters are very hot on!”

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Jetpack Distribution’s Kazoops!

Joanna Padovano Tong checks in with leading distributors about what’s new in preschool content. hey are, in some regards, the most powerful demo in children’s programming. Short in stature and young in age, preschoolers— broadly defined as children 3 to 5—have an abundance of shows targeted at them. And their viewing habits are being closely observed as executives figure out what the next generation of savvy kids 8 and up will want to consume in the years to come.

It’s no wonder, then, that “bridge” content has become the busiest segment in preschool TV. “There’s been this trend of more success with what would be considered slightly older preschool shows,” says Olivier Dumont, the managing director of Entertainment One (eOne) Family, which is home to one of the biggest preschool properties on the market, Peppa Pig, alongside the more recent success PJ Masks. “Some call it bridge shows, but it’s still very much preschool. It’s slightly more aspirational than your traditional educational, learning-your-ABCs type of show.”

Natalie Osborne, the chief strategy officer at 9 Story Media Group, agrees that preschool series have been aging up as of late. “Bridge properties targeting 4- to 8-year-olds have become quite popular,” she says. 9 Story’s preschool slate includes such iconic properties as Guess How Much I Love You and Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, as well as newer titles like Peg + Cat and Joe & Jack.

T

As a result of the increase in bridge shows, there is now a greater need for early preschool programming, according to Bob Higgins, the executive VP of FremantleMedia Kids & Family (FMK), whose strongest current preschool performers are Kate & Mim-Mim and Tree Fu Tom, with Bitz & Bob coming up. “A few years ago there was this audience of [what] people started calling ‘pre-cool,’ 5- 6-, 7-yearolds—they were underserved,” he says. “So a lot of the preschool shows started chasing that, and I think we’ve seen shows begin to skew older and older. And of course, that has created a vacuum in the 3-year-olds space, where I think there’s an opportunity now to come out with a gangbuster show that targets that audience.”

FORGOTTEN ONES “I would love to see more consideration being given to the 2- to 3-year-olds because frankly, they’re developmentally at a completely different place than a 4-year-old,” says Halle Stanford, the executive VP of children’s entertainment at The Jim Henson Company. “Many years ago, [experts] were saying that children 2 and under should not watch content. I think that scared the networks because they knew that moms were listening. Jim Henson’s whole mandate was, if you’re putting anything in front of any age child, it better be meaningful. We always took that position, and so I think that now, 2- and 3-year-olds need to be thought about, not forgotten.”

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One of 9 Story’s top-selling preschool titles is Guess How Much I Love You, based on a book property.

“It’s the classic [scenario of] everybody swaying from one side of the boat to the other,” adds Dominic Gardiner, the founder and CEO of Jetpack Distribution, which sells such preschool fare as Justin Time, Yoko and Kazoops! “The whole term bridge came out of the fact that somebody noticed there was a gap, so they then built a bridge and everybody went running down that end. I think now you’re probably going to see more for younger kids coming up.”

Morgann Favennec, the deputy managing director of Superights, has found that pay-TV networks are averse to bridge shows as they don’t hit a specific target group. Terrestrial channels, however, prefer them since they can reach a wider audience.

One of the trends that Mediatoon Distribution has been taking advantage of is the desire for established preschool brands.

“The Magic Roundabout is [based on] an IP from the ’70s/’80s,” says Jérôme Alby, the company’s managing director. “SamSam is based on books. Trotro is based on books. Yakari is based on books. Little Furry is based on books.”

Alby notes that an established brand is especially helpful for the launch of new SVOD services. “It’s usually a good asset for nonlinear platforms to have such IPs that they can use as ambassadors of their platform.”

Studio 100 Media is also reaping the benefits of having established properties in its portfolio. “With our CGI renewals of Maya the Bee, Vic the Viking and Heidi, we have successfully revived three of the most popular characters, not only on German-speaking television but internationally as well,” says Martin Krieger, the company’s head of global distribution.

EDUCATION FIRST Favennec at Superights says that when it comes to preschool, broadcasters are looking for educational content that focuses on such topics as math, literacy and science, as well as social development.

“Preschool, more than other genres, will usually have some kind of learning or educational component,” agrees 9 Story’s Osborne. “Whether it’s social-emotional or curriculum-based learning, it’s more prevalent in preschool programming.”

Stanford of The Jim Henson Company notes that each broadcaster is different in terms of its educational approaches. “Some networks lean much more on the social-emotional curriculum; others get incredibly specific,” she says. She also mentions the importance of strong characters, which her company refers to as “first friends.”

“Parents often demand special qualities from preschool content, like the transmission of ideas and the conveying of the importance of friendship, honesty, tolerance and other core values,” says Studio 100’s Krieger.

Besides educational aspects, strong characters and teaching core values, it’s also ideal—especially in early preschool—to have a show that adults can appreciate. “The success of Peppa is linked to the fact that parents can watch it with their kids and enjoy it, as opposed to a lot of preschool programming that is torture to watch for adults, even if preschool kids love it,” says eOne Family’s Dumont.

FMK’s Higgins concurs: “For some of these earlier shows, you have two audiences—you have the child, but you also have the caretaker,” he says. “So at that early age, there is more caretaker control of what they see. As they get older, they know how to turn on whatever device and they know what they like and they start doing it themselves. But when you’re talking about 2- and 3-year-olds, there’s still more caretaker control, so you want to find a show that visually makes them stop and want to check it out, and then storywise and character-wise tickles them too.”

High quality is also key to a successful preschool show.

While this may seem obvious, Jetpack’s Gardiner points out that preschool programming didn’t always require a high budget, since production value isn’t necessarily something that a young child will notice or care about.

“The over-arching umbrella of quality in preschool is higher than it’s ever been before and I think that bar continues to rise,” he says. “A long time ago, you could perhaps justify a lower budget because you were targeting preschoolers and therefore, do you need to spend all that money on animation and design? As the preschool market has gotten bigger—in terms of monetary income, it could be as big as older kids, if not bigger—why would you cut corners if your potential to success is bigger on preschool?”

ON DEMAND As with other types of programming, OTT platforms are certainly leaving their mark on the preschool business, although they won’t be commandeering the segment anytime soon.

“Traditional broadcasters are still an important part of the mix,” says Dumont. “Digital platforms are important, but in preschool, parents do still value linear platforms where they can put their kids in front of it and it’s been completely curated, and they know that it’s a safe environment.”

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three years, you put it, for example, on YouTube, creating a nice, neat, official channel for it, and all of a sudden the viewership strengthens,” he says.

SECOND SCREEN

Superights licensed its hit preschool series Puffin Rock to Netflix.

Indeed, digital extensions are a big part of the preschool segment. “We make sure on all our brands that we have a free digital offering available out of the gate because you realize that when preschoolers fall in love with characters, they’ll want to engage a lot more with them,” says eOne’s Dumont. “So in addition to paid-for extensions, we have either free apps or free digital experiences available for our brands.”

“Today’s technologically savvy kids want the option of choosing where and when they can engage with their favorite shows,” says 9 Story’s Osborne. “With Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, for example, kids can watch the show on traditional platforms, find it on OTT, play one of the many games online, or download one of the three apps. You have to be where kids are, and that means multiple formats and platforms.”

“At the same time as we’re developing for a TV show, we are developing what the YouTube engagement, user-generated part of the show will be,” says FMK’s Higgins.

Jetpack’s Gardiner notes that apps, games and e-books are important for long-term brand connection. “If your strategy is to maintain and build characters that a child can connect with continually and frequently on different platforms in different ways, it’s an essential component to building longevity.”

“All of our properties have support in the app, digital, publishing and licensing spaces,” adds Stanford. She also mentions the importance of outreach, citing as an example a Splash and Bubbles event that was hosted at an aquarium in partnership with PBS. “Parents can bond with their children and they can both indulge in the curriculum,” she says. “I wish that more of the networks would look to create experiences with kids and their families in the preschool space.”

But there’s no doubt that streaming services are having a major influence in preschool. “The emergence of digital players has increased opportunities for kids’ content providers, as children’s programming is a significant driver of subscription retention,” says 9 Story’s Osborne. “The entry of new SVOD players has created an unprecedented demand for both catalog and first-run original programming.”

The impact of OTT platforms on preschool “continues to evolve,” according to FMK’s Higgins. “They’re important buyers for us; they require us to reexamine and modify our business models,” he says. “Tree Fu Tom and Kate & Mim-Mim had their television platforms, then we used Amazon and Netflix to enhance that. Both of those shows were on Netflix at the same time that they were on Disney Junior and Sprout.

And so it became important that kids could find these characters on all screens.”

Superights’ best-performing preschool show is Puffin Rock, an RTÉ and Nick Jr. commission that was also snapped up by Netflix. “The Netflix commitment to Puffin Rock did not prevent us from selling the show worldwide,” Favennec says.

“However, it is true that we could not close a couple of deals because the broadcasters were asking for some rights that were exclusive to the platform.”

Streaming services have made The Jim Henson Company’s preschool business “better and better,” notes Stanford. “Working with Netflix [on Word Party] has been a dream come true. They’re incredible partners, they’re innovative, they’re involved, they’re forwardthinking. The immediacy is just so unique and I think it’s going to change everything.”

“Additional platforms mean additional possibilities of exploitation that coexist with the traditional ones, often resulting in a broader reach for our content,” says Studio 100’s Krieger. “However, looking at the bigger picture, it does not always mean incremental revenues. In the last few years we have seen a rise in the number of players in the market on the nonlinear side, which constantly challenges us to find sophisticated ways of windowing.”

Mediatoon’s Alby feels that OTT platforms are good for giving a second life to older library titles, while also providing a home for series that may not get a lot of linear viewers. “You can have some trouble in convincing a broadcaster to air a show, so eventually after two or Mediatoon Distribution’s deep preschool catalog includes Trotro, about a mischievous donkey.

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Sunrights’ Beyblade Burst.

How do you transform an inanimate plaything into a character and stories that kids will engage with day after day? David Wood investigates. ver the last few years, toy companies have undergone something of a revolution in their thinking about the role that content plays in their business strategies. Most industry professionals can remember a time when TV shows made or commissioned by toy manufacturers were little more than thinly veiled commercials.

“We have all heard the stories in the past about toy dictating content; that’s simply not the way we go here anymore,” reports Christopher Keenan, the senior VP of content development and production at Mattel Creations, a division of Mattel. “Now we focus on fostering an emotional relationship between characters and audiences.

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When that relationship is solidified, there is a natural progression to wanting to continue to interact with that character, and the tool for that is the toy. It becomes a much more natural relationship between content and toy end product.”

Hasbro has gone down a similar path with the creation of “brand blueprints,” at the heart of which comes storytelling, explains Stephen Davis, the company’s chief content officer and executive VP, and the president of Hasbro Studios.

“Kids can tell when someone is simply trying to sell a product to them,” says Natasha Gross, the head of TV and licensing sales at Sunrights, the rights management company that represents Beyblade Burst, the latest release in the franchise

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Aimed at 5- to 7-year-old girls, WellieWishers is built around the stories of a group of friends who play in a garden, have occasional disagreements and ultimately solve their problems by developing their empathic skills.

“With WellieWishers we decided very much from the outset it was going to be about girls’ authentic relationships rather than what they have or what they look like,” says Keenan. “Set in a beautiful garden—and inspired by the nature around them—it’s really about setting an alternative example for young girls and embracing the natural environment rather than spending all your time on a screen.”

The show is tipped for a second season and Mattel is already discussing plans for turning it into a live event or stage show, says Keenan.

Mattel Creations’ WellieWishers, streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is inspired by a new doll line that is part of the company’s storied American Girl brand.

inspired by the spinning top toy. “Now more than ever it is important to create a great story that is exciting enough to keep their attention.”

“In the past, some shows were just animated versions of the toys, with the aim of saving money on advertising,” observes Hans Ulrich Stoef, the CEO of m4e. “That concept has now disappeared, thankfully!”

So much so that the likes of m4e and others are tying up with toy companies on new shows. Matteo Corradi, the CEO of Mondo TV, says that his company plans to expand its slate of fifty-fifty joint ventures with toy manufacturers, online game companies and publishers to develop content brands.

BRAND POWERHOUSES While there are several producers eyeing IP opportunities on shelves, the biggest toy-based brands are, not surprisingly, being produced by industry giants Mattel and Hasbro, which have both made creating and distributing their own IP a priority. “‘Toy or show?’ is often the chicken and egg question in kids’ brands in terms of which came first, but we think the best way forward now is simultaneous creation,” Mattel’s Keenan says.

“We aim to infuse our storytelling with the DNA of opportunities for play, while our counterparts on the products and toys side are thinking about how can these stories be played out.”

One year since the launch of Mattel Creations, a centralized unit for film, TV and digital content, the new story-focused approach is beginning to bear fruit, says Keenan. A good example is the reinvention of key brands such as Barbie. “Instead of Barbie role-playing—as she would have done in previous years (Barbie the princess, Barbie the mermaid or astronaut), it’s now Barbie the character, her friends and their heightened reality life in Malibu. This is the basis for Mattel’s new animated slate such as the comedy series Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures.

This boils down to leading with character and story, with which we are hoping to inspire play.”

It’s an approach that Mattel is bringing to bear on other key brands, including Thomas & Friends, which was always storyfocused, having started life as a series of books; and the American Girl franchise, which has been expanded with the development of a new doll line, WellieWishers. Author Valerie Tripp has been brought on board to create a WellieWishers book series, and the brand has also been supported by a 26x11-minute animated series that debuted on Amazon Prime Video last fall.

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TRANSFORMATION PLAN At Hasbro, part and parcel of keeping a successful brand on track has been a big emphasis on consumer insight, Davis reports. “We do a lot of consumer insight testing—talking to kids, parents and grandparents to get both positive and negative feedback on how to position our brands in a multiplatform universe, with listening to social media playing an increasingly important role. We love it when consumers adopt our brand, and we pay particular attention to any user-generated content, which is very useful in informing our strategic direction.”

Davis cites the role played by consumer research in the evolution of Transformers animated content, from Transformers Prime in 2010 to the latest, Robots in Disguise, in terms of story lines and humor. “Kids told us what they wanted in our shows, and with each iteration, we take that on board and share it with our writers and directors,” Davis explains. “It has underpinned the creation of a whole ecosystem of Transformers content from Rescue Bots, the brand’s entry point for preschool boys where the robots assist the disaster-prone residents of Griffin Rock, to Transformers: Robots in Disguise on Cartoon Network, where there is much battling against villainous Decepticons. Then there is Transformers: Combiner Wars [an online version for older fans], plus the Transformers movie franchise, which is targeted at families.”

Hasbro is also showcasing a new preschool property called Hanazuki, which is running as a digital series on YouTube. “Hanazuki shows that we are big believers in story first, even though we are a consumer-products company,” explains Davis. “We are not supporting it yet with consumer-product lines, but letting audiences get to know the characters. Then following with the consumerproducts strategy.”

At Mondo TV, the hunt is on for toy companies it can partner with on content opportunities. “The key is being able to recognize the best ideas with the most potential for TV adaptation,” says Corradi. Mondo’s current focus is YooHoo & Friends, a 3D animated series aimed at 3- to 6-year-olds and based on a series of cuddly toy characters. YooHoo & Friends showcases some of the key features of what content production companies should look for in a toy brand, insists Corradi. “First of all, we always look for properties that are very original in concept—a

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Stoef at m4e notes that producers should also look out for warning signs that they might not be teaming up with the right toy manufacturer.

STORY FIRST

Hasbro Studios has developed an entire content universe around Transformers that includes the series Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

box that YooHoo & Friends ticks with its green environmental messaging.”

In addition to being well designed with clear play patterns, toys ideally need to demonstrate collectability, says Corradi.

“This is important not just for the success of the toy but for the TV element too. We need to create a long-term partnership, so we usually want to work on more than one series to build the property.”

It’s also worth spending time ensuring that both producer and toy partner agree on the target age range of the property, according to Corradi. “We usually identify an optimum target age group for a concept, and sometimes find that the toy company has a different target age group in mind—it’s probably best to come to an agreement as to which is the most appropriate.”

Corradi adds, “The design of a toy is another aspect that we look at very carefully. When we see toy companies presenting new properties at toy fairs, it’s very easy to spot the designs that are not innovative.”

“The thing we least like to hear from toy companies is the comment: ‘There’s too much story,’ or ‘We need more product shots.’ At that point, you need either to step away or put the brakes on immediately.”

He also recommends not being afraid to instigate big changes to development plans for toys or existing content if you think it will make for a more successful result. This was the case when Sherry Gunther Shugerman brought the Beatrix Girls, a series of character-based dolls with musical talents, to m4e.

The brand had already launched as a series of YouTube webisodes, but m4e decided to make substantial changes to the adaptation. “We wanted to move it away from the idea of another animated television show about a girl band and developed the concept of a live-action show with puppet animation,” says Stoef. “One of the best things about the adaptation is that it’s now completely original—there’s nothing else like it on the market at the moment.”

For Stoef, the key to successfully adapting toys into television is to first focus on the basic design of the toy and ask yourself if it is different from other toys on the market.

“Secondly, are you able to create a TV show that would sell on its own—without the toy—a show that manages to keep the integrity of the original toy but stands on its own two feet? And thirdly, can we bring a good story to it that will also have a little curriculum?”

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Mondo TV’s YooHoo & Friends is based on a line of plush dolls from Korean toy maker Aurora.

Indeed, not all toy brands lend themselves to characterbased storytelling, warns Keenan, citing Mattel’s Hot Wheels as an example. “Hot Wheels is all about challenges, stunts and perseverance rather than characters. So we have focused on short-form content for YouTube based on competition, experimentation and creative thinking—the activities that you might be involved in when playing with Hot Wheels toys.”

He adds, “There could be longer-form content further down the line with Hot Wheels, but the creative challenge is how to bring those stories to life without eclipsing it with character and changing the core of what makes Hot Wheels Hot Wheels.”

Beyblade has proven itself to be a heavyweight brand in the sector—the first line of the Takara Tomy spinning tops reached retail in Japan in 2000. Sunrights’ Gross notes that the Beyblade franchise “is unique in that kids can battle each other in real life, they can watch the animation on their screens, and they can also connect virtually through the app and social media. It is elevating the concept of play and creating a globally interconnected universe for a new digital generation to engage with the brand.”

She adds, “Animating a TV series around a brand with a toyetic core requires a great deal of balance. With this new generation of Beyblade, ensuring the quality of the animation and relatability of the characters was key. One of the reasons Beyblade translates so well as an animated series is because the kids identify with the characters and the emotional rush they feel when competing against their friends in battle. Throughout the series, the viewers get to follow the characters as they battle their way to the top. Since the characters all have different personalities and battling styles, the kids can easily pick out their favorites and root for them throughout the season.”

Gross points to the importance of close collaboration with your toy partners. “Many times retailers will want to ensure that the animated series will be airing prior to toy launch. Ideally, the TV series will launch with a comfortable cushion to build awareness and let kids connect with and familiarize themselves with the brand.”

“The TV launch needs to be closely coordinated with the toy launch—so both parties must work together,” agrees Mondo’s Corradi.

The final word on the toy-to-TV transition comes from Hasbro’s Davis. “It has to set up opportunities for kids to be able to tell their own stories through engaging role play— not, in other words, a static piece of plastic.”

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We have two animation studios, which they don’t have.

There are a lot of things we could add to each other—that was one of the most important things. We can create an entity that can be very strong when forces are joined.

TV KIDS: Going forward, how will m4e’s business be integrated into Studio 100?

BOURLON: We are now reflecting upon how to create synergies and integrate activities in the long term. This will take a lot of time and thought. We have two organizations, and we are looking at what is possible and what we can realize.

TV KIDS: There’s consolidation happening in all segments of the media business. In the kids’ sector, how important is scale?

BOURLON: It’s a very important issue, but the most important thing is to have good content that makes a difference.

That’s what everybody is aiming for: creating a fantastic new show that can be popular in many territories and that everybody likes. That’s something we’re working on daily.

TV KIDS: Tell us about your approach to building shows into full, 360-degree properties.

BOURLON: We started this more than 20 years ago with a puppet and a presenter on national TV in Belgium. These characters sang songs on stage; we grew them into comic books and launched merchandising items in the market.

So that circle was already there with our first concept. We have created lots of new live-action concepts where we

By Mansha Daswani

Since its formation in Belgium 21 years ago, Studio 100 has become one of the largest independent kids’ and family entertainment businesses in operation today. It encompasses a thriving amusement park and live-entertainment business, production operations in Belgium, Paris and Sydney, and a Munich-based distributor, Studio 100 Media, that is home to megahits like Maya the Bee. Earlier this year, Studio 100 picked up a majority interest in German rights’ management firm m4e, home of the Mia and me brand. Hans Bourlon, CEO and co-founder of Studio 100, tells TV Kids about the rationale behind the investment, the importance of scale and his approach to building true 360-degree properties for kids today.

TV KIDS: What attracted you to investing in m4e?

BOURLON: We have Studio 100 Media, also a Munich-based company, and the activities were very similar. We have our strengths; they have their strengths. For example, we launched the Maya the Bee movie in more than 150 territories and it was pretty successful. We have built up a lot of know-how in terms of movie production and distribution.

had the same approach. In 1999 we acquired an old theme park on the Belgian coast. We refurbished it [as Plopsaland Park], and it’s been very successful. We now have six parks in total, in Belgium and also in the Netherlands and Germany, and are planning two new ones. This is a real circle of activity that is unique, based upon local and international content.

TV KIDS: What growth opportunities are you pursuing for the theme-parks business?

BOURLON: We are working with partners on a theme park in Poland and are investing in some of the theme parks in our home territories. We are also in other partnerships to create new theme parks. Maya the Bee is very strong in Poland, and she will be the lead character in that theme park.

TV KIDS: You have a lot of classic brands like Maya. How do you balance reinvigorating classics and developing new concepts?

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BOURLON: It’s our aim to have a mixture of both. There are a lot of [benefits with] those classic brands and the remakes we create with state-of-the-art techniques today. It’s about nostalgia; it’s about feelings you can share with your children or grandchildren. It’s also about broadcasters who are open to buying some history. It gives their initiatives, specifically for new broadcasters, some special feelings from the audience.

Belgium and the Netherlands. In terms of licensing, it’s almost our number one brand. There are not a lot of viewers on broadcasters at 7 o’clock in the morning. But if you have a child of 2 or 3 and you have an iPad or smartphone, you can go to YouTube, go on our platform, and they can watch the episodes when needed, whenever they want, wherever you want. Of course, these tools are fantastic, but you still need television.

TV KIDS: Known brands are doing well in the L&M sector, too. What’s the key to cutting through the clutter to reach retailers and garner shelf space?

BOURLON: In retail you have to go in search of products that make a difference, are unique and are fantastic.

There’s a person at our company developing game boards every day specifically for each character. You have to go in search of unique things and not just products that already exist. Some products we develop ourselves, as a sticker with a photo of your character doesn’t make a difference. In China and India we source those products and distribute them. For lots of markets we partner with companies that are very specialized in certain products or territories.

TV KIDS: What are your key challenges and opportunities going forward in the next year or two?

BOURLON: We will invest in several new animation concepts, with the world as our target group. We have lots of them in the pipeline. We’ll produce them in the Flying Bark studios in Sydney and also in Studio 100 in Paris.

And we want to invest a lot in our theme parks. In the leisure business—we also do theater shows—you cannot digitalize a ticket for a theme park. It’s an old-fashioned business, but when you do it in a proper, qualitative way, you can make a difference nowadays. In a sector where there’s a lot of crisis, this is a fantastic balance in our group. It gives stability and steady cash flows for the future, which we will need to acquire new companies and invest in new programs.

TV KIDS: What are your plans for Junior TV? Are you looking at other direct-to-consumer opportunities for your deep library?

BOURLON: We have some initiatives. Junior TV is on the Sky platform in Germany. We have Studio 100 TV in Belgium.

We have an over-the-top platform called Wanagogo, which is only in Belgium. So we have some local initiatives. And we have strong partnerships with broadcasters like TF1, ZDF, TRT and Planeta for Spain and Italy.

TV KIDS: How much has the emergence of OTT platforms altered the way you operate in the kids’ business today?

BOURLON: A lot has changed. We have a local concept called Bumba, about a clown, for the small children in

TV KIDS: The business has changed so much—what have been some of the constants for you?

BOURLON: A good story is still important, and characters you can care for are still key. But distribution and the target group have changed a lot. In Belgium, the situation is that on average, 35 percent of young children under 6 are not of Belgian origin. In the cities, it’s even [higher]. So this is a huge geographical change that we are confronted with, and those children have very different backgrounds, some are from Eastern Europe, and others are of different religions.

Working with those new elements is something we have to reflect upon and work on.

Studio 100 rebooted the classic Maya the Bee brand with a new CGI series that has a second season out this summer.

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will also find new content and develop partnerships in North America, including Canada. He’s also becoming a member of the executive committee of Cyber Group Studios. Opening an office in the U.S. is the first step in us becoming more global in a local way, both for distribution and creation of new content.

TV KIDS: On the distribution side, what have you been looking for to sit alongside your own IP? SISSMANN: We would not take on something that competes with one of our own shows. For example, we have a zebra series, Zou, so we wouldn’t pick up a zebra series. We have a dinosaur series coming up with Disney, Gigantosaurus, so we wouldn’t pick up another dinosaur series. We have signed some shows recently just for distribution and a number of other shows where we’re co-production partners. For instance, we picked up two series from Natalie Altmann’s Media Valley, Ernest & Rebecca and Dragon Slayers’ Academy, just for distribution. Ernest & Rebecca is a great show for kids aged 5 to 8. It focuses on relationships. It’s a unique property, and we didn’t have anything like it. Dragon Slayers’ Academy comes from a very big book property, and we didn’t have this fantasy comedy genre in our roster. So we’re looking at series that are complementary to our shows.

TV KIDS: When you take something on just for distribution, do you still have creative input?

By Mansha Daswani

While its headquarters may be in Paris, Cyber Group Studios has always operated as an internationally focused company, from licensing its own titles across the globe, to engaging in multi-territory co-productions, to taking on shows for distribution from markets around the world. Cyber Group Studios, which is led by chairman and CEO Pierre Sissmann, this year set up its first office outside of France, establishing a North American outpost as it expands its business in the region. Sissmann tells TV Kids about his approach to managing growth at Cyber Group and his new label strategy that is allowing the company to align with top independent creative talent.

TV KIDS: Why was a U.S. office important for Cyber Group’s international business?

SISSMANN: We opened Cyber Group Studios North America in January. It’s being run by Richard Goldsmith, formerly of The Jim Henson Company. With more and more of our productions landing in the U.S., we felt it was time to establish ourselves [with a local office]. It allows us to be closer to our clients, as we are increasing our presence there with our shows.

At the same time, we will have new properties that are going to have a lot of consumer products potential, and the U.S. is a country where you can’t manage [licensing and merchandising] from overseas and we want to do it ourselves. It makes a lot of sense, as we develop our activity in North America, to be on the ground with someone like Richard. He is not only going to be able to grow the company with our existing content but

SISSMANN: Sometimes we’ll take something on for distribution at an early stage, so we do give quite a lot of input if asked.

We always try to bring something to help the producer make a property more global, without distorting anything. We try to bring value when we’re asked and when it’s needed. There are some distribution deals that we do that turn into co-production deals. We’re trying to create what exists in the record industry: labels. We can bring the strength of our company to people who have creative assets. The big studios do it in the film industry. Record companies do it all the time. That’s the world I come from. You cannot pretend that you have internally all the artistic expertise the world needs. A few months ago I stumbled on an incredible series developed by an independent producer for a major network, and they were just looking for distribution. Then they said, we have two other series. So I said, OK, let’s do a label deal. We’ll give you resources and you will be attached to us like a label, but it’s still your stuff. We’re trying to enlarge our roster of properties, whether it’s through distribution or co-production, with people who have that unique talent for bringing new IP to the table. This is very exciting.

TV KIDS: You announced a move into feature films last year.

How is that initiative progressing?

SISSMANN: The way movies are financed, co-producers sell territories and they call all rights, and sometimes the people that buy are theatrical distributors who have no idea how to

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handle television distribution. So I set [ourselves] a challenge of creating a roster of great theatrical movies for television or TV movies for television. We have our first one and are about to sign a second one. We’re also developing our own feature films.

We want to create a stand-alone business in the next five years, knowing that it’s different from our slate of television series and digital series. I’m very cautious about this. I started [in media] working in feature films, running Walt Disney Animation Studios in Europe. When we founded Cyber Group Studios, we went into television because it’s far less dangerous.

You can die with a movie if you don’t do it right. So we’ve developed a television production company, and I would say in the next five years we will move with a separate entity into movie distribution, production and co-production.

TV KIDS: How are you mapping out your growth strategies for 2017 and beyond?

SISSMANN: I always have two sets of objectives. One is creative because this is why I’m in the business—I’m always looking for the “wow” effect. And of course, you have to succeed and make money to go on.

Over the last 12 months, we’ve started this label strategy.

We began it with Natalie Altmann and her company Media Valley. We just signed with Sylvain Dos Santos, who used to be part of I Can Fly, and his new company, La Chouette Compagnie. Chouette means “owl,” but it also means “cool.” We have signed four series with him: two are in early development, one is in development with a network and the fourth one was greenlit in development by TF1.

We’re developing more series. We have 15 of our own shows in development, in all genres—traditional and digital 2D, hybrid, CGI. This is a very important point. One of my goals, when I set up the company, was that we would never be stopped by, “I can’t do this series because I don’t know how to.” That’s why we developed a lot of our own technology. Today we can do any technique to give a project the best artistic rendering. The last thing we have to go into now is stop motion. We have four people just doing development. We have one head of studio doing pure development with resources that we hire, depending on our needs, and then we have three people doing literary development. We’re investing so much in creation and artistic resources. Our pure development budget is always far more than half a million euros a year. That’s a lot of money. We have to find ways to finance that: our own cash flow, subsidies, friends, whatever. Once you do this, then you need to sell the shows. So we’ve increased our distribution resources by having people in Paris and by opening the U.S. office.

I’m trying to build bridges upon bridges so that the passion never leaves me and never leaves my team. At the same time, we’re in business to make a living. And it’s difficult to reconcile all this. So we’re also trying to have a very mapped out plan. [When we started] the first thing we needed was to make a name for ourselves on the market. So we went into preschool CGI. Everybody told us preschool needs to be in 2D, but we did CGI and had a hit. Then we invested in technology— we were the first ones to do fur in a preschool show and on Zorro the Chronicles we created a tool that enabled us to have about 100 characters in the first episode. We went from preschool to kids. And then we said, that’s not

enough—people are doing amazing stuff, how can we work with them, learn from them and help them? That’s the label strategy.

Now, how do we understand the world better? Answering the needs of our clients, we have to be able to produce any possible type of show. And you can’t do that just from Paris—you have to be everywhere. Traveling all the time is not enough.

It’s really about passion, organization and structure. If we didn’t have organization and structure, [it would be impossible to] have eight series in production and over 15 shows in development.

TV KIDS: Is eight series your maximum capacity, or could you be making more?

SISSMANN: At one point we did five series, and we changed our organization. And now we’re doing eight series and we’re again changing our organization. I don’t think the objective is to produce 10 or 12 series. But can we do more? We’ve always found a way to reinvent and reorganize ourselves. If the Cyber Group Studios of 2010 had had eight series to produce, the company would have gone bankrupt in three months. We didn’t have the structure, the organization, the people, the money. Three years ago we had at the studio a head of production and a number of production executives. Now the studio is split in two. You have the ongoing production with more people, more lines of businesses, and you have development.

It’s the same thing in sales—we restructured the territories, we hired people to do only trafficking, we hired an executive just to do sales materials. With this structure, we can probably increase our production slate. But that’s not an objective.

We are going to hire someone in the next few months to be a producer, only taking care of distributed or co-produced labels. We are changing every four months. We have to be humble because we are growing fast and we can make mistakes; we actually do. But we learn from others and we learn from our past. The more we grow, the more we need to change our organization. You can make incredible changes in the long run if you do them smoothly and keep the passion intact.

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Taking Down Taffy was created by Cyber Group and developed with Turner International, which plans to air it on Boomerang in 2018.

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he first generation of KiKA viewers have children of their own now. The channel was born as Der Kinderkanal on January 1, 1997, a joint venture of German public broadcasters ZDF and ARD, which had previously only served their youngest viewers with a few hours of content on the weekends. With KiKA, kids 3 to 13 could find safe, relevant, parent-approved content at any time of day, without advertising. KiKA’s only competitor was the commercial broadcaster SUPER RTL, which at the time benefited from its alliance with The Walt Disney Company.

Fast-forward two decades and the German kids’ market is teeming with competitors, both linear channels and online services, vying for kids’ time. Over the years KiKA has remained firmly focused on its mission of entertaining and educating German kids with live-action and animated series, movies, magazine shows, documentaries and more. And its strategy, despite a rapidly shifting media ecosystem, is working, with KiKA commanding a 20-percent share of kids’ viewing in Germany. The service has kept up with the times, creating a branded destination for preschool audiences, addressing changing consumption habits and tackling hard-hitting issues like Europe’s refugee crisis. Over the years it has also stepped up its original content production and coproduction efforts. Whereas the channel once largely repeated the shows airing on ZDF’s and ARD’s kids’ blocks, KiKA today has a wide programming offer that includes local hits like Schloss Einstein, high-end co-pros like Super Wings and the best acquisitions the international market has to offer. In the process it has endeared itself to German families—some 10,000 kids and teens visit KiKA’s headquarters every year. As KiKA marks its 20th anniversary, Michael Stumpf, managing director, and Sebastian Debertin, head of fiction, acquisitions and coproductions, tell TV Kids about the journey thus far and the opportunities ahead.

By Mansha Daswani

T

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ichael Stumpf joined KiKA as its managing director in 2013. He had already had numerous points of contact with the channel, having served as the deputy head and then head of the children’s online department at ZDF. Stumpf started his career at the German national broadcaster in 1998 as a journalist before moving over to the nascent children’s digital team in 2004. With ZDFtivi, Stumpf and his team worked on new and innovative ways to engage with kids outside of the television screen. Since joining KiKA, Stumpf has helped to orchestrate a ratings surge for the channel, with it becoming the market leader in 2015 for the first time in its history. Stumpf, whose contract to run KiKA has been extended to 2019, is focused on making sure the broadcaster lives up to its responsibilities to German youth. He tells TV Kids about its positioning in the market and his plans for the brand in the future.

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Since 2009, KiKA has targeted preschool audiences with its popular KiKANiNCHEN block.

TV KIDS: How has KiKA evolved since its launch? What role does it play in a crowded German landscape?

STUMPF: For 20 years now, KiKA has been the home of high-quality kids’ and family entertainment, created, commissioned, acquired or produced by our parent companies ARD and ZDF in Mainz, and KiKA’s home base in Erfurt. With that in mind, it comes as no sur-

“KiKA’s continued success is extraordinary in Europe for a kids’ generalist channel that caters to all kid target demos in Germany.”

—Olivier Dumont, Managing Director, Entertainment One Family prise that KiKA is Germany’s most trusted kids’ media address. We bring the best mix of genres, with fiction and nonfiction programs, and do not rely mainly on animation like some of our competitors. We give the kids what they need for growing up and for a better understanding of the world around them. As a result, in 2015 KiKA became TV’s market leader against truly strong and growing competition. Additionally, we are the market leader in preschool and in daily German kids’ prime time.

TV KIDS: How different is the landscape today from the one Kinderkanal arrived in in 1997?

STUMPF: Obviously many things have changed. If we look back 20 years most kids had no access to the internet and there were very few online offerings available to them. Kids media on demand at that time consisted mostly of DVDs, CDs or audiotapes. Only very few had access to PC games or consoles. So without question, TV was their number one source for entertainment. These times are over, and kids nowadays have a broad choice when it comes to media, which makes our job more challenging—and more interesting at the same time. So today we have to present more than just good programming on linear TV. We have to offer great storytelling via multiple platforms, fiction and nonfiction, accompanied by attractive additional materials. Although, in Germany TV is still the number one platform for kids—[on average they watch] 79 minutes per day.

TV KIDS: How do you tap into the resources of ARD and ZDF? And how do you collaborate with your parent companies?

“KiKA has truly captured the mindset of a great TV network for kids and has become the number one kids’ channel in Germany. With a very diversified slate always rejuvenating itself, it has managed over the years to stay at the forefront of children’s entertainment and has become one of the great partners of our company.”

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Designed as a teen soap opera, Schloss Einstein has been airing on KiKA since 1998.

STUMPF: ARD and ZDF have been known for a great tradition in kids’ TV since the mid-1960s. Consequentially, and for good reason, in a more and more competitive market they decided in 1996 to join forces and created KiKA, which launched on January 1, 1997, here in Erfurt.

“KiKA has been home to Sesamstrasse, the German version of Sesame Street, for many years. We are honored to be partners with a broadcaster dedicated to delivering content that engages, educates and entertains children.”

—Steve Youngwood, COO, Sesame Workshop Since that time, the board of KiKA consists of four delegates sent from the nine ARD affiliates and four delegates sent from ZDF, chaired by me as KiKA’s managing director. Our board sets the strategies and discusses the programs and projects ARD, ZDF and KiKA Erfurt shall provide our channel with. In the end, one-third of the programming is produced by ARD, one-third by ZDF and the last third by KiKA in Erfurt. But we also develop and produce content together across the publicbroadcasting system.

TV KIDS: What would you describe as your mission as a public broadcaster for kids?

STUMPF: The mission of a children’s channel under public law is to provide information, education and consulting entertainment and, while doing so, take into account its young target group’s specific requirements. As a consequence, we offer a program without

commercials. Our aim is to support kids of all ages, give orientation and accompany them as their first address while they are growing up.

Additionally, KiKA promotes social, emotional and cognitive development, helping kids to develop a sense of values, such as tolerance and friendship. Also, we don’t broadcast programs with senseless and unnecessary violence.

We are the only channel in Germany that provides upto-date information for children on a daily basis. With news, magazines, interactive live programs and entertainment programs, we present and convey issues to children in accordance with their very special requirements.

I think that is very important, especially in times of alternative facts and fake news.

Another key word for describing our mission is diversity.

Children’s requirements are many, and they are diverse,

“The KiKA team has worked hard to achieve fantastic results and has developed a channel over the last two decades that has the greatest acceptance by the kids and their parents and families, a true co-viewing experience of highest quality and values that we should deliver to all children. We are so happy that our programs found such a wonderful home!”

—Hans Ulrich Stoef, CEO, m4e & Studio 100 Media

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The game show Die beste Klasse Deutschlands is based on a nationwide school challenge.

depending on their stage of development. For that reason, KiKA uses almost all genres to meet those demands.

Older children, for instance, love to have stories and information from their very own world, in the form of documentary soaps, crime thrillers, magazines and news programs. And as things are somewhat different when it

“KiKA is a fantastic partner. We’ve loved working with such great people over the past 20 years and are looking forward to working with them for many years to come. Kids get their kicks on KiKA. Bravo!”

—Roch Lener, CEO, Millimages comes to beginners, we ensure that programs for the youngest offer educational competence besides being entertaining. KiKA can offer all of that, perfectly.

TV KIDS: In these challenging times—terrorism, populism, the refugee crisis—what role can KiKA play in helping children understand the world today?

STUMPF: We are aware that children live in a world that is constantly changing and that confronts them with conflicts. Because the world is not all comedy and soaps, we want to show them how to find solutions so that they are able to manage their conflicts in a better way. KiKA does not ignore the problem of violence because kids come across violence in media or, even worse, directly in their own lives. We want to make kids aware that violence cannot be an appropriate solution.

We are proud to show kids the diversity in our world with our many documentaries and, in doing so, make them understand other cultures, religions and people—for example, the many refugees who have to flee from their countries, making their long way to Europe.

Kids’ news shows like ZDF’s daily logo! provide news and help kids to understand [current events] in detail.

TV KIDS: How are you maintaining your leadership position? What are the main strengths of your schedule?

STUMPF: In January and February, KiKA reached 20 percent market share, again leading the kids’ TV market in Germany as number one. Many great shows from ARD, ZDF and KiKA contributed to that success.

Our daily morning preschool slot KiKANiNCHEN did extremely well, so the 3- to 5-year-olds joined in with [a share of] 35 percent. The 20th anniversary of KiKA also sees the 20th season of Schloss Einstein, our highly popular live-action series for the older kids, which also comes with webisodes exclusively made for

“Our experience of working with KiKA has been the discovery of a passionate and dedicated team, not only driven by the strong editorial requirements of a public broadcaster but that also has the skill to infuse the stories with the right balance of entertainment that children can totally relate to.”

—Eric Garnet, President & Co-Founder, GO-N Productions

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content production, so I guess we are prepared as best as possible. We are now planning, producing and broadcasting content for and via various platforms, bringing the content to our viewers when and whenever they want. The linear experience of KiKA is excellent as the ratings show, but the nonlinear isn’t. Reasons are numerous, such as usability and lack of availability of programs. And there is still another challenge, as German media laws are limiting public TV’s digital possibilities developing accordingly to meet the changes of media consumption. But we are working on all of that.

Part of its widening co-production slate, Super Wings was produced with Korea’s CJ E&M, among other partners, with Nelvana and m4e on board for L&M rights in select territories.

premiering on KiKA online. ZDF’s production Dein Song, where talented kids are presenting their own songs in front of a VIP jury of musicians and singers, was also enjoying a huge response from our audience.

And we love to support their creativity with Ene Mene Bu, the creative workshop to handicraft great stuff. We soon start production of the new season of Die beste Klasse Deutschlands, a TV game and science show, based on a nationwide challenge for schools. Many successful premieres took place in January and February to mark our channel’s birthday, like the KiKA co-production Super Wings—which also brought super ratings! This special mix of fiction and nonfiction shows coming from ARD, ZDF and KiKA is the success story of KiKA.

TV KIDS: What do you see as being your biggest challenges and opportunities in the year to two ahead?

STUMPF: Our biggest challenges and opportunities at the same time are: continuing to be relevant for kids and parents alike in a growing stream of media possibilities, keeping the balance between expectations, tasks and interests of our target groups and educating kids to become strong-minded, critical and curious. To sum it up: the biggest challenges and opportunities alike are to remain true to ourselves and our mission.

“KiKA was a key partner as we launched our brand Doozers around the world. The team at KiKA understands a kids’ audience and has a great respect for the creative process. Their commitment to excellence in children’s television has kept them both relevant and timeless.”

—Halle Stanford, Executive VP, Children’s Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company

TV KIDS: How are you meeting the challenge of evolving consumption habits?

STUMPF: We have gone through a broad restructuring process, with a clear focus on these changes. Workflows at KiKA have been adapted completely in the direction of cross-media

WDR mediagroup is the international distributor of Bobo Siebenschläfer, which has been a hit with the 3 to 5 set.

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ebastian Debertin has been with KiKA since its inception, moving from Hamburg—where he had already been working in children’s programming—to Erfurt in 1996 to be part of the new channel’s content team. Today, as head of fiction, acquisitions and co-productions, Debertin is ensuring that KiKA’s content slate remains enriching and relevant to German youngsters. From live action to animation, local to international, Debertin’s mission is to work with top-notch partners to deliver great stories to KiKA’s audiences. He tells TV Kids about his programming remit, his approach to co-productions and discusses what’s been driving the channel’s gains over the years.

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KiKA acquired Wissper from m4e.

TV KIDS: How are you catering to different demographics on KiKA? DEBERTIN: Kids in Germany are still heavily using the linear TV offerings—more than 87 percent, as research from 2016 revealed. So although we are in the midst of

“On behalf of Nelvana, congratulations to KiKA on 20 years of dynamic, positive and uplifting programming for children. We’re very proud of our longstanding partnership with the world-class KiKA team, and we look forward to working with them for many more years to come.”

—Antoine Erligmann, Head, Nelvana Enterprises EMEA

TV KIDS: How important is acquired content? And where are you buying content from?

DEBERTIN: KiKA’s programming does consist mainly of commissioned or co-produced shows, coming from the different ARD affiliates, ZDF and KiKA. However, up to a third of KiKA’s portfolio is based on acquired content. So when KiKA looks for shows, we buy from France, the U.K., Ireland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Italy. Canadian and American programs do very well, too!

Australia has been a great provider of animated and liveaction series over the years as well.

TV KIDS: What about co-productions?

DEBERTIN: Very, very important! The co-productions ARD, ZDF and KiKA have joined in or initiated the last few years—like Guess How Much I Love You (SLR Australia), Chloe’s Closet (Splash Entertainment), H2O—Just Add Water (Jonathan M. Shiff Productions) and Lily’s Driftwood Bay (Sixteen South)—all turned out to be extremely successful. We feel we know our audience truly well and so like to fine-tune and tweak the national and international concepts to make them work perfectly here in Germany. For example, our latest coproduction, Super Wings, created and produced with Little Airplane in New York and CJ E&M and FunnyFlux Entertainment from Korea, is a good example for such recipe of success. As a result, ratings were fantastic.

Another example: big fun from a micro world will soon hit German screens when The Insectibles, a co-production with Singapore’s One Animation, premieres in April. And

changing from a pure TV channel to a content house with various ways of distribution, we still perfectly reach our different audiences with the linear TV channel KiKA, which German kids have loved for 20 years now.

KiKANiNCHEN, our preschool brand, hosts all toddler and preschool shows starting in the morning, featuring shows like Chloe’s Closet, Guess How Much I Love You, Sesame Street, Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam, JoNaLu and many other favorites. School kids love our afterschool block with funny shows like Garfield, followed by all-time favorites like Schloss Einstein, the locally produced live-action boarding school series that runs on KiKA with nearly 900 episodes so far. Later, the afternoon ends with shows like The New Adventures of Lassie, The Jungle Book, Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood and Knight Rusty.

From 5 p.m. on is kids’ TV prime time in Germany, which means it is KiKA time everywhere! We are winning this important slot with programs like Mia and me, The New Adventures of Peter Pan and The Travels of the Young Marco Polo.

Mouk is one of the French animated series airing on KiKA, licensed from Millimages.

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“KiKA has always been one of Portfolio’s most invaluable international partners. We are proud to say that our series air on KiKA, as it gives the shows a golden badge of honor.”

—Joy Rosen, CEO & Co-Founder, Portfolio Entertainment

KiKA is among the broadcasters that licensed Zorro the Chronicles from Cyber Group Studios.

not to forget, the KiKA all-time hit ratings wonder Yakari.

The show, produced by Mediatoon, comes with a new season, now in CGI. TV KIDS: What are your other original production initiatives?

DEBERTIN: There is truly not enough space to list all of our current production initiatives here. KiKA constantly

looks locally for the next big thing. Together with our colleagues from ARD and ZDF, we try to be innovators! Let me name just a few.

Der besondere Kinderfilm is an initiative KiKA jointly launched with many strong partners from the German production landscape. This initiative intends to support local children’s feature-film production with resources and obviously with financial elements. Three feature films have been finished since its launch and two others are in the pipeline, all to be premiering on the big screen and later to be broadcast on KiKA. Animanimals, created by German artist Julia Ocker, is a funny and intelligent animated series for the youngest and their parents. It is a co-pro KiKA does with SWR and Studio Film Bilder from Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg.

That is an area in Germany renowned for its creative media landscape, with many successful production companies like Studio Soi (The Gruffalo). It is also known for worldleading animation festivals like FMX, Stuttgart Trickfilmfestival and its distinguished Ludwigsburg Film Academy.

For next Christmas, we are again producing Germany’s favorite Christmas TV series, Beutolomäus, with German production house Wunderwerk. Now the 24-part series comes as a hybrid show, live action mixed with the title character Beutolomäus produced completely in CGI.

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be violent, not really entertaining or smart. Other offerings on the market just try to be educational and end up being boring. From my perspective, the right mix of elements is and always will be key to creating shows that really are great and get the 6- to 9-year-olds to watch. Gerhard Hahn’s Mia and me is a great example of such a successful recipe. As a result, we have just created a brand-new animated show with Hahn Film we’re producing now for this demographic that has all the right ingredients.

Portfolio Entertainment licensed to KiKA the animated series The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, as well as the holiday specials based on the brand.

TV KIDS: What’s been the hardest gap to fill in your programming needs? What would you like that you can’t find?

DEBERTIN: Shows for the core target group are hard to get! I always approach national and international creatives and producers with the following mantra: If you want to make the KiKA audience happy, get us a clever fiction series for the 6- to 9-year-olds. Animation and live action are both very welcome! In fact, there are so few good series to find in the market. But often —Andrea Zuska, shows for this demo tend to

TV KIDS: What changes do you foresee in your programming strategy over the coming 12 to 18 months?

“Many of the children’s programs from our sales catalog owe a great part of their popularity to regular broadcasting slots on KiKA. Germany’s most successful kids’ channel has given them a shining platform to prove their quality and popularity with generations of children—as well as their potential for the global market.”

Chief Content Officer, WDR mediagroup

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Sixteen South in Northern Ireland partnered with KiKA on Lily ’s Driftwood Bay, which is represented by The Jim Henson Company.

DEBERTIN: We need to think much earlier about spin-offs and even more importantly about the respective accompanying materials and initiatives, for example for KiKA online or our preschool platform KiKANiNCHEN.de. Logically, events will also be important. They will be placed over all our different platforms and will be part of our new strategy, especially when promoting new shows. With the professionalism and power of our partners ARD and ZDF, we have broad possibilities to make the audience aware of new KiKA program offerings and initiatives. Last, but not least, one of KiKA’s strengths since 1997 is and always has been that we have been great at making new shows become strong brands! Jungle Book, Fireman Sam, Maya the Bee, The Little Prince, Care Bears, Little Red Tractor, Heidi or Yakari, just to name a few, are valid proof of that KiKA strength. It’s no surprise that we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of KiKA with great new shows in the month to come—on TV and online!

I want to use this interview to thank our national and international program partners and providers. They not only helped us to become so successful with their productions, they also became great friends of KiKA!

“It has been a joy to co-produce Lily’s Driftwood Bay with our lovely friends at KiKA. They completely believe in and support what we have created and the message that we sought to portray through the show. They have been the very best of partners.”

—Colin Williams, Creative Director, Sixteen South

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going with, great characters cut through. A show with a really strong creative point of view, that is relevant, always wins the audience. The approach isn’t rocket science, but the trick is in the execution.

TV KIDS: What’s been your approach to international coproductions and acquisitions?

BUHAJ: We’re able to work with our talented colleagues around the world who are producing original series regionally. And then we have a centralized acquisitions arm that also works with local producers, studios and storytellers.

We are open to hearing ideas from traditional studios and digital creators, and we work with our colleagues at places like Maker and ESPN as well. In addition to casting a formal net, we also just make sure to stay aware of talent locally or internationally who have unique creative voices, regardless of whether or not they are connected with a traditional studio.

TV KIDS: Technology and consumption habits have altered dramatically since you first entered kids’ television. What have been some of the biggest changes in how you approach your job?

BUHAJ: The thing that has changed is the number of options available. It’s been a challenge to track the audience across the increased number of viewing platforms.

However, on those same digital platforms, we also view it as an opportunity to find new storytellers. Anyone who has a creative idea can tell their story through these platforms, and they don’t have to go about it in a formal way.

I love the fact that the generation we’re working for now are some of the most creative storytellers.

By Mansha Daswani

From shows inspired by the Star Wars and Marvel Comics universes to beloved anime to original concepts, both animated and live-action, Disney XD is thriving by hyper-targeting boys 6 to 11.

Under the leadership of Marc Buhaj as senior VP of programming and general manager, Disney XD has been rolling out shows around its core brand tenets of fun, comedy and action adventure.

TV KIDS: What’s driving Disney XD’s viewership?

BUHAJ: We have a portfolio of content offerings including both animation and live-action series that work well together. Within each of those, we have comedy and action-adventure storytelling, which offer our consumers a range of programming to choose from. On the animation side, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Milo Murphy’s Law, Star Wars Rebels and our Marvel animated series are good examples of both original stories as well as those linked to heritage or known IP. On the live-action side, we have Walk the Prank, a sitcom that has real hiddencamera pranks, and on the other end of the spectrum, we have a serialized action-adventure series called MECH-X4 that delivers high stakes and much more drama. So we’re seeing a range of content working. What’s really important is, no matter what format, genre or visual style you’re

TV KIDS: Tell us about the work you did with the YouTube channel Bad Lip Reading on High School Musical. And are you planning more viral videos like that?

BUHAJ: Bad Lip Reading Presents High School Musical was a great project and very well received by our audience. It gave us an opportunity to work with someone who is the best in their field, and through that project we also paid homage with a wink to an iconic Disney Channel movie franchise. We’re going to continue to work with new people in different ways.

Bad Lip Reading is one of our great collaborators, and we plan to jam with them again at some point.

TV KIDS: Do you think that the kids’ programming industry has really figured out nonlinear storytelling and engagement yet?

BUHAJ: Everyone is probably in a different place with it. We approach each of our platforms looking at their unique needs because we know that the storytelling, format and content length may need to vary in order to deliver the most engagement possible. Sometimes we can do clips from a series or movie to program the platforms and other times it works well to have completely original content, whether short-form or micro-content.

The platform options are also ahead of where the revenue models are, so it’s not something that you’re generating revenue from. But as a group that wants to reach our audience, we’re delivering [content] on platforms despite the fact that the economic model isn’t yet as evolved as the storytelling is on the platforms.

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