xx

Time to ZOOM! Announcing Season 2 launch of ‘Ricky Zoom’!

TIME TO ZOOM as Ricky Zoom season 2 launches tomorrow in the UK on Nick Jr UK,  on Channel 9 in Australia and on TVNZ in New Zealand.   More territory and channel launches coming soon!  Shout out to our broadcasters, Louise Bucknole and the wonderful team at eOne, Olivier Dumont, Esra Cafra, Pete Kellond, Joanne Jordan and Debbie Walker – to name but a few.  To our head writer Doug Sinclair – you rock!  And the amazing crew at Frogbox – especially Romain Villemaine, Jade Hautin, Angelique Helvadjian. And last but not least, our superb animation partners at TeamTo and Maga Animation Studios. Thank you ALL for making a show creator’s dream a big cool zoomtastic reality!

April 20, 2021

Epic Story Media, Milkcow Launch ‘Piper’s Pony Tales’ with Breyer on Board

By Mercedes Milligan

Independent content creation, distribution and licensing company Epic Story Media Inc. (ESM) and kids and family content creation and production company Milkcow Media have teamed up to co-produce a brand new short-form series Piper’s Pony Tales, created by Milkcow Media’s Alexander Bar (Ricky Zoom, Wolf Joe, Ranger Rob, Mike the Knight).

Targeted to preschoolers, the series brings the world of ponies to life through kids’ imagination using highly articulated puppets. The series will launch this month on a dedicated YouTube channel with Epic Story Media handling all licensing & merchandising and global content distribution.

ESM has signed Breyer Horses as the Master Toy partner for the project in North America and Latin America and is currently in discussion with other global partners for toy and broadcast placement. Breyer, a division of Reeves International, Inc, is the number one maker of authentic, premium, and collectible model horses in North America since 1950.

In the series, Piper loves to daydream about having a pony of her very own. But, for now, the closest thing she has is her toy horse, Spark and her stable playset. Piper has turned her playroom at home into a sprawling setting for making up “Pony Tales”! Together with her best friends, Casey and Paloma, the three use their well-loved toy ponies to act out exciting adventures. And when Piper makes up stories about her best horse friends, they magically come to life through the power of her imagination, transporting her and her pals into amazing adventures!

Piper’s Pony Tales is about the fantasy, freedom and adventure of owning a pony. But it’s also about the universal magic every child possesses — their own imagination! Using the power of roleplay and imagination, Piper unlocks fantastic adventures for herself and her friends and makes all their pony wishes come true. She also learns along the way that “first freedoms”, as well as the love and respect of her pony, are earned.

The series makes use of the dolls as puppets and uses visual effects to animate their faces and to bring the stories to life. Since Piper’s world is powered by a kid’s imagination, the show features DIY, craft-like sets, so kids are empowered to create their own stories at home. Piper’s Pony Tales has received financial support from the Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canada Media Fund through the CMF-SRF Kids Digital Animated Series Program.

“We are so proud of Piper’s Pony Tales – from its premise of unlocking kids’ imagination so that they can create magic in their own homes, to the diverse leading cast and the unique style we’re pioneering to bring them to life,” said Ken Faier, President & Founder of Epic Story Media. “We are excited to have a strong partner in Breyer, whose expertise has helped us to make sure we remain true to the equestrian way and provided valuable consultation in the development of Piper’s core brand values. We know that this show will connect with all kids who love horses and will inspire a future generation of horse fans as they are encouraged to translate their viewing experience to one of imaginative play with family and friends.”

“As part of the leading equestrian lifestyle brand of toys, gifts, collectibles and experiences, it is exciting to be part of introducing preschoolers to the enchanting world of horses. Piper’s Pony Tales will create long lasting memories of horse play and a love of horses,” said Tony Fleischmann, President of Breyer.

https://www.pipersponytales.com

March 24, 2020
Source: Click Here

Epic Story Media saddles up Piper’s Pony Tales

Co-produced with Milkcow Media, the short-form preschool series already has a master toy partner locked in ahead of its YouTube debut.

By Elizabeth Foster

Epic Story Media and Toronto-based Milkcow Media are co-producing the new short-form series Piper’s Pony Tales. The preschool show features highly articulated puppets and launches this month on a dedicated YouTube channel.

Breyer Horses has already signed on as master toy partner for the series in North America and LatAm, continuing its streak as one of the top pony licensing partners. Breyer recently inked an agreement with DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Riding Free.

Epic Story Media will handle all licensing and merchandising efforts for the property, as well as global content distribution. The Toronto-headquartered company is currently in talks with potential global broadcast and licensing partners.

Piper’s Pony Tales was created by Milkcow Media’s Alexander Bar (Ricky Zoom, Ranger Rob). The series follows the titular character as her toy ponies magically come to life and take her on adventures. Financial support for the show was provided by Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canadian Media Fund through the CMF-SRF Kids Digital Animated Series Program.

This new short-form series is galloping onto the scene as pony- and horse-centric shows continue to capture kids’ attention. Star Stable Entertainment and Ferly are launching a long-form series inspired by the horseback riding online game Star Stable following the success of a short-form effort on YouTube, and Netflix recently picked up the global rights (excluding China) to Hasbro’s new My Little Pony movie from Entertainment One.

March 24, 2021
Source: Click Here

New cartoon Wolf Joe puts emphasis on Anishinaabe culture, teachings

Voice actors say it's important for Indigenous children to see their communities reflected on TV

Lenard Monkman · CBC News

Wolf Joe is a new animated series that follows the adventures of Joe and his two best friends. The show incorporates Anishinaabe teachings and was a collaboration with the Turtle Lodge, an Anishinaabe ceremony and education lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba. (Amberwood Entertainment/Media Rendezvous)
A new animated series that is focused on a First Nations boy and Anishinaabe teachings is giving young Indigenous viewers a chance to see their communities reflected on television.
Brett Huson, who is Gitxsan from Gitxsan territory in British Columbia, is the voice actor for Chief Madwe on Wolf Joe, airing on TVOKids and Radio Canada. After watching the first handful of episodes online this weekend, Huson said his children, ages seven and 10, "are happy to see people that look like themselves."
"I sat down with my kids and watched," he said.
"They heard my voice and they saw my character. It was quite amazing to see my daughter's eyes; it was heartwarming to see."

Voice actor Brett Huson watched episodes with his children. He says the show will help break down stereotypes that non-Indigenous people have about Indigenous peoples. (Brett Huson)
The show was created by Alexander Bar and is a collaboration between Winnipeg production company Media Rendezvous, Amberwood Entertainment and the Turtle Lodge, an Anishinaabe ceremony and education lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.
To make sure the storylines and direction of the show were in line with Anishinaabe teachings, the producers of the show relied on Turtle Lodge elder and knowledge keeper Dave Courchene Jr.
"It's good wholehearted teachings that come from people who are raised in the culture," said Huson, who is also an children's book author.
"I would say definitely it's a great show to watch regardless of what nation you're from."

Realistic role

Joy Keeper from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba is a grandmother of three and the voice actor of Kokum on the show. She said her character is an accurate reflection of a grandmother's role in Indigenous communities.

"There's something going on in the community — she's got to get over to the hall. She's got to control everybody at the hall. She's making food and the bannock is coming out of her oven," she said.
"I think those kinds of messages were so realistic in terms of how the women, the kokums, the mothers, are leaders in the community and they run the community."
Joy Keeper is the voice of Kokum on the show. She says the portrayal of her character is a realistic representation of grandmothers in Indigenous communities. (Joy Keeper)
One of the producers from Media Rendezvous, Charles Clément, said he hopes the show inspires children around the world, but especially Indigenous youth.
"The message of the show is it's about Joe, a young First Nations boy and his community called Turtle Bay, and so it's Joe and his friends who who take on and overcome all of life's daily challenges that little kids and older ones like us have to overcome every day," said Clément.
There are currently 46 11-minute episodes that have been produced. Viewers can find the show on TVOKids cable and YouTube channels, the Knowledge Network and Radio Canada.

January 14, 2021
Source: Click Here

The Turtle Lodge partners to launch Wolf Joe - A New Indigenous Animated Series for Kids

The Turtle Lodge takes great pride in being a founding partner and collaborator for Wolf Joe - a new animated action adventure series, and a TVOkids Original.

This exciting and brand-new animated series follows the daily adventures of Joe, a young First Nations boy who, with his two best friends, is inspired by the universal values of The Seven Teachings Wheel to explore his Indigenous culture, heritage and identity.

Created by Alexander Bar with Cultural Consultant, Elder Dr. Dave Courchene, Wolf Joe is a collaborative partnership between the Turtle Lodge, Media Rendezvous and Amberwood Entertainment.

TVOKids will premiere the show on January 10, 2021 (Sunday) at 7:05 am EST (6:05 am CST) with repeats Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:10 am EST (10:10 am CST).

Wolf Joe will launch on the Knowledge Network January 11, 2021at 11:45 am EST (10:45 am CST).

Wolf Joe has also been licensed to SBS Australia, a major network group that emphasizes Indigenous culture.

Check out Wolf Joe with your kids and be inspired by The Seven Sacred Teachings!

January 12, 2021
Source: Click Here

Video Statement by Elder Dr. Dave Courchene, Cultural Consultant for ‘WOLF JOE’

“Boozhoo! Aniin! N’Dinaymaaginitook! ”

(Greetings!  All My Relations!)

“Nii Gaani Aki Inini N’Digoo. Kinew N’Dodem. Sagkeeng N’Doonji.  Anishinaabe N’Dao.” 

(My spiritual name is Nii Gaani Aki Inini, which means Leading Earth Man,  I come from the Eagle Clan.  My community is Sagkeeng First Nation.  I am from the Anishinaabe Nation.”)

Watch video of Elder Dr. Dave Courchene speaking about “Wolf Joe”, as transcribed below

A Message from Elder Dr. Dave Courchene, Cultural Advisor to the Wolf Joe Series 12 Jan 2021

“The children’s series of Wolf Joe was created in collaboration and partnership with the Turtle Lodge, Media Rendezvous and Amberwood Entertainment.

My participation was to share what I believe is the foundation of our identity as the First Peoples of our homeland that we call Turtle Island.

We held a ceremony at the Turtle Lodge to begin the process of sharing our Seven Sacred Teachings in the Wolf Joe series, to ensure the Spirit would guide us.

The animals that are associated with these teachings remind us that Nature teaches us many things. We are to treat the Animal World with respect for all it brings to our lives. Not only do the animals bring teachings, they also work hard to keep the balance on the land.

In the order of Creation, we were the last to arrive, as Human Beings.  The Animal World preceded us, so that they could greet us and bring us the teachings that we should live by.

We cannot survive without the Animal World.

These Seven Sacred Teachings are about being a good Human Being. When we live the spirit of these teachings, we can take care of each other, showing kindness, being friendly, generous and considerate of all life.

All these teachings are good for your heart.

My hope with the series of Wolf Joe is that children will receive an understanding of a belief system of the Indigenous People.

We have been a People that has evolved with a close and sacred connection to Mother Earth. Our way of life as a People is embedded in our languages and the land. That is why we sprinkled a few words of the Anishinaabe language into the series. The language adds spirit to the stories we are sharing.

These teachings, learned and lived, can change the world.  We can all learn to love each other and to treat each other with respect and dignity. We can all learn to treat Nature with respect. Everything is connected. Nature gives us everything we need to live and to survive.  What happens to one happens to all.

If the children can be introduced to these teachings from the Animal World, they will learn to be kind. Other people will want to be around them. Their parents and their Elders will be proud of them.

There is nothing more important in life than to live these Seven Sacred Teachings. They will bring you a good life and abundance.”

January 12, 2021
Source: Click Here

Nelvana greenlights 'Ranger Rob' Season 3

One of the leading international producers and distributor of children’s animated and live action content, Nelvana is ramping up production on a third season of its hit original series, Ranger Rob.

Season 3 of the preschool adventure series will feature new characters, more imaginative storylines, and thrilling surprises all over. The new season of 52 x 11 minute episodes is slated for delivery, beginning summer 2020.

“Since the series premiered in 2016, we’ve proudly watched Ranger Rob grow into an iconic franchise within Nelvana’s catalogue. We’re looking forward to introducing fresh characters and brand-new adventures that continue to inspire kids to get outside and explore,” said Nelvana president Pam Westman.

Bursting with energy, 10-year-old Ranger Rob zip lines, swings, and snowboards his way around the coolest outdoor adventure park ever, Big Sky Park. With environments that mirror real world places, the Frosty Fields, Forest, and Jungle always have fascinating facts about nature and animals waiting to be discovered by Rob and his friends. The new season continues to focus on key themes fans have come to love – learning about animals, plants, the environment, and discovering the outdoors all with a splash of adventure.

Ranger Rob currently airs on Corus Entertainment’s Treehouse in Canada and has earned top ranks with Universal Kids and Hulu in the U.S., TF1 in France, Tiny Pop in the U.K., SUPER RTL in Germany, and many other renowned broadcasters worldwide.

The series holds a strong licensing programme including partnerships with Imports Dragon as master toy partner, Chouette Publishing, Jcorp (apparel), Jellifish (sleepwear), Black & White (footwear), and most recently with Braum’s in the U.S. to launch a new QSR program this past November.

February 11, 2020
Source: Click Here

EONE RENEWS ‘RICKY ZOOM’ FOR SEASON 2

Ricky Zoom has zoomed onto the global market since its initial TV launch last year.

A second season for the Entertainment One (eOne) series is in production and will begin airing as early as this November.

“We are so proud of Ricky Zoom and its success to date,” says Olivier Dumont, president of family and brands at eOne. “It is premium original content produced by the very best talent and our strong roster of international broadcasters has super-charged the series to a high level of awareness around the world. We are very excited for the potential to explore even more ground in the second season. There are so many more stories to tell that will deepen the connection between the characters and our audience and we look forward to bringing them all-new adventures.”

The announcement comes ahead of the spring debut of TOMY’s toy line based on the preschool series. The toy launch will be followed by a limited range of additional consumer products, including publishing, puzzles and games, crafts, apparel, and accessories planned through 2021.

Ricky Zoom, along with PJ Masks and Peppa Pig, is among the properties that recently joined Hasbro through a major acquisition that brought eOne together with the Rhode Island-based toy and entertainment company last year.

February 9, 2020
Source: Click Here

eOne continues to fuel international hit Ricky Zoom, announced a second season of 52 x 11’ is zooming into production, racing to screens as soon as November 2020. Since its debut at the end of 2019, Ricky Zoom has raced to success achieving outstanding ratings in multiple markets and across several platforms: It is currently a top 5 preschool show with boys on Nickelodeon in the U.S., #1 on Nick Jr. commercial kids’ channel in the U.K., and the #1 show on Clan in Spain. From their weekend line up, it is a top 3 show on Treehouse in Canada and consistently outperforms channel averages on RAI in Italy and across the LatAm region. In China, the series has garnered an impressive 425+ million views on streaming platform, YouKu.

The property’s first app, Welcome to Wheelford, has been downloaded more than 4 million times globally since its release in August 2019. eOne is readying the launch of the first wave of consumer products in key territories, led by global master toy partner TOMY, including six key product skus across a variety of price points focused on core characters, rolling out in multiple territories this spring. The toy launch will be followed by a limited range of secondary category product launches in 2020, including publishing, puzzles and games, arts and crafts, apparel and accessories with additional secondary launches planned throughout 2021.

Ranger Rob is nominated at The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television

RANGER ROB
2019 BEST PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM OR SERIES

Ranger Rob is all about adventure, exploration and discovery in Big Sky Park, the coolest natural adventure park ever! What are you waiting for? Get Ranger Ready to get outside!

Nominees: Vanessa Esteves, Helen Lebeau, Alex Bar, Scott Dyer, Oliver Kane
Channel: Treehouse TV
Broadcaster: Corus Entertainment
Production Company: Corus Entertainment

OTHER NOMINATIONS:

RANGER ROB - 2019 BEST PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM OR SERIES
NEIL PARFITT - 2019 BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC, ANIMATION

February 10, 2019
Source: Click Here

Pedal to the metal on Ricky Zoom

Buckle up as eOne launches its new vehicle-centric animated series Ricky Zoom.

By Elizabeth Foster

Entertainment One’s new CGI-animated preschool series Ricky Zoom is in the fast lane, speeding directly onto TV screens and toy shelves.
The 52 x 11-minute series is set to debut in spring/summer 2019 with Gulli (France), Discovery Kids (LatAm) and RAI (Italy). The show blends action and comedy as it follows Ricky Zoom, a spunky red motorbike, on adventures with family and friends in Wheelford, a town tailor-made for bikes.
“There are quite a few vehicle shows out there, so I wanted to make sure we had something that would feel unique,” says eOne president of family and brands Olivier Dumont.
“We didn’t want a show about racing, or anything that confined the bikes to a track. We really wanted something about daily life stories that will resonate with our audience; stories about growing up and the family unit.”
Dumont says the scope of the show is a significant step up compared to past projects as its stories follow not just Ricky but the entire Wheelford community, including his parents and sister, his three best friends and their families. Parisian prodco TeamTO—which has previously partnered with eOne on PJ Masks—developed the world of Ricky Zoom. The first season explores themes of practicing skills, supporting friends, spending time with family and overcoming fears.
“It’s a very rich world, a vast world with quite a few characters,” Dumont says.
Turning to the toy shelf, eOne named TOMY as master toy partner for the property. The initial consumer products program is set to launch in fall 2019 and will focus on toys and publishing. eOne plans to expand the consumer products program with apparel, which is set to hit shelves shortly after the CP soft launch.
“It’s obvious that they’re bikes and therefore have commercial potential,” Dumont says. But rather than relying on the natural translation to vehicle play, he says the team’s focus was on building out the emotional core of the show in an effort to create storylines that could inspire products across all major categories.
“All of the craft has gone into making sure the stories are really strong so that kids and parents will fall in love with the characters,” Dumont says. The hope is that once kids connect with the characters, they’ll want to engage with them through everything from home décor to digital games. This will allow eOne to build out a balanced consumer products program, instead of one that relies disproportionately on vehicle SKUs.
That focus on storytelling and character development is in keeping with eOne’s other animated preschool properties, PJ Masks and Peppa Pig, Dumont says.
“We’ve never had a vehicle show before, but it’s quite typical of an eOne show because we are taking such an emotional angle. The characters aren’t perfect and that gives rise to great stories because they have to overcome their flaws. It’s our interpretation of a vehicle show.

November 2, 2018
Source: Click Here

eOne Speeds to BLE & MIPCOM with All-New ‘Ricky Zoom’

Second deck

By Mercedes Milligan

Entertainment One (eOne) is putting some gas in its preschool properties tank with the addition of new animated TV series Ricky Zoom, which it will showcase at the Brand Licensing Europe and MIPCOM markets this fall. The show is a new CG-animated action comedy from the producers of PJ Masks.

Synopsis: Ricky Zoom follows the adventures of Ricky, a little red motorbike with a zest for speed. The show is all about friendship, family and learning to stand on your own two wheels. A born leader, Ricky is joined by an enthusiastic group of young bikes, Scootio, Loop and DJ, who live in Wheelford, a town tailor-made for bikes because here, the bikes are the people! Life with Ricky Zoom and his friends is always full of fun, comedy and excitement.

The property debuted at Annecy this year, and has already attracted broadcasters including Gulli (France), RAI (Italy) and Discovery Kids (Latin America), with a planned spring/summer 2019 premiere. eOne is now assembling the consumer products program, and recently appointed TOMY International as global master toy partner, with products to launch starting autumn/winter 2019.

“We are honored and excited to have been chosen as global master toy partner for Ricky Zoom,” said Peter Henseler, President of TOMY International. “The content is highly original and lends itself perfectly to creative, character-driven toy design. Our global team is building out an innovative product portfolio designed to bring all the excitement, , 2018dventure and fun that Ricky Zoom and his Bike Buddies experience in the show to life for kids around the world.”

eOne’s Olivier Dumont, President, Family & Brands said, “Ricky Zoom is part of our strategic focus to build properties around prime original content produced by the very best talent in the business and the reaction to the show so far has been incredible. Securing TOMY as global master toy partner and top tier broadcasters at this stage demonstrates the confidence that people have in Ricky Zoom and we look forward to meeting partners at key trade shows that can harness the potential of the property and bring it to a global audience.”

September 20, 2018
Source: Click Here

Make Room for Ricky Zoom, Entertainment One is Excited To Reveal Brand New Preschool Property

eOne Secures TOMY International as Global Master Toy Partner and Strong Line Up of Broadcast Partners for its New Animated Series Set to Air From Spring/Summer 2019

Entertainment One (eOne) is strengthening its slate of preschool properties with the addition of new preschool animated TV series, Ricky Zoom, which will be showcased at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe and MIPCOM.

From the producers of PJ Masks, Ricky Zoom is a CGI action comedy adventure series that follows the adventures of Ricky, a little red motorbike with a zest for speed. The show is all about friendship, family and learning to stand on your own two wheels. A born leader, Ricky is joined by an enthusiastic group of young bikes, Scootio, Loop and DJ, who live in Wheelford, a town tailor-made for bikes because here, the bikes are the people! Life with Ricky Zoom and his friends is always full of fun, comedy and excitement.

Ricky Zoom debuted at Annecy International Animation Film Festival earlier this year and broadcasters are lining up to air the show across multiple territories with Gulli in France, RAI in Italy and Discovery Kids in Latin America already on board, the first series set to premiere from spring/summer 2019. Building on the solid broadcast platform, eOne is now assembling the consumer products programme and has recently appointed leading children’s toy manufacturer, TOMY International, as global master toy partner with products set to launch from autumn/winter 2019.

“We are honoured and excited to have been chosen as global master toy partner for Ricky Zoom,” states Peter Henseler, President of TOMY International. “The content is highly original and lends itself perfectly to creative, character-driven toy design. Our global team is building out an innovative product portfolio designed to bring all the excitement, adventure and fun that Ricky Zoom and his Bike Buddies experience in the show to life for kids around the world.”

eOne’s Olivier Dumont, President, Family & Brands said, “Ricky Zoom is part of our strategic focus to build properties around prime original content produced by the very best talent in the business and the reaction to the show so far has been incredible. Securing TOMY as global master toy partner and top tier broadcasters at this stage demonstrates the confidence that people have in Ricky Zoom and we look forward to meeting partners at key trade shows that can harness the potential of the property and bring it to a global audience.”

September 20,2018
Source: Click Here

Nelvana’s Original Hit Series Ranger Rob Adds New Licensees, Broadcast Partners, and App Launch for an Action-Packed 2018

Season Two of the Preschool Adventure Series Begins this June on Treehouse in Canada

Toronto, Canada – Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana announced today a host of new deals for its original hit preschool adventure series, Ranger Rob. With new first-rate licensees, world-class broadcast partners, and an adventure-filled new app, the animated series continues to gain momentum heading into the Season 2 launch on Treehouse in Canada this June and on Universal Kids’ preschool destination, Sprout later this year.

Newly announced licensees include J Corp (Apparel), Black & White (Footwear), and Jellifish (Sleepwear) who each bring an extensive array of premium Ranger Rob product to the Canadian market beginning this fall. In addition, new broadcast partners include MediaCorp (Singapore), TVNZ (New Zealand), and Tiny Pop (U.K.), Clan TVE (Spain), Frisbee (Italy) and Hulu (U.S.).

The series has earned top ranks in territories such as TF1 in France, Super RTL in Germany, Disney Channel in Australia, Nickelodeon Italy, Canal Panda Portugal, YLE/TV2 Finland, and HOP Israel.

Nelvana also announced a captivating Ranger Rob game app for preschoolers, Welcome to Big Sky Park. Launching this summer, the game will be available for free download in the App Store and Google Play, and will allow kids to explore and engage in Ranger Rob’s Big Sky Park with all of their favourite characters from the series.

“Young audiences and their families have embraced Ranger Rob and seek new ways to enjoy this dynamic series,” said Pam Westman, Head, Nelvana Enterprises. “We’re confident the new licensees, broadcast partners, and app-based game, will continue to propel the series and get even more fans “Ranger Ready.”

The new deals join a growing list of previously announced partners and licensees with Ranger Robincluding: master toy partner, Imports Dragon; live entertainment firm Round Room Presents for the Ranger Rob Live Tour this Fall, with locations and dates to be announced in May; Chouette Publishingwhich will launch two titles, A Campfire Story and Nature Quest in both English and French in Canada and the U.S. this April; and Sprout, the preschool destination within NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s Universal Kids network which broadcasts the series in the U.S.

Ranger Rob follows the adventures of 10-year-old Rob and his friends around Big Sky Park, the coolest natural outdoor adventure park: Stomper, a talking Yeti, Chipper, a robotic car, fun-loving pal Dakota and others. Whether they are flying or driving in Chipper, zip-lining through trees or snowboarding through frosty fields, they love discovering and exploring all the park has to offer. Each episode of the series takes viewers on a new adventure, cultivating the spirit of exploration and curiosity, and inspiring kids to get outside to play and discover.

May 15, 2018
Source: Click Here

Zodiak’s Kody Kapow gets leg up in EMEA

Zodiak Kids has sold its Universal Kids-commissioned toon to broadcasters in Sweden, Italy, Spain, Indonesia, the Middle East and North Africa.

By Alexandra Whyte

Zodiak Kids Studios’ preschool series Kody Kapow has sold to a number of broadcasters in Europe and the Middle East.

SVT (Sweden), De Agostini (Italy), Super3 (Spain), Canal Panda (Portugal), Spectrum (Indonesia) and Discovery Kids in the Middle East and North Africa have picked up the 52 x 11-minute toon.

The sales follow the series’ US premiere earlier this summer on Universal Kids’ Sprout preschool block, which commissioned the series. The show already accounts for 31% of total traffic on the Universal Kids app for the month of July, and is one of the top five series for kids two to five on the channel.

Kody Kapow follows an aspiring martial arts-style superhero who spends his summer in a small village in China with his grandfather, a martial arts master. The main character’s tiger friend Goji is voiced by actor Jason Alexander (Seinfeld).

October 18, 2017
Source: Click Here

REVIEW: TOBY AND TABITHA BY ALEXANDER BAR AND EMMA PROCTOR

The debut picture book from Alexander Bar, best known as the creator of Mike the Knight, is an adorable story about two turtles who are more than what they seem.

Our main character, Lucy, is a shy little girl who loves to help out at her grandpa’s pet shop. A multitude of different animals – “puppies and rabbits and kittens that hopped, gerbils and budgies and snakes that bopped!” – demonstrates very early on that this is by no means your average pet shop. However, Lucy’s favourite animals in the pet shop are the titular Toby and Tabitha, two small tortoises who seemingly do nothing but sleep. Lucy’s grandpa is confused by her fondness for them, going to far as to comment that “There’s more life in my old socks,” but only Lucy knows their secret – that after dark, when the shop is sleepy, Toby and Tabitha wake up and dance. “With a tappity-tap and a rat-a-tat-tat, bet you’ve NEVER seen tortoises quite like that!” she tells us. Toby and Tabitha do all sorts of dances, and brighten up the shop as they do so, but one day, Lucy arrives at the shop as usual to discover that Tabitha has been sold…

This is a heart-warming little story about friendship, magic and dancing. The key feature is a rhythmic and descriptive narrative, even when not employing a rhyme scheme, that will make it great fun to read aloud with your child. The story dovetails beautifully with Emma Proctor’s charming, funny and highly detailed illustrations, which she drew left hand to give a looser style. Not only is it a great bedtime read, but would most certainly be an ideal choice for nursery and early primary classes also.

Images courtesy of Walker Books, who have published Toby and Tabitha by Alexander Bar and Emma Proctor.

Toby and Tabitha is published by Walker Books and is available now.

by Hannah Nicholson

October 11, 2017
Source: Click Here

Nelvana Gets Ranger Ready for a Second Season of its Hit Original Series Ranger Rob

Animated Series Continues With More Outdoor Adventures and Awesome Discoveries
Ranger Rob Toy Line Launches in Canada and European Territories Beginning Spring 2018

Toronto, Canada – Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana is thrilled to announce that after a successful first season, original animated series Ranger Rob has been green-lit for a second season (14 episodes).

During the Fall 2016 season, the series has ranked #1 on Corus’ Treehouse network in Canada for boys 2-11, and has earned top ranks in additional territories such as TF1 in France, Super RTL in Germany, Disney Channel in Australia, Nickelodeon Italy, Canal Panda Portugal, YLE/TV2 Finland, and HOP Israel.

Ranger Rob follows 10-year-old ranger-in-training Rob around the Big Sky Park, the coolest natural adventure park imaginable, as he ziplines, swings, and snowboards discovering and exploring all that the park has to offer. Big Sky Park is a one-of-a kind place with every kind of outdoor environment within its borders and each episode of the series takes viewers on a new adventure, cultivating the spirit of exploration and curiosity, and inspiring kids to get outside to play and discover.

“Ranger Rob ignites a sense of adventure and discovery in kids, and we have been overwhelmed with how kids and families have embraced the series and joined in on the fun with us,” said Pam Westman, Head, Nelvana Enterprises. “The journey has only just begun and fans should get “Ranger Ready” for lots of new and exciting outdoor adventures to come in season two.”

In Spring 2018, fans will be able to bring home their very own Ranger Rob as Master Toy Licensee, Imports Dragon, launches a line of toys based on the animated series. The Ranger Rob toys are being developed for a core preschool target age (2-5) and the line is reflective of the adventure and outdoor action from the show. Key items include vehicles, and plush and small figures. Initial launch will roll out in Canada and key European territories in Spring 2018, followed by a broader launch in Fall 2018.

Meet the team and learn more about Nelvana at Licensing Expo May 23-25, booth H214.

*Source: Numeris PPM Data. FL16 (Aug 29/16-Jan 1/17) – confirmed data. Total Canada, AMA(000). Mon-Su 2a-2a. Based on 3+ airings.

May 23, 2017
Source: Click Here

Good news! Ranger Rob is nominated for another award – this time for the Rockie Awards at the BANFF World Media Festival in June. Seems a fitting venue for our young Ranger in training!

Rockie Awards Program Competition

The Rockie Awards is BANFF’s flagship program celebrating excellence in television and digital content from around the world. Hundreds of television and digital programs compete for a coveted Rockie Award, presented at a ceremony each year at BANFF. With participation from more than 40 countries annually, including an industry jury of more than 350 professionals working in entertainment and media around the world, the Rockie Awards is one of the world’s largest program competitions of its kind.

2017 Rockie Awards Program Competition Nominees

Children & Youth Fiction
HANK ZIPZER
Kindle Entertainment in association with DHX Media, Walker Productions, and support from Screen Yorkshire
United Kingdom

HETTY FEATHER
CBBC/BBC Television
United Kingdom

ODD SQUAD: THE MOVIE
Sinking Ship Entertainment in association with The Fred Rogers Company
Canada/United States

RANGER ROB
Nelvana Limited/Studio Liddell
Canada/United Kingdom

WILD KRATTS
Kratts Brothers Company, 9 Story Media Group Production in association with PBS, TVO and BC Knowledge Network
Canada

Click Here to go to the Rockie Awards website.
Click Here for more about Ranger Rob.

Delighted to share this news about my upcoming (not to mention very first) children’s book!!

‘TOBY AND TABITHA’
By Alexander Bar
Illustrated by Emma Proctor


PUBLICATION INFO: The Walker & Walker Books Australia hardback and paperback editions will publish simultaneously, in September 2017. There are Danish and Portuguese co-editions confirmed. The Portuguese publisher (Minutos De Leitura) are hoping to publish at the end of October, while the Danish publisher (Turbine Forlaget) are likely to publish early Autumn. So all editions will be out at a very similar time.

STORY SUMMARY: With a tappety tap and a rat a tat tat ... bet you've never seen tortoises move quite like that!

From the creator of Mike the Knight, comes a warm-hearted picture book full of dancing animals, newfound friendship and a generous sprinkling of moonlight magic. To shy little Lucy, the very best thing about her grandpa’s pet shop is the two teeny-tiny tortoises – Toby and Tabitha. And Lucy knows something about Toby and Tabitha that no one else knows... When the sun goes down, the tortoises open their sleepy-snoozy eyes, wriggle their little legs … and dance! But, one Saturday, Lucy realizes that Tabitha is missing … she’s been sold! Did Lucy leave it too late to share her magical secret?


WHERE YOU CAN BUY IT: Click here.

Click here to view the Toby and Tabitha web page.

Kickin’ content

Nico Franks picks out 21 children’s shows well worth taking in at MipTV next week, ranging from a martial arts superhero and talking live-action zoo animals to a puppet sasquatch and the re-imagining of an ancient Chinese myth.

Kody Kapow (52×11’)
Producer and distributor: Zodiak Kids Studios
They say: “The unique setting and playful characters offer endless possibilities for great adventures.”

We say: Created by Alexander Bar (Mike the Knight), this original for US network Sprout is no ordinary preschool show. It follows an aspiring martial arts-style superhero who spends the summer with his extended family in a small village in China, learning ancient lessons about mindfulness, patience and perseverance.

March 29, 2017

YMA unveils 2017 Awards of Excellence nominees

Canada's Youth Media Alliance has revealed its 2017 English-language Awards of Excellence nominees for TV programs and digital productions.

By Jeremy Dickson

Celebrating the country’s top producers and broadcasters of screen-based content for young viewers, Canadian nonprofit industry org Youth Media Alliance (YMA) has announced its 2017 English-language Awards of Excellence nominees for TV programs and digital and interactive productions.

In addition to the categories listed below, YMA will also hand out awards for outstanding achievement and emerging talent on May 31 during its annual gala event at the CBC Glenn-Gould Studio in Toronto. This year’s nominees are:

Best Program, Animation, ages three to five

• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Season 2 (“Nighttime in the Neighborhood”) – produced by 9 Story Media Group, The Fred Rogers Company, Out of the Blue
• Dot. (“One Soggy Knight”) – produced by Industrial Brothers, in association with The Jim Henson Company
• Justin Time (“Who Stole My Cat”) – produced by Guru Studio
• PAW Patrol (“Tracker Joins the Pups!”) – produced by Spin Master Entertainment
• Peg + Cat, Season 2 (“The Disappearing Art Problem”) – produced by 9 Story Media Group, The Fred Rogers Company, 9ate7 Productions
• Ranger Rob (“The Woolly Wiligo of Big Sky Park” / “A Big Sky Park Elephant Train”) – produced by Nelvana Limited, Studio Liddell

March 22, 2017

Corus Entertainment Brings Families Exciting New Content To Canada’s
Top Kids Networks

YTV’s new series Ride kicks off with multi-platform release of a full episode available now on YTVGo,YTV.com, Facebook, and YouTube

Treehouse Programming Information

Ranger Rob (52 x 11 minutes) – WORLD PREMIERE
Airs: Monday to Sunday at 6:25 p.m. ET/PT beginning September 5

Let’s Get Outside! Ranger Rob is Treehouse’s enthusiastic, adventurous hero who is all about getting outside to play, explore, and discover. Bursting with boy-energy, Ranger Rob zip-lines, vine-swings and even snowboards his way around as he discovers new and exciting places in his own big backyard – Big Sky Park, the coolest outdoor adventure park ever!

August 11th, 2016
Source: Click Here

Amberwood’s Wolf Joe in development with TVO

The concept for the First Nations-themed series comes from the mind of Alexander Bar, creator of Mike the Knight (pictured).

By Jordan Pinto
June 27, 2016

Ottawa, Canada-based Amberwood Entertainment’s latest project, Wolf Joe, is in development with Canadian pubcaster TVO. The animated preschool series from Mike the Knight creator Alexander Bar follows Joe, a young First Nations boy who embarks on adventures in the northern wild with his three best friends. The concept for the series was inspired by the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, which is located near Dryden, Ontario.

Wolf Joe is aimed at a three- to five-year-old demographic, and sets out to teach preschoolers about Canada’s indigenous culture, heritage and identity. Dryden’s local education director Donna Chief is serving as a consultant during the development phase, as well as Aboriginal filmmaker Adam Garnet Jones.

Bar’s Mike the Knight currently airs on Treehouse TV in Canada, CBeebies and Tiny Pop in the UK, and on Nick Jr. in the US. Amberwood and TVO recently collaborated on Shutterbugs, which was also produced and created by Big Jump Productions.

From Playback.

June 27, 2016

Source: Click Here

Sprout Ramps Up Original Programming With New Series 'Kody Kapow' (Exclusive)

The Hollywood Reporter

Sprout, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment's 24-hour preschool network, has greenlighted a new animated series, plus three holiday specials based on original series, as part of its effort to ramp up original programming. In addition, the cable network has renewed Ruff-Ruff, Tweet and Dave for a second season.

New series Kody Kapow centers on a Chinese-American boy named Kody who spends the summer with his grandparents in a small village in China. His grandfather, a martial arts master, teaches Kody ancient lessons of mindfulness, which Kody employs as he and his cousin Hana set off on adventures in the village on a quest to solve problems and help their neighbors.

The series is created by Alexander Bar and developed for television by Robin Stein and Dan Franklin. Eryk Casemiro is executive producing for Zodiak Kids Studios, with the animation to be produced by Canadian studio Arc Productions.

The show, set to debut on Sprout in early 2017, is part of the network's emphasis on content that families can watch together.

March 29, 2016
Source: Click Here

International Emmy Kids Awards: Celebrating Success

NEW YORK: Luminaries from across the kids’ TV community came together last Friday, February 20, for the third annual International Emmy Kids Awards.

TV Kids again served as a presenting partner for the event, which honors excellence in children’s programming across six categories, along with Ernst & Young, Hasbro Studios, Junior @ MIPTV, Shaw Rocket Fund, SVT/DRTV and WDR mediagroup. Guests arriving at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers were invited to stroll the purple carpet, where a number of global media outlets were snapping pictures. Once inside, attendees mingled over canapés and cocktails—made all the more special with the view of the glittering ice floating by in the Hudson River—before taking their seats for the official awards ceremony.

Bruce Paisner, the president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, opened the awards presentation. He highlighted that the 2015 nominees marked the most diverse representation to date, with honorees hailing from 17 countries. The 23-year-old violinist and YouTube sensation Eric Stanley then took the stage, performing a medley of pop hits that got the crowd clapping along.

Awards were presented to winning programs from Chile, France, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the U.K. Polseres Vermelles (The Red Band Society) from Televisió de Catalunya and Castelao Pictures won for Kids: Series. Set in a children’s hospital, The Red Band Society is a story of friendship, overcoming obstacles and the will to live.

Mike the Knight, from HIT Entertainment and Nelvana, took home the award for Kids: Preschool. The animated show features Mike and his sister Evie, who have magical experiences while growing up in the Kingdom of Glendragon.

The Emmy statues were presented on stage by a distinguished cast that included Emma Kenney (Shameless), Evan Roe (Madam Secretary) and Brennan Clost (The Next Step). Ashley Aufderheide (The Slap) co-presented with Hasbro’s Twilight Sparkle. Also presenting that evening were the Swedish kids’ programming host Doreen Mansson, German preschool character Die Maus from WDR’s The Show with the Mouse and actress Marie Nasemann from WDR’s new kids’ series Armin’s Secret.

“There is great responsibility associated with creating content for children, and [these] winning programs demonstrate the high standard of quality the world has every right to expect,” said Paisner.

By Kristin Brzoznowski
Published: February 27, 2015

Source: Click Here

HIT Entertainment’s ‘Mike The Knight’ Wins Int’l Emmy Award
Preschool co-production with Nelvana wins big at the third International Emmy Kids Awards ceremony hosted in New York on February 20.

HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading pre-school entertainment companies and a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., announced that its production, Mike the Knight, was named one of this year's International Emmy Kids Awards winners.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handed out its third International Emmy Kids Awards at the ceremony hosted in New York, February 20, where Mike the Knight beat off competition in the pre-school programme category.

Edward Catchpole, SVP HIT Entertainment, commented “This external recognition of our industry leading storytelling and animation is a fantastic accolade and I am delighted for everyone involved.

By Jennifer Wolfe
Friday, February 27, 2015
Source: Click Here

Nelvana secures multiple sales across Latin America

The producer and distributor of popular children's content has sold over 1,200 episodes of content across the territories.

Corus Entertainment's Nelvana has signed multiple deals, selling more than 1,200 episodes of content throughout Latin America.

Drawn from Nelvana's library of children's animated and live action content, sales include popular series including Mike the Knight, Mr. Young, Beyblade and the Berenstain Bears.

Mike the Knight’s first feature-length adventure, Mike the Knight and the Journey to DragonMountain, has been acquired by Discovery Kids Channel Latin America, who currently holds all 52 episodes of the Mike the Knight series.

The new feature is a quest which will test Mike’s bravery and knightly skills as he travels beyond Glendragon.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Televisa has added the second season of Mr. Young to its schedule and Colombia’s Zebracom Internacional has acquired the rights to Beyblade Metal Fusion, Mr. Young, Sidekick and Willa’s Wild Life.

Additionally, Nueve Media has picked up popular Nelvana titles including 6teen, Blazing Dragons, Grossology, Jane and the Dragon, Nancy Drew, Scaredy Squirrel, and Sidekick for the southern cone, and Television Entertainment, Inc. has acquired rights to season one of Berenstain Bears and George Shrinks in several Latin American territories.

19 January 2015
By Robert Hutchins
Source: Click Here

Nelvana Secures Key Distribution Partners

Corus Entertainment's Nelvana, one of the world's leading international producers and distributors of children’s animated and live-action content, has signed multiple deals for more than 1,200 episodes of content throughout Latin America, drawn from Nelvana’s extensive library.

Mike the Knight’s first feature-length adventure, Mike the Knight and the Journey to Dragon Mountain, was acquired by Discovery Kids Channel Latin America, who currently holds all 52 episodes of the Mike the Knight series. The new feature is an epic quest which will test Mike’s bravery and knightly skills as he travels beyond Glendragon.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Televisa has added the second season of Mr. Young to their schedule and Colombia’s Zebracom Internacional has acquired the rights to Beyblade Metal Fusion, Mr. Young, Sidekick and Willa’s Wild Life.

Additionally, Nueve Media has picked up popular Nelvana titles including 6teen, Blazing Dragons, Grossology, Jane and the Dragon, Nancy Drew, Scaredy Squirrel, and Sidekick for the southern cone, and Television Entertainment, Inc. has acquired rights to season 1 of Berenstain Bears and George Shrinks in several Latin American territories.

19 January 2015
www.broadcastermagazine.com
Source: Click Here

Lappset Announce New Creative Division and Partnership with HIT Entertainment

Lappset, a leading manufacturer of playground and sports equipment, launched their new branded activity attractions division, Lappset Creative, in an event held appropriately at the Residence of the Ambassador of Finland in London.

In addition to the launch of Lappset Creative, Lappset used the event to introduce their partnership with HIT Entertainment.

Lappset is a 45 year old family owned business based in northern Finland, “not far from where Santa lives,” explained Ambassador Pekka Huhtaniemi in his opening address.

The company now has 350 employees in 7 countries but Director of Lappset Creative, Johan Granholm, says that family values are still at its core.

In 2011 Lappset broke new ground with the partnership with Rovio to create Angry Birds Land at Särkänniemi Adventure Park. The success of the venture encouraged the company to expand the branded attractions side of the business, leading to the formation of the Lappset Creative Division.

Lappset Creative

Granholm, introduced Lappset’s presentation. Lappset he said “do things from the heart” and are focussed on creating attractions where kids are physically active and create their own experiences: “you are the motor.”

Robert Hetherington, Lappset Creative Global Business Development Manager, went on to explain that the new business unit and their partners HIT Entertainment have developed three scalable business concepts. These repeatable branded experiences are based around interactive physical activities: Compact Activity, Activity Café + Brand Shop and full scale Activity Park.

Hetherington emphasised that these are not high capex, theme park like experiences with queues and prescribed, passive attractions.

The custom designed attractions can be linked to other venues, eg shopping malls or holiday parks, or be made into full size Activity Parks. HIT Entertainment’s extensive brand portfolio allows operators to select brands to appeal to their customer profile and generate multiple revenue streams.

Some of the activities operators can choose from are adventure trails, mazes, zip lines, Go Karting, shooting battles, jump towers and trampolines. Adding a layer of theming requires sensitivity to the brand: Mike the Knight would have an arena with soft play tournament activities; Angelina Ballerina could include a performance space and in Thomas the Tank Engine’s dockyard area, toy cranes.

With experiences driven by kids interacting with an environment “perfectly themed” around their favourite character brands, coupled with fun, safe activities, the attractions benefit from high repeatability and dwell time.

Parents will have opportunities to play with their children, but, by providing quality themed cafes and a variety of activities for different age groups in a safe environment, Lappset demonstrate their deep understanding of what is needed for a relaxing and enjoyable outing for the whole family.

Partnership with HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment are best known for their younger brands including Bob the Builder, Thomas and Friends and Angelina Ballerina as well as newer characters like Mike the Knight, however, following the acquisition by Mattel Experiences in 2012, HIT now has access to brands aimed at older girls and boys including Barbie, Ever After High and Hot Wheels. The age group covered by the portfolio now includes something for toddlers through to 12 to 14 year olds.

David King, Group Director Mattel Experiences, explained that joining forces with Mattel has had the benefit of allowing HIT to look long term at investment opportunities, rather than being constrained within a private equity funded 18 month time frame.

Of the combined power of the brands held, around $750 million pa television advertising revenue, he said, “We now have a brand portfolio that’s second to none with something for everyone: older, younger, boys and girls.”

Partnering with Lappset will bring new opportunities, said King: “Lappset are a great partner for us…we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface.”

11 November 2014
Source: Bloolopp

Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt!

Koba Entertainment sets out on their bravest mission to date starring the cheerful yet bountiful Mike the Knight in his first ever North American theatrical production: Mike the Knight in the Great
Scavenger Hunt!

The Glendragon Scavenger Hunt is on and the stakes are high; Mike is determined to discover the most knightly way to tackle this chivalrous quest. With a little help for the would-be-hero from his closest friends, Sparkie and Squirt, a pair of quirky dragons, his valiant friend Trollee, as well as his wizard-in-training sister Evie, Mike leads the charge through daunting challenges and unexpected encounters.

Set in an enchanting world filled with medieval castles, plucky trolls and flying dragons, Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt! unfolds through a mix of adventure, comedy, music, song and dance and of course a little bit of magic!

Driven by his passion to help others and, along the way, be the best knight he can be, Mike the Knight embarks on an enchanting and interactive adventure of ultimate detection and discovery that’s perfect for the whole family.

About Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt!

Koba Entertainment’s newest theatrical production, Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt!, is among the producer’s long list of original stage shows, including Toopy and Binoo: Fun and Games, Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City Of Lost Toys and Max & Ruby in the Nutcracker Suite. Production of Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt is led by award-winning choreographer and director Patti Caplette and writer Jennifer Beasley.
Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt! is based on the brand new CGI-animated series bringing the excitement and enchantment of medieval times into the life of the modern pre-schooler. Mike the Knight is a co-production between HIT Entertainment and Nelvana Studio, and airs internationally on Treehouse TV (Canada), Nick Jr. (USA), and CBeebies/BBC (UK).

About the Characters

Mike

I’m a knight! Well, I’m learning to be a knight like my dad. I go on a mission every day with my dragons (yes, I have real dragons!)
Sparkie and Squirt. I ride my speedy horse Galahad all over the
kingdom on adventures! Sometimes I make a few mistakes along
the way but whenever that happens then it’s time to be a knight and
do it right, and I fix everything up. I love being a knight-in-training!

Sparkie

I’m a big fire breathing dragon but not the scary kind! I use my fiery breath for cooking, lighting things up and for knightly tricks when
Mike is training in the arena. Oh, I do love that Mike – he is so brave
and full of energy. He’s also strong but he does ask me to do a lot
of the heavy stuff. Oh, I never mind because I always have so much
fun with him.

Squirt

I am one of Mike’s dragon friends. I’m the small one who can breathe water. Not every dragon can do that! Oh! And I can fly, which comes in handy on Mike’s missions but I don’t like to fly too far away from Mike and Sparkie. Glendragon is a big kingdom and there are all kinds of things outside the castle wall. Missions are fun but only because Mike the Knight is there all the way.

Evie

One day, I’m going to be a wizard. I practice my magic all the time and when you’re learning something, you don’t always get it right. That never bothers me but Mike doesn’t like it too much. I always want to go on his missions but Mike doesn’t like it when I use my magic. Oh well, we have lots of fun together and if I can’t go on a mission, I always have Mr Cuddles, my pet frog to play with.

Trollee

Being a troll is a fun life – I live in a cave with my Ma and my Pa. We sing, cook, play tag in the caves and love to look for food in the Tall Tree Woods! But I have to say, being a knight looks like lots of fun too. Sometimes, I get to practice knightly things with Mike in the arena and I even get to go on a few missions. Mike is a good friend.

Source: http://www.miketheknightontour.com/about-mike-the-knight-live/

Presale Offer – Mike the Knight Live!

Presale offer. Click here

Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt
EXCLUSIVE PRESALE OFFER – NOV 3 to NOV 6

It’s time to be a knight and do it right! Mike the Knight embarks on his very first theatrical debut: Mike the Knight in the Great Scavenger Hunt . Join Mike as he faces daunting challenges in a medieval world filled with flying dragons, plucky trolls, magic and adventure in Koba Entertainment’s latest musical extravaganza!

Koba Fans are invited to take advantage of exclusive offers, including 15% off regular tickets and an opportunity to purchase tickets before anyone else, starting TODAY!

Use the password KNIGHT during the offer period:
November 3rd at 10AM – November 6th at 10PM (local time).

To purchase tickets, visit www.MikeTheKnightOnTour.com

For help with your ticket purchase, please contact your local box office.


2015 Ontario Show Schedule

• February 26 – Capitol Theatre in North Bay, ON
• March 1 – Regent Theatre in Oshawa, ON
• March 3 – Empire Theatre in Belleville, ON
• March 4 – Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, ON
• March 5 – The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in Brantford, ON
• March 7 – Georgian Theatre in Barrie, ON
• March 8 – St. Clair College Capitol Theatre in Chatham-Kent, ON
• March 10 – Centennial Hall in London, ON
• March 11 – Imperial Theatre in Sarnia, ON**
• March 12 – Chrysler Theatre in Windsor, ON
• March 14 – Centre in the Square in Kitchener, ON
• March 15 – Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough, ON**
• April 5 – Centrepointe Theatre in Ottawa, ON
• April 7 – Grand Theatre in Kingston, ON
• April 10 – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium in Thunder Bay, ON
  
  *Presale period begins November 3 at 12PM local time

Mike the Knight movie: Journey to Dragon Mountain - now out on dvd and paperback book!

Glendragon is in danger! When the King returns from faraway lands, he discovers that the Vikings have stolen a treasured crystal jewel from the dragon of Dragon Mountain.

It is the King s mission to return the jewel and it s Mike s job to help him.

The King, Mike and Evie form Team Family Glendragon and soon find themselves on an epic quest filled with dangerous obstacles from meddlesome gargoyles to giant dragons!

Come along on an action-packed adventure the whole family will love!

DVD: Click Here
BOOK: Click Here

Meet CBeebies favourite Mike the Knight at Warwick Castle

Mike the Knight and young castle visitors come face-to-face with the dragon.

CBEEBIES favourite, Mike the Knight, has taken up residence in Warwick Castle.

The brave young hero will be meeting young fans on Saturday and Sunday (September 27 and 28) and battle a huge, dastardly dragon that has landed in the grounds.

Visitors can also test their own mettle by seeing how close they can get to the dragon before it roars.

And those who manage to get a selfie can post it on the castle’s Twitter or Facebook sites for the chance to win a copy of Mike’s latest DVD, Journey to Dragon Mountain.

Warwick Castle’s general manager, Geoff Spooner, said: “The castle has seen some scary things during its 1,100-year-history, but a roaring dragon must count as one of its most unusual visitors.

“Journey to Dragon Mountain is a fantastic adventure for Mike the Knight and his fans, and what better way to mark the release of the new movie than seeing an enormous dragon in the grounds of Warwick Castle, which for so long has been the setting for magic, myth and adventure?”

Link to original story:
By Chris Smith
September 25, 2014
Source: Click Here

Mike the Knight feature rides onto Hulu

Mike the Knight will be venturing into on-demand territory following a deal between HIT

Entertainment and kids home entertainment distributor NCircle Entertainment.

The young knight-in-training’s new movie will debut exclusively on US-based streaming service Hulu September 16.

Notably premiering on digital first, Mike the Knight: Journey to Dragon Mountain will be available to HuluPlus subscribers until October 13. A month after the Hulu premiere, NCircle plans to release the film on DVD (October 14).

The direct-to-DVD feature is a co-production between HIT Entertainment and Corus Entertainment-owned Nelvana Studio. It’s based on the animated preschool series Mike the Knight,, season one of which was sold to 27 broadcasters in 112 countries worldwide. Along with the show, the franchise includes a Fisher-Price toy line and Mike the Knight apps.

As a result of NCircle announcing an exclusive pact for kids content with Hulu earlier this summer, the young knight already has a number of titles on Hulu, including Knight in Training and Magical Mishaps.

The film is the latest kids property to go on-demand with Hulu as the American SVOD service continues to build up its children’s programming.

Link to original story:
Sept 12 2014
Source: Click Here

Ticket offer plus chance to win family passes to Warwick Castle in tomorrow's paper

The Hinckley Times has teamed up to offer 2-4-1 tickets plus the chance to win a family pass to the attraction

To celebrate the DVD launch of Journey To Dragon Mountain we are offering 2 for 1 entry to Warwick Castle and the chance to win one of three annual family passes to the top attraction.

Mike the Knight returns to Warwick Castle (www.warwick-castle.com) for three weekends in September (13-14; 20-21; 27-28) to give young fans the chance to learn knightly skills, hunt out dragons’ eggs and discover the wonders of wizardry.

Eight themed Mike the Knight activities are linked to Mike’s modern Chivalrous Code, offering a host of entertaining activities for little ones to enjoy.

Mike the Knight’s new DVD Journey To Dragon Mountain is out on September 15.

To be in with a chance of winning the prize or for your 2-for-1 vouchers, pick up tomorrow's Hinckley Times, on sale September 4-10, for just 80p.

Link to original story:
Sep 03, 2014
By Isaac Ashe
Source: Click Here

A Queensgate adventure for Mike the Knight

A popular children’s TV star thrilled hundreds of youngsters at Queensgate Shopping Centre.
Mike the Knight and his wizard-in-training sister, Evie took part in an afternoon of story telling on Friday (29 August).

Mike and Evie acted out adventures in front of hundreds of delighted fans and children joined in with Mike’s moto of ‘Be a knight, do it right’.

Children gathered around the front of the stage to be close to their heroes and acted out parts of the stories.

Sam Eastwood, centre director at Queensgate Shopping Centre, said: “Mike the Knight and Evie were fantastic entertainment for our young shoppers.”

Link to original story:
August 07, 2014
Source: Click Here

TV knight meets youngsters at Coopers Square

YOUNGSTERS in Burton were given the opportunity to meet one of their TV heroes.

Mike the Knight was on hand to greet youngsters shopping with their parents in Coopers Square shopping centre and pose for photographs.

He was the first in a list of children's TV characters that will visit the centre over the coming weeks, including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fireman Sam and Lau Lau from Waybuloo.

Coopers Square manager Dave Chadfield said: "We wanted to play our part in providing some free summer holiday entertainment for the community and I am pleased to see that families across the area have been able to make the most of the visit from Mike the Knight."

Link to original story:
By Burton Mail.  
Posted: August 08, 2014
Read more: Click Here

MIKE THE KNIGHT @ QUEENSGATE STORYTELLING SESSIONS

Children’s favourite CBeebies star Mike the Knight and his wizard-in-training sister Evie are coming to Queensgate Shopping Centre.

They’ll will be appearing during storytelling sessions on Friday August 1, at intervals between 2pm – 6pm in Central Square.
This great event for the kids is free and there’ll be five narrations at 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm and 6pm.

Sam Eastwood, the Centre Director at Queensgate told ESP – “We’re really excited that Mike and Evie will be joining us; it will be a great opportunity for families to come by to listen to some stories and to take some photos. We know how much the kids love Mike and we’re looking forward to learning how to ‘be a knight and do it right!’”

Link to original story:
July 20, 2014 Gossip
Source: Click Here

A NEW FESTIVAL. BY GEORGE!

• Liverpool to stage first St George’s Day Festival on Sunday, April 21
• Dragons, medieval fun, and TV star Mike the Knight in attendance
• FREE event to promote city’s historic St George’s Quarter
• Activities – including fancy dress competition – to run from 11am to 5pm
  
  Liverpool is to stage its first St George’s Day Festival on Sunday, April 21.

The day long event will feature personal appearances in the city of children’s TV character Mike the Knight with historical entertainment from story-telling to dragons provided by medieval groups.

The focus of the festival, which has been organised to promote the city’s historic St George’s Quarter, will be around St George’s Hall and St John’s Gardens which will also host a fun fair and various themed stalls including a hog-roast.

Dragon inspired Superlambananas will take up residence in Queen Square with activities also planned for Williamson Square at the Liverpool Bandstand including performances by the community choir of the Royal Court.

There will be a host of indoor fun too at the World Museum, Walker Art Gallery and St George’s Hall ranging from medieval arts workshops and story-telling to costume dressing and a knight’s trail.

Children are being invited to attend the FREE event in fancy dress on the theme of Knights, Dragons and Princesses with prizes for under-10s and under-5s.

Those attending in fancy dress will also be able to enjoy discounts at restaurants in Queen Square and discounted car-parking at Queen Square Car Park.

Liverpool’s inaugural St George’s Day Festival will begin at 11am when Mike the Knight will make a personal appearance. At the same time a very special dragon will appear on St George’s Plateau. The event is scheduled to end at 5pm.

The celebration marks a momentous week for Liverpool with the city celebrating its inaugural Literary Festival – In Other Words – on April 23 to mark the re-opening of Central Library on May 17, which sits in the heart of St George’s Quarter.

Gillian Miller, Chair of the St George’s Quarter group, said: ‘‘We hope this will be the first of an annual free festival to promote our historic St George’s Quarter. Support from City Central Bid and St John’ Shopping Centre, together with in-kind support from Liverpool City Council and quarter members has resulted in an amazing line up for our first year. We hope that the event will grow each year and help to promote Liverpool’s rich heritage.’’

Ged Gibbons, Chief Operating Officer of City Central BID, said: ‘’This festival has all the ingredients to be one of the highlights of Liverpool’s cultural calendar. St George’s Quarter is a jewel in the city’s crown and it deserves a festival that reflects that position and gives the city a chance to celebrate St George’s Day in style. It’s a great advert for the city that so many partners from the public and private sector have come together to make it happen.’’

Paul Khan, Deputy Director of Education at National Museums Liverpool, said: “Families who love history, art and discovery should head for this part of town. We’re looking forward to joining the celebrations for Liverpool’s first St George’s Day festival and have a busy day planned, from medieval crafts at World Museum to making your own fire-breathing dragon head band at the Walker!”

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for culture and tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “This will be the perfect way to celebrate the patron saint of England in an ideal setting – around St George’s Hall. It will be a packed day of activities, paving the way for the city’s inaugural In Other Words festival which is set to be a fantastic celebration of the spoken and written word.

“It is the perfect family day out and I’m sure it will be a day and a knight to remember!”

Link to original story:
Source: Click Here

Meet Mike the Knight

Date: 27 Apr 2014
Time: 4-4.40pm
Suitable for: family-friendly
Booking: Free drop-in event, no need to book

Meet CBBC's Mike the Knight at World Museum!

As part of the St George's Day Festival, Mike will also be appearing at the following locations throughout the day:

11am: Williamson Square
12pm: St Johns Shopping Centre
1pm: Queen Square
3pm: Central Library

Link to original story:
Source: Click Here

FAMILY FUN: Mike the Knight entertains children at The Big Sheep in Bideford

CHIVALROUS kids should be on a quest to check out The Big Sheep on Sunday, as Mike the Knight will be taking a break from adventures to catch up with his fans.

The animated children’s TV star is an energetic, cheeky yet bountiful young knight-in-training, driven by his passion to help others. Mike is looking forward to meeting his fans in the Kingdom of Devon.

With his father, the King, Mike the Knight is usually away exploring faraway lands, determined to do his best with his rallying cry: “Be a knight, do it right!” and learns the power of responsibility and how to do things the right way.

Nicola Hall, event organiser, can barely contain her excitement at the prospect of meeting the young adventurer: “My nephew Cameron is crazy about Mike and I’ve sat through endless episodes with him, so it will be good to meet him – and get my picture taken with my nephew and the hero himself.”

Cameron is not the only youngster to have been seduced by the magic of Mike, as the cheeky nine-year-old transports engrossed kiddies into the excitement and enchantment of medieval times.

His is a world filled with marvellous missions, castles, dragons, Vikings and trolls, and – with a little help from his Big Book For Little Knights In Training – Mike rises to each episode’s quest with the help of his closest friends.

Sparkie and Squirt – a pair of friendly, quirky dragons – and his trusty steed, Galahad, are never far from the action, and always willing to help out is Mike’s fun and free-spirited sister Evie. Like Mike, she too is a wizard in training, although her spells sometimes go wrong.

Mike will be meeting and greeting visitors to The Big Sheep at intervals between 11am and 3.30pm on Sunday, May 4. Entry is FREE to annual season ticket holders.

Visit: www.thebigsheep.co.uk

Link to original story:
By NDJJournal2 P April 29, 2014
Source: Click Here

Read more: Click Here

Hit Entertainment launches first Mike the Knight storybook app

Mike the Knight: Storybook Treasury features three ready to read books with narration, animation and sound effects.

Pre-school entertainment firm Hit Entertainment has partnered with iStoryTime to launch the first Mike the Knight storybook app.

Now available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, the app Mike the Knight: Storybook Treasury features three ready to read books in one, read aloud narration and animations and sounds on every page.

The app allows parents to download the title, Meet Mike for free, a storybook offering a tour of Glendragon with Mike, Evie, Sparky and Squirt.

The storybook app also includes two additional titles, via in-app purchases: Mike and the Dragons and Mike the Knight and the Good Deed. Additional books are available via the in-app purchase feature for £1.49.

Link to original story:
By Robert Hutchins
February 20th 2014
Source: Click Here

Alexander Armstrong joins cast of Mike the Knight

British comedian, actor and TV presenter will take on the role of the King in a new festive special.

British comedian, actor and TV presenter, Alexander Armstrong is preparing for a regal role this Christmas as he joins the cast of Mike the Knight as the King in a seasonal feature episode.

Hit Entertainment's festive special of its popular kids' show, Mike the Knight and the Christmas Castle will air on CBeebies in the week running up to Christmas.

Armstrong - who it has been discovered can trace his ancestors right back to William the Conqueror - will also reprise the role in another feature length special, Mike the Knight Journey to Dragon Mountain, for release next year.

"To play the King in Mike the Knight is a real honour and it's given me some kudos with my sons," said Pointless presenter, Armstrong.

The festive episode will follow the adventures of Mike and an unexpected visitor as the world of Glendragon prepares for Christmas Day.

Michael Carrington, VP content and head of production, Hit Entertainment, added: "Alexander is the perfect person to play the KIng.

"He has a fantastically regal air and brings the right balance of warmth, humour and authority to the role. we are delighted to have on board."

Link to original story:
By Robert Hutchins
November 21st 2013
Source: Click Here

TeamTO Brings Joe Giant to Cartoon Forum & MIPCOM

Independent French CGI animation house TeamTO is attending the Cartoon Forum and MIPCOM marketplaces to present its latest project in development, Joe Giant.

Developed by TeamTO with Disney Channels EMEA Original Programming, Joe Giant is a 26 x 26’ animated series targeting an 8-12 year-old audience. It was created by Alexander Bar (Mike the Knight), and will be directed by Arthur Qwak (Dragon Hunters).

On his fourteenth birthday, Joe Garrison discovers he is the descendent of an ancient race of Giants, who not only grew to be extra-large, wicked-strong and stupid-fast, but could also magically control the four elements: air, earth, water and fire. Sound awesome? Actually, he can’t use any of these gifts and powers particularly well—at least, not at first.

Joe Giant will be presented at Cartoon Forum September 17-20, and MIPCOM October 7-10, 2013.

Other current projects from TeamTO include Raving Rabids for Ubisoft, which began airing on Nickelodeon in August.

Link to original story:
By Jennifer Wolfe | Friday, September 6, 2013 at 11:30 am | AWN News
Animation World Network.
Source: Click Here

Disney’s Giant toon lifts off

France’s TeamTO is pushing ahead with its animated series about a young giant, from the creator of Mike the Knight and developed alongside Disney Channels EMEA.

Joe Giant (26x26′) follows a boy who must balance the discovery that he is the descendent of an ancient race of giants with his life as a schoolboy, whilst thwarting an evil race hell bent on the eradication of humankind.

Created by Alexander Bar (Mike the Knight), the toon targets an 8-12 year-old audience and will be directed by Arthur Qwak (Dragon Hunters).

TeamTO will be pitching the series at Cartoon Forum later this month, following on from their project last year, My Knight and Me (52x13′), which is currently in development with a French broadcaster.

Link to original story:
06-09-2013
Source: Click here.

Mike the Knight rides again

Broadcasters in Canada, the UK and US have committed to a second season of Hit Entertainment/Nelvana preschool series Mike the Knight.

Treehouse in Canada, CBeebies in the UK and Nick Jr in the US have all ordered more episodes of Mike, which Hit and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana are already producing.

Delivery of the second 52x12’ season is set to begin towards the end of this spring. Treehouse will show it first, from May, with CBeebies following in the summer and Nick Jr in the fall.

The first season of Mike was been sold to 27 broadcasters in 112 territories around the world.

Set in the medieval land of Glendragon, Mike the Knight takes viewers into a CGI animated world of wizards, castles, missions, dragons and trolls. It was created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) and is written by Marc Seal (Bob the Builder).

Nelvana Enterprises reps the series in Latin America, France and the US, while Mattel-owned Hit handles the property elsewhere.

C21 reporter
March 3rd, 2013
Source: Click here.

Google UK top Trending searches for 2012
Google reveals the people and subjects Brits have searched for most in the last 12 months

December 11, 2012 Sky News
Source: Click here.

Whitney Houston, who died in February, has topped the list of Google UK's top-trending people of 2012.The singer was followed by the Duchess of Cambridge and Take That star Gary Barlow.

Euro 2012 was the top-trending search of 2012, followed by Olympic tickets.
Andy Murray was the most searched for British Olympian, while Usain Bolt topped the global Olympian category.

Children's series Mike The Knight was the top-trending TV show, followed by thriller Homeland and Towie - The Only Way Is Essex.

Gangnam Style, by South Korean singer Psy, was the top-trending song.Psy took the world bY storm.

X Factor star Lucy Spraggan, who had to pull out of the show because of ill health, was the top-trending music artist.

Jeremy Hunt topped the politicians list, followed by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Google defines trending searches as queries that have had the highest amount of traffic over a sustained period in 2012 compared with 2011.

Fisher-Price gets Mike the Knight master toy deal

14th June, 2012 by Lewis Tyler
Source: Click here.

First lines to arrive in autumn 2013; deal excludes the UK and Japan.

Mattel has announced a licensing agreement for Fisher-Price to make a range of toys based on Hit Entertainment's Mike the Knight.

As master toy licensee, Fisher-Price will make and market aline-up of role play, play-sets, plush, figures and pre-school toys.

The first items are scheduled to launch in the US and Canada in autumn 2013. Fisher-Price and HIT plan to debut the Mike the Knight line at retailers in the rest of the world (excluding the UK and Japan) in 2014.

“Following a successful broadcast premiere around the world, we are thrilled to launch Mike the Knight toys with Fisher-Price next year for our newest member of the HIT portfolio,” said Pam Westman HIT Entertainment's regional head for the Americas.

“Mike the Knight has captured the imaginations of boys and girls alike with its enriching story lines about missions, castles, dragons and adventures, and Fisher-Price’s expertise in creating high quality toys will enhance the Mike the Knight play experience for children around the world. The toys are the cornerstone of a wide global consumer products range for Mike and his friends in the land of Glendragon.”

EVP of Fisher-Price Brands at Mattel, David Allmark, said: “We have great enthusiasm for the Mike the Knight property and are excited to introduce the first toys to the character’s growing fan base. The series will come to life in a charming line-up, aided by some ingenious little surprises that we’ll reveal during Toy Fair 2013.”
A co-production between Hit Entertainment and Nelvana, Mike the Knight currently airs on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr in the US, Treehouse in Canada, Cbeebies in UK, ABC in Australia and TF1 in France, and is set to launch in more than 20 more territories in the coming months.

HIT Scores Big Deals for ‘Mike the Knight’

March 14, 2012 by Thomas J. McLean
Source: Click here.

HIT Entertainment reports 10 new TV sales and three licensing agent deals for its CG-animated preschool property Mike the Knight.

The series has been sold to Super RTL in Germany, and the broadcaster has also been appointed as the property’s licensing agent in the territory.

The other nine deals that have bought the series are: Cartoon Network (Italy), Hop TV! (Israel), YLE (Finland), RTE (Ireland), NOS (Netherlands), VRT (Belgium), Minimax (Eastern Europe), Canal Panda (Portugal) and EBS (South Korea).

This brings the total number of international broadcast sales for the medieval preschool property to 17.

Mike the Knight’s international expansion also continues with the appointment of CPLG Benelux and TF1 Licenses as licensing agents in their respective territories.

“Having secured this strong raft of TV sales we can now roll out our international licensing programmes in these key territories,” said Jon Owen, senior VP, HIT Brands Global. ”We are thrilled to have such high profile agents on board and look forward to working with them to help achieve our mission of making Mike an international sensation.”

These latest deals follow the successful launch of the series on TF1 (France), CBeebies (UK), Treehouse (Canada) Nick Jr US, and ABC (Australia).

The series was created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) with head writer Marc Seal (Bob the Builder).

Nickelodeon Wins the Week with Kids and Total Viewers
February 7th, 2012

Source: Click here.
By Robert Seidman

Brand-New Educational Preschool Show, Mike the Knight, Debuts at Top Spot on TV with All Kids 2-5

NEW YORK – Feb. 7, 2012– Nickelodeon nabbed the top spot for the week (1/30/12-2/5/12) as basic cable’s top total day net with kids 2-11 (2.6/910,000) and total viewers (1.7 million).

Last week, Nickelodeon also premiered its latest educational preschool series, Mike the Knight (Friday, Feb. 3 at 10:30a.m. ET/PT), which drew 1.4 million total viewers and won its timeslot across all TV with kids 2-5 (4.77/665,000). A brand new CG-animated preschool series that invites viewers into a fantastical world of castles, missions, dragons and trolls, Mike the Knight, teaches kids about friendship, loyalty, and determination as they join Mike, a young knight-in-training, on his missions to protect his kingdom, serve his Queen and become a full-fledged knight.

Mike the Knight just got his own billboard in Times Square, NYC!l
Friday 3rd February 2012:

Mattel finalises Hit deal

Source: Click here

Toy giant Mattel has completed its US$680m acquisition of UK-based children’s media group Hit Entertainment from venture capital firm Apax Partners.

Hit’s kids’ franchises, which include money-spinner Thomas & Friends and new TV series Mike the Knight, will now sit alongside Mattel toy brands like Barbie and Fisher Price. The deal was announced in October.

This week saw the departures of CEO Jeffrey Dunn and chief operating officer Sangeeta Desai, a corporate finance specialist, who had both been drafted in by Apax to find a buyer.

‘Mike the Knight’ Gallops onto Nick

February 1, 2012 by Mercedes Milligan
Source: Click here

Nickelodeon is suiting up its latest CG preschool hero as Mike the Knight premieres this Friday, February 3 at 10:30 a.m. The 26 x half-hour adventure series teaches kids about friendship and determination as they join knight-in-training Mike on his missions to protect the kingdom. Following the series launch, new episodes will air on Nickelodeon Monday, Feb. 6 through Thursday, Feb. 9 at 12 p.m.

“Mike the Knight will take preschoolers on a journey of discovery through a medieval world filled with dynamic characters and imaginative stories,” said Teri Weiss, SVP, Nickelodeon Preschool.  “The series will inspire and empower preschoolers to always try their best, continuously grow, and work hard to accomplish their goals.”

Mike the Knight

The show, created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) and written by Marc Seal (Bob the Builder), centers on Mike, a young boy who is the son of the King and Queen of Glendragon. Mike is determined to follow his father and become a brave knight, and is joined on his adventures by his trusty steed Galahad, the friendly dragons Squirt and Sparkie and his sister, Evie, a wizard-in-training. The series is produced by HIT Entertainment and Nelvana Studio.

Hit's Mike the Knight off to a storming start on Cbeebies

by Samantha Loveday
Source: Click here

First week figures reveal the show is outperforming its timeslot.

Hit Entertainment is celebrating early success for its new Mike the Knight property.

TV data from Barb has shown a strong first week (October 31st to November 4th), with Mike the Knight the number one, most watched show on Cbeebies among housewives with children aged 0 to three, as well as four to six year olds.

The show outperformed its 4.05pm timeslot, with ratings for HWCH 0-3 up 89 per cent when comparing year on year figures, and 82 per cent high week on week.

Ratings for children aged four to six were also up, this time by 21 per cent when comparing the same timeslot YOY and 24 per cent WOW.

"We have always had high hopes for Mike the Knight and are thrilled that Cbeebies viewers have taken him to their hearts so quickly," said Alison Homewood, EVP programming distribution at Hit Entertainment. "Mike the Knight has had a spectacular start and these triumphant ratings put us in a fantastic position for the continued success of the show, and for the licensing roll out next year."

Meet Mike the Knight
Thoroughly modern Mike has an absent father and never wields his sword… and wants to be your child’s new BFF!

Written By
Vincent Graff
November 2011

Source: Radiotimes.com

The big idea - 'be a knight, do it right !'

What with the slaying and boiling oil, a medieval knight is hardly the ideal role model for impressionable young minds. So how do you turn a killer in a suit of armour into a friendly playmate?

"The usual play pattern for all things medieval is pretty gruesome," says Alexander Bar, creator of CBeebies' new animation series Mike the Knight (he's also the man behind Lunar Jim). "Seriously, for the most part, medieval role-play (even among pre-schoolers) usually involves battling enemies, slaying dragons and/or hunting down witches."

So how do you tackle the problem of turning a story set in medieval times with all the trappings of that age, but without the blood and gore that characterised it? Step one was simple - take Mike's sword away. Or, rather, transform it into something not-at-all-deadly in each episode, such as a bunch of bananas or a trumpet.

Executive producer Chris Rose explains: "Mike's sword has been accidentally enchanted by his wizard sister, Evie. So as much as he wants it to be a sword, whenever he draws it from his scabbard it's always something else." Mike's dad - the King of Glendragon - is regularly spoken of in the show but never seen (he's away exploring).

Mike lives with his mum, the Queen. A deliberate attempt to portray life in a single-parent family? No, says Rose. "Mike knows that his dad will be home one day soon, it just doesn't happen in the series." He's absent for another story-led reason. "If his dad were around he'd solve all the problems." The end result? Mike is an affable young trainee knight, eager to learn the ropes but blind to mishaps.

What's in a name? Just keep it simple

You know what a show called Mike the Knight is going to be about. The producers hope his name will become as recognised as that of Postman Pat, Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder.

"The title is important," says CBeebies controller Key Benbow. "Parents need to know what is going to be in the show. Simple is good," she says, citing CBeebies shows such as Mr Maker and I Can Cook: "They do what they say on the tin."

Short titles also work well on electronic programme guides, where there's only space for a few characters. Sometimes a show has to change its name - ZingZillas was originally going to be called Punky Monkeys, but had to be changed because the words had been trademarked as a brand name in some countries.

Ideally, a title won't need much translation in each new home - Mike has already been sold to France, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Although it turns out that in France, Mike will not be Michel, but Mike le Chevalier (English-sounding names have a certain cachet).

Look who's talking

Who do you get to voice a child's words in a cartoon? A child or an adult? Mike is played by Alfie Field, who was 11 at the start of filming. "There's something about an adult pretending to be a child that distances that character from the audience. It's completely false," says Chris Rose.

But Alfie's voice started deepening during filming: if the show's a hit they may need to find a new Mike. Meanwhile, what of the adults? Squirt - a small and shy dragon who is Mike's sidekick - is voiced by Being Human's Russell Tovey. Why him? "Russell came in and did a fantastic audition. He injected the humour and warmth we were looking for, and we were really struggling with that until we found him."

Playing and learning

Primarily designed as an entertainment show, Mike the Knight has "embedded educational lessons," says Rose. The producers say the programme is about "responsibility, discovery, eagerness". "Mike will always learn something - the show is about learning new things in pursuit of being a better person," continues Rose.

Along the way, Mike might practise a bit of counting, demonstrate the benefits of sharing his belongings or sympathise with a friend who is in difficulty. "Some of our shows are more overtly educational than others," says CBeebies' Benbow, "but everything has some sort of learning-through-play element - even Gigglebiz [a sketch show featuring spoof characters such as newsreader Arthur Sleep and sports instructor Keith Fit] has an educational value.

Anticipating and predicting a punch-line is very empowering for children. And, in my experience, children who are laughing learn better."

Stories first...then the toys

The producers of Mike the Knight, Hit Entertainment, won't reveal what it costs to make the show but, according to a TV insider, a 52-episode CGI animation is likely to cost around £120,000 per episode.

"It's almost certainly impossible to fully finance a show on the back of TV sales," says Jon Owen, senior vice president of Hit, which was recently sold to US toymaker Mattel for £425m. "This kind of animation is a substantial investment." So when a programme-maker is looking at a proposal from a writer, alternative sources of income will be at the back of their mind.

Kay Benbow admits: "You can't make a big show without thinking about merchandising. That is the world in which we live." Many parents turn to CBeebies precisely to avoid their children being bombarded with advertising.

Doesn't Benbow worry that she's providing free advertising for toy shops? "I'd hate CBeebies to be called a shop window," she says. For her, the programmes will always come first. "You can't have a show based on merchandise. It always has to be the other way round."

So what's the plan for Mike? "It will really come into the fore in the autumn/winter of 2012," says Owen. "You're going to get comics, books, toys, clothes, arts and crafts - pretty much all of the areas you'd expect."

Click HERE to see the story online.

Me and Mike at the Brand Licensing Show - London Olympia - 18 Oct 11

Mike the Knight makes page 3 of the Daily Mirror!

Move over Bob the Builder - new CBeebies kids show Mike the Knight has 26 toy deals in place before a single episode has aired

by Nicola Methven, Daily Mirror 18/10/2011

MEET the new character who is set to delight pre-school TV viewers – and leave their parents groaning as they reach for their wallets.

Mike the Knight doesn’t debut on CBeebies until October 31, but the show has 26 merchandising deals in place already.

Hit Entertainment – which also makes Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Thomas the Tank Engine – has sold it all around the world and the toys, clothes, books and magazines hit shops soon.

The animated knight, who teaches kids the value of responsibility and whose motto is “Be a knight, do it right”, is voiced by a 10-year-old. Being Human star Russell Tovey is the voice of his dragon pal Squirt. Tovey, 29, said he was thrilled at the chance of impressing his brother’s kids, Nathan and Mackenzie, six and four. He said: “Mike The Knight could trump Dr Who in terms of credibility with my nephews. I could see it becoming a hit in the playground.”

Hit Entertainment thinks Mike could be its biggest brand. An insider said: “Mike looks set to be a great success.”

In the show, Squirt and another dragon called Sparkie help Mike tackle Vikings and trolls in the kingdom of Glendragon. Creator Alexander Bar was inspired by BBC1’s Merlin. He said: “There wasn’t a show that catered for pre-schoolers’ fascination with all things castles, dragons, magic and adventure.”

Click HERE to see the story online.


Page3 - The Daily Mirror - 18 Oct 2011.
Click image for larger version.

HIT Entertainent signs extensive rights deal with ABC TV

by Lewis Tyler

The Australian partnership covers broadcast, home entertainment and digital for all of HIT's children's shows.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Has acquired the rights to over 60 hours of programming from HIT Entertainment's portfolio of children's shows. The deal extends to home entertainment and digital, with ABC getting the rights to over 290 hours of HIT's pre-school shows.

ABC TV now has the exclusive Australian broadcast rights to all series of Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Angelina Ballerina, Pingu and new property Mike the Knight.

The deal also provides ABC TV with Home Entertainment and Digital rights to all the above series, plus a further 180 episodes of Barney.

Antonio Huab, SVP, Thomas Asia-Pacific, HIT Entertainment, said: "ABC TV's significant commitment to HIT properties and to bringing quality children’s programming to kids and families in Australia is evident by the vast number of programming hours and episodes that they have acquired, and is testimony to the continued popularity of HIT's beloved characters in the region.

He continued: "We're thrilled with the performance to date of our series on ABC TV, including the most recent CG-animated Thomas series which enjoyed a ratings lift of 47 per cent and we are excited to expand HIT’s presence with the addition of other new properties, including the exciting Mike the Knight set to launch later this year."

Click HERE to see the story online.

Mike the Knight' launches on Treehouse Canada!

Travel with us to a rich and fantastical world filled with castles, quests, dragons, trolls and amazing friendships, as we embark on a young apprentice’s mission to protect his kingdom, serve his queen and become a fully-fledged knight!

With Mike’s father, the King, away exploring faraway lands, Mike’s not only an apprentice knight but the young guardian of the enchanted kingdom, Glendragon!

Through comedy, adventure and magical mishaps, Mike rises to each challenge, tackling each episode’s mission with the help of his closest friends: Sparkie and Squirt, a pair of extraordinary and eccentric dragons, and his trusty horse, Galahad. With his rallying cry, ‘Be a knight, do it right’ Mike discovers in each episode the power of responsibility and learns about doing things the right way.

With a sprinkling of magic comes younger sister Evie, who often makes Mike’s missions more of a challenge as she has yet to master the skills of good wizardry!

Click HERE to see the story online.

WORLDWIDE RIDES IN AS MAGAZINE PUBLISHER FOR MIKE THE KNIGHT™

New York and London - Licensing International Expo 2011 - HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights-owners, has appointed BBC Worldwide as the magazine publisher for the new pre-school series, Mike the Knight™.

Mike the Knight will first be featured in BBC Worldwide's popular CBeebies magazine from November, while a standalone Mike the Knight magazine, based on the new CGI animated series due to premiere on CBeebies this autumn, will be published from September 2012.

Katie Price, Senior Director, Global Publishing at HIT Entertainment said: “BBC Worldwide is the perfect partner for Mike the Knight and I am thrilled to have them on board. They have a wealth of experience and are incredibly strong editorially. The variety of themes within Mike the Knight provide a host of opportunities for a magazine format and I cannot wait to start working with them.”

BBC Magazines’ Pre-School Publisher, Pauline Cooke, said: “Everyone in the team is very excited about Mike the Knight magazine. Its fantasy world of knights, dragons and magic offers a wealth of opportunities for a new magazine that will have huge appeal for this audience. This deal also enables us to build on our brilliant working relationship with HIT Entertainment, producers of award-winning children’s programmes, with whom we’ve published the very successful Bob the Builder magazine for over 11 years.”

GOLDEN BEAR AWARDED ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR MIKE THE KNIGHT
21 LICENSEES ALREADY SIGNED FOR NEW PROPERTY

HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights-owners, has announced that it has signed Golden Bear to represent arts and crafts for its brand new property Mike the Knight.

Product ranges within the category include mechanical arts and crafts, felts and dough sets with products launching in Autumn 2012.

Tracy Griffiths, Senior Director HIT Brands EMEA said:”We are delighted to have Golden Bear on board. They have a fantastic track record and some innovative product ideas. Our quest is for Mike the Knight to become a major new global pre-school property and with such a fantastic line up of licensees supporting the brand we are confident of achieving our goal.”

Christine Nicholls, Product and Marketing Director said: “Golden Bear are delighted to be working once again with HIT Entertainment and we are looking forward to developing an exciting range of arts and crafts products for this fantastic new license.”

Mike the Knight is HIT’s first launch of a newly created boys’ property since Bob the Builder. The series was initially announced last year, and with five months to go before it first broadcasts on CBeebies, HIT has already signed 21 UK licensees.

HIT Seals Seven Deals for Mike

Publish date: May 24, 2011
Source: License! Global Weekly E-news

HIT Entertainment inked seven more deals for its newest preschool brand Mike the Knight.
New apparel and accessories partners include Akroyd and TDP for nightwear and underwear, Blues for outerwear, Trade Mark Collections for bags and luggage, VMC for dress up and accessories, William Lamb for footwear, Shreds for bags and aprons and Roy Lowe for socks.

Co-produced with Corus Entertainment's Nelvana Studio, "Mike the Knight" is due to air on CBeebies in the U.K., TF1 in France and Treehouse in Canada this fall. It is also set to broadcast on ABC Australia, SVT Sweden, NRK Norway and YLE Finland.

Click HERE to read more.

Mike the Knight gains ground

by Wendy Goldman Getzler

HIT Entertainment’s new animation Mike the Knight has been presold to four further territories.

The medieval preschool series has been snapped up by ABC Australia, SVT Sweden, DRTV Denmark and NRK in Norway, bringing the total number of presales to seven.

The CGI series, co-produced with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio, will premiere on Treehouse in Canada this September, TF1 in France in October and CBeebies in the UK in November. The four new territories are due to launch the series shortly after.

HIT will be showcasing the series’ first full episode at MIPTV next week, where buyers will be introduced to the 10-year old titular character that is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a brave and noble knight.

Commenting on the latest acquisitions Alison Homewood EVP of Worldwide Programming HIT Entertainment said: “It is testament to the strength of Mike the Knight that so many broadcasters have picked up the series before we’ve had an episode to show them. We will be showcasing our first full episode at MIPTV and are confident that this will create an even greater appetite for this new pre-school sensation.”

Click HERE to read more.

March 25, 2011

Bubble TV wins HIT Entertainment post deal

Bubble TV will complete full sound and video post production on Hit Entertainment’s new 52 x 12-minute series Mike The Knight.

Bubble TV’s senior editor, Steve Gibbs will online the CGI series in Symphony Nitris, with sound design and mix taking place in Bubble TV’s  5.1 Protools HD studio, by Adrian Walter, Sophie Davies and Will Frances.

Mike the Knight will air on CBeebies this autumn.

Click HERE to view article online.

March 25, 2011

Hit secures publishing deal for Mike the Knight
by Samantha Loveday

Simon & Schuster inks five-year agreement for new CGI animated series.
The licensing programme for new Hit property, Mike the Knight, is continuing to grow - with Simon & Schuster coming on board in the publishing category.

The five-year deal will see the firm obtain all the rights to publish books - in all categories apart from annuals - based on the new CGI animation. It will mark the first time that Hit has worked with Simon & Schuster.

"Simon & Schuster put together a really impressive pitch which demonstrated their enthusiasm and understanding of the brand," said Katie Price, senior director, global publishing at Hit. "We are thrilled to be working with them for the first time in the UK and look forward to developing an exciting range of Mike the Knight publishing."

Ingrid Selberg, publishing director at Simon & Schuster UK, added: "I fell in love at first sight with Mike the Knight and was convinced that this property had the potential to become a huge success and a perennial super brand."

Click HERE to view article online.

Character Options Wins 'Mike the Knight'

Publish date: Mar 1, 2011
Source: License! Global Weekly E-news

HIT Entertainment has appointed Character Options as the U.K. and Ireland master toy licensee for its property "Mike the Knight," which premieres on CBeebies this fall. Character also holds U.K. rights for HIT brands Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam.
Under the long-term agreement, Character Options has the rights to develop new products in the categories of plastic figurines, plastic play sets, plush, novelty, role-play and games. The first line should hit stores next fall or winter.

"Our involvement with Character has gone from strength to strength over the last 12 months and this latest deal marks an exciting new chapter in our relationship," says Jon Owen, senior vice president at HIT Brands, Global. "Everyone at HIT is hugely excited about ‘Mike the Knight,’ and with Character now on board we are confident that they will conjure up a spell-binding product range for this adventurous new series."

TF1 in France has picked up new Nelvana Studio and Hit Entertainment preschool coproduction Mike the Knight.

The 52x12' CGI series, created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) and penned by Bob the Builder head scribe Marc Seal, began development at Hit two years ago and Canada's Nelvana came onboard in the fall.

Mike is due for delivery this autumn, and Nelvana parent Corus Entertainment yesterday announced TF1 was the first overseas customer for the series, which tells the story of a small boy's efforts to become a hero in medieval times. Treehouse is due to air the show in Canada.

Nelvana Enterprises holds broadcast and home entertainment rights in Latin America and France, as well as broadcast rights in the US. Hit holds the rights in all other territories.

23 Feb 2011 
©C21 Media 2011 

16 Dec 2010: How cool is this?

Mike in illustrious company this Christmas . . .

Do it right with Mike the Knight
Sep 2010
Source: KidScreen
Click the image on the right to view the recent KidScreen article about Mike the Knight

HIT, Nelvana ride with Mike the Knight
Jesse Whittock
8 Sep 2010
Source: © C21 Media 2010
Click HERE to view article online.

The UK's Hit Entertainment and Canada's Nelvana Studio have joined forces on a new boys-skewed preschool animation from Lunar Jim creator Alexander Bar.

Mike the Knight (52x12') is a CGI series set in a fictional medieval land called Glendragon, and follows the tribulations of a heroic knight. Marc Seal, the head writer on Bob the Builder, has penned the script.

Canadian preschool service Treehouse will initially air it in autumn 2011, and pre-sales already having been closed with unnamed broadcasters worldwide, though UK diginet CBeebies is thought to be on board.

Nelvana Enterprises gets broadcast and home entertainment rights in Latin America and France, as well as broadcast rights in the US. Hit takes rights in all other territories.

The show is being produced at Corus Entertainment-owned Nelvana's base in Toronto, with executive producers from both sides of the pond overseeing production. They are Chris Rose and Marion Edwards from Hit; Jocelyn Hamilton and Irene Weibel from Corus; Treehouse TV's Jamie Piekarz; Nelvana Studio's Tracey Dodokin and Jackie Edwards from CBeebies.

Nelvana, HIT to co-produce 'Knight'
Etan Vlessing
7 Sep 2010
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Click HERE to view article online.

CGI series about medieval castles and dragons due in 2011
Sept 7, 2010, 06:41 PM ET

TORONTO -- Nelvana Studio has signed up with HIT Entertainment to co-produce the preschool series "Mike the Knight."

Created by Alexander Bar ("Lunar Jim"), the computer-generated series about castles and dragons will be animated in Toronto by Nelvana, with 52 twelve-minute episodes to be produced for a 2011 broadcast.

The series, developed at HIT Entertainment by Bar, is set in the medieval land of Glendragon and has already been sold to Treehouse in Canada.

Nelvana Enterprises will shop the broadcast and home entertainment rights to "Mike the Knight" in Latin America and France, as well as represent the U.S. broadcast rights.

HIT Entertainment will sell the animated series elsewhere worldwide.

Executive producer credits on "Mike the Knight" are shared by Chris Rose and Marion Edwards at HIT Entertainment, and Jocelyn Hamilton, Irene Weibel at Corus Kids, Jamie Piekarz at Treehouse, Tracey Dodokin for Nelvana Studio and Jackie Edwards for CBeebies.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

HIT, Nelvana Draw Swords with Mike The Knight

Rick DeMott
7 Sep 2010
Source: AWN News
Click HERE to view article online.

By Rick DeMott | Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 11:34 am | AWN News
Posted In | News Categories: CG, Television | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: CG, Television
Press Release from HIT Ent. & Nelvana

LONDON/TORONTO/NEW YORK – Tuesday, 7 September, 2010 – HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights owners, and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio, have partnered for the first time to produce 52 twelve-minute episodes of Mike the Knight, a new preschool series created by Alexander Bar.

Set in the medieval land of Glendragon, Mike the Knight takes viewers into a rich, CG-animated world of castles, quests, dragons and trolls. With his rallying cry, “Be a knight, do it right!”, the heroic Mike brings the excitement and enchantment of medieval times into the life of the modern preschooler. Mike the Knight was created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) and is written by Marc Seal (Head Writer, Bob the Builder).

Animated in Toronto, Canada at Nelvana Studio, Mike the Knight will be executive produced by Chris Rose, Vice President, New Content Development, HIT Entertainment; Marion Edwards, Vice President, Current Content, HIT Entertainment; Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Programming and Production, Corus Kids; Irene Weibel, Vice President, International Development, Corus Kids; Jamie Piekarz, Director of Content, Treehouse; Tracey Dodokin, Supervising Producer, Nelvana Studio and Jackie Edwards, Content & Acquisitions Manager, CBeebies.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Corus’ Nelvana Studio and Treehouse – a veritable ‘round table’ of preschool programming expertise – on this fantastic project. The show is a unique combination of originality, adventure, heroism and warmth, coupled with timeless and valuable life lessons,” said Karen Barnes, Executive Vice President, Programming & Development, HIT Entertainment. “Nelvana has the unparalleled animation expertise to bring the show to life in exceptional ways; and the working relationship we’ve developed with Treehouse has been a complete delight. Mike the Knight certainly has an exciting future.”

"We are excited to partner with HIT Entertainment on this fantastical series for preschoolers that allows imaginative play to take centre stage,” said Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Programming and Production, Corus Kids. “This is an exciting example of an innovative partnership that leverages the considerable talents of both companies to make an outstanding show."

Mike the Knight has begun production and will be delivered to broadcasters in Fall 2011. To date, the series will air on the preschool network Treehouse in Canada and has been pre-sold to broadcasters worldwide with additional territories to be added. Nelvana Enterprises will represent the series in broadcast and Home Entertainment in Latin America and France as well as broadcast in the US, while HIT Entertainment will represent Mike the Knight in all other territories globally.

About Nelvana Studio

Nelvana Studio is a globally recognized animation studio that develops and produces award-winning animated properties and brands including the literary classics Babar and Franklin as well as shows such as The Backyardigans and Handy Manny. Nelvana Studio is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children’s book publishing and children’s animation. The company’s multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, CosmoTV, VIVA, Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com

About HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Barney, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends, Pingu, Fireman Sam, Angelina Ballerina and Rainbow Magic. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment’s Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car in North America, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations. HIT also acts as representative for The Wiggles in the UK. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, PBS KIDS SproutSM. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com

HIT and Nelvana mark first partnership with Mike the Knight

Wendy Goldman Getzler
7 Sep 2010
Source: Kidscreen
Click HERE to view article online.

For the first time, children's prodco HIT Entertainment is teaming with Corus Entertainment's Nelvana Studio to produce the new 52 x 12-minute preschool series Mike the Knight.

The series, which has begun production and is slated to air next fall, is set in the medieval land of Glendragon and centers around a CG-animated world of castles, quests, dragons and trolls.

To date, the series will air on Corus-owned Treehouse and has been pre-sold to broadcasters worldwide with additional territories to be added. Nelvana Enterprises will represent Mike the Knight in broadcast and Home Entertainment in Latin America and France as well as broadcast in the US, while HIT Entertainment will represent the series in all other territories globally.

The Walt Disney Company Triples TV Animation Production in EMEA

Matt Kapko
7 Dec 2009
Source: AWN News
Click HERE to view article online.

The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to boost TV animation from its London base.

The global movie and programme maker's EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) division is to triple its investment in production of television animation to reflect the growing importance of internationally sourced content for its global portfolio of channels.

This will see output of animation increase from two to seven 'long-form' series per year for Disney Channel, Disney XD and Playhouse Disney.

The European production drive will be spearheaded by a 14-strong London-based team led by Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Disney Channels EMEA, who will drive two series for Disney Channel, four for recently launched Disney XD and one for Playhouse Disney.

Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Disney Channels EMEA commented: "For The Walt Disney Company, it's about creating world class animation that will appeal to kids and families both locally and internationally.

"Part of our ongoing strategy as a global company is to provide a local voice to the Disney brand in markets around the world," he said.

The London-based production hub was created in 2007 to drive forward investment in and development of long form animation outside of North America, for both European and global distribution.

It has already achieved success with series such as Kid Vs Kat, Famous Five: On The Case, Bunnytown and this year’s Jungle Junction, which is proving popular with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Among the series currently in development are (on Disney Channel), I'm in Love with Rikki Doom, written and created by Dan Berlinka and Andy Williams at Dandy Productions (Brush Head, The Raoul Show), produced by Robert Chandler (Space Age Films), and designed by James A. Brouwer (7 Shades of Awesome).

On Disney XD is Max Helsing: Monster Hunter, created by Curtis Jobling (Frankensteins Cat; art director on Bob the Builder) and Joe Giant, created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim) as well as Inventory X, created by Andy Briggs (Hero.com/Villain.net).

The team has also co-produced the European shorts series The Secret Life of Suckers and Marvo the Wonder Chicken and is currently in production on the animated comedy Rekkit Rabbit from French producer Marathon.

Mr Buhaj concluded: "These new series need to stand up next to our unrivalled stable of hits like Hannah Montana and Phineas and Ferb, and we believe the wealth of creative talent in the UK and Europe will help us achieve that goal.

"At a time when much of the industry is cutting back its investment in new content, this is fantastic news for the creative community and a testament to the success of Disney's branded channels with audiences around the world."

(BMcC/GK)

Hit takes wraps off new development slate

Samantha Loveday

Fresh properties from children’s entertainment firm include Mike the Knight.

Hit Entertainment has unveiled its new development slate, with its first property made the creator of Lunar Jim.

Mike the Knight is produced in CG animation, with the 52 x ten-minute series centering around ten year-old Mike who has a mission to be a knight.

“We are thrilled to be working with some of the best creative talent in the industry talent,” said Chris Rose, director of new content at Hit Entertainment. “We have discovered some fantastic new shows that will not only perfectly complement Hit’s existing portfolio but enable us to expand our programming into a new demographic and exciting, new creative concepts.”

 
Leading children’s entertainment producer Hit Entertainment has announced a new addition to its development slate.

•Mike the Knight, a 52 x 10 min. CG-animated series from the creator of Lunar Jim, Alexander Bar. The series features 10-year-old Mike, whose motto is “be a knight, do it right” as he protects his kingdoms makes Mum proud. The series is for preschoolers and features magic, humor and dragons.

 
HIT Unveils Television Development Slate
Wendy Goldman Getzler
4 May 2009
Source: License! Global Weekly E-news

HIT Entertainment has unveiled its new development slate led by "Mike the Knight" from "Lunar Jim" creator Alexander Bar.

Produced in CG animation, the 52x10 series centers on 10-year-old Mike, whose mission to "Be a Knight, do it right" sees him set out to protect his kingdom and make his mother proud. Dragons, magic and humor form the backbone of this preschool series, which has an emphasis on wanting to do the very best that you can.

Cynopsis: Kids!
05/04/09

Good morning. It's Monday, May 4, 2009, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

Hit Entertainment unveils its new kid-targeted program development slate, which includes:

Mike the Knight (52x10) is a CG animated preschool-aimed series created by Alexander Bar (Lunar Jim).  The series revolves around Mike, a 10-year-old boy, who wants to be a knight, who sets out to protect his kingdom and make mom proud and do the very best he can.