Dublin-based distributor Monster Entertainment (monsterentertainment.tv) is heading to MIPTV (April 17-19) with several new animated series:
Storybud (15 x 5′), an RTE commission from Dublin’s Kite Entertainment, which recently won the RTS Award for Best Children’s Program, is a series of funny short stories based on well-loved fairytales and nursery rhymes for kids aged eight and over.
Written by famous Irish comedians, the stories are reimagined with lots of silly twists. Refreshed tales like “Cinderella’s other Fella,” “The Elves and the Loo Maker” and “Humpty Mumpty” are read by well-known TV personalities including Baz Ashmawy. Each tale is brought to life with a dash of top-notch funky and colorful illustration
Ollie (52 x 4′) is a non-verbal preschool series from Belgium’s Lunanime, Ireland’s Ink and Light and Norway’s Storyline; already sold to ITV, YLE, Hop, CYBC, VRT, NRK, RTE, RTL Netherlands, RTBF and Eurokim.
In the middle of a busy city, in a peaceful forgotten park, you will find Ollie and his friends. A small owl, a little stork, a young frog and five tiny birds live and have exciting adventures. Small stories about big issues like discovery, friendship, being alone and the importance of the little things in life. Come at nightfall, when the city turns quiet and everybody goes to sleep. shh…
Tiny Toot (26 x 7′, children two to five) from Denmark’s Toolbox Film is due for completion by the end of the year, and has already been acquired by DR, YLE, SVT, NRK, RUV and RTE. Additionally, Carlsen has already published books based upon the upcoming series.
Tiny Toot is about three years old. She lives with her cat, Gato, her brother and her mum and dad … and then there’s Pixie, her little magician elf who lives in a mouse hole in the wall. Every morning Pixie invites Tiny Toot and Gato on a new adventure. They eagerly join him in his nut-chopper — and together they make friends with everyone they meet and learn new things about daily daytime life.
Each episode arouses the young viewers’ curiosity about the magical world that surrounds us — always in a reassuring gentle way. The stories end with the three friends returning home safely, so the world can carry on exactly as it’s supposed to.
Monster will also be highlighting newly completed series Fia’s Fairies, from Ireland’s Little Moon; Storytime with Ms B Booksy, from U.S.-based Driver Studios; Zizi and Hannibal, from South Africa’s Pixcomm; The Charlie Shepherd Show, from Brazil’s TV PinGuim; Noodle and Bun, from South Africa’s Polycat; and Once Upon My Story from Canada’s Maki Media.
Dutch sales agent Incredible Film (incrediblefilm.com) announced two charming young audiences titles on its animated slate for MIPTV 2023.
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Tummy Tom (4 x 60’) is an animated film series based on the bestselling children’s books produced by Phanta Animation and BosBros. Tummy Tom is a funny, inquisitive, adventurous, and a slightly mischievous ginger tomcat. Together with his animal friends, he explores the world around him just like a preschooler would.
Tummy Tom first appeared on Sesamstraat (Dutch Sesame Street) in 1978, and Dutch publisher Gottmer started publishing Jet Boeke’s stories in 1983. Since then, millions of Tummy Tom books have been sold around the world. In 2018, Tummy Tom celebrated his 40th birthday. The first film in the series is Tummy Tom’s Teddybear, which is currently in production.
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Pim & Pom (26 × 5’), a 2D-animated preschool series based on world famous works of art, also produced by Phanta Animation. Pim and Pom, two little cats, go on adventures in the fascinating world of art. Through the power of their imagination they explore paintings by famous artists like Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Seurat and Renoir.
Made in the lively graphic style of the Dutch illustrator Fiep Westendorp, the series will serve as an introduction to the visual arts for young children. English and Latin American Spanish dubs are available.
ZDF Studios revealed a hefty lineup of scripted and unscripted content along with a range of junior titles to peruse at their MIPTV Stand (R7.D5). Animation highlights below; more details available at zdf-studios.com.
- The colorful 3D animated series Maari – Adventures at the Reef (20 x 7’), aimed at preschoolers, has diversity and environmental protection as its core themes. Maari the squid has two very best friends: Tuts, a turtle, and Fin, a crab. Wherever there are problems in the Blue Bay Reef, the three of them are there, together with the little plankton Spotti. Up for adventures, they don’t shy away from putting things right. When dangerous human garbage continues to pollute the reef, the three find a way to get rid of it. Together they are unstoppable. Produced by bigchild Entertainment.
- A geological and cultural-historical biography of the world revealing how nature shaped and influenced cultures, The Six Continents Revealed goes back over 200 million years. Featuring state of the art 3D animations, viewers are taken on a journey through time to experience drifting continental plates, sinking land masses, explosive volcanoes and raging storms. A Story House Productions for ZDF, in association with Arte and ZDF Studios.
