Cynopsis: Kids!
06/04/10

Good morning. It’s Friday, June 4, 2010, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

The Hub adds two new original series to its programming lineup, the game show Pictureka! and the animated series The Adventures of Chuck and Friends.  Based on Hasbro’s board game and produced by Hasbro Studios in conjunction with Ellman Entertainment, Pictureka! will feature kids and their families racing against the clock to find objects hidden in complex drawings.  Targeted to preschoolers, The Adventures of Chuck and Friends is based on Tonka’s Chuck the Truck and his pals.  The series is produced by Hasbro Studios and is educational/instructional (E/I) compliant.  A joint venture between Discovery Communications and Hasbro, The Hub will launch on October 10, 2010.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Turner Broadcast and Rubicon Group Holding partner to develop, produce, broadcast and merchandise kid’s properties.  Under the new deal, Rubicon’s new 3d animated series Ben & Izzy and 2D animated Tareq wa Shireen will run on Cartoon Network in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from October 2010, and additional regions across Europe, Asia and North America to follow.  Rubicon and Cartoon Network will work together to develop a licensing program to coincide with the launch of the two series.  The deal will also see the development and co-production of new episodes of Ben & Izzy that are set in Africa.  Additionally, Rubicon and Turner will explore co-production opportunities to create content based on properties in the Cartoon Network and Rubicon libraries, as well as properties acquired by Rubicon from third parties, for broadcast on regional and international Cartoon Network channels.  Finally, Rubicon will collaborate with Cartoon Network to identify and develop opportunities in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for all of their kid’s properties.

• Ben & Izzy – a comedy/adventure series in English and Arabic, the series follows two boys, Ben (an American) and Isam or Izzy (a Jordanian), who are persuaded by Yasmine, a desert genie, to travel through time and space to save history and its ancient treasures against the evil Mr. Clutchford Wells.
• Tareq Wa Shireen – targeted to K3-8, the Arabic language series underlines Arabic heritage, history, culture and music.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

ThunderCats is set to return with a brand new Cartoon Network anime series produced by Warner Bros. Animation (WBA).  Based on the classic 1980s ThunderCats series, the new series is currently in production and is a creative collaboration between WBA and Japanese animation house Studio4°C (The Animatrix, Gotham Knights, Halo Legends) that will provide ThunderCats with a new re-imagined modern look.  ThunderCats is executive produced by WBA’s EVP/Creative Affairs, Sam Register (Teen Titans, Ben 10, Batman: The Brave and the Bold), and produced by Michael Jelenic (Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Wonder Woman) and Ethan Spaulding (Avatar: The Last Airbender).  WBA also produced the animated series Batman The Brave and the Bold, recently renewed for a third season, and the upcoming series The Looney Tunes Show, MAD, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, and Young Justice.

MORE KIDS STUFF

The CBBC (UK) will debut its new comedy series Hounded, staring comedian Rufus Hound, on Friday, June 11.  Shot in HD, Hounded is a live action Sci-Fi comedy series with visual effects and an animated sensibility.  Hounded follows the adventures of Hound as the hapless host of a fictional CBBC science show and the mayhem and time travel that ensues.  Hounded was developed by the team behind BBC Three‘s innovative sketch show, The Wrong Door.

Nickelodeon debuts the second season of its game show BrainSurge ( www.nick.com/brainsurge ) from Monday, June 21, 6p.  The new season is comprised of 40 new episodes and guest appearances by Jordin Sparks, Tony Hawk, Misty May-Treanor, Natalie Coughlin and Tom Kenny (the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants among others), as well as the casts of Nickelodeon’s series Big Time Rush, Victorious, The Troop, iCarly and True Jackson, VP.  The season also features theme weeks such as Twins vs. Twins, Siblings vs. Siblings and parents vs. Kids.  From executive producers 310 Entertainment’s Clay Newbill, Stone & Company Entertainment’s Scott Stone (Legends of the Hidden Temple) and David A. Hurwitz, BrainSurge is based on the Tokyo Broadcasting system Television’s series Brain Survivor.

Classic Media secures further international distribution deals for two of its animated preschool series, Guess with Jess and Tinga Tinga Tales.  Both series have launched on CBeebies (UK), and Guess with Jess has since debuted on ABC (Australia), France 5 (France) and Treehouse (Canada) and Tinga Tinga Tales set for its US premiere on Playhouse Disney in spring 2011.

• Tinga Tinga Tales (52×11) – a co-production with Tiger Aspect Productions in association with HomeBoyz, new international deals for the series include: ABC (Australia); Rai (Italy); Mini Mini (Poland); YLE (Finland); ViaSat 1, Can Family (Ghana); True Visions (Thailand); RTE (Ireland); NRK (Norway); SVT (Sweden); TVB (Hong Kong); Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (Middle East); Canal Panda (Portugal); France TV (France).
• Guess with Jess (52×10) – a co-production with Nelvana, new international broadcast deals include: Cartoon Network (Asia Pacific), RTB (Brunei), Emirates Cable TV (E-Vision) (Middle East), Hop TV (Israel), YLE (Finland), TV3 (Malaysia), Canal Panda (Portugal), Vietnamese Broadcasting Corporation (Vietnam), ANTV (Indonesia), Mediacorp (Singapore), Difusion S.A (Argentina), CYBC (Cyprus), NRK (Norway) and EBS (South Korea).

Indie distributor New Video inks a deal with movie distributor GKIDS to acquire the US TV, digital, VOD and home entertainment rights to the animated fantasy feature film The Secret of Kells.  New Video will release the movie on VOD, digital, DVD and Blu-ray on October 5, 2010 via its new home entertainment label, Flatiron Film Company.  GKIDS holds the US rights to The Secret of Kells.  From the producers of The Triplets of Belleville, The Secret of Kells was nominated an Academy Award in the Best Animated Feature category.

Chapman Entertainment inks a license deal with 2 entertainment to be the new DVD licensee for the preschool series Rah Rah The Noisy Lion (52×10), which will air on CBeebies next year.  Under the agreement 2 entertainment takes the DVD and download rights for the series in the UK and Ireland.  Created by Mackinnon & Saunders, Rah Rah The Noisy Lion is being produced by Chapman Entertainment. 

MARKETING/LICENSING

MarVista Entertainment partners with Borders to launch an exclusive line of consumer products based on the new TV movie 16 Wishes ( www.16wishesthemovie.com), which makes its world debut on Disney Channel on Friday, June 25 at 8p.  A range of products will be available nationwide at Borders and Waldenbooks stores and online at Borders.com.  Borders support the 16 Wishes products in-store with end caps and/or table programs to merchandise the 13-item collection of products (e.g. soundtrack, T-shirts, keychains, bookmarks, posters, journals, calendars, short novelization etc). Additionally, 200 stores will feature video monitors that will run the movie trailer and music video through the end of July.  The stars of the movie, Debby Ryan (The Suit Life on Deck) and Jean-Luc Bilodeau (Kyle XY) will make an in-store appearance at Borders in LA, June 19.  MarVista has also signed an in-store and on-line promotional partnership with Rita’s Italian Ice to promote the movie.  Beginning on June 15th, 16 Wishes movie flyers will be posted in all 550 of its stores; and the company will support the launch with an email campaign to its Birthday Club members, as well as launching a Facebook and Twitter campaign.

The Jim Henson Company heads to Licensing International Expo next week where it will debut a group of new properties (all previously announced) to the licensing community.

• Wilson & Ditch: Digging America – an internet destination produced by Henson for PBSKidsGo.org.  Targeted to K6-10, Wilson & Ditch: Digging America takes viewers on a cross-country adventure with two gopher brothers (performed by Brian Henson and Paul Rugg), learning about American culture, history and geography along the way. In addition to the webisodes, Wilson & Ditch features interactive games, original comics a travel blog, online location audio podcasts, and downloadable activities.  Wilson and Ditch puppets are produced using Henson Digital Puppetry Studio.  Henson is looking for licensing partners for publishing, travel games, educational products, iPhone apps, and travel accessories.
• The Possibility Shop – an original series of webisodes and website produced by Henson for Disney Online‘s FamilyFun.com (

www.FamilyFun.com/PossibilityShop ).  Hosted by Courtney Watkins, The Possibility Shop features kid-targeted activities and projects, and seasonal and holiday-based content.  Henson is seeking licensing partners in categories including publishing, activity products, stationery products, and arts & crafts.

• Me And My Monsters – the series revolves around the Carlson family following their move from Australia to the UK, where they find three out of control and funny monsters living in their new home.  Created by Mark Grant (Perfect World, BBC and STAR, ITV), the series stars human actors and three monster puppets developed by Jim Henson’s Creator Shop.  My And My Monsters is set to air on the BBC (UK), ZDF (Germany) and Network 10 (Australia).  BBC Worldwide is handling licensing for the series in the UK, Germany and Australia, while Henson is managing the series for in the US.
• The Skrumps is a new series, based on the tween/teen-targeted vinyl characters created by artists John Chandler.  The TV project is currently in development at Henson. Brian Henson, Lisa Henson and John Chandler will executive produce. They are seeking licensing partners in the areas of interactive video games iPhone apps, and collectible toys.
• The String Doll Gang – Henson debuts The String Doll Gang, from Kamibashi Corp., under its third party brand banner HIP Brands.  The property features a group of characters in the form of handmade string figures, each with their own unique positive power.  The dolls are already available in the US.  Henson is developing a stop motion animated TV series based on the property and aimed at tween boys and girls.  The licensing effort includes a plan to extend the characters into other categories targeted to tweens and teens.  Henson is looking for partners to extend the dolls into larger sized dolls (with and without electronics), and other categories including apparel, accessories, and stationery, room decor, personal care, books and mobile content.

BCP Imports, the company behind Sillybandz, appoints LA-based consumer products company Brand Central as its agency of record.  Under the deal Brand Central is responsible for acquiring brands to develop new licensed product lines of Sillybandz and licensing out the brand to licensees.  Interest in the popular Sillybandz property is strong, with licensees from TV, sports and film already looking to acquire rights.  Additionally, discussions are underway with manufactures looking to develop Sillybandz licensed products across a range of categories such as apparel, headwear, arts & crafts, confections and iPhone apps.

STONE SOUP

The 50th anniversary of Dr. Seuss‘s book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, will be honored as Random House Children’s Books, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, The Ocean Project, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) are teaming up to celebrate World Oceans Day, held annually on June 8.  Seventy-five AZA accredited zoos and aquariums nationwide, and 600+ Ocean Project partners worldwide are set to host family events inspired by One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, with the goal of teaching kids about our ocean’s and what we can do to protect the oceans and the diverse life forms the live in them.  Further information about World Oceans Day can be found at theoceanproject.org/wod/index.php

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Joe Quesada is upped to Chief Creative Officer, Marvel Entertainment.  Quesada will work alongside Alan Fine, EVP/Office of the President and Chairman/Marvel Studios’ Creative Committee, to ensure that all portrayals of Marvel’s characters and storytelling remain true to Marvel’s history.  Additionally, he will oversee creative of Marvel’s lines of business including theatrical, TV, publishing, animation and games, while also taking part in all story and script development for Marvel’s films and animation.  Quesada will also continue to serve as Editor-In-Chief/Marvel Publishing.  Quesada will report to Fine.

Coolabi names Zoe Scurfield as Head/Development and Production.  Charged with continuing to grow Coolabi’s TV production across animation and live action, Scurfield will serve be Executive Producer on all of its productions as well as serving as the point person for broadcasters and production partners.  Scurfield previously spent 13 years at Disney, eventually serving as Executive Director/Programming, Disney Channels UK, Scandinavia and Emerging Markets.

Spin Master promotes Craig Sims to VP/Global Licensing.  Sims will manage all master toy efforts and brand licensing initiatives across all territories.  Sims will also oversee the selection and acquisition of new licenses for the company.  He will continue to be based at Spin Master’s LA office.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Monday, May 31, 2010, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1360; K6-11 870; TWEENS 9-14 634
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   974; K6-11 575; TWEENS 9-14 412
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   644; K6-11 427; TWEENS 9-14 331
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   200; K6-11 147; TWEENS 9-14   97
NICKTOONS:              K2-11   169; K6-11 124; TWEENS 9-14 118
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:          K2-11 1103; K6-11 567; TWEENS 9-14 435
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   911; K6-11 564; TWEENS 9-14 418
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   493; K6-11 303; TWEENS 9-14 203
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   165; K6-11 114; TWEENS 9-14   95
NICKTOONS:              K2-11    96; K6-11   65; TWEENS 9-14   45
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Friday Fun Fact:  The Leap-The-Dips roller coaster is the oldest roller coaster in the world. It is located within Lakemont Park in Pennsylvania

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia: I’m a dietitian, cook, housekeeper and often advisor to a house full of kids.  I was born in Wisconsin, have two adult kids of my own.  I rarely lost my temper tho the one time I did, I threatened to hit one of the kids over the head with my frying pan.  Who am I? EDNA ANN GARRETT on FACTS OF LIFE  (and who nearly caused her to act out with a frying pan?  Jo, of course)  Kudos to:   Wendy Stone-Golf Channel/Orlando; Danna Castiglia-CBS Corp/NY; Colleen McGovern-Kantar Media/NY; Julie Caracciolo-Active Media Services/Pearl River;

Today’s Trivia Question:    Tony Stark is better known as whom?     (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)

Later —
Gwen Billings for Cynopsis Kids!
gwen @cynopsis.com
06.04.10

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