Cynopsis: Kids!

07/16/09

Good morning. It’s Thursday, July 16, 2009, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

Did you hear?  Warner Bros.‘ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG) opened at midnight on Wednesday?  Oh, you already heard right?  Half-Blood Prince moves The Dark Knight (PG-13) out of the way as the biggest midnight opening box office gross ever, taking in an estimated $22.2 million as it opened in just over 3,000 theaters, according multiple sources.  The Dark Knight, also a Warner Bros. movie, opened July 18, 2008 with midnight receipts of $18.5 million in its 12a opening.  Could Half-Blood Prince break $200 million faster than The Dark Knight’s five-day chart-toppling $203.8 million last year?  While there is now way to be sure … I took the liberty of consulting my trusty Magic 8 Ball, which says, “All signs point to yes.”

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Disney Channel commissions the new live-action comedy, Good Luck Charlie, which revolves around a family with two teens, a tween and a brand new baby.  Slated to debut on Disney Channels worldwide in 2010, the series stars Bridgit Mendler, who has appeared on episodes Wizards of Waverly Place and Jonas, Jason Dolley (Hatching Pete, Minutemen, Cory in the House) and Bradley Steven Perry, as the three siblings enlisted to help with the new addition, Charlotte (aka Charlie), when their parents head back to work.  Each episode will feature Teddy (Mendler) a video diary entry for Charlie to use as advice as she grows. Created by Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen (Suddenly Susan, What I Like About You), Dan Staley will also serve as Executive Producer; Good Luck Charlie is produced by Laugh Productions.

David Frankel (Marley & Me) is set to direct Warner Bros.‘ animated adaptation of Septimus Heap: Magyk, the first book in author Angie Sage‘s book series for K9-12, per THR.  Rob Lieber (Neopets) is adapting the story for the big screen.  Karen Rosenfelt is producing the picture under her Sunswept Entertainment.  Sage will serve as executive producer.  HarperCollins will publish the fifth title in the planned seven book Septimus Heap series, Syren, this September.

Disney picks up the feature film rights to Wings, a young adult novel by author Aprilynne Pike, for Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus, per Variety.  Produced by Temple Hill Entertainment (Twilight), the story revolves around Laurel (Cyrus) a sheltered home-schooled 15-year-old girl as she begins life in a regular high school.  High school being what it she, Laurel feels different, and as it turns out she is different … as a set of wings develops on her back she discovers she is a fairy.  Published by HarperTeen this May 2009, Wings is the first of a four book series.

Universal and Illumination Entertainment select March 4, 2011 as the release date for the mixed live-action and CGI animated family movie I Hop, according to Variety.  Directed by Tim Hill (Alvin and the Chipmunks), the family-targeted holiday movie will feature Russell Brand, while some reports have Brand lending his voice to the Easter Bunny, others have him playing the slacker who is forced to help-up after hitting the Easter Bunny with his car.  Universal and Illumination’s animated feature film, Despicable Me, which features the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Kristen Wigg, Will Arnett, Julie Andrew as well as Brand, among others, is set to open July 9, 2010.

MORE KIDS STUFF

The management of the Jetix channel in Italy, led by MD Francesco Nespega, has inked a preliminary deal with Disney to acquire TV channels GXT, a young-male aimed pay-TV service available via Sky Italia Entertainment Channels Package, and K2, which is free TV channel aimed at K4-14, both of which are exclusive to the Italian market.  Under the agreement management group, which is now called Switchover Media, will acquire the entire former local Jetix subsidiary.  In addition to developing the GXT and K2 businesses, Switchover will operate as an indie channel provider and plans to develop other channel projects targeting select demos for distribution on various TV platforms in the market.  Switchover will also manage Jetix activities in Italy until the re-branding of the channel as Disney XD is effective later this year.  Switchover Media will continue to be based in Rome with its current staff. 

Animation Collective inks a broadcast deal for its animated action/comedy series Three Delivery (26×22) with Canal Once (Mexico), which will air the series from September 2009.  Three Delivery is co-produced by Animation Collective and Fatkat Studios in association with Nicktoons Network, YTV (Canada) and the BBC (UK).

MARKETING/LICENSING

Discovery Communications enters into a licensing deal with Jay at Play International Hong Kong, to develop a line of plush products based on the Animal Planet brand for distribution in the US and Canada.  Set to launch in spring 2010, the line will feature traditional basic plush and plush bundled with an Animal Planet DVD, Jay at Play is working with inventors to develop plush new features and technologies (e.g. movements, animal sounds) unique to the Animal Planet brand.  The deal was brokered for Animal Planet by licensing agent the Joester Loria Group.  A portion of the proceeds from the line will benefit the principal partners of R.O.A.R (Reach Out. Act. Respond), Animal Planets national campaign that teams with animal organizations to be a voice for animals.

Future, a special interest media group, plans to re-launch its UK boys 5-13 targeted Official Jetix Magazine as Nitro!  The first issue of Nitro!, which will continue to be boy-centric, will be available from September 3, 2009.  The magazine will feature kid-related news, toys, comic strips and features, covering characters from TV, movies and games.  With a print fun of 45,000 copies per month, Nitro! Will offer at least four ‘covermounted’ gifts per foil-bagged issue.  Each issue will run about US$4.90.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

HarperCollins Publishers appoints David Linker as Executive Editor/HarperFestival, HarperCollins Children’s Books.  Linker will handle all movie and TV tie-in programs, superhero tie-in efforts and Fisher-Price, in addition to overseeing other programs.  Linker joins the publisher from Innovative Kids where he was Editorial Director.  Previously, he served as Executive Managing Editor/Global Books, Disney Publishing.

Primetime Emmy® Awards Note: Cynopsis will be rolling out five Special Edition issues focusing on the 2009 Primetime Emmy® Award nominees, going out to all Cynopsis subscribers.  These special editions will cover the following categories: 

• 7/29 Special Edition:  Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy
• 8/5 Special Edition:    Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Directing of a Drama, Outstanding Writing of a Drama
• 8/12 Special Edition:  Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, Outstanding Reality Program; Outstanding Non-Fiction Series; Outstanding Non-Fiction Special
• 8/19 Special Edition:  Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
• 8/24 Special Edition:  Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

The nominees will be announced this morning, and if you’re among them … congratulations!!  And if you’d like to send us a description or brief bio of the nominated series/director/actor/writer (maximum of 150 words – emailed 48 hours prior to publication date), we will include it in our special edition.   Please send the description to me at cynthia @cynopsis.com. 

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A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

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Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:   My name is Freddie.  I’m hanging with Jimmy most of the time, except when I’m stolen.  Why am I stolen?  Well, I’m magic.  What am I?  THE MAGIC FLUTE on H.R. PUF’N’STUF  Kudos to: Bridget Brady-WETA/Washington DC; Dusty Ratledge-Scripps Networks/Knoxville; Ron Yurman-Short Hills Media Group/Short Hills NJ; Tom Boyd-WGN/Chicago; Squirrel Rippley-Dark Horse Media/Tucson; Jack Vein-The Gotham Group/LA; Jimmy Cuomo-Artboy/Hollywood; Brett Ashy-The Ashy Agency/LA; Kevin Weist-Mevio/San Francisco; Cherie Oldenburg-E1 Television International/Toronto

Today’s Trivia Question:   This 55′ iconic statue stands off exit 119 on Interstate 90, in Blue Earth, Minnesota.  This town spent thousands to erect the statue in 1979, and at the base it reads: “Welcome to the Valley, Blue Earth, Minnesota.”  Who is depicted in this statue?  (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.)

ALERT:   CYNOPSIS EDITORIAL STAFF IS ON VACATION ALL NEXT WEEK RETURNING ON MONDAY, JULY 27

Later — Gwen
 Gwen Billings for Cynopsis Kids!
07.16.09

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JOB OPENING: ON AIR TECHNICIAN/New York: OnAir Tech Master Control Ops Prod & post production duties. Apply @ www.mylifetime.com/about-us/welcome https://www.abso.com/jobboard/Default.aspx?JOBBOARDID=507&JobDetail=58756 (7/30)

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SITUATION WANTED: Seasoned special sales/sub rights publishing pro is searching for the next great opportunity in children’s media, licensing or product development. Creative, strategic and conceptual seller. Email: [email protected] (7/28)

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SITUATION WANTED: STORY PRODUCER/EDITOR – FIELD PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/LA: 10 yrs exp. from conception to final edit in Reality TV, Film, New Media & Video Production. Seeking next great project. [email protected] (7/28)

SITUATION WANTED: Emmy award winning doc producer/director/exec producer . 20+ years experience: history, music, public affairs, doc reality for PBS, BBC, A&E, Nat Geo etc. Great international co-pro experience: [email protected] (7/28)

SITUATION WANTED: Recent college graduate with 3 years of AD SALES EXPERIENCE in the media industry such as CNN, and Com Radio. Please feel free contact me via email at [email protected]     Located in NYC (7/18)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/EIC/PROD MGR/LA: 10+ Yrs Industry Experience. TV/Web/ Industrial. Seeks long term full time position. Camera and FCP savvy.  Package deal. On schedule and under budget! Contact – [email protected] (7/18)

SITUATION WANTED: EIC/LINE PRODUCER with 10+ yrs exp. Variety, Docu-Reality, Game Show, Scripted, Competition/Elimination- Mngd biz of Prod. Co’s. for major TV & cable nets. Looking for next project. [email protected] (7/17)

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