Cynopsis: Kids!

05/21/09

Good morning. It’s Thursday, May 21, 2009, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

PBS and Panache, an ad-insertion platform for media and entertainment companies, partner to integrate Panache’s platform into PBS’s video management system.  This move will allow PBS Kids Go! producers to place interactive game elements within any video content on the programming block’s website, which will let games run directly inside the PBS Kids Go video player, which offers show video clips and full-length episodes.  By enabling producers to assign and schedule game content over specific broadband videos within Panache’s, which features specific reporting capabilities, PBS Kids Go will be able to track the effectiveness of their interactive elements.  The first series adding the Panache-enabled game interactivity to online videos include Arthur, Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman, Cyberchase and WordGirl, which will be followed by The Electric Company.

The ongoing debate about the selling/renting of violent video games to minors could be headed to the US Supreme Court.  California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown petitioned the highest court in the land yesterday to reinstate a law banning such sale/rental to minors, according to the Associated Press.  Per the report, this February the 9th US Court of Appeals struck down the law saying it was a violation of First Amendment rights, specifically free speech, which could limit minors access to material under the pretext of protecting them as well as the rejecting the studies that linked violent video games to aggressive and anti-social behavior.  Furthermore the court pointed to other ways to protect children, including parental control.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Nickelodeon commissions DreamWorks Animation to produce a pilot based on the movie Monsters Vs. Aliens, per The Hollywood Reporter. The news comes on the heels of last week’s announcement that Nick and DreamWorks are working on the new Kung Fu Panda: The Series.  Of course the two previously collaborated on the animated TV series The Penguins of Madagascar that is currently airing on Nickelodeon.  Additionally, DreamWorks Animation has two animated specials in the works for air on NBC in 2010, the Halloween special Scared Shrekless as well as a Kung Fu Panda holiday special.

In other news, DreamWorks Animation is developing two live arena shows based on two of its movies:

• DreamWorks Animation is in the early development stages on a live arena show based on its upcoming movie How to Train Your Dragon, which is slated for a March 26, 2010 release.  DreamWorks Animation is collaborating on the arena show with the Australia-based Global Creatures; the group specializes in live productions employing state-of-the-art animatronic technology.  Global Creatures is best known for developing the Walking with Dinosaurs arena show.
• DreamWorks Animation is also collaborating with theatrical show production entity run by Franco Dragone to create a live arena show based on its property Kung Fu Panda.  The arena show is currently slated to be ready for tour in 2011, to coincide with the June 2011 theatrical release of the animated Kung Fu Panda sequel.

“We could be in production by winter.”  That is what Dan Aykroyd said about Columbia Pictures‘ Ghostbusters 3 movie in an interview with the LA Times.  Aykroyd also said that Sigourney Weaver will be in the movie, along with the original cast including Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and of course Aykroyd.  On the topic of directors, Aykroyd voiced his desire to have Ivan Reitman back for the third movie, noting that Reitman’s “too busy as a mega-producer” right now.  Aykroyd said that it would be wonderful if Ramis (who co-wrote the first two movies) directed Ghostbusters 3, adding that he is very busy too.  Penning the script for Ghostbusters 3 are Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (Year One).  Finally, Aykroyd says a new five-person team of Ghostbusters, including some women, could be part of the story, suggesting maybe Alyssa Milano (her voice is featured in the new Ghostbusters video game) and Eliza Dushku.

MORE KIDS STUFF

More good news for movie and MTV fans who anxiously await the arrival of Warner Bros.‘ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15, 2009) and Paramount‘s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24, 2009).  The stars of both movies are set to reveal never-before-seen clips from their respective movies during the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, which air live on MTV, Sunday, May 31 at 9p.  From England, Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will offer up a sneak peek of Half-Blood Prince.  Also on-hand to present an exclusive scene will be Transformers actress Megan Fox and director Michael Bay.

MARKETING/LICENSING

Aardman Rights finalizes new licensing deals for its stop-motion animated preschool series Timmy Time (52×10).  Regio signs on as toy partner for Timmy Time in Hungary, where the series airs on Minimax.  One 2 Play will manage all rights to the property in ex-Yugoslavia.  Aardman has appointed AMO as toy partner for Finland, with Top Toy managing all other Scandinavian countries. Broadcast rights in this region are held by YLE (Finland), SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway) and DRTV (Denmark).

Coolabi appoints Barcelona-based Art Ask to handle licensing for its tween/teen girl-aimed Scarlett & Crimson property across Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Turkey.  Earlier this year Coolabi tapped Lisa Marks & Associates to oversee Scarlett & Crimson licensing in North America and Gorian Consumer Products to rep the property for both GAS and Benelux regions.  In other news, in the UK later this year in the Boots will offer a Scarlett & Crimson range of gift cosmetics UK, developed by Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall.  The first two in a 16-title series of books will release in the UK and USA from Simon and Schuster, which feature Scarlett and Crimson’s band, The Darq Starz.  In support of this Coolabi has commissioned six original music tracks for delivery in July.  Additionally, the Scarlett and Crimson interactive website will launch on July 14, created by Kids Industries.

Roary the Racing Car and his mechanic, Big Chris, will appear in the UK at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge, over the May 30-31 weekend, to celebrate the launch of Kinderclass, a new Mercedes-Benz initiative by designed to promote safe travel with kids.  The family-centric event will also feature fire safety lessons for kids and first aid classes for parents as well as further information for parents and grandparents about how to drive safely with kids in the car and/or while pregnant.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Louise Bucknole is appointed Head of Scheduling, BBC Children’s.  Bucknole, who was previously with Disney Channel as Sr. Manager/Program Planning, takes over for Philip Stagg, who is now Head/Planning and Scheduling, BBC HD channel.  She will oversee scheduling for programming across CBBC and CBeebies.

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) names Keith Hindle as CEO for the Americas, as part of FME’s strategic shift to a more regional focus across its program distribution, home entertainment, licensing and new media lines of business.  Hindle will develop and implement a strategy for FME’s Americas’ businesses, which include operations in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean.  Hindle, who was most recently EVP/Licensing, FME Americas, will report directly to David Ellender, Global CEO, FME.  FME plans to announce Regional CEO appointments for EMEA and Asia Pacific soon.

Zodiak Entertainment appoints Jorg Roth as COO/Entertainment.  Roth will head up the central entertainment division of the company alongside Saku Tuominen, Chief Creative Officer, both reporting to Giorgio Gori, SVP/Zodiak.  Roth will be responsible for building a new central unit to support the group’s creative strategy directed by Tuominen. The acquisitions team will move along with Roth to the new central unit, with additional recruits will be announced in the coming months.  Founder and MD, Bullseye Television, Roth also became MD, Zodiak International when the company acquired Bullseye in 2007. He is succeeded by Matthieu Porte who was appointed Head of Format Sales, Zodiak Entertainment in March and Ed Crick who is upped to MD, Bullseye Productions.

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Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:    What kind of Milk only comes “from Contented Cows?      CARNATION MILK  Kudos to: Sonia Mendez-Charleston, SC; Fred Petrosino-JBG/NY; Al Ovadia-Al Ovadia & Associates, Inc./Hidden Hills; Claire Wilmut-Boomstone Entertainment Inc./Ottawa

Today’s Trivia Question: The kids on this long running show went to three different elementary schools, all in Bryant Park, during the course of the series … Webster Elementary, Susan B. Dorsey School and Buchanan Elementary.  What’s the name of the show?  (Email Cynthia@cynopsis.com 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
 Gwen Billings for Cynopsis Kids!
05.21.09

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