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Cynopsis: Kids!
04/06/10

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 6, 2010, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Walmart continue their family-centric TV programming initiative with the premiere of the new made-for-TV family movie, Secrets of the Mountain ( www.secretsofthemountain.com), is set to premiere on Friday, April 16 at 8p on NBC.  The action/drama features a soundtrack produced by Randy Jackson and includes original songs by artists including Alisan & Ilsey, Brooke White and Jordin Sparks.  The movie revolves around a public defender/single mother who takes her family to visit a mountain cabin inherited from their eccentric, where they find themselves involved in an adventure that involves an ancient secret and winds up changes each of them forever.  The movie stars Barry Bostwick as Uncle Henry, and Paige Turco (The Game Plan) as the mom Dana James.  The movie DVD and soundtrack will be offered together, in a bonus back, exclusively at Walmart from April 17.  Furthering their efforts, P&G and Walmart is working on their second movie, The Jensen Project, which is slated to debut on NBC on July 16, 2010.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation have begun principle photography on the mixed live-action and animated 3D family-targeted movie, The Smurfs, in New York City.  Directed by Raja Gosnell (Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Home Alone 3, Never Been Kissed, Big Momma’s House, among others), from a screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn, The Smurfs movie is based on the characters and works of Peyo and is scheduled to release on August 3, 2011.  As previous reported here, the movie features a great on-camera including Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays (an expectant couple), Sofia Vergara (Odile, Harris’s boss), and Hank Azaria (Gargamel) with an equally stellar voice cast, which features Anton Yelchin (Clumsy Smurf), the great Jonathan Winters (Papa Smurf, he also voiced roles in the Smurfs TV series), Katy Perry (Smurfette), Alan Cumming (Gutsy Smurf); SNL’s Fred Armisen (Brainy Smurf), and George Lopez (Grouchy Smurf).  Phil Meheux (Edge of Darkness) is the director of photography and the production designer is Bill Boes (Beverly Hills Chihuahua).  Sabrina Plisco (Beverly Hills Chihuahua) is the film’s editor, Maricel Pagulayan (Avatar) is the VFX Producer and Richard R. Hoover (Superman Returns) is the visual effects supervisor, with Sony Pictures Imageworks creating imagery and animation for the Smurfs.

Gator Group (G8R), a California-based licensing agency, is teaming with Tremblay Bros. Studios (Loonatics Unleashed, Swat-Kats) to develop and produce a new K4-7 aimed 3D animated adventure series based on their eco-wildlife brand, Logan’s Wildlife Quest (52×11).  Slated to be available in 2011, Tremblay Bros. Studios will head the production and distribution of the series, with G8R overseeing content development and handling the brand and all licensing.  Each episode of Logan’s Wildlife Quest will explore endangered species and their natural habitats, using gadgets including solar cells to power accessories (e.g. GPS, head lamp, cooling fan, etc.) and also feature percussion and world beat music.

MORE KIDS STUFF

PBS Kids will premiere five new puppy-centric Martha Speaks episodes the week of April 12-16 (check local listings).  The special week of programming focuses on pets in general and the kids/parents that care for them and the importance of pets in our lives, which coincides with Pets are Wonderful Month.

Nickelodeon honors Earth Day with green themed programming including the premiere of SpongeBob’s Last Stand, an environment-focused 30-minute special that features two musical numbers, on Thursday, April 22 at 8p.  The special day of programming kicks off at 9a with new episodes of preschool series Team Umizoomi, The Fresh Beat Band, Go, Diego, Go!, Ni Hao Kai-lan and The Backyardigans, followed by episodes iCarly, True Jackson, VP, SpongeBob SquarePants as well as Nick at Nite programming.  SpongeBob’s Last Stand will be preceded by a two-hour marathon of nature-centric SpongeBob episodes.  Just ahead of Earth Day, the network will debut Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Your Thirsty World, which focuses on kids working to make free and clean water available to everyone, Sunday, April 18 at 8:30p.  Additionally, SpongeBob’s Last Stand is currently available on DVD from Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment, which have also released Nick Jr. Favorites: Go Green.  The latter includes environmental-themed episodes of Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, The Wonder Pets!, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Blue’s Clues and Ni Hao, Kai-lan in eco-friendly packaging.

Scholastic‘s animated series WordGirl takes on the planetary pollution across multiple platforms this Earth Day.  Beginning with the eco-themed episode Earth Day Girl, which will air on PBS Kids Go! on April 22 (check local listings) as well as its online debut via PBSKidsGo.org/video ( www.pbskidsgo.org/video ).  Scholastic will also simultaneously release a new early reader book, also titled WordGirl Earth Day Girl, and the show’s first DVD of the same name from Paramount Home Entertainment.  In addition to the title episode, the DVD also feature seven new-to-DVD WordGirl adventures.

Classic Media acquires the worldwide TV, home entertainment and digital media distribution rights (excluding UK TV rights) to the newest seasons of the BBC‘s tween-targeted series Tracy Beaker Returns (13×30) and BBC’s new kid/family-targeted stop-motion, slapstick comedy sketch series OOglies (26×15).  Classic Media will unveil both shows at MIPTV 2010.  Based on Jacqueline Wilson’s young adult novel The Story of Tracy Beaker, Tracy Beaker Returns currently airs on CBBC (UK).

France Televisions Distribution is appointed as the exclusive agent for the European (excluding Iberia) and French-speaking territories for the preschool English-language learning series WordWorld.  France Televisions will represent the property, including all three 3 seasons (84×11) produced in English, and the 52×11 episodes of the series adapted into French by France Televisions, for France 5.  France Televisions will launch its program, where it titled WordWorld, Le Monde des Mots, this fall 2010. Earlier this year 4Kids Entertainment signed on as the licensing agent for WordWorld across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.  Discovery Kid Latin America will launch the series in August 2010 dubbed in both Spanish and Portuguese.  WordWorld continues to air on PBS Kids in the US, Disney channel in 20+ territories in Asia and Australia, TVO in Canada, via TWT  the Middle East TV agent.

Cookie Jar Entertainment is packed and ready for MIPTV 2010 where it will showcase a slate of programs including the animated series Doodlebops Rockin’ Road Show (26×30) and new seasons of Caillou (season five), Magi-Nation, Arthur (the 15ht season) and Johnny Test (fourth season).  Cookie Jar will also offer titles from its classic library including CGI animated series Sherlock Holmes (26×30), Super Mario World (26×30) and Sonic the Hedgehog (130×30).  The animated Doodlebops Rockin’ Road Show, currently airs on CBC (Canada) and Cookie Jar TV, the weekend morning block on CBS (US), and is a co-production with Illusion Studios (Argentina) and OPTIX Entertainment (Germany).

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM SHAFTESBURY KIDS

MARKETING/LICENSING

Scholastic unveils the final two titles and covers in its multi-platform adventure series The 39 Clues ( www.the39clues.com ).  Book 9: Storm Warning by author Linda Sue Park (A Single Shard) is set to be published on May 25, 2010, and will followed by the final book in the series, Book 10: Into the Gauntlet by author Margaret Peterson Haddix (Running Out of Time, Shadow Children series, Missing series), releasing on August 31, 2010.  Book 8: The Emperor’s Code by Gordon Korman releases today, simultaneously with the audiobook edition that includes bonus content.  Additionally, Scholastic reports The 39 Clues interactive series online game, which launched in September 2008 and is available in the US and 191 countries worldwide, has logged 1 million registered users to date.  Finally, today Scholastic launches The 39 Clues Passport to Family Adventure Sweepstakes ( www.the39clues.com/familyadventure ), which runs through August 31, 2010.

Quincy Magoo (aka Mr. Magoo) returns with Classic Media release of the new animated feature-length films, Kung Fu Magoo, on DVD ($14.93) and iTunes ($9.99) this May 11, 2010.  The voice0ver cast of the new movie includes Dylan Sprouse (Mr. Magoo’s nephew Justin Magoo), Cole Sprouse (Brad Landry), Alyson Stoner (Lorelei Tan-Gu), sportscaster Kenny Mayne (himself), and Chris Parnell (Cole Fusion).

Brandgenuity extends the Atari gaming brand with the signing of nine new licensing deals that will focus on the Atari brand its assets including the Atari joystick, Fuji logo, and the classic games such as Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Missile Command and Pong.  The new Atari licensing partners include: Walden Surfboards (high end surfboards); Lancaster Vintage (specialty apparel  custom clothing with a vintage flair); Pollard Banknote (scratch-off lottery tickets); C-Life (men’s apparel); Isaac Morris (swimwear, outerwear); Blik (wall coverings and decals); Flapjack Toys (luggage tags, novelty journals); Aquarius (calendars, posters); and Grupo Ruz (apparel accessories for Mexico).  Products from all new partners are expected to begin launching throughout 2010.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Cartoon Network promotes two of its original series executives. Tramm Wigzell is upped to VP/Action Adventure animation and live-action, and Nick Weidenfeld is named VP/Comedy Development animation and live-action.  Both will report to Rob Swartz, VP/Original Series.  Weidenfeld will also continue to report to Mike Lazzo, SVP/Programming and Production Adult Swim for his continuing work with Adult Swim.

Michael Jay Solomon, Getfugu‘s current Chairman of the Board, takes on the additional role of CEO for the next generation mobile search platform.  Solomon previously served as President/Warner Bros. International Television, headed Solomon Entertainment Enterprises, and c0-founded and was Chairman/CEO Telepictures Corporation, and served as President/Lorimar Telepictures.  Prior to that he toiled for eight years with United Artists and for 14 years with MCA/Universal.

RATINGS

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Thursday, April 1, 2010, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1063; K6-11 517; TWEENS 9-14 379
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   728; K6-11 455; TWEENS 9-14 323
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   522; K6-11 345; TWEENS 9-14 261
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   148; K6-11 104; TWEENS 9-14   77
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Friday, April 2, 2010, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1290; K6-11 790; TWEENS 9-14 585
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1038; K6-11 620; TWEENS 9-14 460
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   578; K6-11 394; TWEENS 9-14 307
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   302; K6-11 199; TWEENS 9-14 152
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia:  What kind of car did sitcom dad Jim Douglas drive? VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE — aka HERBIE THE LOVE BUG  Kudos to:  David Stern-BARD Ent/NY

Today’s Trivia Question:  Dudley the Dragon was, well, the dragon.  The question is, what was the Tree’s name?  (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
04.06.10
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