Cynopsis: Kids!
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 24, 2006 and this is your first early morning Kids! briefing.
Following the scheduled meeting on Monday, Disney‘s board of directors gave CEO Robert Iger the go to make an offer to acquire Pixar Animation Studios Inc.. The offer is expected to be made on Tuesday. Though no financial terms were released, reports say Disney is contemplating an all stock offer. Stay tooned.
NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Tionne �T-Boz� Watkins, lead singer of TLC, will join the cast of Cartoon Network‘s upcoming, currently untitled animated series (12 x 30 min) that was created and executive produced by Andr� Benjamin (Andr� 3000 of OutKast) and Tom Lynch (Romeo!). The primetime series revolves around a group of musically gifted kids and an unlikely visitor who brings some happiness into their lives. T-Boz will provide the voice one of the kids. Andr� Benjamin will also lend his voice to a character in the series. Slated to bow in fall 2006, the series is produced by Cartoon Network in conjunction with the Tom Lynch Co. and Andr� Benjamin’s production company, Moxie Turtle, and is being produced at Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank.
MORE KIDS STUFF
Nick Jr. will premiere a new episode of the preschool series Go, Diego, Go!, called Chito and Rita the Spectacled Bears, on February 20 at 11:30a, during Ready, Set, Rescue! a 3-hr of Go, Diego, Go! marathon (9a-12p). In the episode Dora finds two lost little spectacled bears Chito and Rita, in the rainforest, and brings them to her cousin Diego’s Animal Rescue Center for help. Other Go, Diego, Go episodes airing as part of the President’s Day marathon include: Diego Saves Baby Humpback Whale (9a); Cool Water for Ana the Anaconda (9:30a); A Booboo On The Pygmy Marmoset (10a); Linda The Librarian (10:30a); A Blue Morpho Butterfly Is Born (11a).
MoonScoop, a distributor of kids and animation programming, has made a raft of international sales for both its new and established shows.
- Code Lyoko (seasons I & II) to Cartoon Network Australia, Canal+ for its Zip Zap channel in Poland and TV Catalunya (Spain). Code Lyoko (season II) to Morocco’s 2M and TSR (Switzerland). Code Lyoko seasons III & IV are currently in production. Licensing agent Kidz Entertainment has picked up Code Lyoko video rights for Scandinavia.
- TV Catalunya (Spain) picks up Panique au Village, a model animation series produced by La Parti Productions (Belgium), with the English-language version A Town Called Panic, distributed by Aardman Animations, recently acquired by Nickelodeon US & UK.
- Invisible Man to TSR (Switzerland). The newly animated version of the classic Invisible Man story is a MoonScoop co-production with BRB (Spain) and broadcasters M6 (France), Rai (Italy) and Antena 3 (Spain).
- GMTV (UK) has acquired 16 new episodes of Tootuff (Titeuf). Targeted to K6-12, the series will air as part of GMTV’s Toonattik schedule.
- Dr. Dog (52×13 min) sales include EBS (Korea), RTP (Portugal) and RUV (Iceland). Madman Distribution has picked up video rights for Dr. Dog in the Australian market. Dr. Dog is an animated series for K5-10 and is based on a book by Babette Cole. TFI, ZDF and Canal J are co-producing Dr. Dog, which has already pre-sold to YLE (Finland), STV (Sweden), NRK (Norway), RTBF (Belgium), Discovery Kids UK and ABC Australia.
- Funky Cops (39×26 min), aimed at K8-12, to Canal Cuatro, Spain’s new free to air channel. MoonScoop is also launching a series of Funky Cops wireless games based on the series in conjunction with Overloaded.
ATV Hong Kong and video distributor Playarte (Brazil) have acquired all 52×13 min episodes of Little Vampire, for K6-10. Adapted from Joann Sfar’s comic books, Little Vampire is a France Animation co-production with Story (France) and Telegael (Ireland), in collaboration with France 3.
MARKETING/LICENSING
On March 1, Warner Home Video’s on Demand division will re-release a special version of the March of the Penguins for Video on Demand and Pay Per View customers that includes the Movies That Pop feature added throughout the entire film. Launched in December 2005, Movies That Pop is a bonus extra for digital cable and satellite customers, which basically offers additionally facts and figures about the movie, a-la VH1’s Pop-Up Video. This is the first time a studio has an enhanced version of a theatrically released film exclusively for VOD and PPV. Prior to this Warner Bros. has released several movies with the Movies That Pop extras at the end of the movie (e.g. Batman Begins, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Dukes of Hazzard).
THQ Inc. has acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and publish video games based on the upcoming teen spy movie Stormbreaker. The movie is based on author Anthony Horowitz’s six-book series about Alex Rider (14) a reluctant school-kid and special agent. Stormbreaker cast includes Mickey Rourke, Alicia Silverstone, Bill Nighy, Sophie Okonedo, Robbie Coltrane and Ewan McGregor. The video games, developed by Altron for Nintendo DS and Razorback Developments for Game Boy Advance, are scheduled for a simultaneous worldwide release in summer 2006; specifically in the UK on July 21 by Entertainment Film Distributors and in the US on August 18, by The Weinstein Company.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Paula A. Kerger has been named President/CEO, Public Broadcasting Service effective March 13, 2006. Kerger will direct the PBS operations, which is comprised of 348 member stations that reach more than 99% US TV HH. Kerger takes over for Pat Mitchell, who announced her plan to step down as PBS’ President/CEO in February 2005. Kerger is currently an EVP/COO, New York’s Educational Broadcasting Corporation, licensee of Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York, as well as being a member of the office of the President. Kerger joined EBC in 1993 and served as its EVP/COO since 2004. She oversaw Thirteen/WNET’s Campaign for Thirteen, which when completed in 1997 had raised $79m. Kerger was key in launching the digital channels: ThirteenHD, Kids Thirteen, World and Create. Prior to EBC, Kerger was the Director/Principal Gifts for the Metropolitan Opera. Additionally, Kerger is Vice Chairman, American Public Television and Vice Chairman, Association of Public Broadcasting Stations of NY.
Kristin Laskas Martin has joined Creative Group’s Moe Greene Entertainment, LLC, as VP/Creative Development & Production. Martin will oversee current productions and the development of original animated and live action properties, produced and marketed under the Moe Greene Entertainment label as well as supervise co-productions and acquisitions. First on Martin’s list is production supervision of Nate The Great (40 eps), an animated series being produced for PBS Kids GO, on which she will also sever as Executive Produce. The animated Nate The Great is based on Marjorie Weinman Sharmat/author and Marc Simon/illustrator book series published by Random House, and is scheduled to debut 1Q 2007. A producer/director/writer and programming executive Martin toiled for Disney/ABC, Nickelodeon, Scholastic, HBO, PBS, Lifetime, NBC, CBS and Cox Communications on animation, live-action, TV series, movies, including as Executive Producer/The Magic School Bus and Cyberchase.
Nelvana has named Nancy Fowler as SVP/Worldwide Licensing. In her new role, Fowler will oversee Nelvana’s Licensing, Marketing and Creative Services teams, reporting to Doug Murphy, EVP/Business Development. A veteran of the consumer products industry Fowler was most recently President/Worldwide Consumer Products, DIC Entertainment, where she oversaw the development of licensing programs for brands including Madeline, Trollz/The Original Trolls and the relaunch of American Greetings’ Strawberry Shortcake franchise. Previously, Fowler served as VP/Worldwide Licensing, Viacom Consumer Products, the licensing arm of Paramount Pictures Corporation. Additional Nelvana promotions in its Licensing division include: Mark Northwood, formerly VP/Licensing North America, expand his role to include Latin America as VP/Licensing, The Americas; Lily Yan is upped to Sr. Manager/International Licensing; and former Licensing Coordinator Lisa Green has been promoted to Account Executive/Licensing.
RATINGS
The premiere of High School Musical, the new Disney Channel Original Movie (Friday, January 20, 8p), earned the network’s highest HH ratings ever for a Disney Channel Original Movie with a 4.5 national household rating. Among total viewers, the film pulled in 7.7 million total viewers. In the two key kid demos, High School Musical delivered a 13.3 national rating among K6-11, and a 12.6 national rating among Tweens 9-14.
Kids Cable Network Averages in thousands (000) for Friday, January 20, 2006, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
DISNEY CHANNEL: K2-11 1333; K6-11 926; TWEENS 9-14 787
NICKELODEON: K2-11 1071; K6-11 490; TWEENS 9-14 349
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11 460; K6-11 295; TWEENS 9-14 216
TOON DISNEY: K2-11 120; K6-11 60; TWEENS 9-14 36
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data
Answer to yesterday’s trivia question: Who had a pet dragon named Spot? THE MUNSTERS Kudos to: John Harman-Screenvision/NY; Amie Lozanski-Hasbro Properties Group/Pawtucket RI; Melinda Valez-Cox Target Media/Largo FL; Kenn Venit-Kenn Venit & Associates/Hamden; Jim Smith-National Benefit Resources/Dallas; Chris Rettstatt-Star Farm Productions/Chicago; Michael Hawkins-Promodoctors/Irving TX; Rob Chatlin-FX Network/LA; Matthew C. Bergeron-Disney ABC Cable Networks Group/Burbank; David Marsden-Entara/London England
Today’s Trivia Question: Troy Bolton wants to sing a duet with Gabriella at East High School’s musical. What was the name of the basketball team he played for? ( click here 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 Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis Kids!
01.24.06
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JOB OPENING: MGR, BUSINESS AFFAIRS/Discovery Nets/Silver Spring MD: 3+ yrs negotiation exp in ent/TV ind; knwldg of prod & prgrmng deals – acquisitions, co-production, comms; account mgmt.Apply: www.discovery.com Job req#3103 (1/28)
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WINTER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Sony Pictures Television International Marketing/LA To participate in the daily activities of the CREATIVE SERVICES GROUP. Must be avail 15-20 hrs/wk. Resumes: [email protected] (1/31)
WINTER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: PT Internship for LAbook agent.School credit avail.Approx. 15 hrs. wk. Great mentoring opportunity. Start1/06.See www.MartinLiteraryManagement.com E-mail cvr letter and resume. Must be SFV local and have car (1/31)
WINTER INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Sesame Workshop/NYC has internship opportunities in our International Production Dept. Dubbing and some admin. duties. Must be avail 2-3 days/wk. Apply to: Pamela.liu@sesameworkshop (1/31)
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SITUATION WANTED: Experience in nationally syndicated shows on Discovery and TLC. Available immediately to asst with duties on set or asst with wardrobe. Positive outgoing personality. MA in Film. [email protected] (1/31)
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