Cynopsis: Kids!

03/25/09

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, March 25, 2009, and this is your first early morning Kids briefing.

The Jim Henson Company and Decode Entertainment are coming together to co-produce The Doozers (26×30), a new 3D animated series based on the small hard hat-wearing creatures featured Henson’s Fraggle Rock.  Currently in development, The Doozers is targeted to K4-7 and will be produced in Canada for broadcast in fall 2010.  The Jim Henson Company will license The Doozers to the US market, and handle worldwide consumer products licensing and merchandising.  DHX Media’s distribution arm Decode Enterprises will handle international distribution of the series.

NEW PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

marblemedia has begun production in Toronto on the North American version of the UK mixed animated/live-action quiz series, Skatoony (13×30 English, 13×30 French).  Based on the Cartoon Network UK series, which in turn began as a microsite, the new tween-targeted North American edition of Skatoony will feature new voices, older contestants, an interactive website and animated characters from Teletoon’s (Canada) series Total Drama Island, produced by Fresh TV.  The North American Skatoony is set to debut on Teletoon in spring 2010.

ImageMovers and Disney are acquiring the movie rights to author Charlie Fletcher’s young adult fantasy book series Stoneheart, per The Hollywood Reporter.  If and when the deal is complete, the plan is to produce the movie as a motion-capture production.  ImageMovers’ Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey will produce according to the report.  Hyperion Books for Children will release Stoneheart‘s Book Three: Silvertongue on April 7, 2009.

Paramount Pictures acquires the rights to author Sara Mylnowski’s young adult novel Gimme a Call, per Variety.  The studio is developing the property with plans to have Andy Fickman (Race to Witch Mountain) direct the movie, as well as serve producer with Betsy Sullenger, his partner in Oops Doughnuts.  Set to be published by Delacorte in May 2010, Gimme a Call revolves around a high school senior who drops her cell phone in a fountain and is then only able to call herself … at age 14.

MORE KIDS STUFF

Disney plans to release Hayao Miyazaki’s (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) newest feature film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea in the US under the title Ponyo this August 14, 2009.  The English-language version of Ponyo will feature the voices of Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin and Betty White and Frankie Jonas (that is the younger brother of Jonas Brothers) as the a friend of Ponyo.  Producing the English-language version of the movie are Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall with Steve Alpert, with executive producers Miyazaki and John Lasseter.  Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea opened in Japan in summer 2008, where it was the biggest movie of the year, grossing $165 million.

PBS Kids! will premieres five new episodes of the animated series Martha Speaks, one each weekday Monday, April 6-10, 2009.  Produced by Studio B Productions and WGBH Boston, Martha Speaks is based on the kid-targeted book series by Susan Meddaugh.

Foothill Entertainment heads to MIPTV 2009 where it will introduce the live-action version of My Momtourage and Me.  Created by Australian illustrator/writer, Kyla May, My Momtourage and Me focuses on the ever-changing relationship between a teen and her pop-star mom.  The initial My Momtourage and Me was an animated series (26×25).  Foothill will also be offering its live-action comedy series, Me & My Shadow and the CGI animated series Boy and the Dinosaur.  A co-production with Great Western Entertainment, Me & My Shadow revolves around a teen boy and what happens when his shadow takes on a life of … her own.

Little Airplane Productions inks presales for its new short-form series Tobi! (4×4) with Treehouse (Canada) and Nickelodeon Australia.  Little Airplane will showcase the new preschool series at MIPTV, where it will be available for worldwide distribution.  The series revolves around a young boy, Tobi, and his aim to make the world a better place.  Each episode focusing a different global issue (e.g. human rights, homelessness etc), in an age appropriate way.

RDF Rights (RDFR) and RDF Kids, both units of RDF Media Group, are launching 350+ hours of new programming at MIPTV 2009, across kids, popular factual, factual entertainment, drama and entertainment formats.  In the kid arena, RDF Kids will showcase the new CBeebies preschool property, Waybuloo (100 x 20), which the company’s largest ever launch.  RDF Kids is also launching season 2 of Yo Gabba Gabba (20 x 30), the Nick Jr (US) preschool series.

Decode Enterprises inks further deals for Adastra Creative‘s preschool series Grandpa In My Pocket (52×12).  With a second season recently commissioned by CBeebies (UK), Grandpa In My Pocket is newly acquired by TVO (Canada), ABC TV (Australia) and Al Jazeera Children’s Channel.  Decode holds TV, DVD and consumer products rights to the Grandpa In My Pocket series, which is developed and produced by Adastra Creative.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES

MARKETING/LICENSING

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures, a new comedy game series, launches on Telltale, Inc.  Fright of the Bumblebees, the first of four digitally distributed games featuring Wallace & Gromit, is available as of this week, with subsequent installments set to be available in May, June, and July.  Telltale’s Wallace & Gromit games are for gamers of all ages and levels.

Big Tent Entertainment completes a range of initial licensing agreements for the Tokyopop property, the manga publisher and global brand.  The new deals include: Bell Sports (skateboard decks, helmets and accessories)  skateboard decks available from April 2009 at Toys ‘R Us in the US and Canada; Trinity Products Inc. (junior/men/women’s t-shirts, sweatshirts and fashion tops)  available from spring 2009; and Jem Sportswear and Awake, Inc. (girls and juniors t-shirts)  with product available at Target stores and Target.com from summer 2009.

Toei Animation Co. appoints V.I.P. to handle merchandising for its series One Piece in France, French speaking Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, and Monaco (French language).  V.I.P. will rep all merchandising rights for the One Piece brand, excluding video game, publishing and Lamincards.

RATINGS

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K2-11 (000) 3/16-3/22/09:
Total Day      (000)   Primetime       (000)
NICK~:            1212    DSNY*:             1270
DSNY*:             864    TOON:                801
TOON:               536    NAN**:              419
NOGGIN:           313    NOGGIN:            401
NAN**:             259    DXD:                  153
ADSM**:           166    NICKTOONS:       133
DXD:                 124    TLC:                    74
NICKTOONS:        95    DISCOVERY:        70
DISCOVERY:        41    ESPN:                  67
BET:                    39    BET:                    66
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data Live + SD Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**Denotes a network that broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24hr day.
~Nickelodeon Total Day 6a-11p

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among K6-11 (000) 3/16-3/22/09:
Total Day        (000)   Primetime     (000)
NICK~:               636    DSNY*:             975
DSNY*:              590    TOON:               565
TOON:                349    NAN**:             318
NAN**:               210    DXD:                  90
ADSM**:             110    NICKTOONS:      67
DXD:                    77    NOGGIN:            59
NICKTOONS:         51    TLC:                   55
NOGGIN:               49    DISCOVERY:       51
DISCOVERY:          30    ESPN:                 45
ESPN:                    28    BET:                   45
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data Live + SD Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**Denotes a network that broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24hr day.
~Nickelodeon Total Day 6a-11p

Weekly Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported Networks, Total Day and Primetime Rankings among Tweens 9-14 (000) 3/16-3/22/09:
Total Day  (000)   Primetime      (000)
DSNY*:        482     DSNY*:             807
NICK:           456     NAN**:             396
NAN**:        272     TOON:               390
TOON:          240     DISCOVERY:      102
ADSM**:      183     COMEDY:             87
DXD:              58     ESPN:                  74
DISCOVERY:    55     MTV:                   72
ESPN:             47     BET:                    64
BET:               44     THE N:                 63
THE N:            41     TLC:                    63
MTV:               41
Source: Disney Research from Nielsen Media Research Data Live + SD Data
*Disney Channel is not an ad supported cable network, unlike the others in this listing.
**Denotes a network that broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24hr day.
~Nickelodeon Total Day 6a-11p

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Saturday, March 21, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1370; K6-11 908; TWEENS 9-14 646
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1134; K6-11 715; TWEENS 9-14 486
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   519; K6-11 361; TWEENS 9-14 252
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   200; K6-11 120; TWEENS 9-14   76
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Sunday, March 22, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1337; K6-11 850; TWEENS 9-14 596
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11 1273; K6-11 910; TWEENS 9-14 720
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   653; K6-11 427; TWEENS 9-14 260
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   176; K6-11 117; TWEENS 9-14   77
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Live + Same Day Ratings Kids Cable Network Averages (000) for Monday, March 23, 2009, 6am-11pm, ranked by K2-11:
NICKELODEON:         K2-11 1212; K6-11 544; TWEENS 9-14 416
DISNEY CHANNEL:     K2-11   820; K6-11 518; TWEENS 9-14 408
CARTOON NETWORK: K2-11   508; K6-11 293; TWEENS 9-14 206
DISNEY XD:               K2-11   169; K6-11 116; TWEENS 9-14   90
Source: MTVN Research from Nielsen Media Research Data

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  Besides Cynthia Turner, who has a doll named Cynthia?  ANGELICA PICKLES on THE RUGRATS  Kudos to: Jessica Scholti-Cartoon Network/Detroit; Kelly-Ann Fentress-Nickelodeon Preschool Brand Creative/New York; Bonnie Bluemke-Fisher Price/NYC ; Jim Brown-WWE Enterprises/Stamford; Torin Kelly-ASI Comm/Minneapolis; Rosemary Cunningham-MMT/Chicago; Barb Throm-Enrollment Sciences/St. Louis; Hank Bordowitz-Bordowitz Media Werx/Illinois; Kelly Lawer-Hillsboro; Alex Dale-Momentum Talent & Literary Agency/Beverly Hills; Rebecca Rodriguez-Disney Channel/Burbank; Heather Peterson-Disney Channel/Burbank; Amber Slow-Nickelodeon Emerging Markets/London; David Hiltz-Sandylion Sticker Designs/Toronto; Lee Williams-Boomstone Animation Inc-Ottawa

Today’s Trivia Question:  On the NBC series Chuck, where does Chuck work?  (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
 Gwen Billings for Cynopsis Kids!
03.25.09

Cynopsis Kids Ad Sales:
Chuck Bolkcom – 646-468-6180 / [email protected]
Mark Bohn- 203-583-1224 / [email protected]
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SITUATION WANTED: FIELD PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR:LA/ Docusoap, Lifestyle, Infotainment,Feature Doc + more. Resonant leader, keen director/ writer, strong storyteller + showrunner. 8+ yrs. Will travel. [email protected] 917.716.7277 (4/1)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER-WRITER, SHOWRUNNER/NY w/org. series on PBS, Nick, Noggin, Fox, Discovery Kids, BBC.20+yrs developing, writing, producing & making co-pro and merch deals. [email protected] (4/1)

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SITUATION WANTED: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE (NY) TV Ad Sales prof. seeks full-time media sales job. 5 years experience w/ stations (ABC, CBS, NBC) in top markets. Would like to stay in media, but open to opps. Email [email protected] for resume (3/28)

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SITUATION WANTED: Recent graduate educated & experienced in audio, video, & television production. Very passionate and hard working; looking to get my foot in the door. Contact: Griffin Campbell 9082682078/[email protected] (3/27)

SITUATION WANTED: MKTG/ON-AIR: Fox Reality Channel-LA – summer intern for mktg & on-air production. 30-40 hrs/wk. Majors: Mktg, Adv, PR/Comm, TV/Film. Skills: Writing & computer; On-Air Pro/Avid a plus. [email protected] (3/26)
 
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