TAC proves to be an invaluable resource for the industry, by offering two specialized programs dedicated to pitching: Fast Track and Pitch THIS! (TAC AnimaPass or TAC Only Pass required.)
Pitch THIS! 2008 was presented by Breakthrough Entertainment and Television, with their executive producer Ira Levy moderating. Presenters Al Bohl and Cole Schpansky braved the stage and pitched to panelists from TELETOON, CBC, PBS and Jetix and the TAC audience for a chance to get some invaluable feedback and win a pass to TAC 09. Congratulations to Al Bohl and his project "Way Out There!", who took the prize for best pitch! We'd like to thank everyone who submitted their projects and encourage you to submit new work next year. Stay tuned for post-festival updates on "Way out There!" and "The Mulligans".
Pitch THIS! 2008 was presented by Breakthrough Entertainment and Television, with their executive producer Ira Levy moderating. Presenters Al Bohl and Cole Schpansky braved the stage and pitched to panelists from TELETOON, CBC, PBS and Jetix and the TAC audience for a chance to get some invaluable feedback and win a pass to TAC 09. Congratulations to Al Bohl and his project "Way Out There!", who took the prize for best pitch! We'd like to thank everyone who submitted their projects and encourage you to submit new work next year. Stay tuned for post-festival updates on "Way out There!" and "The Mulligans".
PRESENTED BY: |
Pitch THIS!
Pitch THIS! gives two producers the opportunity to steal everybody's attention by revealing their new project to everyone in the TAC audience, which includes over 300 potential buyers, financiers,partners and industry masters. Pitch THIS! is available for all TAC pass-holders to enjoy!
| The Mulligans
Presented by: Cole Schapansky & Quinn Greene
Format: 13 x 22 mins.
Target Audience: Boys & Girls ages 4-9 Animation Technique: 2D or Flash Series Budget: $6,200,000 Synopsis: Welcome to Miscokie! Eleven-year old brown bear Okie Bokie and his father have just moved tothe small town and Okie must attend a new school. Every student in Okie’s class plans to attend the newly founded |
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| Way Out There! Presented by: Al Bohl
Format: 13 x 22 minutes
Target Audience: ages 9 - 13 Animation Technique: Flash Series Budget: $2,275,000 Synopsis: Way Out There! is an animated television show about a ‘tween-age Earthling who becomes a foreign exchange student to -- another planet. Relive E.B. the alien’s adventures as he chronicles his experiences via galactic email to his Earth family. Armed with only a language translation device at school, E. B. faces a planet where everything is out-of-this-world! Pandemonium rules in E.B.’s quest to make sense of school politics, holidays, field trips and a best friend who is an entire city in a small jar! Frustration and conflict equal comedy proving that zany fun is just a light-year away. |
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Speakers:
Athena Georgaklis, Manager, Original Production, TELETOON Canada Inc.
Marie McCann, Executive in Charge of Production, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Linda Simensky, Vice President, Children’s Programming, PBS
Daniel Wineman, Director of Original Series and Co-Productions, JETIX EUROPE LTD
Moderated By:
Ira Levy, Executive Producer, Breakthrough Films & Television Inc.
Fast Track
Fast Track gives you the opportunity to meet privately with all your targets in one shot. Whether you plan to pitch a project, gain insight into what executives are looking for, find a suitable production company for your story idea, or simply establish important relations - Fast Track will get you there!
Fast Track is exclusively for fully registered TAC passholders. Registration began August 15th at noon (Eastern Standard Time) with meetings being set up online (new!) and scheduled on a first come, first-served basis. Space is limited. You may select as many meetings as you wish but, where possible, please be selective about your requests. We suggest using the speaker biographies andQ&A’s (see below) as a guide in selecting your targets. Each meeting is 9 minutes long.
IMPORTANT:
To sign up, 1) you must have an active login account and 2) you must have ordered a TAC AnimaPass or TAC Only Pass for this year. Once registration opens on Friday, August 15th, at 12 noon (EST), you can begin the process by logging in and selecting "Fast Track Registration" from the User Menu on the left.
| Fast Track Executives |
| Lisa Baylin, Program Manager, Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, Independent Production Fund, Cogeco Program Development Fund |
| What sort of animation programming blocks do you support and what is the audience demographic for each? IPF: prime-time dramatic series and dramatic children's series. All audience demographics; BF: Series, one-offs, documentaries and mini-series. All audience demographics; Cogeco: Development Program: television series, MOWs, mini-series, and animated series; Production Program: MOWs, mini-series and pilots; Theatrical Feature Film Development Program: slate of theatrical feature films in development; All audience demographics How many hours of new programming do you support per year? IPF: On average, over 1,200 hrs of new programming (not all animation); BF: On average, over 400 hrs of new programming (not all animation); Cogeco: On average, over 150 hrs of new programming (not all animation) Where do you generally find new shows for funding? Through application submissions What are some recent projects you have funded? IPF: Wapos Bay (Eps 20-26), Wapos Bay Productions, APTN, SCN, 7 x 24 minutes; The Guard - Season II, Air Sea Productions II (BC) Inc., Global, 9 x 46 minutes Murdoch Mysteries - Season II, Shaftesbury Murdoch II Inc., City TV, 13 x 60 minutes BF: Total Drama Island, Camp TV Productions./ Xenophile Media Inc.,Producers: Tom McGillis, Jennifer Pertsch, Brian Irving, George Elliott, Dan Mokriy, Jason Boyer/ Producers: Jonathan Wiseman, Chantal Ling/ Producers: Keith Clarkson, Patrick Crowe, Thomas Wallner, TELETOON: 26 x 22 minutes Iggy Arbuckle/ The Great Kookamunga Challenge, Iggy Productions Inc. (Blueprint Productions)/ zinc Roe design, Producer: Suzanne Berger/ Anne-Sophie Brieger, Teletoon: 26 x 30 minutes L.O.S.E. - The League of Super Evil, Nerd Corps Entertainment, Producers: Ken Faier, Asaph Fipke, Chuck Johnson, YTV, Canal J, 26 x 30 minutes Dating Guy, Get Lucky Television Productions Inc., (marblemedia & Blueprint Entertainment), Producers: Mark Bishop, Matt Hornburg, John Morayniss, TELETOON, 13 x 22 minutes Busytown Mysteries, Season 2, Busytown II Productions Inc./ Cookie Jar Entertainment, Producer: Kenneth Locker, CBC, 26 x 24 minutes Razzberry Jazzberry Jam, Trapeze Animation Studios, Producers: Rob Balfour, Mike Kasprow, CBC, 13 x 24 minutes Fred's Head /Blaise le blasé, Spectra Animation 1 inc., Producer : André A. Bélanger, Télétoon, France 2: 26 x 30 minutes Gofrette, Go for it Productions inc., Producers: M.J. Corbeil, C. Côté, J. Henderson, C. Schafhausen, CBC, S.R-C: 52 x 11 minutes Deviens une Totally Spies, Tribal Nova inc., Producer: Guillaume Aniorté, Télétoon Cogeco: Burn Up, Burn Up Productions (Seven 24Films), Kudos Film and Television Ltd (UK), Producers:Tom Cox, Jordy Randall, Mini-Series (240 min) First Things First & Doug's Desk, Heroic Film Company Inc. (Heroic), Karen Lee Hall, Suzanna Bolch, John May What kinds of shows are you currently looking into supporting?\ IPF & Cogeco: Please see below BF: New media projects with state-of-the-art technology that is helping traditional television producers and broadcasters to discover the value added benefits of a multi-platform presence. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about supporting? IPF & Cogeco: excellent television project BF: excellent Canadian digital media and the corresponding television project What is your company's philosophy? The Independent Production Fund provides equity investments to encourage the production of prime-time dramatic series and dramatic children's series, produced by independent Canadian producers for private sector broadcasters, in English or French. The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian independent producers who develop and produce outstanding television content complemented and enhanced by innovative, interactive content designed for digital delivery. These new media projects reflect state of-the-art technology and are helping traditional television producers and broadcasters to discover the value added benefits of a multi-platform presence. - To invest in the development and production of new media projects associated with television programs - To advance the Canadian broadcasting system - Encourages and funds the creation of excellent Canadian digital media - Promotes partnerships and sustainable businesses in the broadcast and new media sectors - Engages in research and sharing knowledge - Enhances the national and international profile of industry stakeholders. The COGECO Program Development Fund provides loans for the development of dramatic television series, mini-series, and movies-of-the-week. It also provides equity financing for the production of mini-series, movies-of-the-week and pilots for dramatic television series. Development loans are also available for production companies with a slate of feature films in development. |
| Raquel Benitez, CEO, Comet Entertainment |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Mainly series and feature films, occasionally some commercials. What animation techniques do you commonly use? 3D, Traditional 2D, Traditional 2D with 3D BG and flash. What is your target audience demographic? From Preschool to 16+. We have different series with different target audiences, from family oriented to more adult entertainment. What are you currently working on? Animation flash series 'Limo Guy'; 3D features Do you partner with independent directors? Normally we do have our own staff, however if the project is really interesting and it fits our needs we will be able to study this option as we have done in the past. Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Preschool, 8 to 12. Long formats no less than 26 episodes. What are you NOT looking for? No shorts. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? Calico electronico What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? At this particular time we are studying some proposals for movies and flash series What is your company?s philosophy? Comet creates and delivers revolutionary animation content for every project, regardless of the delivery medium. For us, each project is an opportunity to develop something never seen before. We strive always to expand our creativity through fresh, cutting-edge ideas. Our mission is to become a leader in the animation industry by providing our clients with quality content development in the animation production, and license sector that help them become more successful. We are guided by our VALUES: Accountability, Teamwork, Initiative, Innovation, Knowledge |
| Stephanie Betts, Director of Development and Licensing, Animation, Breakthrough Animation |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Breakthrough Animation is a major producer of children's and adult animation. We produce full length series and multi platform content. What animation techniques do you commonly use? We have worked in Flash, Maya and Toonboom- Harmony. What is your target audience demographic? We believe in creating great ideas and support them to find the appropriate audience whether it is preschool, preteen (6-11), or adult. What are you currently working on? We are currently in production on a Primetime animated series called, 'Producing Parker' with CanWest Global, starring Kim Cattrall and Kristen Booth. An edgy send-up of the daytime talk show genre, PRODUCING PARKER follows the outrageous adventures of an overworked and underpaid television producer as she manages her boss's delicate ego, the quirky production crew and all the behind-the-scenes antics. We are also in production on a series entitled, 'Jimmy Two Shoes' for Teletoon Canada, Jetix US and Jetix Europe. Jimmy is an enthusiastic 14 year-old kid who accidentally falls into the weird world of Miseryville, where everything is designed to inflict torment onto its inhabitants. Always irrepressible, Jimmy stirs up the fun in his new bizarre home much to the chagrin of Miseryville's Big Cheese - Lucius Heinous the Seventh. Currently in development we are working with Treehouse Canada on a project entitled, 'My Big Big Friend'. My Big Big Friend is the delightfully animated series where big problems Shrink down to size with the help of a BIG BIG Friend! Do you partner with independent directors? Yes, we're always looking for new talent and ideas, wherever they come from. Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Absolutely, we have formed several co-production partnerships, as we believe it's a wonderful way to create shows which will culturally and commercially cross international borders. What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We are currently looking for shows in all demos; most importantly we're looking for creators with a vision and an audience in mind. Comedy is still and will always be something we pride ourselves on. It is the genre which we feel works best internationally; therefore we are always interested in great comedy series. What are you NOT looking for? We are not looking to partner with anyone who's not passionate and serious about creating a great property. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? I love Johnny Test, 6Teen, Total Drama Island, Ben 10, Robot Chicken, Urban Vermin, Viva Piñata, Jane and the Dragon, Yo Gabba Gabba, My Friend Rabbit, Charlie and Lola, and Peep and the Big Wide World. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? We're very excited about creating visually stimulating and dynamic hybrid series. We currently have a show in development called, 'DupliKate' which is a live action/animation hybrid to keep the gamer interested as well as live action fans. What is your company's philosophy? We strive to create great properties in a collaborative and creative environment. We are very careful about the partnerships we make to ensure they best fit the individual needs of each property. Every project is developed and produced as if it our first, to ensure our level of quality and care is never compromised. |
| Catherine Branscome, President, Branscome International |
| Company Profile: Branscome International's core business is to provide Sales Agent / Distributor services. Fun, inventive and inspiring animation content is our focus. We license a vast range of media rights globally, including theatrical, DVD / home video, VOD, mobile, broadband, pay-per-view, cable/satellite and terrestrial broadcast. While the company secures Minimum Guarantees and License Fee deals on behalf of talented creators, it also provides distribution consulting and executive producing services for independent producers. |
| Mary Bredin, Development & Acquisitions, Guru Studios |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Commercials, service work, short films What animation techniques do you commonly use? Mostly CG with some 2D What is your target audience demographic? We have projects that appeal to all ages but kids in general What are you currently working on? 'Justin Time': (audience: 4 - 6, format: 11 min.) Justin is playing in his room when his all-knowing imaginary pal Wiki appears, and his 'random' information gets Justin thinking about stuff that triggers his imagination; and his room starts to 'Sendak' into another time and place. In each episode Justin can find himself on the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, or herding dinosaurs from the back of a giant dragonfly. In each 'location', his friend Olive appears as someone in that 'place' - the Pharoah's daughter or the secretary of the head Viking - depending on where Justin finds himself. Then, Justin hears the voice of his Mom calling him for dinner and he is back....just in time. We have a development deal with a Canadian broadcaster. 'The Buds' (audience: 3 - 5, format: 5 min) The Buds are a group of adventurous characters who are off to explore uncharted lands. They throw on their knapsacks and off they go, ready for anything. They each have strong personalities and strong opinions on 'taste' and while they don't always agree, their adventures do teach them about respecting others opinions and team work. They have mini-adventures on their camping expeditions and out of their knapsacks come all the tools they need - binoculars, tents etc. etc.. The story is told with music, and sounds and a very humourous narrator. On line, we can learn more about the Buds 'foodscape' as it turns out that the magical worlds they are on are based on various fruits and vegetables which in turn provides smaller children with an insight into the world of food. We have a 30 sec trailer available. 'Agency 13' (audience: 7 - 11, format: 22 min) It's 'Die Hard' meets 'Totally Spies' - but this time the 'spies' are a society of supersmart, secret-agent animals protecting us from an epic array of supervillains, with the same high-tech action and tongue in cheek humour that works so well around the world. Nigel is the ace monkey agent who makes Jason Bourne look awkward, and Bruce Willis's one-liners sound tongue tied. But Nigel also gets some help from his friends - he's got the guys back at HQ watching his back, at least when they're not playing GTA. He's got his best-bud Jade who happens to be the niece of the megalomaniac crime-empire-building Jack Kraven. There's the crimefighting Virgoes who make the 'Angels' look plain, and of course the Ninja Tech Gang who come in handy for saving the day if they're in a good mood, or you can get them a date. We have a script available. 'I-Metagirl' (audience: adult, format: 3 min and 10 min) Eco mutants get a makeover and a social networked team helps save the world from, well more eco mutants. There's Nastii, who can grow extra limbs when her mobile phone rings certain tones. There's Pheromone who can't help attracting everyone around here, but really, it's all so superficial. There's AMFI who dresses in Chanel but has to keep her pinky in a glass of water to stop her skin falling off - something about the chemicals in her face cream; and of course, Biphenyl Boygirlboy who just had too much plastic up close at an early age. But together, they're a team of super heroes ready to save the world from bio/eco/chemo you name it 'o' disaster. A smart eco commentary in the days of environmental religious fervor. Dealing with such critical questions as 'which type of fish' can we really eat - farmed? organic? Up to date material and web friendly designs will get this show a large audience. Do you partner with independent directors? Yes Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes Have you been involved in international co-productions/co-ventures in the past? If so, with which market(s)? Guru has not done a co-production before What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? My son is watching 'Scooby Doo and Batman and Robin' which I think is from 1973 so I love that What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? We are looking at getting Toonboom at the moment What is your company's philosophy? We focus on creativity and the craft of animation, we design characters that will last |
| Swin Chang, Original Program Coordinator, Astral Media/Family Channel |
| What are your animation programming blocks and the audience demographic for each? Playhouse Disney Canada channel/Family Jr. block: preschool programming for 2 - 7 years olds. We have a Mad Dash block on Family where we air animation for young kids 6-11 years old. This block and demo, is not a commissioning priority as most of the programming is supplied by Disney. How many hours of new programming do you acquired per year? As part of our commitment to Original Production this year, we're supporting 5 titles, a mix of renewals and new projects for a total of 91 half hour episodes, a mix of animation and live action projects. Where do you generally find your new shows? Through Canadian independent producers What are some of your recent acquisitions? As part of this year's production slate, we renewed two pre-school series, 'The Secret World of Benjamin Bear' Season IV (Amberwood Productions/Ottawa) and 'Franny's Feet' Season III (DHX - Decode Entertainment/Toronto). What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We are continuing our focus on half hour tween light drama comedies as well as animated half hour series for pre-school. What are you NOT looking for? We do not focus on game shows or documentaries. Have there been, or will there soon be, any changes to your development/programming structure that producers should know about? We recently announced our commitment of $1 million dollars over a 4 year period in the form of development funding for pre-school & young kids programming. We are interested in half hours -- animation, live action or puppets to support our new channel, Playhouse Disney Canada and the Family Jr programming block. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about? We recently launched FOD - Family on Demand - and SVOD (subscription video on demand) as part of the Family Channel subscription. We plan to offer Family in HD in the near future - a launch date has not been confirmed yet. |
| Natalie Dumoulin, Producer/Development Executive, Galafilm |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Series-features-shorts- (but mostly series) What animation techniques do you commonly use? Digital What is your target audience demographic? Ages 4-8, 6-11 (TWEEN and FAMILY) What are you currently working on? Live action /CG Hybrid in development with Teletoon; Animation series 6-11 comedy in development with YTV; Live action Tween comedy in development with FAMILY CHANNEL Do you partner with independent directors? Yes, always Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Live action Tween (8-14) boy skewing comedies What are you NOT looking for? PRESCHOOL (0-5) animation What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? The obvious ones; Simpsons-Family Guy What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? Hybrid CG/Live action/Animation combo What is your company's philosophy? GALAKIDS is about ideas - our expertise is development. |
| Henry J. Gagnon, President, H Gagnon Distribution Inc. |
| What is your audience demographic? Teen's and adults How many hours of new animation programming do you acquired per year? We took most recently many short animated shows. Ranging between 3-4 series. Where do you generally find your new shows? Directly true producers, and at International markets. What are some of your recent acquisitions? W, 10th Ave; Stand-Up, Oasis Animation; Rodrigo Tortillas, Boite a Cartons; Travelling Stone, CPoint Entertainment What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Series from 30sec. eps to half hours. Funny, Action oriented, Great characters, textless in some cases What are you NOT looking for? The predictable, vulgarity, slow moving Have there been, or will there soon be, any changes to your development/programming structure that producers should know about? No What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about? We are aiming for the right phone plan. While television currently takes up the majority of our interest, We see mobile and online as the growth engines for the next five years. 'In mobile, we are excited to help on everything from still images to ring tones — or ring *moans* as we call them — or video clips as well as full streaming mobile TV channels.' |
| Athena Georgaklis, Manager, Original Production, TELETOON |
| What are your animation programming blocks and the audience demographic for each? We are placing great emphasis on commissioning programming to cater to tweens 9-14 (6TEEN, Total Drama Island). We continue focusing on Kids 2-11, with emphasis on 6-11 (Bullseye being the 11 year old boy). In the TELETOON Detour programming block (post 9:30pm); our primary focus is Adults 18-34, Secondary: Teens 14-17, Bullseye: 20 Male. TELETOON is proud to offer the best in animated entertainment to a wide audience. Although the majority of our audience is made up of kids and teens, close to 40% is comprised of adults 18+. Our programming schedule reflects this mixed audience and accommodates them with different viewing options: - From 6am to 9:30pm (et/pt), we air programs for kids, tweens and teens. - From 9:30 to 2:30 weekdays, TELETOON offers a programming line-up that is commercial-free and committed to the best entertainment suitable for unsupervised viewing. - Primetime Kids (4pm – 7:30pm) includes the after school block (4pm to 6pm) - Overlapping, is our Prime Family viewing (6pm – 8:30pm), where programming is intended for a wider audience including teens, young adults and adults, and includes - Retro Block - at 7:30 pm every evening, and with vintage favourite The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show, this nostalgic cartoon hour is set for prime family viewing - The 8:30pm Co-Viewing Hour helps the transition in to our more mature fare After 9:30pm, it’s TELETOON Detour geared towards mature audiences - F’N Good Movies, every Saturday and Sunday nights, bring the best animation related feature films for teens and adults to the small screen. - The weekend line-up reaches out to kids 2-11 with Comedy Saturdays, Action Sundays, TELETOON Presents (weekend mornings and afternoons) How many hours of new programming do you acquire per year? 40% of our schedule features acquisitions, and 60% is Canadian content comprised of commissions and repeats of favourites. Where do you generally find your new shows? We attend international markets; We accept projects all year round; For programs in development, we require a description of the project, a pilot, if available, information on the production company and/or committed creative, a proposed financing plan, and multi-platform plans; For completed programs, we require a brief synopsis and a picture of series-- if we are interested, we will contact you and ask you to send a screener. We actively seek new talent: The Detour on TELETOON Pilot Project is an initiative to find new and irreverent comedies for the popular evening programming block aimed at audiences aged 18 to 34. The selected pilots will air on both English and French networks in summer 2009 and will give producers a finished pilot available for the international marketplace. What are some of your recent acquisitions? (title and production studio if possible) Fall 2008 on TELETOON brings 11 brand new series to Canadian televisions, and the return of 4 top series with new episodes. 5 new shows premiering during daytime: 10: Alien Force (Cartoon Network); Chowder (Cartoon Network); The Spectacular Spider-Man (Sony Pictures); Out of Jimmy's Head (Cartoon Network); World of Quest (Cookie Jar Entertainment and Kids WB) 4 Daytime top series returning to the schedule with new episodes: Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue (Warner Bros); Bakugan (Nelvana); My Gym Partner's a Monkey (Cartoon Network); The Batman (Warner Bros) 6 new programmes come to TELETOON Detour:; Life's a Zoo (The show is a TELETOON Original Production with Cuppa Coffee; American Dad (20th Century Fox Television); Lucy, Daughter of the Devil (Cartoon Network); The Critic (Columbia Tri-Star Television with Gracie Films); Code Monkeys (G4); Father of the Pride (DreamWorks Animation) What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We’re looking for animated, animated-related and live-action mixed series, movies and specials that fit with our programming priorities: kids 6-11; tweens 9-14; teens; adult 18-34 Specifically, we are looking for: - Smart, pop-culture relevant after-school dramedies/sit-coms that speak to media savvy kids and tweens (8-14) – 6TEEN is a perfect example - Punchy, high-octane action series with lots of comedy and cross-demo appeal, especially recognized franchises like Johnny Test, Ben 10 and Chop Socky Chooks - Fearless, unapologetic and pop-culture relevant series and movies that push boundaries for teens and adults (14-34) without scaring off the masses – think American Dad and Futurama TELETOON requires exclusive English and French broadcast rights for Canada. What are you NOT looking for? Educational and pre-school shows are not part of our programming strategy. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about? The unique blend of animated / live-action hybrid format (Re-Animated / Out of Jimmy’s Head / ...), as well as new platforms and partnerships to bring our content to fans 24/7 |
| Paul Gertz, Executive Vice President, Rainmaker Animation |
| Gertz, a 25-year veteran of the entertainment industry, has worked in a number of executive and creative roles including stints at Lucasfilm, Hanna-Barbera, Turner Feature Animation, Global Digital Creations and the Vancouver Film School. Gertz was the executive producer of the highly acclaimed animated feature 'Titan, A.E.,' and produced 'Cat's Don't Dance' and 'The Pagemaster.' Gertz joined Rainmaker in 2007 heading up their animation division. Rainmaker, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, is an award-winning visual effects, 3D animation and post-production company with a 28 year history of technical excellence and outstanding service in feature films, television, games and commercials. Rainmaker Animation, with the inclusion of recently acquired Mainframe Entertainment, creates 3D animation for the feature film market and is the industry leader in CG animation for television and direct-to-DVD family entertainment. |
| Lisa Jones, Senior Coordinator, Cartoon Network |
| Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in nearly 91 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Everynight from 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim,a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34. |
| Barry Koch, SVP & GM, Cartoon Network and Boomerang Latin America |
| What are your animation programming blocks and the audience demographic for each? Cartoon Network programs to kids 6-11. This is our primary target. Almost all of our programming is animated. We do air live action movies on CN but only if they feel right. Most include CGI or a magical element or a reason why they fit with us and work well for our audience. How many hours of new programming do you acquired per year? We buy 550+ hours of programming a year for Cartoon Network. Where do you generally find your new shows? Cartoon Network sends representatives to all major program distribution shows including NATPE, Kidscreen, MIP TV, LA Screenings and MIP Jr/MIPCOM and more. We search extensively for new material that fits our brand and we work closely with industry providers. What are some of your recent acquisitions? Edgar & Ellen/PI International, The Spectacular Spiderman/Sony, Johnny Test/Cookie Jar What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We're always looking for the best animation available geared toward our primary demo (K6-11). Comedies and light adventure/comedies work well for us. We also air a lot of animated movies, so we're looking for them, too. What are you NOT looking for? No hard action, no anime. Have there been, or will there soon be, any changes to your development/programming structure that producers should know about? Yes, we are looking at creating programs within the Latin American market. Brazil is a huge market for us so we're concentrating on it. But we also want to create programs in all our major markets when and where it makes sense. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about? We're excited about 360° opportunities for our programs and the growth of digital platforms. BEN 10 is a prime example. We want to make sure that we make this great show available to our audience on the various platforms available in Latin America. |
| Francine Laprade, Project Manager, Youth Acquisitions, Youth, Family and Lifestyle Programming, Radio-Canada |
| What are your animation programming blocks and the audience demographic for each? Monday to Friday, 6-9 a.m. for viewers 2-8; Saturday and Sunday, 6-8:30 a.m. for viewers 2-8; Saturday, 8:30-11 a.m. for viewers 8-12; Sunday, 8:30-10 a.m. for viewers 8-12 How many hours of new programming do you acquire per year? For viewers 2-12, we have to air 218 hours of original (first run) Canadian content per year (an average of 4 hours per week). For other viewers, we acquire approximately 110 hours per year, mainly Canadian. Where do you generally find your new shows? We're in contact with many producers and distributors; also through festivals, conferences and magazines. What are some of your recent acquisitions? Airing this fall/winter season: Will & Mathis (Will & Dermott) - Cookie Jar; Les mystères de Tourneville (Busytown Mysteries) - Cookie Jar; Mes amis Tigrou & Winnie (My Friends Tigger & Winnie) - Disney; 1,2,3 Bo! (Bo on the Go) - Halifax Films; Jibber Jabber - Pristine Ent.; Magi-Nation - Cookie Jar; MBC, Chasseurs de dragon (Monster Buster Club) - Image Corporation; Ruby Gloom - Nelvana; Glurp attack (Grossology) - Nelvana; Les fouineurs (Urban Vermin) - Nelvana; Spirou & Fantasio - Mediatoon; What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We're looking for Canadian content for viewers of all ages; animated series of varying lengths for our 15-minute and half-hour slots; shorts and Christmas specials. What are you NOT looking for? Right now, we don't need drama or documentary series. Have there been, or will there soon be, any changes to your development/programming structure that producers should know about? No changes What new shows/technologies/approaches are you excited about? Innovative concepts and content |
| Andrew Ooi, Managing Director, Inspidea |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Series, serials, short-form series (broadcast and mobile) What animation techniques do you commonly use? Digital 2D (paperless, cut-outs) What is your target audience demographic? Children, family What are you currently working on? X3 (X-treme X-tion X-traordinaire) is a comedy featuring the lead characters of Mustang Mama. X3 is a hilarious and wicked take on the highs and lows of extreme sports as explored by Mama, Toby her grandson, and Sally her pet cow. (26 x 2') Do you partner with independent directors? We have not but willing to explore Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Action/adventure, comedy, content for young children (but not educational) What are you NOT looking for? Educational What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? Avatar, the Last Airbender; Billy and Mandy; Naruto; Gotham Knight What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? 3D-2D integration like Tekkonkinkreet; Little Big Planet What is your company's philosophy? (ie. what values define your work environment and output?) We encourage our workers to tap into their inner child and make their work better. |
| Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos, VP Program Distribution, Bejuba! Entertainment |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Children's programming What animation techniques do you commonly use? CGI, 3D, 2D, Flash What is your target audience demographic? Preschool and 6-12 years old What are you currently working on? 'Miro', a pre-school stop frame animation with CGI; 'Dead Rich', a Live-action / CGI comedy for tweens. Do you partner with independent directors? Yes Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes. Always. What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Animation, 6-12 years, comedy or action/adventure What are you NOT looking for? Preschool What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? 'Ricky Sprocket' on TELETOON and Nicktoons and 'Jibber Jabber' to be launched in Sept 08 on YTV What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? All the digital industry, the wireless, mobile, internet world. It is so new and yet so present. What is your company's philosophy? We are a boutique company, we care of our projects and we love our integrity. |
| Miklos Perlus, Head of Content Development, Marblemedia |
| What kinds of projects do you do? We produce cross-platform series that include strong television content. We also produce cross-platform content for external production companies. What animation techniques do you commonly use? We use flash-animation but are open to other formats as well. What is your target audience demographic? Our target audience includes everyone from Pre-school to Adult. Wherever there is an online audience, we are there. What are you currently working on? We are currently working on The Dating Guy, a show which tackles relationships from a twenty-something 'downtown' guy's perspective. It boldly exposes the romantic, working and every day struggles of four friend's attempts at finding love...or lust. The show offers a look at dating and romance with a blend of satire and comedy. We are also in development on Gnasty Gnomes, an animated series based on the classic children's book by R.L. Stine. Do you partner with independent directors? We are always looking to work with talented and innovative content creators. Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Definitely. The Dating Guy is a co-production with Blueprint Entertainment Corp. Have you been involved in international co-productions/co-ventures in the past? If so, with which market(s)? No yet, but we have some international co-productions/co-ventures in the works. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? I love 6Teen, Grossology, and Rocket Robin Hood. The Friar Tuck sequence kills me. I mean, How many chicken legs can one man eat? What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? I'd love to do something that blends live action and animation. I would also love to find a brilliant new pre-school property. What is your company's philosophy? marblemedia is a content creation company on the forefront of television and new media, devoted to telling stories that entertain and engage audiences across all platforms. We seek to create new ways to approach cross platform storytelling and strive to use technology to create stories that are timeless. |
| Jamie Piekarz, Director of Content, Treehouse and Discover Kids Canada, Corus Entertainment |
| What are your animation programming blocks and the audience demographic for each? Treehouse: we don’t have animation programming blocks but are always looking for age appropriate high quality animation series for preschoolers 2-5. We are looking for programming in a variety of formats/durations including shorts under 5 mins up to 15 and 30 min formats. Ideally it is beneficial to receive numerous episodes per series. We only buy single shows if they are holiday specials eg Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas etc. Discovery Kids: we have a low appetite for animation. We target children from ages 4-11. How many hours of new programming do you acquire per year? Treehouse may acquire as little as 40 eps per year and as much as 200 eps. Treehouse may produce/co-produce as little as 13 eps per year and as many as 100. Development proposals should go to Jamie Piekarz. Where do you generally find your new shows? We attend show markets eg. MIP TV, MIPCOM, Kidscreen. Distributors will present their new line ups. For co-productions, we are pitched shows by independent producers. What are some of your recent acquisitions? (title and production studio if possible) Treehouse: Animated Acquisitions include Ni Hao Kai Lan - Nickelodeon, Fifi and the Flowertots – Chapman Entertainment, Nouky and Friends - Noukies, The Koala Brothers – Spellbound . Animated co-productions include: My Friend Rabbit – Nelvana, Toot & Puddle – Mercury Filmworks Discovery Kids: Animated acquisitions include Zula Patrol and Cyberchase. Animated co-productions include Grossology and Willa’s Wildlife - Nelvana. What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We are looking for shows that stand out in terms of their fresh approach to preschool content and shows that are safe, inspiring and make little kids laugh. On Treehouse, we like to see positive role modeling. We like to see a variety of different styles in order to stay fresh. We like to see a variety of durations as we are commercial free and need to fill the time. For Discovery Kids, we look for real kids engaged in real adventure and told from a kid’s POV. We focus on science, nature and technology. We will sometimes pick up animation that is curriculum based or has learning as its basis. What are you NOT looking for? Treehouse: We are not looking for shows that have villains or poor role models or programs that are scary or dangerous (imitative behaviour modeling). Education is ok but only if it is highly entertaining. Education is not a mandate on Treehouse. Have there been, or will there soon be, any changes to your development/programming structure that producers should know about? No What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about? Very excited about our shows for the Fall... On Treehouse, Toot & Puddle, Sesame Street, The Adventures of Bert & Ernie, Odd Jobbers. On Discovery Kids, we look forward to SCI Q and Willa’s Wildlife. |
| Birk Rawlings, Executive Director of Animation Development, Nickelodeon |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Kids animated series What animation techniques do you commonly use? All of them What is your target audience demographic? Boys and girls 6-11 What are you currently working on? Awesome shows Do you partner with independent directors? Yes Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Open to them depending on the situation Have you been involved in international co-productions/co-ventures in the past? If so, with which market(s)? International co-productions are handled through Nina Hahn in London What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? South Park What new shows/technologies/approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? Technology is overrated - I want to do a good old cartoony creature comedy What is your company's philosophy? We look for three things in all of our shows 1) FUNNY! 2) Kid-Relatable & 3) Distinctive creator vision |
| John Rooney, Director, Programming, YTV, Corus Entertainment |
| What are your animation programming blocks and the audience demographic for each? We air animation all over the schedule - we are looking for comedy that appeals to our core of 6-11 and their families How many hours of new programming do you acquire per year? Depends on the year and our needs - we do commission 90 hours of original programming a year Where do you generally find your new shows? Anywhere, through distributors, pitches that come in - buzz that's being talked about - ideas through the company What are some of your recent acquisitions? We work closely with Nickelodeon so we acquire some of their slate - recent acquisitions include The Mighty B! from Nick; Wolverine & The X-Men from Liberation; Skunk Fu from Cake What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Broad appeal comedy for kids and their families. Animated squash and stretch tend to work best What are you NOT looking for? Serious drama or serious action - we are definitely looking to target kids funny bone Have there been, or will there soon be, any changes to your development/programming structure that producers should know about? Doug Murphy has taken over as EVP and General Manager of Corus Kids, but the rest of the structure remains intact What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about? Web shorts and short content has me excited |
| Adam Shaheen, Owner and Executive Producer, Cuppa Coffee Animation |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Cuppa Coffee uniquely has 3 divisions- Commercial and Broadcast Design, Series and most recently a Feature Development team What animation techniques do you commonly use? We are best known for Stop Motion however we also have a thriving Flash team of animators. Within the commercial department we draw from a variety of mixed media animation techniques What is your target audience demographic? We spent many years doing a lot of pre school shows - however of late we are doing shows for the 18+ crowd. What are you currently working on? Life's a Zoo - A proprietary Cuppa Coffee Stop motion Series - that pits 7 animals in a reality style format against one another; Nerdland - A stop motion pilot about slacker Nerds loving in Grimsby Ontario. Do you partner with independent directors? Not usually. Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes Have you been involved in international co-productions/co-ventures in the past? If so, with which market(s)? Mainly the US What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? There's been a spate of derivative shows that have lead me to believe any day now something original and unique will be broadcast. I'd like to see the writing of something like the UK 's 'Peepshow' in an animated form. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? We have created a uniquely digital emphasis on our production from the studios inception 17 years ago - we continue doing R and D internally and partnering with a variety of companies to continue to bring the very best to our shooting capabilities. What is your company's philosophy? Anyone whose worked at Cuppa Coffee knows I hold a huge importance on the companies buildings and working space. The space was created to give a working environment that isn't crowded that promotes internal creative dialogue and that values everyones input , no matter what they do at Cuppa Coffee. |
| Masami Tokunaga, Partner/Producer, Wowmax Media! Masaki Kaifu, Representative/Producer, Wowmax Media! |
| What kinds of projects do you do? TV series, Features, and Short series What animation techniques do you commonly use? It depends on the project: 2D, 3D, and flash etc. What is your target audience demographic? Preschool kids 6-11, teen and up. What are you currently working on? TV series, action & comedy (kids 6-11); TV series, Sci-Fi (teen and up); Feature Movie, action (family) Do you partner with independent directors? Yes Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes, we are very interested. What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We are very seriously looking for short series for preschoolers. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? We like a lot of animated shows. What new shows/technologies/approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? Something with a NEW concept. |
| David Watson, Director of Development, Nerd Corps Entertainment |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Animation series and interactive websites and games. What animation techniques do you commonly use? We primarily produce in 3-D using XSI. What is your target audience demographic? Our main target is kids, but we are looking at projects now for the male 18-35 year old demo. What are you currently working on? We are in production on two series at the moment. The first is 52 episodes of action/comedy Storm Hawks, which is currently airing in more than 50 countries around the world, including YTV in Canada. The second is comedy series The League of Super Evil, which has been picked up by YTV, CBBC in the U.K., Animania in the U.S. and Canal + in France for a 2009 launch. We're in development on a second comedy series with YTV and Jetix in Europe called Teem Awethum!!!! We are also in early development on a second action/comedy. Do you partner with independent directors? We would consider it for a feature. Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes, if it's the right fit. Have you been involved in international co-productions/co-ventures in the past? If so, with which market(s)? No. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? Fairly Odd Parents, Teen Titans, Grossology. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? We've got several new initiatives going on right now that we're excited about, the biggest being setting up an interactive wing to develop projects in tandem with our animation properties. We're currently working on two projects, the first being a DS title based on Storm Hawks. The second is an online massively multi-player collectible trading card game and expansive companion site for our upcoming comedy series The League of Super Evil. On the animation front, we're always challenging ourselves to find new directions and ways to build on our stylized approach to 3d, and really push the boundaries of what's traditionally been done. We achieved a lot on Storm Hawks and are very excited about taking that knowledge and applying it as we move forward into doing more straight-ahead kids comedy series. We're also exploring adult animation, going after the male 18 to 35 demo, and are seeking the right property to move forward with. What is your company's philosophy? Nerd Corps was formed with the primary goal of breaking free from the preconceived boundaries of 3-D animation in order to produce stylistically innovative animated projects-from storyboarding all the way to final delivery-based on a solid foundation of creative, storytelling and humour. Nerd Corps' philosophy is to produce high calibre, creatively diverse projects that will fully utilize the skill sets of our talented crew, challenging them to grow as professionals and artists. |
| Daniel Wineman, Director of Original Series and Co-productions, Jetix Europe Ltd. |
| Daniel Wineman was appointed to the position of director of original series and co-productions in April of 2008. He is responsible for all creative aspects of Jetix Europe's original series and co-productions, ensuring that the Jetix vision and brand consistency are carried throughout the development and production process. He reports to Marc Buhaj, senior VP of programming for Jetix Europe. Wineman joined Jetix Europe from Cartoon Network and Boomerang in the U.S., where he spent ten years working across programming, scheduling and acquisitions. He has a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan and started his career working for The New York Times. Company Bio: Jetix Europe, formerly Fox Kids Europe, is one of the leading pan-European integrated children's entertainment companies with localised television channels, programme distribution and consumer products businesses. Our business lines are driven by a localized approach and our ownership of one of the largest libraries of children's programming in the world. Jetix Europe is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock exchange and it is majority owned (approximately 74%) by the Walt Disney Company. |
| Jonathan Wiseman, Director of Marketing & Sales, Amberwood Entertainment |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Amberwood produces both animation and live-action properties for the children's and family demographic. Our projects range from series, specials, and features. What animation techniques do you commonly use? Our animation techniques vary from project to project. We have produced in 2D, 3D, flash, and CGI/live-action. What is your target audience demographic? Each production targets a specific demographic like pre-school or 6- 11 year olds, but all of our properties fall under the children's and family umbrella. What are you currently working on? We are currently producing RollBots, a 26 half-hour 3D animated action-comedy for YTV. We are also currently in pre-production on the 4th cycle of The Secret World of Benjamin Bear which has been licensed to over 110 territories worldwide and was commissioned by Family Channel/Playhouse Disney Canada. Do you partner with independent directors? Yes. Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? Yes. What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? Anything that falls under our target demographic, but especially that 6-11 target. What are you NOT looking for? Anything outside of the children's and family target. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? Family Guy. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? Very excited by the use of new technology and filming techniques for 3D animation purposes. One new tool being used on RollBots is a device from Gamecaster that employs a live-action style camera for animation. What is your company's philosophy? Amberwood Entertainment is a Canadian enterprise focused on the family and children's marketplace. We follow a proven and professional management process, and are artistically creative and financially innovative. We achieve high quality and do so with a sense of collegiality with our partners and clients. |
| Melissa Wolfe, Director of Development, Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. |
| What kinds of projects do you do? Our projects range from preschool and early school animated and live action projects to comedy 6-11, boys action, primetime animated, and live action tween properties. Our development slate is very diverse. What animation techniques do you commonly use? We animate a lot of our shows in Flash, but also do some in 2d, and also CG. Many of our upcoming shows will mix techniques (BGs in CG, animation in 2d or half live action half CG) What is your target audience demographic? We target our shows based on the audiences our broadcasters are targeting. What are you currently working on? TBA! Not sure we want to divulge that info. Do you partner with independent directors? I'm unclear on this question, but we do partner all the time with independent animation studios. We often use several studios to do our Flash animation and pre production (boards, turnarounds, etc) Are you interested in co-productions/co-ventures? We are incredibly interested in co-productions. What kinds of shows are you currently looking for? We are on high alert for a great boys action property, as well as comedy action for a slightly older boy audience (9-14). And we're always looking for that fantastic, funny, well executed comedy character for the 6-11 year old audience. What are you NOT looking for? We get a ton of pitches for preschool shows. unless it's incredibly well executed, it's going to be a very tough sell at this time. What is your favourite animated show on TV right now? South Park for its point of view, and SpongeBob for the way his character trumps the concept. What new shows/ technologies/ approaches are you excited about and maybe thinking of getting into? We're excited about any new technologies that will make our production process quicker, easier, and more cost effective. That being said, there is no way to get around the fact that creative is king. A great looking show will have no longevity without great storytelling. What is your company?s philosophy? Being an independent studio who finances many of our own productions through partnerships and co-productions, Cookie Jar's philosophy is one of collaboration on a global scale. At the end of the day, our most important job is identifying projects that hit the highest levels of creativity, are in line with the needs of our broadcasters, and are ultimately able to be financed and produced. |