MIPJunior Hot Pick: Pumpkin Reports

Motion Pictures’ big MIPCOM launch has been a long time coming. Initially conceived and developed by the Barcelona-based animation producer and distributor, Pumpkin Reports’ financing phase came as Spain’s toon business – and wider economy – was plunging into crisis.

However, Motion eventually got its money from Spanish pubcasters TVE and the Catalan region’s TV3, while bringing in new investment from Malaysia and Italy. “We wanted to find an Asian partner and noted how the skills were quickly improving in Malaysia,” says Motion’s director of development and coproductions Xavi Mas.

Young Jump Animation was recommended after Motion contacted the country’s Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), and is now handling the CGI animation, while Italian post-production firm Sample, which is moving into content ownership, was brought on to handle music and audio elements.

Having Sample onboard led to Italian pubcaster Rai investing, meaning Motion had raised its €4.8 million (US$6.3 million) budget. Production began last year, but Motion is only now launching the show as “we wanted to have all the elements together”, says Mas. Thirteen completed episodes will be available to view in Cannes.

The show, a comedy for 6-12s, follows Max Green, an 11-year-old boy living in the idyllic pumpkin-growing capital of the world who discovers his new adopted sister and her younger brother are in fact an advance party for an alien invasion.

Only Max’s close friends believe him that danger is looming, meaning he is constantly forced to save the day. “Every episode will see him save the world, but nobody will care much because they don’t believe him,” says Mas.

Pay TV presales have been secured in Brazil and the Middle East. The show launches in Europe next spring.

The show: Pumpkin Reports
The producers: Motion Pictures, Sample, Young Jump Animation
The distributor: Motion Pictures
The broadcasters: TVE, TV3 (Spain), Italy (Rai), Gloob (Brazil), MBC (Middle East)
The concept: Boy seeks to save the world from his adopted siblings, who are actually aliens planning an invasion of Earth