Federation plots animation move, teams with Kring

Pascal Breton’s production and distribution outfit Federation Entertainment is moving into animation and has lined up its first toon projects.

Speaking to TBI, Breton (pictured) said that the focus of his fast-growing French company will remain on drama, but kids programming will also play a part and work is underway on a trio of projects.

“We want to secure the production, financing and distribution of programmes with international appeal and 80% of our overall revenues will come from drama series, but platforms are giving more attention to animation and youth programming too, and we do have plans in animation,” Breton said. “Three series are currently being developed with a French producer.”

Separately, Breton revealed that Federation has joined forces with Heroes creator Tim Kring to make a new big-budget US medical drama. The US$3 million per episode series does not have an official title or broadcaster attached yet, but will be produced by Federation and Kring’s prodco.

“We concluded a copro deal with Tim Kring’s company and the showrunner is Carrol Barbee [Falling Skies],” Breton said. Casting has started and production will likely get underway later this year, he added.

Federation has rapidly got up to speed since its launch last year. It is making Netflix first French-language original, Marseilles, and its distribution division is at MIPTV this week selling Finnish medical drama The Replacements and Canal+ spy series The Bureau at the market.

It has also joined forces with Italy’s Mediaset to make mobster drama Lucky Luciano, which it will sell internationally.

The full interview with Pascal Breton is in the first issue of TBI Scripted, which is out now.