Kids round-up: Blue Spirit adds to production team; Showlab hires new distribution exec

Blue Spirit Productions has added two artistic producers to its team for separate labels.

Caroline Oustlant will work on production for Blue Spirit and initiate new series as well as supporting projects already in development, including The Borrowers, which received positive reception at last year’s Cartoon Forum.

Oustlant was most recently at Lagardère Group, where she created over 20 series over three years.

Sara Wikler is joining Sinematik, the label dedicated to features. She will be in charge of developing the company’s forthcoming features and will also join in the development of The Ballad of Yayam the film adapted from the Franc-Chinese comic books of the same name, published by Fei.

Wikler was formerly with Studiocanal.

Showlab hires new distribution exec

Showlab has hired Micheline Azoury to lead a newly launched distribution and acquisition kids content division.

In the new role Azoury will work alongside Showlab’s general manager for animation and youth programmes, Alfio Bastiancich, along with Guido Berte, the general manager of consumer products and kids content, to push the company’s acquisition and international sales strategy and development of new IP and activities.

Azoury said: “I’m very glad to join Showlab team. I believe in content always being king and I have been impressed with the plans and industrial growth Showlab is planning to reach soon. I really look forward to working close to Alfio Bastiancich from one hand and with Guido Bertè and his expertise in kids business from other side”

Bastiancich added: “I’m happy to welcome Micheline Azoury to the Showlab team. With her solid experience in kids’ acquisition and her intimate knowledge of the international market, Micheline’s high profile is a key addition to sustain Showlab’s strong growth and expansion in a dynamic and competitive market today”.

Guido Bertè added: “I consider Micheline Azoury’s arrival within our group a very important step and fundamental to strengthen and expand our kids division. Her talent and her relationships are and will surely be essential elements to reach ambitious targets”

Hoho Rights’ Cloudbabies head to Turkey

Hoho Rights, the commercial arm of kids’ production company Hoho Entertainment, has today announced an all-rights deal for Cloudbabies with Fauna, Turkey’s leading children’s entertainment company.

Fauna specialises in the development, production, distribution and brand management of linear and non-linear kid’s content with a 360-degree management approach. Its show Kukuli, which began on YouTube, became Turkey’s first digital animation to enjoy international success, following a positive response in its home market.

The deal with Fauna builds on recent international expansion for Cloudbabies, including in mainland China with Chinese media company Wow Dadi.

Created by award-winning art director Bridget Appleby, Cloudbabies (52 x 10-minutes) features the adventures of four toddlers whose job it is to look after the sky and their Sky Friends. It premiered on CBeebies in the UK and can now be seen in around 20 territories across the globe.

Helen Howells, joint MD at Hoho Entertainment, said: “It’s really exciting to be working with enthusiastic and like-minded partners.  Fauna has a fantastic track record with Kukuli and we are delighted to be working with Emre and his team to bring Cloudbabies to a new audience.”

Emre Aksoy, chief business officer at Fauna, added: “It’s exciting to see companies believing in the new digital era to create brands. Cloudbabies is a lovely and very appealing series which will in no doubt be very successful on digital platforms, especially in Turkey where content consumption is at its highest.

“Kukuli proved to us that digital platforms are as important as TV nowadays to develop a brand, and with its high-quality animation and lovely stories there is no doubt Cloudbabies will reinforce this idea.”