Kids round-up: Beyond shops ‘The World According To Grandpa’; Cyber launches animation studio; Rai welcomes ‘Pablo’

The World According To Grandpa

Beyond Rights shops ‘The World According To Grandpa’

Beyond Rights has acquired worldwide distribution rights to kids’ series The World According To Grandpa, which it will be officially launching to the international market at the upcoming Kidscreen.

Produced by Saffron Cherry TV for UK broadcaster Channel 5, the 25 x 11-minute series is based on the book series by Chris Heath and blends live-action and puppetry with animation. It stars Don Warrington (Death In Paradise) as the titular Grandpa, who offers imaginative and ridiculous responses to his grandchildren’s many questions about the world. Luckily, Halifax the rabbit, voiced by Sally Lindsay (Mount Pleasant), is there to provide the real answers to counterbalance Grandpa’s flights of fancy.

Saffron Cherry MD Caroline Roberts-Cherry told TBI last year that the show was “a lovely insight into how children look at the world” which tackles questions sourced from real youngsters, from “what happened to the dinosaurs?” to “why is chocolate so tasty?”

Beyond Rights has also announced a number of deals for its existing children’s titles in Australia, the US, Europe And Asia.

Australia’s ABC has picked up The Wacky Word Show, while BYU in the US has taken season two of Gym Stars. Ceska Televize in the Czech Republic has licensed the first two seasons The Dengineers, while Hop Channel in Israel has acquired Hushabye Lullabye and the second season of Numberjacks and renewed its license for the Numberjacks special.

Other deals include, Disney Japan acquiring all three seasons of Beat Bugs plus a movie special, while Motown Magic has been sold to Radio Television Malaysia. Daekyo Kids TV in South Korea has meanwhile acquired pre-school title Hushabye Lullaby, while Hong Kong Cable Television has acquired all four seasons of Junior Vets and all three seasons of The Dengineers.

Giganto Club

Cyber Group launches new animation studio

France’s Cyber Group Studios has been selected as a recipient of an Epic MegaGrant by Epic Games, which it will use to establish a real-time animation studio in Roubaix.

The new virtual production studio is expected to be fully operational by the end of March and will be managed by Stéphanie BACLET who currently oversees the 2D and CG animation studio the company opened in 2018. Its goal is to enable simultaneous production of linear animated programming, social media short-form, video game content and interactive digital experiences

The new studio’s first original scripted animated project will be the 52 x 11-minute series Giganto Club, a dinosaur adventure presenting facts about the Cretaceous period and expected to launch later this year.

Pierre Sissmann, chairman and CEO of Cyber Group Studios, commented : “We decided to create this advanced virtual production studio in the ‘Hauts de France,’ as the region is developing as a center of production excellence gathering a few leading industry players, and among the best animation and video game schools in the world.”

Pablo

Rai welcomes ‘Pablo’

Italian broadcaster Rai has acquired the first season of UK pre-school series Pablo, following a deal with UK-based Cake.

The series will launch on 20 February on Rai’s platform Rai Play and on 1 March on Rai’s kids’ channel Rai Yoyo.

Produced by Paper Owl Films for CBeebies and RTÉJr., in association with Kavaleer Productions and Ingenious, the series follows autistic youngster Pablo, whose imaginative drawings come to life enabling him to face the real world with confidence.

Ed Galton, CCO & MD at Cake and exec producer on Pablo said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Rai on Pablo,a pioneering show, which raises awareness of autism and delivers relevant content to today’s young audiences while celebrating inclusivity, creativity and individuality.”