What’s Developing in Kids Production

April 1, 2008 by Kate Calder

Cookie Jar and Daewon Media

toon up their sensory overload project

Toronto, Canada-based Cookie Jar’s latest preschool project, Noonbory and the Super 7, is a toon concept from Korea’s Daewon Media about a bunch of pint-sized superheroes. Led by Noonbory, the embodiment of common sense, the crew uses their collective super-senses to restore order and justice to their somewhat chaotic world.

In one episode, the Superborys are waiting in vain for their breakfast delivery of fresh pastries, only to discover by way of Pongdybory’s super-sense of smell, that a baddie named Coldygury has absconded with the baked goods back to his wintry lair. When the Superborys confront him there, they are rudely pelted with snowballs. Once they convince Coldygury to calm down and cease the attack, they realize he stole the pastries out of hunger, so they decide to share their breakfast with him.

Early episodes of the 52 x 11-minute series (designed to run as 26 x half hours) are in post-production and will be delivered to Canada’s BBC Kids in the next month or two. Other Canadian provincial broadcasters that have licensed the US$7.8-million series include Knowledge Network (British Columbia), Access (Alberta) and SCN (Saskatchewan). Daewon is working with another Seoul-based company, Designstorm Animation Studio, on the animation, and Cookie Jar has taken on script-writing, voice work and post audio and music.

Xiaolin Showdown mastermind

preps multiple platforms for Hulala Girls

Xiaolin Showdown creator Christy Hui is putting her finely honed action-adventure sensibilities to work on a new concept for girls six to 12. Set on a fantasy island more than a little reminiscent of Hawaii, Hulala Girls stars three spunky surfing girls, who also happen to be princesses of nature, bound to protect the Earth from those who would harm it for personal gain.

Tapping into Hawaiian mythology positing that hula experts can spiritually connect with the forces of nature when they dance, Hui uses this mechanism to infuse her characters with the special powers they need to thwart enviro-offenders.

Hui has a bible and pilot episode completed, and will be bringing on story editors, possibly from the Xiaolin Showdown team, to flesh out more scripts. She is looking for broadcast and animation partners to send the project into production, and says she’s open to different animation styles, but originally envisioned Hulala Girls playing out as 11-minute eps in CGI. She expects the budget to range from $US350,000 to $US450,000 per half hour.

In the meantime, Hui has launched a social networking website to support the show pre-launch. Hulalagirls.com introduces the three main characters through trailers and the series pilot, as well as offering green-themed casual games and a bulletin board for sharing tips on being environmentally pro-active. The next phase of development, says Hui, will bring in avatars and more social networking capabilities.

A limited number of promotional plush dolls have also been manufactured, and Hui has hooked up with eco-group American Forest to cover the cost of planting of a tree when someone buys one of the dolls. She’s currently looking for a licensee to take this doll initiative to the next level, as well as a publishing partner to develop a chapter book manuscript that’s in the works.