BKN signs major outsourcing deal with UTV Toons

As it strives to increase its contribution to parentco UTV Software Communication’s revenues from 1% in 2004 to 5% this year, animation division UTV Toons has signed a landmark service contract and rights deal with BKN International worth US$10 million. For its part, UTV Toons will handle animation production on two 26-episode runs of CGI series Kong The Next Generation, as well as a sequel feature film called Kong II – Return to the Jungle. In return, BKN has given up distribution and merch rights in India to catalogue series including Legend of the Dragon, Roswell Conspiracies and Skipper & Skeeto. These toons should launch on HungamaTV (also owned by UTV Software Communications) by Christmas, and the channel’s consumer products team will start mapping out licensing programs for them immediately.

Moonscoop moves Funky Cops into the mobile market

Working through wireless media agency TV For Mobile, Moonscoop Animation has signed a deal with French cell phone content developer Overloaded to create games, wallpapers, ringtones and video downloads based on retro toon Funky Cops. To kick the line off, a disco pinball game was offered to service providers and mobile portals around the world late last month. Overloaded plans to release a new game each month, and Funky Cops Ping Pong is due out in November. Although the TV series targets kids eight to 12, Overloaded’s mobile range will skew a little older to hit the 10 to 15 market.