Boat Rocker
WarnerMedia has picked up preschool series Love Monster to air on its soon-to-launch Cartoonito linear preschool block starting September 19. The 2D-animated show was previously acquired by HBO Max, and will be available on the Cartoonito section of WarnerMedia’s streamer beginning September 13.
Co-produced by BBC Children’s In-House Productions, Boat Rocker and China’s UYoung, the 52 x seven-minute series stars a friendly monster who goes on various adventures and learns new things. Its second season (27 x seven minutes) is in production now and will premiere on CBeebies in early 2022, before rolling out on Cartoonito later in the year.
In other Boat Rocker news, the prodco has signed six new licensing deals for its other preschool show, Dino Ranch,in North America and EMEA. US and Canadian licensees joining the consumer products program for the 52 x 11-minute animated adventure series include Baby Boom Consumer Products (bedding), High Point Design (apparel) and Kurt S. Adler Inc, (holiday decorations). UK-based Kennedy Publishing (books) and international manufacturer Rubie’s (costumes) will create outfits and accessories for territories including the UK, France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Dino Ranch premiered in January on Canadian pubcaster CBC and Disney Junior in the US. It is also available on Disney+ in the UK, Australia and the US.
Beyond Rights
The UK-based distributor has inked a broadcast deal with China’s Alibaba to air Turbozaurus from Russian studio Caramel & Co Animation. The 26 x seven-minute preschool show centers around three dinos who can turn into machines and their human friends. It premiered on Russia’s Carousel Channel earlier this year and will launch on Youku’s VOD platform and mobile app in November.
UYoung
The Chinese distributor will manage regional sales and licensing & merchandising for preschool series Beadies (55 x five minutes) from Russian animation studio Platoshka.
This is the first international deal for music-driven Beadies, which is about a group of animals who learn about positive behavior as they go through their daily lives. Platoshka independently financed the educational series, which premiered on YouTube in June 2021. And it’s currently producing a second season, as well as a live-action adaptation featuring hosts that teach toddlers through games, crafts and dance.
YoBoHo
Sony Music Entertainment’s subsidiary The Orchard has inked a deal to distribute and monetize the music and video producer’s catalogue of kids songs.
This deal covers more than 900 songs from preschool music and nursery rhyme brands such as KidsCamp, Teehee Town, All Babies Channel, Annie & Ben and HooplaKidz. YoBoHo’s songs are already available on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
The deal is part of The Orchard’s strategy to expand into the kids music space at a time when families are increasingly listening to music together, according to a release.
Jazwares
The toyco has teamed up with Florida-based VaynerNFT to launch a line of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring the likeness of YouTube kidfluencer Like Nastya. The tokens, which start at US$10, launched August 24 on NFT marketplace Bitski and mark the toyco’s first-ever NFT deal.
NFTs are essentially one-of-a-kind virtual trading cards that have their ownership details stored on a digital ledger (a blockchain). A digital receipt of authenticity differentiates the content from other copies.