Greenlit by BYUtv in the US and New Zealand’s Sky Network Television, Kiwi prodco Libertine Pictures’ new family adventure series Red Rocks has also secured a heavyweight global distributor, with WildBrain picking up non-domestic sales rights to the eight x 30-minute live-actioner for eight- to 12-year-olds and their families.

The show is being shot on location in Wellington and revolves around a boy who’s drawn into a world of mythical creatures and danger when he discovers a magical sealskin that enchants his dad…and also the shapeshifter who wants it back. Libertine has started production, partnering with Wētā Workshop on the creature effects, and delivery is slated for end of this year.

Red Rocks is an adaptation of a same-name novel by Kiwi author Rachael King that was published in 2012 by Penguin Random House New Zealand. It also tackles themes to do with protecting the environment, belonging and understanding your family. 

BYUtv was drawn to the concept’s original premise and its strong mythical story about a family connecting, says head of content Andra Johnson Duke. And Thomas Robbins, head of Sky Originals NZ, says the domestic broadcaster came on board because Red Rocks is a quintessential New Zealand story from a talented local team. 

Libertine’s previous projects include fantasy series co-pro The Letter for the King (with Dutch studio FilmWave for Netflix) and a family adventure movie called Into the Rainbow (with Beijing Tianrun Media). It also produced a book-based kids mystery series called Mystic (29 x 30 minutes) with Slim Film+Television that ran for three seasons on commissioning broadcasters CBBC (UK), Seven Network (Australia) and TVNZ (New Zealand).

Studio MD Richard Fletcher tells Kidscreen: “We are really excited to highlight the rugged South coast of Wellington as a unique [New Zealand] landscape—and to have the opportunity to work with Wētā Workshop on creating animatronic seals for the series so we can shoot as much as possible in camera.”