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Category: Kids

  • Disney Kids Network bolsters animation slate with two new shows

    Disney Kids Network bolsters animation slate with two new shows

    Mumbai: Disney Kids Network has strengthened its local content slate with the acquisition of two new home-grown animation shows – Bhaiyyaji Balwan and Twinkle Sharma #0007.

    For Bhaiyyaji Balwan, the network has tied with Reliance Animation, which has been delivering IP driven content across multiple Indian languages with the help of latest and licensed technology in animation and VFX. While, Twinkle Sharma #0007 is created by Ssoftoons, a studio known for creating its storylines keeping their viewers’ mindset in mind, and integrating the cultural flavours with a blend of creativity, experience & consistency.

    “Both the shows are set to bring wholesome entertainment for kids and families with relatable characters and a special focus on everyday stories, ” said the network on Thursday. Over the last year, the network has entertained kids and families with a range of local narratives from Gadget Guru Ganesha, Bapu, Guddu along with bringing in new episodes of their existing favourite –Selfie with Bajrangi.

    “At the heart of what we do is tell great stories and introduce memorable characters that appeal to kids and families everywhere. The stories and characters represent our audiences in the best manner – indulging their creativity, imagination and their world. The two new additions in our local animation slate are an extension of this philosophy as we keep adding stories and characters that are varied, distinctive and have the ability to resonate with kids and adults alike. We are happy to be partnering with Reliance Animation and Ssoftoons and will continue to associate with local studios to present many such fresh, unique and best-in- class narratives for our beloved fans,” said a Disney Kids Network spokesperson.

    Set against the backdrop of Gomtipur which is home to a charming young street smart Bhaiyyaji loved by the villagers for his shrewd simple problem-solving abilities. He rolls through the fun and frolic of rural life but works towards the betterment of their village.

    While the second series Twinkle Sharma #0007 is a story of a girl protagonist – the smart and savvy 10-year-old girl Twinkle who seems like an ordinary girl- next-door but always protects her group of seven friends – only through her wit, intelligence and presence of mind.

    “We have been striving to enhance the culture of story-telling by characterising animation in the world of fantasy and with the unique narrative like Bhaiyyaji Balwan, we hope to win the hearts of young audiences across the country,” said Reliance Animation CEO Tejonidhi Bhandare.

    “We have been consistently working towards creating constructive animation content, bringing quality animation that people could easily relate to and that was the vision behind creating a girl protagonist and a hero in Twinkle Sharma #0007. We are really looking forward to associating with Disney Kids Network and presenting our creation through their powerful platform and reach,” said Ssoftoons CEO Sourav Mondal.

  • Nickelodeon to launch month-long campaign celebrating friendship day

    Nickelodeon to launch month-long campaign celebrating friendship day

    Mumbai: Kids entertainment channel Nickelodeon has come up with an initiative #ToastYourDost to celebrate Friendship Day. Represented by Nick toons, the campaign will give its young viewers a chance to celebrate the entire month of August as an ode to friendship with banter between friends, and a whole lot of pranks and fun.

    Starting 1 August, the month-long campaign will go on till 3 September during which, Nickelodeon will premiere the #ToastYourDost online awards that will be given under categories such as Chindi Friend, Selfie Obsessed Soul, Lazy Daizy, Late Lateef, Biggest Bhukkad, Biggest Ditcher and more.  The 12 award categories will allow young viewers to choose a toasting template and add the name of the friend along with a reason to ‘toast that dost’ after logging on to Nickindia dot com.

    Nickelodeon will also launch another on-air campaign where millions of kids will be able to watch episodes of their favorite toon BFFs like Rudra, Motu Patlu, and Golmaal Jr, while participating in a contest that will give them an opportunity to win cool gaming consoles.

    Speaking on the initiative, Viacom18, head – marketing kids TV network, Sonali Bhattacharya, said, “At Nickelodeon, we celebrate kids and all that is of importance to them. Friendship and all the wonderful emotions that it sparks form a pivotal part of kids’ lives. Keeping this in mind, we have curated our initiative #ToastYourDost that will allow kids to toast their friends all month long and make some fun memories. The unique initiative spans all screens and is full of quirky digital innovations that will keep kids happy and positive.”

    The channel has devised a robust digital plan to boost the initiative with swipe-up games, AR filters, mash-up reels, and gamified stories along with promotions on Voot, Voot Kids, social media platforms, and YouTube channels. Nickelodeon will also reach out to kids through tickers running on the channel as well as through billboards and digital screens across Mumbai. Additionally, specially curated music playlists on friendship will be available across music streaming apps.

  • Animation Xpress’ KAM Summit 2021 begins

    Animation Xpress’ KAM Summit 2021 begins

    Mumbai: Kids, Animation & More (KAM) Summit and Ann Awards are back again with yet another insightful and exciting edition. The second edition of KAM Summit and Ann Awards 2021 began virtually on Thursday. 

    AnimationXpress launched the first edition of the KAM Summit and Ann Awards in 2019 at The Lalit, Mumbai which saw a participation of about 700 delegates and 45 speakers. The industry has gone through a lot of changes since then.

    One of the very few sectors that flourished tremendously during the lockdown period was Animation! A form of entertainment that is not reliant on production that presupposes physical gathering unlike live-action content and yet entertains children and adults alike. 

    The key theme of KAM Summit 2021 is ‘The Next Big Rise’. The three-day event will witness insightful sessions with industry leaders across studios, broadcasters, OTT platforms, creators as they discuss the options Indian animation has before itself and the direction it can take to propel it further. It will also focus on the medium’s expansion into myriad genres and platforms.

    The mission of the KAM Summit is to celebrate the stupendously growing animation industry and to bring together the animation industries – both in India and internationally – to pause and reflect on trends and developments in every aspect of the business and technology associated with it.

    With the animation industry’s creme de la creme on the advisory board, the summit is set to be a definitive virtual gathering and a vantage point for the entire animation industry.

    The advisory members include Toonz Media Group CEO P Jayakumar, Vaibhav Studios founder and director Vaibhav Kumaresh, Zebu Animation CEO Adi Shayan, Green Gold Animations CEO Rajiv Chilaka, FICCI AVGC chairman and Punnaryug Artvision founder Ashish Kulkarni, Technicolor country head Biren Ghose, Assemblage Entertainment founder and CEO AK Madhavan, Walt Disney Animation Studios character technical director-simulation supervisor Avneet Kaur, Autodesk India technical solutions manager Samit Shetty, Joan Vogelesang Consultants president and CEO Joan Vogelesang and Srinivas Sribhakta who is the CEO of VedAtma Animation Studios, director & CEO at ‎Arena Animation Malleswaram & Rajajinagar and secretary ABAI.

    KAM Summit is presented by Nick and is co-powered by Cosmos-Maya, Unreal-Engine, and Discovery Kids. ABAI and COE are the associate partners and the event is supported by GUBBARE and HUION. Digicon6 Asia is the festival partner and ASIFA India serves as the community partner.

    Viacom18 Hindi and Kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “The kids’ entertainment space is at a very exciting stage. With carefully curated IPs that are entertaining, engaging, and transport kids into a world of escape, it is no wonder that the category is on a growth trajectory. Since kids influence almost all major household purchase decisions and co-viewing of the genre, it is no wonder that kids’ channels remain attractive to advertisers. An event like KAM brings all the relevant stakeholders together- be it content creators, platform owners, or advertisers. It is collaborative forums such as this that will lead to greater storytelling and innovation in the sphere of kids’ entertainment.”

    Unreal Engine Epic Games evangelist Arvind Neelakantan also expressed his excitement for the virtual summit. “Unreal Engine is reimagining storytelling and revolutionizing production pipelines for episodic, feature-length, and short-form animations. We are excited to be at the summit to see how we can enable creators to transform their first idea into a final frame, all using Unreal,” he said.

    In its statement, Cosmos-Maya said, “The KAM Summit is an effort to take the Indian animation industry global and also celebrate our landmark achievements as an industry. As a leading industry player Cosmos-Maya is happy to be part of an industry-wide initiative like this and we expect it to be a great event. An opportunity to make any new professional collaborations would be the cherry on the cake.”

    YOTTA serves as the workstation and OTT service partner whereas Green Gold Animation is the summit partner. 

    In a statement, YOTTA Infrastructure said, “Technology has been powering content creators and digital platforms. At Yotta, we are democratizing technology by offering innovative solutions on a subscription model. This is the first time we are participating in the KAM Summit 2021, and looking forward to presenting our solutions for Creative content creators and OTT Players/Broadcasters.”

    Green Gold Animation stated, “Animation as a medium has been evolving to accommodate the changes or rather the growth in reach and access along with the technology of the industry. The digital platforms have opened up the world of content across the world. With storytelling itself no longer bound by regions and language, the animation is gaining acceptance across age groups with the myriad tales that appeal to human emotions and shared experiences that we all share during our lives. We look forward to sharing our bit of experience gained along our journey and be privy to the same from the various participants and speakers at KAM 2021.”

    ABAI president Biren Ghose who has been supporting the initiative also as an advisory board member shared, “ABAI is delighted to present the “go-to-market” strategy and the traction it has achieved for the Center Of Excellence that has provided high-end technology solutions; incubation and a subsidised set of infrastructure to the start-up community at Bengaluru. The finishing school is in the process of taking its talent development mission to high-tech areas in virtual production and game engine technologies and also to act as a hub for the virtualisation of the digital arts education programme. No industry association has been able to show multi-million-dollar support to the community like ABAI has done thanks to the Government of Karnataka and the KAVGC Policy.”

    Keeping the ongoing lockdowns and work from home stress in mind, this year’s KAM Summit will be held in two parts of the day; morning sessions will be from 10 am and evening sessions will be held from 5/6:00 pm.

    We are excited to bring to you this massive extravaganza and information-loaded KAM summit to make the animation industry propel to new heights.

    Click here for the complete KAM SUMMIT 2021 Agenda

    For additional information and for Summit Registration kindly visit the KAM SUMMIT 2021 

    Click here to know more about Ann Awards

  • Cosmos-Maya launches new title song for animated series ‘Selfie With Bajrangi’

    Cosmos-Maya launches new title song for animated series ‘Selfie With Bajrangi’

    Mumbai: Animation company Cosmos-Maya has released a brand-new title audio signature for its show “Selfie With Bajrangi” (SWB). The show is awaiting the release of its next season, and the makers celebrated the creative transition of the series with all-new earworms in Tamil and Telugu – penned and composed by music industry veterans Sameer Anjaan and Raju Singh respectively – with popular Bollywood singer Shaan humming the Hindi version of the tune.

    The show which has already released over a massive 300 episodes within four years, is a successful Cosmos-Maya IP currently ruling the rating chart. It chronicles the adventures of a nine-year-old boy Ankush and his special friendship with the mystical kid Bajrangi who looks like and possesses powers like Lord Hanuman and is invisible to everyone except the protagonist.

    “SWB has very organically grown as a brand to become a kids’ favourite among homegrown Indian animated shows, owing to its light, friendly elements and fun environment,” Cosmos-Maya’s founder Ketan Mehta said. “Every young kid has sought to have a divine friend like Bajrangi, who understands him and sticks around with him through thick and thin, helping him out through the most impossible situations. SWB taps into the creative gene pool and the innate cultural intricacies of Indian storytelling, which is one of the reasons this show has worked very well with today’s kids and families alike, because even our audience’s parents approve of such contemporary role models, and their quirky style of emotive, educative and entertaining storytelling. The new title song by Shaan, Sameer, and Raju reflects everything great about this beautiful relationship between Ankush, Bajrangi, and our viewers.”

    Cosmos-Maya’s CEO Anish Mehta said, “SWB is geared to grow as a full-bodied 360-degree IP with its reach across online and offline business avenues, to eventually become a valuable asset for partner brands to connect with. We already have ongoing collaboration discussions with multiple brands in the ed-tech, e-commerce, and the licensing and merchandising space, especially toys and kids apparel. The show has the makings of a flagship cartoon series and our studio and channel partners are working closely to get it there.”

    Cosmos-Maya’s chief creative officer and creative director of the show Dheeraj Berry said, “Ankush aur Bajrangi dono hain number 1 – this hook of the song works wonderfully to capture the essence of our two characters’ relationship, as well as the love kids, have for them. The song heralds the arrival of the next season of Selfie With Bajrangi with the festive fervour and fanfare that the show deserves, and also celebrates the audience who watches this show and makes it one of the top shows on Indian kids TV. The upcoming season will have more diverse narratives than ever before with multiple creative theme buckets taking our characters across multiple geographies within India, exploring newer avatars across new episode genres, and crossovers with other uber-popular characters from parallel kids’ favourite shows from Cosmos-Maya.”

    Commenting on his collaboration with SWB and the ability to reach so many young minds, the singer said, “I have a soft spot for animated series, especially kids’ cartoons and that’s what brings me on board for another one with Cosmos-Maya for the latest season of SWB. The added incentive, of course, was to work with the legendary Sameer Ji and the super talented Raju Singh. I had a great time recording this new title track for this amazing hit show, it’s catchy and fun and I am confident that the kids will fall in love with the energetic new tune.”

  • Discovery and Byju’s come together to host DSSL Season 4

    Mumbai: Following the success of Discovery School Super League (DSSL) season three, Discovery India and the learning app, Byju’s have come together to announce its next season. With the campaign ‘Aao Milkar le Khushi ki Udaan’, this latest season will target over three million participants across the country, class three to ten students from 30,000 schools across 30 states in its new virtual format, the company said.  

    After going through rigorous rounds of quizzing, the top team from each of the 30 states will qualify for the six-episode TV quiz show, which will premiere on Discovery channel and Discovery Kids. Nine students of the competition along with their respective principal/teacher will be awarded a special chance of spending a day at NASA, it added.  

    “This initiative is an attempt to give students a unique opportunity to dive deeper into every subject while honing their general knowledge,” Byju’s marketing head Atit Mehta said. “Combining technology and creativity, we’re bringing students immersive ways to stay engaged whilst learning thereby making the application a wholesome destination for acquiring knowledge and ensuring every student gets a chance to participate in the quiz hassle-free. Discovery School Super League began as a means to contribute to the development of young minds, letting them compete healthily. With students from across 30000 schools participating in the quiz, season 4 will bring double the excitement, fun, and learning.”

    Discovery’s south Asia head of advertising & sales, Shaun Nanjappa Chendira said, “Discovery School Super League continues to be one of the most awaited events in the School calendar given the scale of the platform and opportunities it provides for students to shine at a national level. In fact, with schools being closed due to the pandemic, the eagerness of the student community to participate in quiz has increased. We at Discovery believe that learning can be made fun through innovative and engaging formats and Discovery School Super League becoming India’s biggest and highly appreciated quiz competition serves as a testament to our belief.”

  • Cartoon Network to introduce new tech-savvy superhero Ekans on 27 June

    Cartoon Network to introduce new tech-savvy superhero Ekans on 27 June

    KOLKATA: Cartoon Network, a WarnerMedia Kids channel on Thursday announced the release of its first local sci-fi superhero CGI series, ‘Ekans – Ek Se Badhkar Snake’. The all-new animated series will air on the channel starting 27 June, and thereafter from Monday to Friday, at 11:30am and 7:30pm.

    The series features a 13-year-old street-smart wunderkind, Ekans, who is chosen as ‘the one’ and is gifted a ‘naagmani’ by the world’s most powerful snakes, thanks to his heart of gold and fearless attitude. With extraordinary snake-like powers, the otherwise conventional tech-savvy youngster obtains heightened sensory perceptions, the ability to camouflage, flexibility, and strength to keep humanity safe from the evils of the world. His trendy hi-tech superpower suit with mechanical snakes gives him additional abilities to cleverly outsmart villains. This original IP has a storyline that centres around the lives of Ekans, his genius family, and goofy friend Chiku.

    ‘Ekans – Ek Se Badhkar Snake’, local production by Kolkata-based studio Hi-Tech Animation, joins the existing gamut of successful homegrown IPs by WarnerMedia India such as ‘Dabangg – The Animated Series’ on Cartoon Network; ‘Titoo – Har Jawaab Ka Sawaal Hu’ and ‘Smashing Simmba’ on the companion channel POGO.

    Cartoon Network and POGO South Asia Network head Abhishek Dutta said: “We are thrilled to introduce our first-ever original homegrown superhero. It’s also our first-ever CGI series. ‘Ekans – Ek Se Badhkar Snake’ has a character-verse that is locally relevant and resonates universally. The show not only brings entertaining, action-packed adventures with new-age gadgets but also encourages kids to wholly embrace themselves – just as Ekans does. We’re sure kids and their parents will love the show’s teen protagonist, because of his intelligence, unique superpowers, and his ability to overcome challenges and fears for the greater good.”

    The show’s title track is a collaborative effort of award-winning Indian playback singer Kailash Kher, freestyle rap sensation Parry G, legendary poet and author Gulzar, and music composer Simaab Sen.

    To create excitement and build engagement amongst the audiences, Cartoon Network has also launched a high-impact, 360-degree integrated promotional campaign that celebrates the superhero in every kid. As part of this campaign, the brand has launched an Instagram page @EkansOnCartoonNetwork dedicated to the superhero.

    Cartoon Network will also collaborate with various partners, such as leading digital parenting platform Momspresso and YouTube Kids sensation ‘The Aayu-Pihu Show’, for engaging activities on social media. The promotional efforts for #EkansOnCartoonNetwork also include brand integrations, influencer engagement, branded content opportunities, affiliate marketing, in-app mobile game advertising, and exciting activities on Cartoon Network’s official website and social media pages.

  • Sony YAY! taps the power of music for kids

    New Delhi: The power of music can play an instrumental role in kids’ life by instilling hope and inspiring a positive outlook in them. With this objective in mind, the kids’ entertainment channel Sony YAY! has decided to bring children closer to the power of music on this World Music Day.

    The channel has joined hands with leading musicians of the country like Rekha Bhardwaj, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Vishal Dadlani, Shaan, and Suneeta Rao who have donated their autographed musical instruments for kids who otherwise might not have the privilege of its access.

    Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre, business head, Leena Lele Dutta said, “It’s been a tough year for kids. Music has always gone beyond the boundaries of entertainment to be relaxing and healing thus aiding and empowering kids to overcome any challenges. Our initiative for world music day recognises the need to reinforce the importance of celebrating music amongst kids. I thank each one of the musical heroes for participating and inspiring hope and positivity in the lives of kids.”

    Forces of the Indian music industry like Rekha Bhardwaj who gave us tunes like Sasural Genda Phool has donated her Digital Ragini for this initiative. The coolest sonic trio of the Hindi film industry Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy autographed a Ukulele, Clap Box, and Guitar respectively. Known for his epic romantic tunes and velvety voice, singer Shaan signed a Mandolin for the kids. Lastly, since the 90s fever is trending, the melody queen of the era, Suneeta Rao has also shown her support by signing a Bongo Drum.

    Singer Shaan emphasized the importance of music in his life. “It has taught me patience and hard work and this World Music Day, I hope that children across the world learn the importance of perseverance and adopt the value of hard work. Through this initiative by Sony YAY!, I hope we bring inspiration in the lives of these kids,” he said.

    Talking about the initiative, musician Shankar Mahadeva said, “It’s a difficult time for everyone as we all have been spending time at home in isolation. Having ample time at our disposal as we stay indoors, we must put some aside to celebrate a wonderful thing called music. For it is something that can be your friend, philosopher, guide, it can just be with you. So, on World Music Day, create, innovate, introspect and see what kind of talent you have and how much can you nurture it. I am extremely thankful to Sony YAY! and their entire team for helping us embark on this beautiful journey of music together.”

  • Melissa Lim to lead kids’ content acquisitions at WarnerMedia

    KOLKATA: WarnerMedia has appointed Melissa Lim as the new head of content acquisitions and co-productions for its kids’ networks in Asia Pacific, which include POGO, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. She will also advise on licensing content to fuel the growing slate of kids and family programming on the regional streaming service HBO GO in Southeast Asia.

    Lim is currently based in Singapore and reports to Leslie Lee, head of WarnerMedia Kids APAC. Working closely with counterparts in the original production and development team, as well as programming, her key areas of focus will be exploring co-production opportunities and acquiring kids content for the region. For the latter, she will work with colleagues from other WarnerMedia acquisitions teams in the US, EMEA and LatAm.

    “Pinpointing and securing the world’s best third-party animation that sit perfectly alongside our originals is no easy task. I know that Melissa’s experience and passion will ensure we provide our fans a complete on-brand entertainment experience,” said Lee. “Her role is particularly important at a time when our networks are evolving and expanding viewer demos.”

    Melissa’s previous roles include stints at MTV Asia and StarHub, where she spent 13 years gaining invaluable insight into the kids programming world. Most recently, she was managing co-production and acquisitions at Disney for its channels and regional streamer.

  • Animated Salman Khan’s “Dabangg” on Cartoon Network telecast

    Animated Salman Khan’s “Dabangg” on Cartoon Network telecast

    Thiruvananthapuram: Cartoon Network, one of the most popular animation channels in India will telecast Dabanng-The Animated Series from 31 May, every day at 12.00 PM. The series is based on Salman Khan’s iconic cop character ‘Chulbul Pandey’ from the “Dabangg” franchise. 

    Created made by WarnerMedia, in association with Cosmos-Maya, “Dabangg-The Animated Series” joins the Cartoon Network line-up following the resounding success of other homegrown comedies like “Titoo – Har Jawaab Ka Sawaal Hu”, “Smashing Simmba” and “Lambu-G Tingu-G” on its companion channel POGO. 

    Marking the launch of this latest homegrown IP, inspired by one of Bollywood’s most celebrated super-cop franchises, Cartoon Network is also launching a “#ThankYouForBeingDabangg campaign”. This unique initiative aims to celebrate the valour of police officers in India, and kids across the nation will be able to express their gratitude towards police officers through handwritten notes, videos, and messages as a part of this campaign,. 

    Cartoon Network and POGO, South Asia network head Abhishek Dutta revealed that the new “Dabangg animated series” is customized to cater to the needs of kids and families. 

    “Our new animated action-comedy is just so much fun and stars the character ‘Chulbul Pandey’ – the quirkiest cop in town. It’s been great to work with Cosmos-Maya for yet another highly-promising project. Through the ‘#ThankYouForBeingDabangg campaign’, we will also take the opportunity to recognise the constant endeavours of the police force during the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage our fans and parents to partake in this initiative and showcase their gratitude,” added Dutta. 

    Dabanng movie producer Arbaaz Khan said, “We are thrilled to associate with Cartoon Network and Cosmos-Maya to bring to kids their favourite action-packed Bollywood franchise in an animated ‘avatar’. It has been a joyride to create new narratives with ‘Chulbul Pandey’, who the country has come to know and love. We just cannot wait for little fans and their parents to meet the animated version of the quirky and amazing ‘Chulbul Pandey’ on Cartoon Network!” 

  • Nickelodeon collaborates with Google to launch Nickelodeon Ludo

    Nickelodeon collaborates with Google to launch Nickelodeon Ludo

    Mumbai: Ludo is one of the most popular games enjoyed by people across all age-groups. The lockdown saw a resurgence of Ludo as people remained indoors and looked for virtual means for entertainment. Catching up on the trend, Nickelodeon teamed up with Google and launched Nickelodeon Ludo, an innovative format to play the game hands-free with your favourite Nicktoons’ pegs and their voice. 

    The game will enable the users to play using just their voice on the device. Adding a tinge of spunk to the classic game from Google, for the first time ever, users will be able to play Nickelodeon with a little voice help from Google. The game will have four houses with only two pegs each, with faces of their favourite Nicktoons on the pegs in each house and all one has to do is say ‘Ok Google, talk to Nickelodeon Ludo’. While teams with Green and Red colors will be renamed as Motu- Patlu, and Rudra Rangeela, that of Blue and Yellow will be re-named as Shiva- Reva, and Happy- Pinaki, respectively. Nickelodeon Ludo will be available in English language and be open for all users.

    The channel has also devised expansive influencer promotion and digital engagement through an array of exciting activities to drive their attention to Nickelodeon Ludo.

    “Nickelodeon has always endeavoured to engage with its young viewers by providing them unique and immersive experiences through multiple touchpoints that are unparalleled. This association with Google is yet another step towards collaborating with like-minded partners and creating a platform to experience different aspects of the media & entertainment ecosystem thus transporting them to the world of fun with their favourite Nicktoons,” said Viacom 18, Kids TV Network, marketing head Sonali Bhattacharya.