ITV

Tag: Craig McCracken

  • Cartoon Network launches Powerpuff Yourself to promote Powerpuff Girls

    Cartoon Network launches Powerpuff Yourself to promote Powerpuff Girls

    MUMBAI: Powerpuff Girls, the iconic an animated series on Cartoon Network is set to make a comeback from 9 April on weekends.

    The series will be telecast on Saturdays and Sundays at the 9.00 am time slot.

    In a unique promotional exercise, the channel has launched a new website ‘Powerpuff Yourself” that allows the viewers to make their own Powerpuff Avatar. Everything can be customized, from the skin and eye colour to your outfit and accessories.

    Earlier, indiantelevision.com had reported that in addition to the debut on 85 million homes on Cartoon Network, Turner’s other kids channels in the region – Boomerang, Toonami and POGO – will also air the premiere at the same time as Oh! K, TCM Turner Classic Movies, Warner TV and truTV.

    Channels operated by affiliate partners – notably Astro Ceria in Malaysia and TV5 in the Philippines – will also be a part of the launch.

    The Powerpuff Girls is produced by Cartoon Network Studios, with Nick Jennings (Adventure Time, SpongeBob SquarePants) serving as executive producer and Bob Boyle (Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!) as co-executive producer.

    One of Cartoon Network’s most enduring original series, the initial run of The Powerpuff Girls, created by Craig McCracken, premiered in 1996 and earned two Emmy Awards along with five nominations and countless animation honors throughout its 78-episodes. The series also spawned a feature film with Warner Bros. Pictures in 2002.

  • Cartoon Network launches Powerpuff Yourself to promote Powerpuff Girls

    Cartoon Network launches Powerpuff Yourself to promote Powerpuff Girls

    MUMBAI: Powerpuff Girls, the iconic an animated series on Cartoon Network is set to make a comeback from 9 April on weekends.

    The series will be telecast on Saturdays and Sundays at the 9.00 am time slot.

    In a unique promotional exercise, the channel has launched a new website ‘Powerpuff Yourself” that allows the viewers to make their own Powerpuff Avatar. Everything can be customized, from the skin and eye colour to your outfit and accessories.

    Earlier, indiantelevision.com had reported that in addition to the debut on 85 million homes on Cartoon Network, Turner’s other kids channels in the region – Boomerang, Toonami and POGO – will also air the premiere at the same time as Oh! K, TCM Turner Classic Movies, Warner TV and truTV.

    Channels operated by affiliate partners – notably Astro Ceria in Malaysia and TV5 in the Philippines – will also be a part of the launch.

    The Powerpuff Girls is produced by Cartoon Network Studios, with Nick Jennings (Adventure Time, SpongeBob SquarePants) serving as executive producer and Bob Boyle (Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!) as co-executive producer.

    One of Cartoon Network’s most enduring original series, the initial run of The Powerpuff Girls, created by Craig McCracken, premiered in 1996 and earned two Emmy Awards along with five nominations and countless animation honors throughout its 78-episodes. The series also spawned a feature film with Warner Bros. Pictures in 2002.

  • The ‘Powerpuff Girls’ soar again!

    The ‘Powerpuff Girls’ soar again!

    After the successful airing of the re-imagined special in January, Cartoon Network today announced the global return of one of its most beloved franchises, the Emmy®-winning, The Powerpuff Girls. Slated for a 2016 launch, this reboot will include an all-new television series produced by Cartoon Network Studios and a full licensing program that will roll out across all regions. The announcement was made today by Rob Sorcher, to kick off the 2014 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas.

     

    “The original Powerpuff Girls was a franchise phenomenon for Cartoon Network, paving the way for a new generation of innovative storytellers and enthusiastic fans worldwide,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network. “We are calling these girls back into action based upon an overwhelming demand for sugar, spice and Chemical X.” 

     

    One of Cartoon Network’s most enduring original series, The Powerpuff Girls has earned two Emmy® Awards along with five nominations, as well as countless animation honors throughout its 78-episode run. The series also inspired a feature film in 2003, a 10th anniversary special, and a re-imagined CG special, The Powerpuff Girls: Dance Pantsed which aired on Cartoon Network in January 2014 and featured Ringo Starr. The Powerpuff Girls is one of the top-grossing Cartoon Network brands of all time, with more than US$2.5 billion in retail sales generated since its debut, and has endured as a global fashion brand with a range of apparel partners and fashion collections around the world.

     

    “This news is three large spoonfuls of excitement for Cartoon Network Enterprises in Asia Pacific,” added Melissa Tinker, Vice President of CNE in Asia Pacific. “We can’t wait to unleash this unique brand of cute and chic into the Australia and New Zealand markets. While in Asia, this will further expand and complement our existing Powerpuff business, a licensing program which already enjoys great success across our markets.”

     

    The Powerpuff Girls, which debuted on Cartoon Network in 1998, was created by Craig McCracken and centres on three sugar-coated superheroes whose mission in life alternates between going to school, fighting crime and winning at hopscotch.

  • Cartoon Network signs license deal with Mattel

    Cartoon Network signs license deal with Mattel

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network is strengthening its licensing division Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) by entering into a a multi-year, multi-property deal with the toymaker Mattel Inc to produce toys and games based on the network’s animated titles.

    In an official statement issued, the license agreement covers original Cartoon Network properties for the 6 to 11 age group and also carries a first-look option on all newly created original series and programming.

    As per the deal, Mattel will have licensing rights to multiple toy and games categories including vehicles, action figures, playsets, role-play, board games, puzzles, and youth electronics items for the Cartoon Network brand as well as shows including Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, The Powerpuff Girls, Camp Lazlo, Ed, Edd n Eddy, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, the newly launched My Gym Partner’s a Monkey and The Life & Times of Juniper Lee. Existing relationships for other original series will remain unaffected by the deal.

    Mattel has licensing deals with Viacom Inc.’s Nickelodeon and movies studios as Warner Bros. and Disney-Pixar.

    “We are pleased to be aligning the Cartoon Network brand with one of the world’s largest and most respected toy companies, setting the stage for great success in the all important toy and games category,” Turner Entertainment sales and marketing president David Levy says. “We’ve always had a very strong relationship with Mattel as an advertiser and now we are extending that into consumer products. This will enhance the brands of both companies by combining our assets as a leading entertainment company with their expertise in the global toy market.”

    In 2007, the first product lines to come to market under the agreement will be toys based on one of Cartoon Network’s most successful series, the Emmy-winning Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, created by Craig McCracken, the visionary behind The Powerpuff Girls. Products for Ed, Edd n Eddy, Camp Lazlo and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy will also debut in 2007.

    “We’re confident that combining Cartoon Network’s strength in creating original, quality programming with Mattel’s expertise in developing innovative products will engage kids in new ways,” Mattel Brands president Neil Friedman says. “By leveraging the Cartoon Network brand as well as their original content, we’re opening up a whole new type of creative and licensing partnership.”

  • Pogo comes alive with new original programming

    Pogo comes alive with new original programming

    MUMBAI: Turner Entertainment Networks Asia’s (Tena) kids’ channel Pogo, created specifically for the Indian market, has more original programming up its sleeves this year. Game shows, sitcoms, documentaries and fiction shows is what’s on the kiddies’ channel’s agenda for 2006-07.

    What’s more, Pogo is now garnering a lot of interest from international markets as well. In April this year, Turner’s Latin American kids channel Boomerang was re-launched with the Pogo branding. While the name of the channel remains the same, a lot of elements in terms of promos and on-air look were borrowed from Pogo.

    Coming back to new original programming; taking a cue from the popularity of shows M.A.D (Music Art Dance), Bam! Bam! Bam! Gir Pade Hum, Prime Pogo and Pogo Amazing Kids Awards (2004 and 2005), the channel is now set to launch a new half hour comedy show called It’s Alive! from 21 May. The 13-episodes show, which has been produced in-house, will air Sundays at 11 am and will star Prime Pogo stars Niall and Chinu.

    What’s more, Galli Galli Sim Sim, the Indian version of Sesame Street, is also slated to launch around mid-August and is likely to air from Monday to Fridays. The third edition of Pogo Amazing Kids Awards is also on the cards this year. Apart from this, a new season of M.A.D. coupled with a summer special of the same is also in the pipeline.

    “Pogo itself is an original production and we are constantly looking at innovative, smart and fun ideas that will back up the Pogo brand. The success of our original productions on Pogo has inspired us to do more such shows,” says Tena vice president creative and original content Orion Ross.

    Plans for the annual Pogo Amazing Kids Awards are also big this time round. The channel plans to film ‘amazing’ kids across the country and develop a 13-week series around the same, which will lead up to the grand finale. “This time on the Pogo Amazing Kids Awards the emphasis is going to be on the kids themselves. Sixty kids across 10 categories will be profiled. We will be finding out their stories and air them every week and towards the last two weeks before the awards, the series will be aired every night,” informs Ross.

    Viewers will also be asked to vote for their favourite ‘amazing’ kid via SMS. The winner in each category will be chosen on the basis of the votes as well as the jury for the awards. Ross says, “The aim is to build ways for viewers to be more involved in the process.”

    TURNER OPEN TO PRODUCE / COMMISSION INDIAN ANIMATION IDEAS

    Until now, Turner’s strategy has been to acquire original animation series from Indian studios and air them on their channels. Some of them are – Akbar & Birbal, The Legend of Buddha, Son of Aladdin, Tenali Rama and Ramayana – The Legend of Prince Ram.

    Now the network is planning on something big and a first of sorts. “We are open to hearing animation script ideas from individuals as well as studios in India and then develop the series for Cartoon Network and Pogo. They could be series, feature films or pre-school shows,” says Ross.

    Ross is in charge of overseeing the overall strategy for Tena’s two existing teams – the Hong Kong based Creative Services as well as the India based Original Productions. One of Ross’ mandate at Tena is to set up and manage a new Asia Pacific animation development structure in India, which will focus on new Indian animation projects.

    The network will decide whether to produce the new series in-house or commission it to Indian studios. Tena will be funding the production for the series.

    “The approach is creative driven. We are looking for the big idea in Indian animation. We are open to talking to people who have a distinct creative vision. The aim is to find the next William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Chuck Jones or Craig McCracken,” says Ross.

    However, whether the series will be solely for the Indian market or will be aired in the international markets as well is a decision the network will take at a much later stage. Ross’ 12-member team will look to set the ball rolling in this direction.

    This surely could be music to the ears of aspiring animators in India… provided they have the Big Idea!