The division will be headed by Beth
Stevenson, Executive Vice President, Production and Development, DECODE
Entertainment, and managed by Polly Beel, Director, Marketing and Licensing,
DHX Licensing. DHX Licensing's
slate will incorporate well-loved properties, Franny's Feet, Animal Mechanicals, Bo On the GO!, dirtgirlworld and Kid vs Kat, as well as third party content
currently represented by DECODE Enterprises such as Grandpa In My Pocket. New non-television content
includes Beer Goggles and Gaia Nathan.
DHX Media's President and COO Steven
DeNure said: "The launch of DHX Licensing is a major part of our drive to
manage and exploit kids' brands across a number of revenue-generating
opportunities. Licensing and merchandising as well as interactive is a big part
of this, it will build on the significant international broadcast presence of
our television brands, as well as allow us to expand into the development of
merchandising-led properties."
Major new
52x11' (or 26x22') childrens' series dirtgirlworld, an ABC, CBeebies and
CBC-commissioned show, was created by Australia's mememe productions and is
being produced in partnership with DECODE Entertainment. DHX Licensing handles
worldwide merchandising and licensing rights for the series excluding the UK,
which are represented by BBC Worldwide, and Australia, which are represented by
mememe productions.
Aimed at older
preschoolers, dirtgirlworld is
a distinctive blend of live action and animation with photomontage and illustration.
Canada's Bell Media Fund and Screen Australia are supporting the production of
innovative online components to extend the dirtgirlworld brand and eco-message beyond the
television series.
The special effects-laden 52x12'
series Grandpa In My Pocket, produced by Adastra Creative, is a hit in the
UK on BBC's CBeebies and has already been commissioned for a second series. DHX
has already signed up two major distribution and licensing partners that are
expected to build on the UK success of the series. Warner Home Video UK has
been appointed as DVD partner for the show's first season, and Brandzoo will
now act as the live-action comedy brand's licensing agent.
Produced by Halifax
Film, Bo on the GO! is also represented for licensing by Brandzoo in the UK where it airs
on CITV, and France Televisions Distribution for France, where broadcast is on France 5. The Sharpe Company represents worldwide licensing
rights. DHX has appointed IMC Licensing as licensing agent for
Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile for its hit preschool
property Bo On the GO! IMC has already scored deals with FEG Entretenimientos for
a live stage show in Argentina which is scheduled for October this
year, and a publishing deal with Ediciones Lea for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile,
Uruguay and Paraguay.
Animal
Mechanicals (55 x 11')
is produced by Halifax Film and commissioned by CBC in Canada, where the series
is one of the highest-rating preschool shows. The
Disney Channels in the UK and Asia; Radio-Canada, Discovery Latin America,
Romania's HOP, EBS in Korea; Al-Jazeera Children Channel have all snapped up
the series along with Prava I Prevodi, who acquired the title for Bosnia,
Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. Animal Mechanicals is an action adventure series for
preschoolers that combines fantastical worlds, mythical animals and cool
quests. And, best of all, Animal Mechanicals transform!
Franny's
Feet is a commission
by Family Channel, an Astral Media network, which airs the show on its
Playhouse Disney and Family channels. Further broadcasters include PBS KIDS,
Sprout and V-me in the US and channels in more than
150 countries worldwide such as Five in the UK, France 5, Disney Channel
Germany, Italy's Rai, and TV2 Denmark in Europe as well as ABC Australia and
Cartoon Network in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and TV12 Singapore in Asia. Franny's Feet
is supported by a licensing and merchandising campaign worldwide.
Kid vs Kat (52x11'
/ 26x22') is an animated series produced by Studio B
Productions in association with YTV Canada and Jetix Europe. Created by Rob Boutilier and targeted to kids
6-11, Kid vs. Kat
is about the exaggerated conflict between a demonically malevolent cat and the
beleaguered ten-year-old boy to whom it has taken a demented dislike. Kid
vs Kat is airing on ABC in Australia,
YTV in Canada, Jetix Europe and Disney XD in the US, the Disney Channels
India and Japan, Cartoon Network in Korea and Nickelodeon
South East Asia. Jetix Europe
holds merchandising and licensing rights in Europe, the Middle East, Israel and
Africa.
