The 2018 Cartoon Forum television animation pitching and co-production event has wrapped up in Toulouse, France, giving the world a taste of what enticing European toon projects will be tempting viewers in the years to come. This year’s edition saw 83 distinct titles vie for the attention of potential partners in colorful staged pitches, but in the end, The Borrowers from Blue Spirit Productions in France stood out as both the best-attended session as well as the pitch that attracted the most investors to the audience.
The overwhelming majority of the top 10 most popular pitches were also French. In order following The Borrowers, these were Tiny Bad Wolf (Xilam Animation; France), Silly Sundays (Cartoon Saloon; Ireland), Billy – The Cowboy Hamster (Dandelooo; France), Droners (Cyber Group Studios, Supamonks, La Chouette Compagnie; France), Looking for Santa (Folimage, Lunanime; France/Belgium), In Your Face (Doncvoilà Productions, Bridges; France), Woolly Woolly (Normaal, Groupe PVP; France/Canada), Splat & Seymour (Just Kids; France), and Zouk, The Little Witch with a Big Personality (Bayard Jeunesse Animation, Normaal; France).
The 10 pitches with the highest attendance of investors were, following The Borrowers, Splat & Seymour, Woolly Woolly, Country Kids (La Station Animation; France), Droners, Billy – The Cowboy Hamster, Zouk, The Little Witch with a Big Personality, Tiny Bad Wolf, Silly Sundays and Odo (Letko, Sixteen South; Poland/UK).
Scroll down to see the full Top 30 lists.
Q&A: The Borrowers (52 x 11’) producer Armelle Glorennec of Blue Spirit Productions
What do you think makes this show stand out?
It’s the first time that Mary Norton’s novels are adapted in an animation TV series, and it’s very exciting to work on this adaptation. We want to have a high quality of pictures (our trailer will show in what way) closer to cinema than a traditional TV show. In this sense, our pictures and the look of our trailer make this show stand out. The Borrowers, our series, is not really a back to school program, not really a comedy, not really an adventure series, not really a fantasy show … but all of these!
What is the show’s target audience?
6 to 10.
What kind of animation techniques are used?
We are in a full CGI technique, with a “stop-motion” look.
What do you love about the series?
I love the design, which was done by a young woman designer: Margaux Rosiaux. I love Arrietty — our main character — her bravery, and her strong desire to explore the world. I love the two “sizes” of the series – the Borrowers’ one and the Human’s one, it allows us to play with the direction. And the director, Fabien Daphy, loves it, too! I love the duo Tom and Arrietty. I love also to develop a parallel world in our daily life … with the Borrowers, these creatures who live under the floor or in the walls. We will see our houses differently after the show!
What is your take on the global TV animation scene this year?
In France, it’s a strange situation with a lot of doubts: what is the future of France 4? Of Gulli? Of Canal +? How will these 3 broadcasters continue to buy (and broadcast) youth animation series? On the global market, it seems we are in a transition time… we need to adapt our business model to the digital broadcasting… in the right way!
What do you love about Cartoon Forum?
I love the spirit of Cartoon Forum, a lot of kindness. A “back to work” rendez-vous!
TOP 30 CARTOON FORUM PITCHES BY ATTENDANCE:
- The Borrowers (Blue Spirit Productions) France
- Tiny Bad Wolf (Xilam Animation) France
- Silly Sundays (Cartoon Saloon) Ireland
- Billy – The Cowboy Hamster (Dandelooo) France
- Droners (Cyber Group Studios, Supamonks, La Chouette Compagnie) France
- Looking for Santa (Folimage, Lunanime) France/Belgium
- In Your Face (Doncvoilà Productions, Bridges) France
- Woolly Woolly (Normaal, Groupe PVP) France/Canada
- Splat & Seymour (Just Kids) France
- Zouk, The Little Witch with a Big Personality (Bayard Jeunesse Animation, Normaal) France
- Country Kids (La Station Animation) France
- Pompon Little Bear (Supamonks) France
- Mum Is Pouring Rain (Laïdak Films) France
- Luis and the Aliens – The Series (Ulysses Filmproduktion, Fabrique d’Images, A. Film Production) Germany/Luxembourg/Denmark
- We Are the Artists (Ex Nihilo, Folimage) France
- Deep in the Bowl (Zeilt Productions, Watt Frame) Luxembourg/France
- Rabbit Academy – The Series (Akkord Film Produktion) Germany
- Pfffirates (Cube Creative Productions) France
- GloboZone (Umanimation) France
- Selfish (Kazak Productions) France
- The Fluffy Four (Lunanime, Beast Animation) Belgium
- Odo (Letko, Sixteen South) Poland, UK
- V and the Anaon Ghosts (Vivement Lundi!) France
- The Who What (Silex Films, Doncvoilà Prod.) France
- A Bear Named Wojtek (The Illuminated Film Company, Filmograf) UK/Poland
- Komaneko, The Curious Cat (Komadoli Studio, Dwarf Studios) France/Japan
- Jax – Merlin’s Lineage (Squeeze) Canada
- Tom’s Taxi (Zooper Film, Grid Animation) Germany/Belgium
- SamSam (Folivari, Bayard Jeunesse Animation) France
- Orbiteers – UFO Rescue Team (Wolkenlenker) Gemany
- Flix (Eye Present, Pictor Productions) UK/Ireland
TOP 30 CARTOON FORUM PITCHES BY INVESTOR ATTENDANCE:
- The Borrowers (Blue Spirit Productions) France
- Splat & Seymour (Just Kids) France
- Woolly Woolly (Normaal, Groupe PVP) France/Canada
- Country Kids (La Station Animation) France
- Droners (Cyber Group Studios, Supamonks, La Chouette Compagnie) France
- Billy – The Cowboy Hamster (Dandelooo) France
- Zouk, The Little Witch with a Big Personality (Bayard Jeunesse Animation, Normaal) France
- Tiny Bad Wolf (Xilam Animation) France
- Silly Sundays (Cartoon Saloon) Ireland
- Odo (Letko, Sixteen South) Poland, UK
- Luis and the Aliens – The Series (Ulysses Filmproduktion, Fabrique d’Images, A. Film Production) Germany/Luxembourg/Denmark
- Pompon Little Bear (Supamonks) France
- Rabbit Academy – The Series (Akkord Film Produktion) Germany
- Looking for Santa (Folimage, Lunanime) France/Belgium
- Pfffirates (Cube Creative Productions) France
- Flix (Eye Present, Pictor Productions) UK/Ireland
- The Who What (Silex Films, Doncvoilà Prod.) France
- SamSam (Folivari, Bayard Jeunesse Animation) France
- V and the Anaon Ghosts (Vivement Lundi!) France
- Milo (Fourth Wall Creative) UK
- The Fluffy Four (Lunanime, Beast Animation) Belgium
- Tom’s Taxi (Zooper Film, Grid Animation) Germany/Belgium
- Paradise Valley (GunHill) Iceland
- Deep in the Bowl (Zeilt Productions, Watt Frame) Luxembourg/France
- Maëlys Mysteries (Panique!, Nadasdy Film, Folimage) Belgium/Switzerland/France
- Harry and Bip – Summer Season (Ink and Light, Ink and Light Ireland) Finland/Ireland
- We Are the Artists (Ex Nihilo, Folimage) France
- Mum Is Pouring Rain (Laïdak Films) France
- A Bear Named Wojtek (The Illuminated Film Company, Filmograf) UK/Poland
- Marmots (Nexus Factory, Film & Video Production) Belgium/Switzerland
