MIPJUNIOR brings together in Cannes the most influential buyers, commissioners, producers, development executives and distributors from the global Kids TV industry. The 2023 edition opened on Friday with the MIPJUNIOR Keynote Panel on the state of the kids’ entertainment industry
‘The world, in case we hadn’t noticed, has changed’
The words of WildBrain chief operating officer, Deirdre Brennan as she opened Friday’s MIPJUNIOR Keynote Panel on the state of the kids’ entertainment industry. “The lines between content marketing and distribution work and home are no longer distinct.” The question to be addressed, she said, was how to embrace that change.
Cyrine Amor, senior analyst, Ampere Analysis, said that commissioning volumes of children’s television globally had declined and that commissions are increasingly based on existing IP, with a focus on reboots, spin offs and adaptations.
Sara DeWitt, senior vice-president and general manager, PBS KIDS, saw a lot of positives in the evolving multiple-platform world. “We are seeing so much excitement in the gaming space right now. That really is our fastest growing area.”
Olivier Lelardoux, CEO, Blue Spirit warned: “We have to be careful with generative AI because until the copyright issues and author’s rights are resolved we have responsibility to be very careful and protect the artists because we are a home for artists first and foremost.”
Keith Chapman, creator of Kids IP, Keith Chapman Productions, added: “I see all this incredible change going on but fundamentally I stick to the same principle. If you start with a great idea, great characters, everything else will just follow. It’s not something to be frightened of. AI technology is just another tool to me.”
Reimagining kids IP? Find a superfan
Superfans are the key to successful reinventions of famous kids entertainment brands, but not just in the audience, according to Ramsey Naito, president of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, who gave the MIPJUNIOR keynote on Saturday
“The way to go about reimagining great IP is to find a superfan who knows how to reimagine it, embrace the core values, and bring something new to it,” said Naito in her MIPCOM Junior keynote on Monday.
She cited Seth Rogen work on this year’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie as a prime example.
“He loved the show. He knew all the characters, he’d grown up with it. And all that love then was poured into this reimagining, and is what made Mutant Mayhem so authentic,” said Naito.
Kids entertainment isn’t just a job. It’s a calling, and it takes people with heart, understanding and oodles of creativity to make the best stuff for the littlest and most powerful viewers on this planet – Ramsey Naito, president of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation
Another IP being reimagined under Naito’s watch is Dora The Explorer, with a new series debuting in spring 2024. The project was sparked by the popularity of clips from the original show on YouTube.
She concluded her presentation telling the audience: “Kids entertainment isn’t just a job. It’s a calling, and it takes people with heart, understanding and oodles of creativity to make the best stuff for the littlest and most powerful viewers on this planet.”
Crayola seeks to be ‘creativity champion’
Victoria Lozano, Crayola executive vice-president marketing, used her MIPJUNIOR keynote to explain why the famous arts and crafts company is getting into the content business.
Her argument for the launch of Crayola Studios is that “creativity matters” but that most parents struggle to support their kids. “They need help. That’s why Crayola is getting into this arena, because kids need a champion.”
Lozano said Crayola Studios wants to create content that focuses on “creative self expression, that empowers kids, that helps them build their confidence.”
The first Crayola Studios project is a 52 x 11-minute animation series called The Alien Adventures Of Finn Caspian. A co-development with MIMO Studios, the show is adapted from a podcast.
The Crayola marketing chief also revealed that the studio has just signed a “multi-project development deal” with 9 Story Media.
Lozano stressed she is not being prescriptive about what a Crayola Studios show might look like: “We want to stay nimble and flexible. We’re talking across demos, genres, platforms. It’s about the best ideas and partnerships”.
Creating kids content with meaning
Kids content has a critical role to play in helping young audiences develop an understanding of critical issues such as DEI, environmentalism and personal well-being. How to achieve this in a non-preachy way was the subject of MIPJUNIOR’s Sunday session: How To Create Meaningful Content.
Director of kids content, UK & ROI, Sky Lucy Murphy said: “All content is meaningful, but for the purposes of this session, it is something that has a purpose, that is intended to make an impact and offer a new perspective.”
Nigel Twumasi, co-founder of anime/manga firm Mayamedia, said kid audiences find it easy to detect content that is trying to tick boxes.
His advice is to “focus on telling a great relatable story. Narrative and character can be vehicles for audiences to learn lessons about subjects like diversity and inclusivity.”
Katie Brill, SVP PR and Comms at innovative fashion franchise Junk Kouture, said meaningful content provides a platform for young people to realise there is a community they belong to. “Kids see themselves in Junk Kouture and feel validated. Meaningful content gives kids confidence.”
Streamers are about binging, right? Not anymore
Binge viewing has been a key trend in the video-streaming era, but Tencent Video Kids is bucking that approach when it launches original shows.
“We don’t do binge, and we don’t launch series at the same time,” said Qing Fan, producer, content investment and co-productions at Tencent Video, in her Sunday session at MIPJUNIOR.
New episodes are added on a weekly cadence – “to stretch out the airing time” – and given prominent promotion across Tencent platforms.
The streamer has commissioned more than 40 original kids’ series since 2016, initially from domestic animation producers.
“Then from 2018 we started coming to MIP and seeing everybody,” Fan said. “We [now]have a pretty big range of domestic and international partners.”
At MIPCOM CANNES, Tencent Video Kids has one audience in mind for its partnership talks. “We are looking for animation for girls, [aged]7+,” said Fan. “Girls jump to other genres after they turn seven: live action and variety shows. We want that part of our user demographic to stay on Tencent Video Kids.
