THE MIPJUNIOR Pitch has established itself as one of the landmark events in the global kids content business. Open to any creator or producer seeking to collaborate with co-production partners, it provides an unrivalled opportunity to present new projects to leading commissioning editors, financiers, buyers, and distributors from all over the world. Competition finalists have the privilege of pitching their projects to a prestigious jury of international decision-makers – right in the heart of Cannes.
The 2024 MIPJUNIOR Pitch will focus on preschool projects – targeted at children aimed three-to-six – and is now open for entry. Designed to support innovative children’s content projects with strong potential for commissioning and multi-platform extension, the deadline for entry is August 30. As in previous years, a roster of leading kids experts will review scores of projects from around the world and select just five or six for the final.
The Adventures of Team Pom
In 2023, the MIPJUNIOR Pitch focused on shows for six-to-12 year-olds – and the winning entry was animation series The Adventures of Team Pom from Wind Sun Sky Entertainment in Canada. Looking back on the process, CEO and founder Catherine Winder, who was also executive producer on Team Pom, said: “Wind Sun Sky (WSS) attended MIPJUNIOR for the first time in 2023. It was a thrilling start to the conference to have been chosen to present The Adventures of Team Pom, especially as we were looking to build our studio’s profile with international buyers and partners.”
Winder said winning the competition provided immediate awareness “with international buyers and studios taking notice. And for those who already knew us, it further strengthened our position as industry leaders in multi-platform storytelling.”
Since winning the event, WSS has had many conversations with potential partners, brainstorming how they might work together to bring the series to life. “Given the state of the kid’s business today, we determined that before we officially took the series to market, it needed to be further realised as a brand. To that end, we’ve teamed up with an amazing studio to produce an animated character moment. Additionally, we have attached a top writer to further evolve the series bible and are working on a multi-platform strategy to build character awareness. Today’s reality is that it’s critical for producers to think out of the box and find ways to set a property apart.”
Of course, a lot of this progress might have happened anyway. But Winder believes the MIPJUNIOR Pitch provided forward momentum for Pom: “The pitch definitely helped; it validated the commercial potential and appeal of the property. As development investment is highly risky, the positive momentum out of the pitch encouraged us to make the decision to commit meaningful resources to Team Pom.”
Aside from progress on Pom, Winder said: “Out of the pitch we have met several EU producers and distributors, relationships that we are continuing to foster and deepen.”
Team Pom came out ahead of projects from the UK, Ireland, Brazil and France – and Winder is extremely gracious about her rivals: “All of the properties pitched last year were amazing – each distinct, unique and commercial in their own right. Getting to the MIPJUNIOR stage is no easy feat especially given the number of submissions. I hope each of the participants continued to invest and commit to their properties and, like us, took the feedback into account while continue the journey to bring their vision to life.”
Kids on Climate
One of the other finalists was Kids On Climate, from UK-based KMTV. Head of news and content Cameron Tucker recalls it was “all a bit of a whirlwind. We’d heard about the contest and the market late on, thanks to our partners at ITVX in the UK. So we put a bid together based on our experience of working on high-end, live action children’s factual content and on the environment, a subject we cover frequently.”
Tucker said: “To be the only UK entry and the only live-action factual pitch to make the final was massive. It allowed us to get a foot in the door with producers, broadcasters and distributors we got to meet in Cannes, and it led to endorsements from the likes of Chris Packham and the office of TRH The Prince of Wales.”
Off the back of the Pitch, Tucker said: “KMTV held, and has continued to engage in, constructive distribution and co-production discussions with producers, broadcasters and distributors in Argentina, Canada, France, India, Qatar, Spain, Taiwan and the US. The most promising collaboration established at MIPJUNIOR was with Society:Satellite, an APAC region production company. Together, we are in the development stage of Kids on Climate, the show we pitched at MIPJUNIOR.”
The series aims to educate and engage young audiences on critical environmental issues, while also teaching them broadcast journalism skills, Tucker said, all the while participating in fun-filled activities. “The format has had a few alterations to what we pitched in Cannes, and we are currently seeking investment. Recently, we completed an International Business Development bid with the British Film Institute’s Global Screen Fund pinned on the series. Should we get to production, it will utterly transform our organisation and have an immediate impact on young people in both regions.”
Flora
The Brazilian entry was Flora from production company Birdo. Partner and executive producer Paulo Muppet said it was “fantastic to pitch in MIPJUNIOR last year. Big events like the MIP markets are very competitive and having a project selected for the pitch gives you something to talk about in meetings and help people remember you and your project. The best part for me was the amazing audience response. I had so many people coming to speak with me after the presentation – and even in other events people have come up to tell me how much they enjoyed my project Flora.”
Muppet said the pitch definitely helped validate Flora in the eyes of the global kids community. In terms of post-MIPCOM news, he said: “We signed a co-development deal with a major European Producer with the goal of further developing the project.”
Echoing the other finalists, Muppet said the pitch didn’t just benefit the project on show. “We were also very lucky to meet the spectacular development team at TV Asahi, and we’ve been working with them on an exciting new project for kids 8-12.”
In terms of advice to this year’s cohort, he said: “Being selected for the pitch is its own reward. I didn’t win, but I met new potential partners, including the executives in the jury that would be hard to connect with otherwise. My advice is to enjoy the experience and do your best to create great memories for everyone, including yourself.”
So if all of this whets your appetite to enter the 2024 Pitch, here are the key criteria. Projects must be entertainment content targeting preschool (3-6) audiences. However they must simultaneously show awareness about the importance of meaningful content for this age group (Diversity & Inclusion, Mental Health, Sustainability).
The selection jury will be looking for: creativity & originality in storytelling techniques, characters, look, story and themes; worldwide appeal; potential for TV and multi-platform brand extension; and potential for licensing & merchandising. Significantly the pitch is focused specifically on Early stage (0% to 25% financed) to In development (from 25% to 75% financed) projects – not completed shows.
This year’s MIPJUNIOR Pitch competition is still open for entries ! Grab the opportunity to present your project to leading commissioning editors, financiers, buyers, and distributors from all over the world. Selected finalists will pitch to a jury of international decision-makers at MIPJUNIOR, next October!
Dealine to enter the competition: 30 August 2024
Submit your project here !
