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Children's Programming

DHX Media and Nickelodeon roll out Massive Monster Mayhem internationally

From a media release:

DHX Media (or the “Company”) (TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B; NASDAQ: DHXM), a leading global children’s content and brands company, and Nickelodeon are spreading mayhem worldwide with a new international broadcast agreement for season one of the original DHX Media series, Massive Monster Mayhem. Following the show’s successful premiere on Nicktoons in the U.S., Nickelodeon International has picked it up for air across more than 140 territories. Produced by DHX Media, Massive Monster Mayhem is co-created by Artur Spigel (founder of 7ate9 Entertainment) and Michael Chaves.

Massive Monster Mayhem is an original show for kids 6–11 that combines live action and CGI animation with real competition and comedy. Each episode features three real-life kid heroes competing in a gauntlet of Intergalactic Battle Alliance challenges to become Earth’s champion and face off against Master Mayhem’s league of monsters in the ultimate “Monster Mashdown.” The unique series combines cutting-edge, real-time CGI and pre-visualization technology.

Massive Monster Mayhem originally launched on Nicktoons in the U.S. in October 2017, garnering solid ratings among the network’s audience. As part of the new agreement, the mayhem will begin rolling out on Nickelodeon’s international channels beginning in 2018, with season one scheduled to premiere on the broadcaster’s Nordics, Australian and MENA channels in January. The series will roll out across remaining territories throughout the year.

Global distribution for Massive Monster Mayhem is handled by DHX Media, while licensing is managed by the company’s brand management and consumer products arm, DHX Brands. With its stunning visuals, which combine cutting-edge, real-time CGI and pre-visualization technology, and its host of exciting characters – like Master Mayhem, the self-proclaimed “Greatest Ruler in the Universe” – Massive Monster Mayhem offers significant appeal for young audiences and great potential for consumer products.

Produced by DHX Media, Massive Monster Mayhem is a brand-new concept in kids’ entertainment. Massive Monster Mayhem features live gameplay by kids in futuristic challenges against gigantic Monster Superstars for the chance to win prizes and save the planet from destruction. The series is executive produced by 7ate9’s Art Spigel, together with DHX Media’s Steven DeNure, Anne Loi, Ken Faier and Josh Scherba. The Massive Monster Mayhem Match App invaded the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store on October 2017 and was developed by Epic Story Interactive.

 

 

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Children's Programming

Link: What’s Paw Patrol’s secret? How it captivated children and conquered the world

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From Ian Brown of The Globe and Mail:

Link: What’s Paw Patrol’s secret? How it captivated children and conquered the world
Hanging around with Dashiell, recently 4, is like hanging around with a gravity-free volume of talking liquid mercury: he expands and contracts and stops and flows, conforming to the shape of whatever surface he finds himself on: rug, chair, corner, Mummy.

But talking to Dashiell while he watches Paw Patrol, the Canadian-made preschool animated TV show and toy phenomenon, is to converse with someone in a hypnotic trance. Continue reading.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Massive Monster Mayhem runs riot on Family Channel

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“What’s the craziest things that kids love and how do we jam them all into one show?” That’s the question Art Spigel was asking himself when he ruminated on his newest project. The answer: a lot. Debuting Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel, Massive Monster Mayhem is a mishmash of genres—live-action game show, comedy, CGI and sci-fi series—delivered at a frenetic pace.

Where else can you create a world where kids teleport to an alien planet or a hot dog can drive a robot? That’s just the tip of the iceberg with Massive Monster Mayhem. Co-created by Spigel, the veteran of kids’ programming recalled all the things he loved as a child—giant robots, wrestling, outer space and winning prizes—and jammed them into a television show.

Each episode is an ingenious combination of technology and old-school, as kids don costumes and become intergalactic heroes, facing off against each other in Intergalactic Battle Alliance challenges. The winner of those tests faces a monster sent by Master Mayhem (voiced by Daniel Davies and performed by Thomas Lorber), who has proclaimed himself “Greatest Ruler in the Universe.” Master Mayhem wants to rule Earth and these kids are our last hope. Shot against a massive green screen, CGI transforms the challenges to a space-based colosseum where Graham Conway and Devon Deshaun Stewart call the action from Wipeout-ish obstacle course to the monster movie-inspired smackdown of a cityscape finale. The competitor that successfully defends the world takes home $1,000.

Spigel teamed with Toronto video effects company Playfight to utilize a real-time CGI environment usually reserved for feature films like Avatar—he likens it to dropping the television cameras into a video game—when creating Massive Monster Mayhem.

But Massive Monster Mayhem isn’t just the competition. Master Mayhem is a shade-throwing, sarcastic fellow who delights in boasting of his powers in comedic segments between tests where he preps to destroy Earth.

“I think the humour is universal,” Spigel says. “As crazy as this is, we want there to be some co-viewing. Parents can appreciate the wrestling parody and kids can laugh because that monster looks funny when he breaks things.”

Massive Monster Mayhem airs Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel.

Image courtesy of Family Channel.

 

 

 

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Blue Ant Media launches new animation studio Look Mom! Productions

From a media release:

Blue Ant Media, an international content producer, distributor and channel operator, announced today the launch of its new animation studio, Look Mom! Productions. The Toronto-based unit produces compelling creator-driven animated content for kids (6-11), teens and adults (18-34) and is led by Creative Director, Joshua Bowen, who joined Blue Ant Media in 2013 to launch Bite on Mondo.

Look Mom! Productions is currently in active development on two new animated, action-comedy series for the kids 6-11 category: Toy Hunters (26×11) which follows two brothers who move to Smalls Hollow after their grandfather leaves their parents his mansion as an inheritance. After meeting Bob Munson, owner of Munson’s Toys and Collectibles and his daughter Kaylee, the boys learn that their eccentric grandfather led a secret life traveling the world hunting down haunted toys; and Cloudface (26×11) which is about a character who desperately wants to be a person with his dapper suits and desire to help others, but is more like a big kid with his fun-loving ways and short attention span. While fiercely loyal to his friends, he often forgets to honour commitments and will drop whatever he’s doing in the moment if something shinier catches his eye. Look Mom! Productions will be seeking co-production opportunities for these two series at MIPCOM 2017.

Blue Ant Media will be showcasing Look Mom! Productions content and more at MIPCOM 2017 at booth R8.D7.

Blue Ant Media is a privately held, international content producer, distributor and channel operator. From our production houses around the world, we create content for multiple genres including factual, factual entertainment, short-form digital series and kids programming. Our distribution business, Blue Ant International, offers a catalogue of 3,000+ hours of content, including the largest 4K natural history offering on the market. Blue Ant Media’s international channel business offers a portfolio of media brands such as Love Nature (International), ZooMoo Networks (International), Smithsonian Channel Canada, BBC Earth (Canada) and HGTV (New Zealand). Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto, with operations in Los Angeles, Singapore, Auckland, Dunedin, London, Sydney, Beijing and Taipei.

 

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Children's Programming

Massive Monster Mayhem lands on Family Channel on Oct. 23

From a media release:

The biggest, baddest and most hilarious monsters are invading Family Channel with the world premiere of Massive Monster Mayhem on Monday, October 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT. Real-life kids are pitted against Master Mayhem (the self-proclaimed “Greatest Ruler in the Universe”) and his squad of all-star monsters in the most grueling and toughest challenges known to mankind. A laugh-out-loud comedy, combined with sci-fi adventure and a reality game show, the action-packed competition series is like a video game brought to life! The series was co-created by Artur Spigel (Founder of 7ate9 Entertainment) and Michael Chaves. Spigel also serves as executive producer, along with Steven DeNure, Anne Loi, Asaph Fipke, Ken Faier and Josh Scherba of DHX Media.

Planet earth is under attack and it’s up to real-life kid heroes, to suit up and fight back! Combining cutting-edge, real-time CGI with pre-visualization technology, Massive Monster Mayhem showcases real-life kids competing in out-of-this-world challenges in hopes of becoming Earth’s champion and winning cool prizes. Contestants are eliminated through a series of three rounds, which conclude when the last player standing faces off against one of Master Mayhem’s colossal monsters. Every episode also features two hosts who provide hilarious commentary during the competition and non-stop hijinks from Master Mayhem and his monsters. Following the premiere, new episodes of Massive Monster Mayhem air every Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family.

For those who miss an episode or want to watch on the go, episodes of Massive Monster Mayhem will be available on The Family Channel App and Family OnDemand beginning Tuesday, October 24. Fans can also head over to Family.ca to find out more about their favourite monsters.

 

 

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