Benelux-based children’s animation and live-action producer Studio 100 is opening new animation shop in Paris. According to Variety, former Alphanim exec Jan Van Rijsselberge has been tapped to head the French studio. He will oversee the development of new brands and re-design and production of current Studio 100 properties.
The Paris expansion continues the toon expansion of Studio 100, which acquired Australian company Flying Bark in 2008. The company plans to introduce two animated series per yea, beginning with Super Mega Hyper Pets, which is a co-production with Canada’s Amberwood and Rescue 4U, a co-venture with Ireland’s Magma Films. Studio 100 acquired EM-Entertainment’s popular children’s catalog and also made an impressive number of territory deals for its puppet preschool series Big and Small, a co-pro with Kindle Entertainment, BBC, Treehouse in Canada and 3J’s Production.
General manager Jo Daris says the French studio will offer a variety of quality-driven, positive and non-violent programs’both classic remakes and original content’aimed at children and family audiences. Among the shop’s other new hires are head of business affairs Thorsten Wegener and line producer Djamila Missoun who also worked on Alphanim’s Robotboy. For more info, visit www.studio100animation.com.
