VIS KIDS, a division of ViacomCBS International Studios, today announced several high-profile creators and talent partners tied to key projects in development, during the Kidscreen Summit Virtual 2021.
VIS KIDS is partnering with creative communities around the world to support its mission of being expert hit makers in the kids and family space, developing and producing content for Nickelodeon and the ViacomCBS ecosystem, in addition to third party buyers and partners. VIS KIDS also plans to expand its global footprint with the development and production of new formats across preschool, live action, animation and young adult, in regions such as the U.K., Israel, Asia and Latin America. Additionally, the kids’ content studio, which launched October 2020, revealed its new brand identity.
“In launching VIS KIDS, we saw a great demand in the industry for creator driven, high quality and platform agnostic kids and family content across a wide genre – from preschool, to animation, to live action,” said Nina Hahn, Head of VIS KIDS. “We’re excited to align with amazing creatives across the globe as we continue to establish VIS KIDS as a leader in the world of kids and family content, while fueling ViacomCBS’s global content pipeline.”
The launch of VIS KIDS is the foundation for ViacomCBS International Studio’s plan to develop more than 30 new kids shows over the next three years. Projects in development include a variety of genres such as live action, animation, young adult, preschool, and more.
Upcoming animation slate:
- Deer Squad. VIS KIDS is announcing a third season of hit global preschool CG-animated series Deer Squad, the adventure-rescue show on Nickelodeon that follows four, lovable, enthusiastic and heroic deer friends. This series is a result of a partnership between iQIYI, an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, Nickelodeon International and VIS KIDS.
- Ib The Dog (Season 2), a Paramount+ Original animated preschool series, made exclusively for the premium streaming service in the Nordics region.
- Gloria Wants to Know It All, an animated preschool series created in partnership with superstar Marc Anthony, Academy Award winning writer-director Juan José Campanella, Mundoloco Animation Studios and Lanugo Media.
Content partnerships for kids’ and preschool animation:
- A first-look animation deal with UpperRoom Productions, a production company founded by actor and producer John Boyega, known for starring in Star Wars, Red, White and Blue and Detroit. Through the agreement, UpperRoom will present three to five projects to the studio for consideration to develop into a long form series.
- A first-look animation deal with Fred Seibert; Founder and CEO of FredFilms and the driving force behind such iconic animation projects as Nickelodeon’s The Fairly OddParents and Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time. Through the agreement, FredFilms will present at least three projects to the studio with the goal of at least one being put into development.
- Continued collaboration with Israel-based Ananey Studios, a force in the kids content world, best-known for Netflix’s Greenhouse Academy, Rising, The Hood and Sky, with a focus on preschool animation and live-action projects for six- to 10-year olds.
- A female-led adventure comedy with Wildseed Studios, a multi-award-winning studio producing scripted content for kids and young adults, and Tom Gran & Martin Woolley, BAFTA Award-winning creators and animation duo. Wildseed’s award wins include a British Animation Award, British Writers Guild Award, Australian Writers Guild Award and more.
- A mixed media comedy show by Joel Mackenzie of Wildseed Studios, an award-winning content creator known for The Becky & Bagel Show.
- A Korea-originated “fish out of water” comedy by Jiwan Yoon; Founder and Creative Director of ELECTURAL, a creative studio in South Korea.
- A development deal with Argentine cartoonist and writer Liniers, for an adaptation of an upcoming new book.
- An animated series about citizenship and community by Daniel Bays, creator and showrunner of the international hit and twice BAFTA-nominated preschool animated series Tree Fu Tom, and creator, developing producer and writer on hit CBeebies / Boat Rocker show Bitz & Bob.
- A groundbreaking animated preschool series using innovative technology by Gili Dolev, co-creator, showrunner and supervising director of Nickelodeon’s Zack & Quack and Daytime Emmy-nominated series director of Nick Jr.’s Nella the Princess Knight; and Nigel Pickard, former Controller of BBC Children behind CBeebies and CBBC, former Director of Programs for ITV Network and executive producer of Zack & Quack and Floogals.
- A fun-filled animated quest series by Paul Weston; former CEO / Chairman of Vivid and founding member of Toys ‘R’ Us U.K.
Learn more about VIS KIDS here.
