Last June, Toon Factory reported having several new projects, both adaptations and original concepts, in development. Two of these projects, How to Squoosh? and Moods, have just gone into production with Canal+ and France Télévisions, respectively. Thierry Berthier, who co-founded the Paris studio with Maureen de Choiseul in 1999, further announced today the development of the first animated series starring the popular comic-book character, the student Ducaboo.
“I’m thrilled that these projects are taking form and am delighted that they offer kids a whole range of endearing characters and attractive stories. I’m particularly fond of the adaptation of the literary success Ducoboo. We will be working with the author of the comics to mold our dear little blond friend and his cohorts into more complex characters,” said Berthier.
“This project fits perfectly into Toon Factory’s editorial line, which emphasizes the message while not forgetting the importance of design. The message here is playing down the guilt and promoting guidance in the face of scholastic failure thus fighting against preconceived ideas and stereotypes. A little nod to all those bad students who succeeded in life!”
In Production
How to Squoosh?
Based on the set of 15 comic books, already a hit in 10 countries with more than 270,000 copies sold in France alone, which were awarded the famous Albertine Jeunesse prize in New York last year. This 2D animated comedy sets kids against the monsters who symbolize their fears showing how they always manage to “squoosh” them with humor, intelligence and joy.
Director: Aleksandar Dzoni Sopov
Based on the books by Catherine Leblanc and Roland Garrigue (P’tit Glénat)
Format: 52 x 12’
Audience: 5-7 years old
Animation technique: 2D
Script Director: Vincent De Mul
Broadcaster: Canal+ Kids
Distribution: Studio Canal
Synopsis: Welcome to How to Squoosh?, the “live” TV show that squooshes, crushes and flattens monsters and everything that scares kids, big and small. Witches, ogres, ghosts and hairy monsters of all kinds better hold on if they don’t want to end up flatter than a pancake.
How to Squoosh? is a joyful show which allows kids to play with their fears and crush them. To present the show, a dream team: the intrepid Chloe, squoosher in chief. At eight years old, she’s no pushover. She is accompanied by Spookie, her faithful monster. She thinks she has tamed him, but he’s is really a reflection of her own fear. We’ll see how complicated this can really get!
Moods
Gentle and mischievous, Moods is inspired by the innovative educational methods that are more and more popular today. Positive and comforting, they show kids how to explore their emotions and learn how to manage them during the conflicts of everyday life. Prof. Rebecca Shankland and Dr. Béatrice Lamboy, both specialists in developmental psychology, have lent their expertise to this project. The scripts are being reviewed by the group “Scholavie,” represented by Laure Reynaud, specialist in psycho-social questions, and the child psychologist Clémence Gayet, collaborating with the writing team to greenlight the way the themes and emotions are discussed.
Development: Séverine Vuillaume and Nathalie Reznikoff, based on Séverine Vuillaume’s original concept
Director: Marie-Laure Pitschon Lautric
Format: 52 x 7’
Audience: 3-5 years old
Animation technique: 2D
Script Director: Séverine Vuillaume
Broadcaster: France Télévisions
Distribution: France TV Distribution
Synopsis: MOODS — At the heart of their emotions! The Moods are 12 little characters who each represent an emotion and live it 150%! With their well defined personalities, watch out for trouble! How do you calm down Furax who’s angry, loosen Timi who’s blocked up, soothe Sniff who is crying buckets or play with Groangroan who is sulking in a corner. Like children who are confronted every day by similar situations, the Moods are overcome by the flow of their emotions. In helping each other, they will discover how to do things differently. They invite young spectators to identify, understand and calmly resolve daily emotional conflicts.
In Development
The Ducaboo Gang
Based on the comic-book series L’Élève Ducobu by Zidrou and Godi (Editions Lombard).
Director: TBA
Format: 52 x 11’
Audience: 6-10 years old
Animation technique: 2D tradi-digital
Broadcaster: TBA
Synopsis: The Ducoboo Gang takes a second look at Ducoboo, the student: he’s younger, no longer on his own, clearly a bright kid … who’s about to flunk out. He definitely “Can do better!” As well as being a whimsical, sensitive look at a gang of friends in a schoolyard setting, the series also highlights important values like solidarity, tolerance and living in a multicultural society. In short, the ingredients needed to live together! It also teaches us that there are unconventional ways of learning which sometimes need to be adapted to individual students.
Ducoboo, age nine, gifted and hyperactive; Leonie Gratin, eight, top of the class with dreams of becoming the best in the school; and Nerd, eight, unbeatable in the most complicated subjects, will, thanks to their team spirit, their imagination and their cunning, foil all Professor Latouche’s nasty tricks and the Little Pest’s deceptions. This is how Ducoboo earned the title “The best bad student ever” — keeping the title takes audacity and determination!
