Crayola has announced that it is launching Crayola Studios — a new division dedicated to creating kids’ and family content that “explores the limitless possibilities of children’s creativity and leverages color as an intrinsic element of the story” across multiple genres.
With a pipeline of shows already in development, the portfolio features a range of projects, across numerous content touchpoints. The first project to be announced is The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian a co-development with MIMO Studios. Crayola is actively partnering with production companies, animation studios and IP owners, such as MIMO, to create content for leading kids’ broadcast platforms around the world.
Overseeing the content slate is Crayola’s EVP Marketing, Victoria Lozano, with support from Goatfish Agency — founded by Rick Glankler, Fremantle’s former President and General Manager Kids & Family Entertainment. Crayola’s sister company Hallmark Media will also support the initiative.
“As world leaders in creative self-expression, the establishment of Crayola Studios is a logical next step for us, it builds on plans announced last year to develop entertainment content that inspires and nurtures the next generation and helps them develop lifelong creative mindsets,” Lozano says. “Our unique perspective offers an exciting opportunity for the industry as it searches for stand out new and trusted content that has creativity at its heart.”
Cyma Zarghami’s MIMO Studios will co-develop and produce an animated adaptation of the award-winning kids’ podcast Gen-Z Media’s The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian, which is written and performed by Jonathan Messinger, author of Hiding Out and former web editor of Time Out Chicago Kids. The podcast was launched in 2016 and has released 12 seasons and 260 episodes. With over 24 million downloads, the series is consistently number one on the iTunes Kids & Family chart. Finn Caspian is also a best-selling book series and was selected as Best Book 2020 by the School Library Journal.
A science-fiction adventure story, The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian centers on Finn Caspian, an eight-year-old boy aboard The Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station. Together with friends Abigail, Elias and Vale, Finn forms Explorers Troop 301 which takes off from the Marlowe to explore uncharted planets, help aliens and solve a mystery that threatens to destroy the Space Station.
The 52 x 11′ series, announced in May 2020 by MIMO, will be written by Brad Birch (PJ Masks, Johnny Test).
“Crayola is synonymous with kids and color and we are so excited to collaborate with them to bring these beloved journeys to life through world-class animation and artistry,” says Zarghami, “We have been cultivating The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian since we first identified it and immediately saw the great potential and opportunity to tell rich stories in video the way Gen-Z Media did in the podcast. The combination pf great characters, creativity, adventure, and information is something we can’t wait to bring to audiences worldwide.”
Lozano adds, “This series allows kids to explore the power and limitless potential of imagination, self-expression and creativity. Its DNA is at the very core of what we do at Crayola and a perfect example of the type of shows we want to produce going forward. We’re thrilled to join forces with the talented team at MIMO to bring Finn’s action-packed adventures to life.”
