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Among the hot new shows premiering at the MIPCOM market this fall is Jonny Jetboy, an original animated children’s action series, created by kids’ entertainment icon Keith Chapman. The show is produced by Chinese online entertainment service iQIYI in collaboration with WildBrain as animation supervisor, with animation production completed by China’s WinSing Animation Studio. Jonny Jetboy follows the adventures of a 10-year-old boy who is the youngest member of a superhero family secretly known as JetForce.
Chapman, who is best known for creating hits such as PAW Patrol, Bob the Builder, Roary the Racing Car, Fifi and the Flowertots and the upcoming feature Ozi: Voice of the Forest, was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about his latest venture:
Animation Magazine: Can you tell us a little bit about the development history behind Jonny Jetboy?
Keith Chapman: I first came up with the idea back in 2013 — a Top Gun for preschoolers. Initially I worked with WildBrain on the development, and then iQIYI liked the idea so much that they purchased the IP and then hired WildBrain to oversee the production of the show.
There are a lot of parties involved but the relationships have all been great. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing each episode grow with each team’s contribution, and everyone has worked together to make a fantastic show that kids all over the world are going to love.
What stage of development/production is the show, and when is the delivery date?
Production is nearing completion, the first half of the season is expected to be delivered by the end of 2023, and the second half of the season is expected to be delivered in the first half of next year.
What do you love about this new show?
I started to think about a show for kids which conveyed the excitement of flying jets and vehicles very fast. I wanted kids to imagine sitting in a jet cockpit performing amazing aerial tricks, with cool gadgets and preschool-friendly weaponry while battling the bad guys.
Can you tell us a bit about the visual style of the show?
The team at WildBrain has worked closely with China’s WinSing Animation to develop a cool new visual style for Jonny Jetboy, where East and West styles have merged. It has lots of action, comedy, transformations and flying sequences.
Can you tell us a bit more about the inspiration?
I loved the original Top Gun movie and years later started thinking about a show with fast jets. It’s about a boy hero who flies jets with his sister for his family superhero Jet Fleet. He has a special glove that gives him extra power. He’s like a young Tom Cruise, a maverick who breaks the rules, with a need for speed!
How do you work with the producing entities involved (iQIYI, WinSing and WildBrain)?
It’s been a joy working with the creative teams at iQIYI, WildBrain and WinSing on Jonny Jetboy. During development and production, I got to see all designs and scripts, listened to voice talent, theme song, etc, with everyone making comments. Overcoming language barriers haven’t been an issue as the iQIYI and WinSing teams can speak English. The design aesthetic had to appeal to a Chinese audience as well as a Western one and I think this has been very successfully achieved.
The finished episodes are looking very cool, and I think kids all over the world are going to love Jonny Jetboy.
What is your take on the state of global animation for children today?
It’s in a healthy place, with tons of excellent shows for kids to choose from. Canadian animation is booming in particular, due to the very generous tax credit system there. But other countries are catching up. Weirdly, it seems harder to sell shows to the broadcasters. Although there are more outlets nowadays with the streamers and online platforms, there are many more studios and production companies around the world pitching ideas. Everyone has upped their game, with better quality animation and writing. There is greater competition all going for the few slots available.
2023 has been a very busy year for you with Ozi and the second PAW Patrol movie about to be released in theaters. What is the secret of your success?
I continue to work — practically every day, even on holidays — to keep my stream of ideas bubbling along, either in development or in production. I never rest on my laurels, always looking for the next break-out hit. My view is, if I have several TV shows or movies out there, the more chance I have of one of them being picked up and becoming successful.
Finally, what is the best advice you can offer children’s content creators?
Never give up. Stay focused and determined and try to have several ideas rather than just concentrate on one. While one is being developed, start work on another, and so on. It can be a very long road, but with a good idea, lots of talented people behind it and a bit of luck, you can achieve your dreams.
You can check out an exclusive clip from Jonny Jetboy below:
For more information, visit wildbrain.com.
