U.K. channel 5 and animated preschool show Mixmups are leading the way in bespoke accessible viewing with the launch of Mixmups with Ultra Access™ on Milkshake! online from today.
Commissioned by Paramount’s Louise Bucknole and conceived by show creator Rebecca Atkinson, 10 pioneering episodes use interactive streaming technology to enhance accessibility beyond traditional subtitles and audio descriptions. Mixmups with Ultra Access were produced by Mackinnon & Saunders and powered by U.K.-based interactive media platform, Stornaway, which aims to provide producers with a tool to easily create interactive content. This approach allows children, families, caregivers and teachers to customize their viewing experience to best suit their needs.
“The Mixmups team love to play with convention and look for other ways to deliver world-class stop-motion animation, storytelling and entertainment with baked in inclusion for the whole preschool audience, whatever their preferences,” said Atkinson. “We are so proud to be launching Mixmups with Ultra Access in partnership with 5 and bringing unprecedented viewing access to a generation of children, parents, carers and teachers and further building our magical brand. Oh, and we hope kids will fall in love with Spin signing as much as we have, he’s the first ever stop-motion character to sign Makaton and BSL with his little furry paws!”
Kate Dimbleby, co-founder of Stornaway, commented, “It has been incredible to see these Ultra Access episodes take shape. We designed Stornaway’s technology to unlock opportunities for producers and platforms making content for a generation used to playing and interacting with their media. These Ultra Access episodes are a powerful example of what can happen when creators are given the tools to innovate, and we are so delighted that 5 had the vision to pioneer and support this format.”
As well as the traditional offers of subtitles, audio description and British Sign Language, Mixmups with Ultra Access provides the option to watch with lower background sound, simpler visuals and preparation materials such as storyline synopses, audio described introductions, emotional regulation cues, play-along sensory props and key Makaton and BSL signs.
The launch of Mixmups with Ultra Access marks an important broadcast industry milestone in Object Based Media as, for the first time on multiple episodes of a television program, the technology separates media into “objects” of video, audio clips and layers, which can be combined in multiple ways to personalize and adapt to viewer preferences.
“These pioneering ultra-accessible episodes were part of the original Milkshake! commission and a huge draw of what made Mixmups feel such an important show to make,” noted Bucknole, SVP Kids & Family for Paramount U.K. & Ireland. “Inclusivity is at the heart of Mixmups — a show for every preschooler, featuring loveable characters, exciting adventures and captivating storytelling. Set in a playful, compelling world without barriers, we wanted to ensure that every child could enjoy the series in their own unique way. We’re really excited about these episodes — it’s something that’s never been done before and we’re looking forward to seeing how they resonate with neurodiverse and disabled viewers.”
Mixmups is 5’s first animated preschool series featuring disabled lead characters and made by a team with lived experience of disability. All 52 episodes have been available for families to stream with audio description and British Sign Language on 5’s Milkshake! since launch in November 2023. Fans of the show can also watch an audio description introduction to the series with a detailed description of the characters and world to make the show more accessible for visually impaired children and parents on Milkshake’s YouTube.
Set in the bright, colorful world of Mixington Valley, Mixmups sees friends Pockets, Giggle and Spin, ‘Mix up the Magic!’ of play and imagination with their magical wooden spoon and transport themselves on comical adventures, along with trustee assistance pets, Roller Guinea and Yapette the Guide Dog.
Commissioned by 5’s Milkshake, Mixmups, along with the Ultra Access, episodes were produced by Manchester-based Mackinnon & Saunders (Pinocchio, Moon & Me, Fantastic Mr. Fox) and created and written by Rebecca Atkinson, a leading specialist in play theory, storytelling, representation and creative innovation for inclusion. Mixmups was developed and produced with support from the U.K. Government funded Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which is managed by the BFI and in collaboration with Raydar Media.
“Bringing the Mixmups to life over 52 episodes has been a genuine delight for our entire team,” said Mackinnon & Saunders. “Working with Rebecca we combined animation artistry with heaps of research and lived experience of disability to make our characters as authentic but as entertaining as possible. The chance to dive deeper into this world, to work on the creative and technical processes of Ultra Access, and to bring that same level of fun into enhancing the viewing experience of those with access needs has been just incredible. A true first.”
Mixmups with Ultra Access are available on channel5.com/mixmups.
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