The U.K.’s Canning Factory (James the Cat, Ophelia) has begun production on Ebb & Flo, a preschool animation series for Channel 5 based on the internationally published books by children’s author and illustrator Jane Simmons. The show is slated to join Channel 5’s pre-school block, Milk Shake, in October 2004.
Genevieve Dexter of Cake Ent. Ltd serves as the show’s exec. producer and has raised the ‘1M budget from a co-production partnership with independent distributor VGI Ent. Ltd (distribution and merchandising) and Hahn Film AG (production partner). The project has also benefited from a Media Plus subsidy and a U.S. pre-sale to close the funding.
Hahn Film has secured ARD and Kika as broadcast partners in Germany. The partnership has also succeeded in securing some 20 pre-sales including CBC Canada, EBS Korea and TV2 Denmark.
Fiona Shaw, who appears as Mrs. Dursley in the Harry Potter films, will voice the narration with music by Gary Yershon (Art, Topsy Turvey). According to Canning Factory, the unique style of Jane Simmons’ illustration will be faithfully reproduced in the hand-rendered 26 x 5 series. Dave Ingham (Kipper), Jan Page (Angelina Ballerina) and George Tarry (Kipper) are writing the scripts.
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