German broadcaster KiKA snaps up “How to Be Indie” and “dirtgirlworld.”
Cannes, France --
DHX Media, a leading international producer and distributor of television programming and interactive content, has made two significant sales to KiKA at MIPCOM from its library of distinctive programming for all ages. The German channel, aimed at kids and youth audiences, has picked up two series from the DHX sales slate: tween live action series How to Be Indie and music-centric preschool show dirtgirlworld.
Sebastian Debertin, Head of Fiction, Acquisitions & Co-Productions at KiKA said: “We are very happy that these two shows will find their new home in Germany on KiKA. How to Be Indie is an unbelievably funny show for our older audience which perfectly fits into KiKA's main theme for the channel in 2013: the extremely important issue of integration and inclusion. How to Be Indie will be one of the programmes in 2013 which will inform and sensitize our audience about the concept of integration and inclusion to fulfil our claim and our task to entertain while educate.”
He added: “With dirtgirlworld, targeted at the older pre-school demo, we found another jewel: it is extremely seldom that an animated show for that age group is visually so strong and unique. With the means of great music and lots of laughter kids are being brought in touch with nature and environmental issues that become more and more important/vibrant every day.”
Josh Scherba, SVP Distribution at DHX Media said: “Well-written, insightful series always find homes internationally and have long-term appeal. Both How to Be Indie and dirtgirlworld have strong, distinctive themes and character-driven storylines tailored for their respective demographics that we are confident will prove successful with KiKA’s audiences.”
How to be Indie is a comedic live-action series which is told through the eyes of 13-year-old Indie as she endeavours to balance the traditions of her South Asian family with her Western lifestyle. The series is produced by Canadian production company Heroic Film Company and airs around the world on YTV in Canada, Disney Channel UK, ABC Australia, Turner Broadcasting’s Boomerang channel in Latin America, M-Net in Africa, Italy’s DeAgostini and Canal+ Poland.
Represented internationally by DHX Media, the show is created by writer Vera Santamaria (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Little Mosque on the Prairie, The Latest Buzz and Naturally Sadie) and Heroic executive producers John May & Suzanne Bolch.
Airing on Sprout in the US, CBeebies in the U.K., on CBC Canada and ABC Australia, dirtgirlworld features a distinctive blend of live action and animation with photomontage and illustration that takes the audience to a world where the real and unreal collide. The series shares an environmental message, explores the natural world and invites the audience to “go get grubby” with dirtgirl, a gumboot-wearing girl who grows awesome tomatoes, knows clouds’ names and drives a big orange tractor.
Helping dirtgirl is a wildly original cast of characters – her best friend scrapboy, who lives next door and is a whiz with junk; grubby, with her grub’s eye view; ken the weevil, a super stunt star with an inferiority complex; roger the rooster and the chicks; hayman the monosyllabic scarecrow; and the green thumbs – real kids in real gardens having unreal fun.
dirtgirlworld is a co-production between Australia’s mememe productions and DHX Media.
Source: DHX Media
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
