New Zealand’s Pukeko Pictures signs co-production deal with Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company to produce sister show to ‘The WotWots.’
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Pukeko Pictures has signed a development deal with Chinese entertainment group Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company to produce Kiddets, a sister series to the studio’s hit animated preschool series The WotWots.
Kiddets is being developed as an official TV co-production under the treaty guidelines signed by New Zealand and China last year to explore as many opportunities as possible and forge closer ties with businesses in the two countries. The agreement enables approved projects to gain official co-production status and gives production houses access to funding and incentives in line with those for national films in each country.
Pukeko Pictures CEO Clive Spink said he was delighted that a year of hard work and many trips back and forth by both parties had led to this moment. “In the end it’s all about finding good partners to work with which takes time and commitment from both sides,” he said. “We want Kiddets to be the first of many business ventures with Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company over the next ten years or more.”
“We are very excited to be going on this journey with our colleagues from China,” said Martin Baynton, creator of The WotWots and the creative lead at Pukeko Pictures. “The WotWots has sold to over a hundred countries including many Asian territories. With that proven universal appeal it’s time to grow and expand the franchise with a sister series that has an eye on the growing Chinese market.”
Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company CEO and Executive Producer, Mr. Wang Bing, announced that the company will be building a new animation pipeline to undertake the animation elements of Kiddets. “We are very thrilled that Martin and Richard Taylor will be in charge of producing all the creative elements of scripts and design in Wellington and our team will handle the animation in Beijing. This is a very exciting opportunity for our company.”
“We are very excited to be working with Pukeko Pictures,” added Guangdong Huawen Century Animation Company’s Managing Director of licensing and distribution, Mr. Wen Jianfeng. “In the last year we have successfully introduced the BBC show Waybuloo to little children all over China with a big launch last April which Clive and Martin attended with us. We want to make Kiddets loved by millions of children in China.”
The signing of the development deal took place in Wellington City’s Mayoral office where both parties had been hosted by Mayor Celia Wade-Brown at the start of their business negotiations.
“I am delighted to witness the signing of this agreement,” said Mayor Celia Wade-Brown. “The potential for our two countries in this screen sector has become very evident in the last few years. It is particularly exciting to see how these screen partnerships are looking to include tourism and educational business opportunities into their broader strategic discussions.”
Source: Pukeko Pictures
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.
