The new preschool show from Daily Madness follows Ray, a talkative seven-year-old boy living in Dublin, and highlights the importance of community and diversity.
WildBrain has signed worldwide distribution rights (excluding Ireland) for Season 1 of the new preschool animated series Ray of Sunshine (26x7’) produced by Dublin-based animation studio Daily Madness. WildBrain will showcase the series, currently available for delivery, at Kidscreen Summit later this month.
Aimed at kids three to six, Ray of Sunshine centers on Ray, an outgoing seven-year-old boy who lives in the Sunshine Apartments smack-dab in the middle of Dublin. Ray, a very sociable kid with the gift of gab, is always ready for a chat. Luckily for him, living in an apartment complex where pretty much everybody knows everybody, he can usually find someone to talk to.
The collective care and love of Ray’s neighbors highlights the importance of community, a theme at the heart of this show. Surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, Ray hosts tea parties and invites his neighbors into his very own garden patch in the middle of the apartment courtyard. Ray’s love of these activities teaches young viewers to see all play as inclusive and gender-neutral, while placing value on socialization, conversation, caring and sharing. Ray of Sunshine celebrates diversity of all kinds, including non-traditional parenting structures and amicable co-parenting.
Caroline Tyre, VP Global Sales and Rights Strategy at WildBrain, said, “We’re thrilled to work with Daily Madness, a women-owned-and-led animation studio, and we wholeheartedly believe in their mission to champion underrepresented voices in our industry. With Ray of Sunshine, Daily Madness has created a terrific new series filled with silliness, humor, and heart. Featuring compelling character-driven stories rooted in gender-neutral play, friendship and community, this adorable series is the perfect addition to our preschool animation slate. We look forward to sharing it with audiences around the world.”
“We’re over the moon to sign this deal with WildBrain, a company with such a passion for kids’ content and to join their portfolio of incredible brands,” said Producer and Director Lindsey Adams. “Ray of Sunshine is our love letter to Dublin, a city that is very much home to the creative team working behind the scenes on this show. With our new partners at WildBrain, we’re so excited to see our beloved Ray travel outside of Ireland and to audiences across the globe.”
The series is created by Adams and Shannon George, with head writing by Kristina Yee. Art direction is by Adam Kavanagh with music by Jonathan Casey. Evan Oglesby will voice Ray.
Ray of Sunshine was produced with the funding support of RTÉjr, Screen Ireland, and the Section 481 tax credit.
Source: WildBrain
Whitney is a freelance writer focusing on VFX-driven fantasy film & TV as well as preschool animation.
