US-based delegation on the hunt for local animators and creators
MELBOURNE (April, 29, 2014) – Cartoon Network Studios, the original production facility located in Burbank, California, has made Australia its first port of call in Asia Pacific in its international search for animation talent. Cartoon Network executives, responsible for green-lighting hit comedies like The Amazing World of Gumball and Adventure Time, are visiting creators and studios in Sydney and Melbourne this week on the global pursuit for new and original concepts.
Brian Miller, Senior Vice President And General Manager of Cartoon Network Studios, said: “It’s great to be here in Australia and I’m looking forward to seeing the depth of creativity and ability that the studios, writers and artists here undoubtedly possess. This is a landmark trip for us and we know it will be the start of a fruitful, cross-Pacific relationship demonstrating true global collaboration.”
Bridging the gap between Burbank and Australia is Turner Broadcasting Asia Pacific’s kids’ content team. Employing a “virtual studio” model, its Chief Content Officer Mark Eyers and Creative Director of Animation and Development, Silas Hickey, are instrumental in fostering this artist programme. They will arrange for home-grown creators to experience Burbank for themselves and to ensure the successful development of a pilot short that fits the Cartoon Network mould.
“Even though we’ve just landed on the other side of the world, it’s great to know that kids enjoy the same kind of humour,” added Curtis Lelash, Cartoon Network’s Vice President of Comedy Animation. “While Australian kids laugh at exactly the same jokes in shows like Adventure Time as Americans, we are really looking forward to introducing the world to a taste of what Australia can offer. With series like Exchange Student Zero, a new pipeline of content will soon be a reality. It is an East-meets-West concept bringing together a type of animation popular in Asia and a western-style sense of fun, and a huge dose of Australian talent.”
Last year, Cartoon Network confirmed that it had commissioned a TV special called Monster Beach from Melbourne-based Bogan Entertainment Solutions (BES). Cartoon Network Australia is also producing Exchange Student Zero, its first ever locally-produced comedy series. It is an original Australian concept created by BES, and began life as a short before developing into a TV special that aired in 2012 and has now become a fully-fledged series with global export potential.
At the BES studios yesterday, Cartoon Network and BES confirmed that local celebrity Rove will feature as a voice actor in both Monster Beach and Exchange Student Zero. Also supplying some of the music will be Australian comedy troupe, Tripod, with band member Scott Edgar also voicing animated characters. Exchange Student Zero will premiere on Cartoon Network on Foxtel in 2015, while Monster Beach is slated for its first-run on Halloween later this year.
About Cartoon Network in Australia and New Zealand
Cartoon Network offers young viewers the best in animated entertainment. Drawing from the world’s largest cartoon library of Warner Bros., MGM and Hanna-Barbera titles, Cartoon Network showcases hit original comedies including Adventure Time, award-winning The Amazing World of Gumball and Regular Show, as well as the hugely successful Ben 10 action franchise. Cartoon Network is seen in over 2.2 million and 800,000 households across Australia and New Zealand respectively. Online, Cartoon Network typically reaches more than 300,000 and 50,000 unique visitors every month across Australia and New Zealand respectively. In Asia Pacific, Cartoon Network is owned and operated by Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc., a Time Warner company.
About Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific
Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. creates and distributes award-winning brands throughout Asia Pacific. Turner runs 46 channels in 13 languages in 38 countries throughout the region, including CNN International, CNNj, CNN, HLN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Cartoonito, Boomerang, POGO, Toonami, WarnerTV, TCM Turner Classic Movies, truTV, WB, MondoTV and TABI Channel. In addition, Turner is also the exclusive distributor of HBO, HBO Hits HD and HBO Defined HD in South Asia. Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. is a Time Warner company.
