Montreal: New business in Europe and the lucrative call of American first-run syndication has led to the second season renewal of the Telescene Film Group teen sitcom series Student Bodies. The live-action/animation series has been renewed in the u.s. by syndicator Twentieth Television and in Canada by ytv and Global Television Network.

Following the current round of production, 26 half-hours in ’98 and 13 in ’99, Telescene will have completed 65 half-hours.

According to Michael Yudin, co-exec producer on the series and exec vp with Telescene Entertainment in New York, Student Bodies has strong potential in Europe, as well as syndication prospects in the u.s.

‘Disney International has purchased the show throughout their channels in Europe and Asia,’ he says.

The Disney deal is important because the teen/tween market in Europe is a largely new development. ‘Time periods are now being put aside and advertisers are greater than ever,’ Yudin says.

The deal was brokered by Sunbow Entertainment, the series’ international sales agent.

Citing a comparable syndication deal, Yudin says Saved By the Bell, produced by Peter Engel Productions in association with nbc, was syndicated in first run to USA Network and tbs, and has ‘generated well over us$300,000 [ca$450,000] to us$400,000 [ca$600,000] an episode.’

‘That’s the benchmark,’ he says. ‘But that [deal] started over 10 years ago so we would like to think the dollars are much higher. Not only that, but there are different windows [now] so you may get a little less out of syndication, but then you can go to cable.’

The series costs in the us$350,000 [ca$525,000] per episode range, while the deal in the u.s. ‘is a straight 50-50 partnership’ between Telescene and Twentieth Television.

Student Bodies covers 90% of the u.s. market including Fox owned and operated stations and has an average ratings growth of 31% since last fall’s launch.

Coventure climate

This spring, when the u.s. networks announced their new season schedules, Yudin says it became even more clear that program quality is only one issue in the tv business, while production is increasingly deal-driven by costs.

‘There were shows they wanted but couldn’t make the right business arrangement [for]. The beauty of Telescene is that we are a network-acceptable producer in the u.s. and we are able to present a business arrangement that fits in with our business plan and is very attractive to the u.s. market,’ says Yudin.

Student Bodies is a mix of live action and animation from Montreal’s Cine-Group. Each episode features animated sequences used to give expression to the students’ ‘comic-book alter egos.’

Exec producing with Yudin are Robin Spry, Paul Painter and Michael Klinghoffer, one of the show’s creators.