Montreal: Child’s play is serious business. At least it is to Spectra Animation, the subsidiary of Montreal’s L’Équipe Spectra. The toonco is enjoying the afterglow of a successful 2005 and is looking to grow and go more Canadian in 2006.

The popular Toopy and Binoo, a manic 26 x 25 program about the adventures of two misfits playing dress-up, is a popular hit on Treehouse and Télé-Québec, and a point of pride for the company and its president, André Bélanger.

‘We’ve really worked to make shows that are different, that will tap into a child’s imagination, and for that child’s imagination to be let loose,’ Bélanger says.

Bélanger, who’s headed Spectra Animation for more than three years, says this year the company will float plans for new programs, looking to develop projects that are solely Spectra’s.

‘More and more, we’re managing to do programming that is entirely done in Canada,’ he says. ‘Logistically, that’s a lot easier than if things are being done in different countries.’ As an example, the company’s series Kid Paddle is a copro with France.

Among Spectra’s new offerings is Blasé Blair, about a cynical 16-year-old with attitude. It drew a great deal of interest at MIPCOM Junior in October, rating as one of the 30 most popular debuts, out of 839 productions.

Meanwhile, Spectra is currently developing Amos Daragon, an action-adventure series based on the bestselling Quebec fantasy books by Bryan Perro. Bélanger adds that the company is also looking into the prospects of animated features. This, of course, means branching out from the toddler audience of, say, Toopy and Binoo.

‘We are looking to new and different age groups,’ Bélanger confirms.

Canadian animation appears to be in a good position, he says, but he remains somewhat cautious.

‘The world market is hard right now,’ he says. ‘Preschool is particularly difficult to sell, because people have a lot in stock. This age group can sit through the same shows over and over, so there’s not always a lot of demand for brand-new product. That’s why it’s all the more important to come up with something fresh.’

www.spectra-animation.ca