Studio B-usy

Vancouver – Animation shop Studio B Productions is jumping with a number of original projects in development and a big service job from the U.K.

After its DVD feature Frosty the Snowman for Classic Media and the series Krypto the Wonderdog for Warner Bros., Studio B was contacted by European broadcaster Jetix – formerly Fox Kids Europe – to develop Pucca, a 78 x 7 comedy series, based on the characters created for Flash Web content by Korea’s VOOZ Co. Pucca is a huge job for Studio B, says partner and executive producer Blair Peters, and requires 40-plus staffers, roughly a third of the company.

Peters believes the 17-year-old Studio B beat out the other dozen-or-so companies in contention for Pucca because of the shop’s experience in comedy with Yvon of the Yukon, and with Flash animation on Edgar and Ellen, another recent service job through Starfarm Productions. Peters says service productions have served Studio B well in 2005 while it develops new original shows.

‘Service projects keep our fingers on different styles of animation,’ says Peters. ‘We like to be challenged in new genres, formats and styles, because that’s how we grow. We have some really strong properties in development that we’re thinking two years ahead on. The structure helps us to properly develop shows and spend the necessary money on development and marketing.’

Peters is excited about Annie, in development with Family Channel, based on the Little Orphan Annie comic strip, the rights to which are held by The Tribune Company, based in Chicago. Peters hints that Annie, a 26 x 22 series, has received an attitude adjustment, in that ‘she’ll be kicking a little more ass than she used to,’ thanks largely to story editor Ian Weir, who has already penned the series’ first episode. It will appear on a DVD release with two other episodes, ending in cliffhangers, much like the classic cartoon strip. Distributor and release date are not yet available.

Studio B is also in development on a new George of the Jungle series for Teletoon, with rights owner Classic Media. A rough version of the first ep has been completed and production should begin this fall. Studio B teams with Family once more, along with Australia’s ABC, on CJ the DJ, looking to tap into the ‘tween crowd. The show is being coproduced by Australia’s Kapow Pictures. The companies worked together previously on Yakkity Yak for Nickelodeon.

Studio B’s Yvon of the Yukon has just begun airing in Japan on Nickelodeon Asia, extending the show’s reach beyond North America, the U.K., Australia and Russia. Dustin Dinoff