The international distribution arm of 9 Story Media Group, 9 Story Distribution International, has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Irish animated preschool series Atom Town.

The rights exclude Ireland, where the series launched on RTÉ last November, according to a news release.

The 26 x 5-minute series (pictured) is a copro from Dublin’s Treehouse Republic and Turnip + Duck, and received support from Screen Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It follows characters based on the elements of the periodic table, with the goal of helping children ages three to six become familiar with the names of key elements and their properties.

WildBrain 

Toronto’s WildBrain has secured international sales for creator Adam Yaniv’s Summer Memories.

Produced by Yaniv’s banner A&N Productions, Toronto’s Aircraft Pictures and B.C.-based Yeti Farm Creative, the 2D-animated series (40 x 12 minutes) has new broadcasters on board for its first season, including Prime Video for Germany, Austria and Switzerland; ABC Australia; and Showmax for Africa.

WildBrain, which handles distribution, will also present the series to buyers at the Kidscreen Summit, which takes place from Feb. 12 to 15 in Miami.

Summer Memories is commissioned by WildBrain’s Family Channel and received financial participation from Canada Media Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, and the Jerusalem Film & Television Fund at the Jerusalem Development Authority. It follows two best friends as they fill their summer with adventures and change.

Meanwhile, WildBrain has acquired worldwide distribution rights (excluding Ireland) to CG-animated series Ray of Sunshine. Dublin-based Daily Madness (Ollie) produces the show, which launched locally on RTÉjr at the end of last year.

Aimed at kids ages three to six, Ray of Sunshine (26 x seven minutes) features an outgoing seven-year-old who engages with his eclectic neighbours in the heart of downtown Dublin.

Production of season one was supported by RTÉjr, Screen Ireland and the Section 481 tax credit. Lindsey Adams (Space Chickens in Space) and Shannon George (Blue’s Clues) are the series creators, and Kristina Yee (Alva & the Trolls) is directing.

Media Ranch

Montreal-headquartered Media Ranch has signed a deal with Masked Singer creator Wonwoo Park’s shingle DiTurn to represent two new formats: Round Table and Love Maze.

A news release said the deal is the first between the companies and aims to “build a collection of IP” by Park, who is also the original creator of Lotto Singer. Media Ranch head of content and storytelling Philip Kalin-Hajdu will lead development on both formats.

Round Table is a game show in which celebrity contestants without any singing skills must belt out tunes to win. The series has been a hit on South Korea’s KBS 2, according to a news release. Love Maze, co-created by Park and Something Special CEO Jin Woo Hwang, is a matchmaking series in which love-seekers must navigate a maze.

Blue Ant Media

Toronto-headquartered Blue Ant Media has partnered with Paramount Global-owned digital platform Pluto TV to stream four of its free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels in the Canadian market. Homeful, HauntTV, Crimetime and HistoryTime are now live on the platform. The partnership was announced at the Canadian Media Producers Association’s Prime Time conference in Ottawa on Friday (Feb. 3). The platform also launched the global debut of FAST channel OUTtv Proud last week.

With files from Realscreen and Kidscreen

Image courtesy of 9 Story Distribution International