Vancouver-based production studio Wind Sun Sky Entertainment (WSS) is expanding its content team with the hire of Robin Hays, who joins the company in the newly created role of VP creative, kids.

In her new position, Hays will be responsible for the strategic development and execution of kids content creation across a number of projects and format types, including animation, live-action and hybrid projects.

Collaborating with the prodco’s artists, directors, executives, stakeholders and partners, she will be tasked with the creative implementation of concepts through completion, with an initial focus on the conservation-based Future Chicken (pictured) property. She will also support WSS’s renewed expansion of its existing multi-platform IP, Camp Bonkers. Hays will report to recently appointed managing director of kids, Jo Redfern.

Prior to joining WSS, Hays was an independent filmmaker, directing the film Anthem and producing Neill Blomkamp’s Alive in Joburg, Adicolor Yellow and Tempbot. She has worked with global brands, including Visa, Adidas, Honda, Nestle, Danon, The IOC, Treehugger and Spin Master.

Ahead of the global launch of Future Chicken later this fall, WSS has also brought on Toronto-based sales and production company 10Star Media as the exclusive distribution agent for the property. Under the agreement, 10Star, led by managing partner Craig McGillivray, will take on responsibility for driving the IP’s multi-platform and format global sales at the upcoming MIPJunior and MIPCOM marketplace in Cannes later this month, in addition to representing a number of other WSS projects.

In addition to the hiring of Hays, WSS has also expanded Bernice Vanderlaan’s role to executive producer and head writer for the Future Chicken universe. An Emmy-nominated writer, Vanderlaan initially joined WSS to develop the multi-platform Future Chicken universe story bible in collaboration with WSS CEO and founder Catherine Winder and OWL magazine co-founder Annabel Slaight, who co-created Future Chicken. She reports to Winder and is based in Toronto.

Image courtesy of WSS