Producer Tim Goodchild of 1973 Films has announced that his 52 x seven-minute animated series Hettie Makebelieve has been pre-bought by CBeebies.

The stop-frame series follows a collection of toys who come to life and create new worlds of adventure. 

Hettie Makebelieve will be produced in the UK by stop-motion animation studio and model makers Mackinnon and Saunders, whose work has contributed to Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, as well as TV series such as Bob the Builder, Postman Pat and The Clangers.

Union Media has been appointed as the international distributor. The company is a new international distribution business founded in 2012 by Adam Selly, following many years in the industry in senior positions at HIT Entertainment, Entertainment Rights and LazyTown Entertainment. It represents a growing slate of new animation series for broadcast and licensing rights worldwide.