Canadian kids prodco Sinking Ship Entertainment has acquired Toronto’s Picture Box Distribution for an undisclosed sum.

As part of the deal, Picture Box principals Marilyn Kynaston and Kate Sanagan will join Sinking Ship to lead its distribution and sales division.

Sanagan will work in Sinking Ship’s Toronto office, while Kynaston will continue to work from Vancouver. Two Picture Box staff will be laid off as a result of the acquisition.

Prior to the acquisition, Picture Box was already handling distribution for a number of Sinking Ship series, including the CGI/live-action hybrid series Annedroids, the first two seasons of which recently sold to Disney EMEA and Finnish pubcaster YLE.

Sinking Ship opened its doors in 2004 and has since produced more than 250 hours of content. In 2015, the company received nine Daytime Emmy Awards nominations, and ultimately won three for the series Dino Dan and Odd Squad. Sinking Ship was also working in the distribution space prior to its acquisition of Picture Box.

Picture Box launched in 2001 with a focus on both kids and factual content, with offices in both Vancouver and Toronto. It will continue to distribute some third-party kids content following the acquisition, but the company will no longer be distributing factual content. Picture Box has also acted as a co-production liaison with commissioning editors working on international co-productions.

From Playback Daily. With files from Wendy Goldman Getzler.