By Sadhana Bharanidharan and Ryan Tuchow

Paper Owl Films

Commissioning broadcaster ITV (UK) has greenlit a second season of 2D-animated preschool series Happy the Hoglet from Irish studio Paper Owl Films. The 26 x seven-minute toon launched last year and centers around a baby hedgehog learning emotional resilience and conflict resolution with his playground pals. 

Superights

The Paris-based company has picked up global distribution rights to I Love This Job (pictured) from Poland’s Animoon. Currently in production, the 2D-animated preschool series (26 x seven minutes) aims to teach kids about different types of jobs, “from plumber to paleontologist,” through the experiences of a monkey, elephant and cat. It should be wrapped by June, and Superights will sell the show internationally outside of Poland.

Crayola

The creativity-led company has partnered with TheSoul Publishing in Cyprus to co-produce craft-centric content for Crayola’s online platforms. It’s part of a social media growth strategy leveraging Crayola’s brand power and the expertise of TheSoul, which runs the popular YouTube DIY channel 5-Minute Crafts (77.8 million subscribers). 

Baboon Animation

As part of its Winnie-the-Pooh prequel franchise plans, New York-based Baboon Animation has inked a podcast deal with LA-based audio entertainment company GoKidGo. Targeting preschool listeners, the partners are developing a podcast called Stories from Pooh Corner that will launch later this year and tell stories about the tubby little cubby and his crew in their younger years.

NHK 

In a deal brokered by distributor Bomanbridge Media, Japan’s pubcaster has picked up Sinking Ship Entertainment’s live-action/CG-animated series Dino Dana (52 x 22 minutes) to start airing this month.