Apr 07, 2013

FOOTHILL LANDS IN CANNES WITH PRODUCTION PLANS

(Cannes – 7 April 2013) Foothill Entertainment and its UK affiliate, Foothill Europe, attend the 50th anniversary edition of the MIP-TV market with a raft of production news on, not only its active kid’s animation slate, but also its family entertainment projects. 2013 has seen great strides being taken across the board for this Santa Barbara and London-based executive production/distribution house. With pre-production firmly underway on the touching Boy and the Dinosaur™ series, Foothill is poised to announce the completion of production funding and several significant pre-sales to major broadcasters.  After being one of the top 3 most viewed programmes at last years MIPJunior, Foothill has nailed down broadcaster interest from around the globe. Boy and the Dinosaur™ is about an ordinary Boy and his extraordinary friend, Dinosaur. It blends strong visual storytelling and broad, physical comedy with plenty of original music and a simple educational philosophy that resonates on a global basis. To be produced by an award-winning UK production team lead by 1461 Limited with animation by Studio Liddell, the series boasts renowned creatives including director Paul Couvela (Bob the Builder, Chuggington), producer David Bunting (Shaun the Sheep, The Tigger Movie) and writer Davey Moore (Octonauts, Thomas & Friends, Rastamouse). Already in pre-production following successful development of stunning visuals designed by the talented Donnie Anderson as well as a new script by Dale Schott, Foothill and its co-production partners Moody Street Kids and Gallus Entertainment, are excited to announce that Network 10, Australia, has commissioned this irreverent series of 52 x 11’ episodes. Production on this hilarious comedy series will start by the end of 2013. Based on the funny, best-selling books from HarperCollins, G.U.N.K. Aliens finds Jack, his robotic dog Snivel and his pals, Oscar and Ruby, working for a top secret (but wacky) alien-fighting organization called C.L.E.A.N. They are the only thing standing between us and the G.U.N.K. ALIENS: a disgusting band of extra-terrestrials committed to an all-out toxic invasion of Earth. It is up to Jack and his friends to root out these gross and smelly (but really funny) aliens before they can do some real damage. Wacky and outrageous character-based humor with hilarious gross-out accents as the forces of C.L.E.A.N. battle to save Earth from the G.U.N.K. ALIENS! Foothill expects to announce additional major pre-sales shortly. Animation is slated to be handled by Malaysia’s Vision Animation. “It looks like 2013 is shaping up to be our busiest year ever, with three solid series going into production,” says Foothill’s President, Jo Kavanagh-Payne. “It is always exciting to see all the hard work paying off and also to be able to work with such great partners.” Also looking for a Fall 2013 pre-production start is the ever delightful Raz & Benny. With its co-production partner DQ Entertainment, Foothill Europe will be looking to cement its final broadcast and production partners at this year MIP-TV market. Created by UK’s Simon Hodgkiss, Raz & Benny is the ultimate buddy comedy with a healthy dose of dazzling hijinks. The tale of two mice whose ambitions are bigger than their brains but whose good luck is as endless as their friendship. Whether posing as international spies, scuba-diving submarine rescuers or courageous ghost hunters, inseparable Raz and Benny are sure to make you laugh. DQ and Foothill will be teaming with Vancouver’s Ocean Media Group for post-production in a deal to be inked during the market. With its new family-audience focus, My Momtourage and Me, is an hour-long comedy-drama that is both funny and touching. This modern day tale finds Eva Divine, a world-renowned pop singer headlining - and settling down - at a major hotel in Las Vegas. While she battles insecurities about younger singers who might steal her spotlight, Eva is even more anxious about suddenly having to be a mom to Coco, her teenage daughter, whom she hardly knows. 14-year old Coco, an average teenager, was raised in Australia by her songwriter father who wrote Eva's first hit song. But now Coco is of the age she needs advice and guidance that only a mother can provide. As Coco comically struggles to build a relationship with Eva, she must also fit in with her mother's live-in entourage! My Momtourage and Me, a comedy drama series that, while poking fun at the zany glitz and glamour packed world of celebrity, tells the story of how two strangers - a Mom and daughter - learn to find a place in each other's hearts. With its partner Moody Street Productions, Foothill has enlisted the writing talents of award winning writers Sean Derek and Mark Young to spearhead the pilot scripting which will be available shortly. Continuing its leap into reality programming, MIP-TV will see the debut of Foothill’s new development on the hilarious Bizarre Buddies, a talent show for the common man! Each episode features five pairs of real friends but only one of the bizarre buddies actually has a unique act. The other buddy mustsuffer a humiliating consequence if their Talent buddy backs out. No fancy, elaborate sets for this show! Think Impractical Jokersmeets America's Got Talent. All five teams must perform either their Talent or Consequence in front of a LIVE hometown audience with threereal Hollywood Talent Agent judges determining the winner of "Most Bizarre" act in their city! Hosted by Scott Topper, an American celebrity DJ, and three time Emmy nominee, Bizarre Buddies combines quirky acts along with funny but humiliating consequences and focuses the spotlight on the talents of the common man. Foothill will be seeking format sales at the market for this funny twist on the talent competition genre. In addition to a full animation and live-action development slate, the Company is also showcasing its catalogue of over 600 hours of programmes. International sales continue to roll in for Spike Team, the exciting volleyball themed series and its special produced in conjunction with the Paralympics Committee. The series, already in its second season, has been a huge hit for Rai in Italy and throughout Europe. Also hot around the world is the Collingwood O’Hare produced classic Animal Stories, which recently launched to huge sales on DVD in the United States as part of a  prestigious Collingwood O’Hare Collection special box set by Millcreek Entertainment and includes Eddy & the Bear and Rarg. Founded in September 2000 by former DIC Entertainment Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Gregory Payne, and Jo Kavanagh-Payne, former Link Television Entertainment, Inc. Senior Vice President of U.S. Operations, Foothill specializes in the co-development and distribution of children’s and family entertainment programming. Their company is based in Santa Barbara, California. Foothill Europe is based in London. # # # # Contact: Jo Kavanagh-Payne Gregory B. Payne Tel:      +1 805 965 4488 Mob:    +1 805 637 6054 Email: info@foothillentertainment.com Web: www.foothillentertainment.com