Sep 15, 2005

GIANT STRIDES FOR FOOTHILL

Although a long-time attendee of Mipcom, California-based co-developer and distributor Foothill Entertainment is attending Mipcom Junior for the first time, writes Jo Anne Kenny. "We have increased our catalogue in the past year and have brought together quite a few new completed shows," says Jo Kavanagh-Payne, president of Foothill, which will be showcasing a full-length movie, some short-form programming and a new half-hour series in October at Mipcom Jnr. With a slate that mixes brand new as well as classic kids programming, and spanning everything from preschool to family entertainment, Kavanagh-Payne feels the company is in a better position than ever, with a few new deals completed and a number of negotiations under way. New to both the Foothill line-up and to Mipcom Jnr is My Little Fox (26x30'), an animé-style series for six- to 10-year-olds produced by Seoul Movie. Featuring an angel who has been banished to Earth as a cute fox to search for a lost 'wishing book,' the series is a "very sweet looking show with a soft palette," says Foothill chairman and director Greg Payne. Another highlight from Foothill is live-action, music-driven show The Dress Up Box (52x5') from New Zealand-based Papageno Films. Launched at Mipcom last year but seen for the first time at Mipcom Jnr, the series is based on the concept that kids love to dress up and act out stories. Already in its fourth season on TV3, the show is aimed at two- to seven-year-olds and is the brainchild of Felicity Williams, child performance director at Papageno. "Felicity runs a drama school for kids in New Zealand called Little Mozart, and the kids in the Dress Up Box are all students at her school," says Kavanagh- Payne. "It is so unbelievably precious - you can see the kids are having a great time and are really into it. Their reactions look like something out of a Hollywood movie." 2D/3D long-form movie Toy Warrior (1x76') was sold recently to both Jetix US and Cartoon Network UK for broadcast this fall, and Foothill will be looking to make more sales in Cannes. The film is set in the Land of Toys, where popular toy ruler Princess Sherbet turns to spunky sixth-grader Jinoo for help chasing off the dark forces when he is transported to the Land of Toys. Although both Payne and Kavanagh-Payne joke that there were times when they didn't think they would see their fifth anniversary, they both realised early on that having a broad portfolio was more important than finding a specific, sometimes limiting, niche. "Unless you have a number of things across the board, if you are trying to be a global company you really don't have enough to offer - it is almost as if you have to hit a bulls eye every single time," explains Payne. Accordingly, in the short-term Foothill has a variety of things on its radar. The company is in development on preschool girls' series Tutu Lulu - also from Papageno - that Kavanagh-Payne says is a "vague extension" of The Dress Up Box. About a young girl whose single mother holds a garage sale every weekend featuring dance costumes from her shop, the series shows young Lulu losing herself in fantasy as she tries on the outfits. Foothill is in discussion with both a UK and US broadcaster to enter a development deal for design-based property Iconicles, designed by Eric Radomski of US-based Phuuz Entertainment and Lois Lee. Intended as a starting point for early language and literacy programmes, the concept teaches and reinforces cognitive skills. "Initially we thought it would start as a licensing or publishing programme, but the latest development push will definitely see it on television first and everything else branching from that," says Kavanagh-Payne. Contact: Jo KavanaghPayne Gregory B Payne 805 965 4488