Amazon Releases Pilot For New Animated Kids’ Show
Amazon has just released the pilots for six new kids’ shows commissioned by Amazon Studios. Launched in 2010 Amazon Studios enables anyone to submit a script online for review and the possibility of getting made into a pilot. Scripts can be for films or episodic series.
The new kids’ shows include four animated pilots and two live-action shows, and all six are available to watch for free. This can be done via either the Amazon Instant Video app on smartphones, Kindles, and gaming consoles or through smart TVs, or by going to Amazon Studios online and viewing them under the Amazon Pilot Season section.
Amazon are then asking viewers to leave feedback which will help decide on what pilots get made into a full series—a method Amazon see as empowering viewers and integrating them into the decision process. The shows that become a full series will available to view on Prime Instant Video.
“We are working with great storytellers on some fascinating ideas for the year’s first pilot season,†said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios. “We look forward to seeing our customers’ response to these new projects.”
Buddy: Tech Detective
One of the pilot kids’ shows is called Buddy: Tech Detective and is aimed at preschool children. The show is written by Jennifer Hamburg, produced by The Foundation—part of premier children’s entertainment company Zodiak Kids—and is animated by Jellyfish Pictures, a BAFTA-winning animation and VFX studio.
“Jellyfish were thrilled to once again collaborate with Zodiak Kids/Foundation on such an innovative and fun show.” said Jellyfish CEO Phil Dobree. “To be able to animate and work with funny and engaging characters that appeal so strongly to small children, as well as working for a new and exciting delivery format such as Amazon meant that this was a show we had to take on with passion and commitment.”
The show revolves around a super-sleuth called Buddy, his best friend Trudy, and a furry ferret called Ferdo. It invites viewer participation as kids help choose the technologies that Buddy and his team will use to gather evidence, follow cues and crack the case.
Buddy: Tech Detective
“Amazon Studios’ method of connecting parents and children directly to breakthrough content like Buddy: Tech Detective is very smart, and we are thrilled to be part of their 2015 pilot season”, said Michael Carrington CEO of The Foundation. “Buddy’s focus on cool technology, problem solving and investigation are themes that will resonate with modern kids and the innovative way in which the viewer becomes part of Buddy’s team takes the show to a new level.”
Other kids shows in the pilot season are The Stinky & Dirty Show by Guy Toubes and animation studio Brown Bag Films Ltd about the adventures of friends Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty the backhoe loader, Sara Solves It by Carol Greenwald, Angela Santomero and animators DHX which follows 9-year-old whiz kid Sara and her younger brother Sam working together to solve mysteries, Niko and the Sword of Light by Rob Hoegee and animated by Titmouse which is a fantasy adventure following ten-year-old Niko on an epic quest to bring light back to his land.
Along with two live-action shows Table 58 by May Chan and directed by Gil Junger about a group of outsider school kids who lunch together at Table 58, and Just Add Magic based on Cindy Callaghan’s book, adapted by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco and directed by Joe Nussbaum. It follows Kelly Quinn and her two BFFs, Darbie and Hannah, who stumble across her grandmother’s mysterious cookbook in the attic and discover it has some interesting recipes.
You can watch a roundup of all the kids pilots, below.
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