Content Americas Hispanic Kids Programming Pitch
The Content Americas Hispanic Kids Programming Pitch offers a US$20,000 marketing prize for the winner, with shortlisted projects showcased live to the international coproduction community at Content Americas.
The winning project, selected by an esteemed panel of judges, will be announced at 5pm on 25 January at the Content Americas Closing Party.
The pitch welcomes new kids content programming brands from the Lat Am and Hispanic business looking for international coproduction deals to take their projects global.
The 2024 Winners
The 2024 winner of the Hispanic Kids Programming Pitch was The Ballad of the Phoenix from Cinema Fantasma in Mexico.
The Ballad of the Phoenix is an animated fantasy film about a goblin princess who must decide whether to save her dying father the king or save the kingdom from his tyrannical reign.
It is written, directed and produced by Cinema Fantasma co-founder Roy Ambriz, who hopes the film will be picked up by OTT platforms and movie theatres globally. Some 43%, or US$1.2m, of the total budget is still required, after funding commitments from fellow Mexican companies Cine Vendaval and Mr Woo.
“After a great debate, we unanimously selected one project that we think can travel globally but is grounded in a rich foundation of our Hispanic and Latin American culture, story and art, executed with incredible passion, craftmanship and high quality,” said the jury.
Ambriz said: “The Ballad of the Phoenix is a moving story that teaches kids and families about magic, imagination and adventure, as well as lessons on growth, family, change and responsibility. The animation market in Mexico is very limited. By making more animated films and stories for children by Mexican creators, [animation] will be boosted and seen as a more important medium.”
Content Americas Hispanic Kids Programming Pitch Finalists 2024
The Boo Inn
Synopsis:
GENRE
Comedy
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Brazil
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Pinguin Content aims to create entertaining, educational, distinctive, and fun programming for kids. We are a leading IP management company in Brazil, with expertise across production and development of quality contents, distribution, sales, product licensing and marketing. Pinguim Content has provided films and series for Discovery Kids, NBC Sprout, Tiny Pop, Cartoon Network, Disney, PTS, TVO, Télé Québec, SVT, Iqiyi, Netflix, Al Jazeera Kids, TV Globo, SBT, TV Cultura, and more, covering a diverse range of subjects including the environment, science/sci-fi, and social skills. Our biggest hits to date are the International Emmy nominated scientific pre-school success Earth to Luna!, now in its eight season and airing in more than 90 countries and the high-rating series Fishtronaut (104 x 12’), sold to over 140 territories. Among our recent shows is the musical animated series Ping & Friends (52 x 7’), done in coproduction with TVO/ Canada and the comedy series “Charlie, The Interviewer of Things” (26 x 11‘), coproduction with Discovery Kids Latam, as well as a couple of other shows original animation projects for co-production or pre-sales.
The studio has released three feature films: Fishtronaut: Secret Agent of S.E.A (2012), Fishtronaut, The Movie (2018) and the award-winning Tarsilinha (2022) which participated in over 20 film festivals around the world.
Pitchees:
Tip Troop
Synopsis:
GENRE
Animation
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Brazil
PRODUCTION COMPANY
PushStart is a studio that creates and produces animation and games since 2014. The company has created content for brands like Disney, Discovery, Hasbro and Nestlé, among others. PushStart has also created original content like the TV show WOW ANIMALS, that presents the world biomes as a challenge, TIP TROOP, that talks about finance in an amusing way, and the game GLITCHERS, about a girl who becomes friends with her avatar to fight against an evil vilain that changes the game’s rules.
Pitchees:
The Ballad of the Phoenix
Synopsis:
GENRE
Animation / Adventure
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Mexico
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Cinema Fantasma is a film, animation, and art studio located in Mexico City, that specializes in stop-motion animation. It was founded in 2011 by a group of family and friends led by the Ambriz brothers, Arturo & Roy.
Our 30 minute stop-motion film, Revoltoso, was funded by a successful campaign on Fondeadora, another on Kickstarter, a grant from CONACULTA (Mexican Council for the Arts), and the support of several executive pro- ducers. One of the main mentors for this project was Guillermo del Toro, who in addition to donating resources, helped with mentorship to strength- en the project and reach the final cut. Revoltoso was an official selection in more than seventy festivals around the world, winning a dozen awards.
While we were producing Revoltoso, we made seven animated projects for Cartoon Network Latin America, our first client. We have made commercials and short films for Nickelodeon, Mattel, NFL, Adult Swim, Vice, Televisa, Santillana and Turner, among others. We also produced music videos for the bands WhoMadeWho, Band Of Horses and Kyle Cook. We are co-producers of the Cartoon Network television series Toontorial.
In 2021, the studio premiered Frankelda’s Book of Spooks on HBO Max, an original stop-motion animated series written, directed, and produced by Rodolfo “Roy” and Arturo Ambriz. The total duration of the series is 70 min- utes, thus becoming the longest stop-motion project ever produced in Mexico.
Pitchees:
He participated in Cinema Fantasma’s Frankelda’s Book of Spooks. And is currently the production manager for the studio, including the film Frankelda and the Prince of Spooks and Adultswim’s Women Wearing Shoulder Pads. Other projects include the short film Revoltoso, Lado C, and Día de Muertos for Cartoon Network.
Beyond his work at Cinema Fantasma, Espinal was an integral part of Grupo Pegaso from 2012 to 2018, where he excelled as a post‐producer and director for the Mexican Tennis Open. He is also a post-producer at Cine Vendaval and has worked for projects like Dobro, Marta Hernaiz’s short film that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, and The Chaotic Life of Nada Kadic, feature film that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2018, earning a nomination for best debut feature.
Norbert
Synopsis:
Norberto is an incompetent spy in a grey, bureaucratic and sad nation. Its rulers dream of conquering their colourful neighbour; a small, cheerful country where everything works backwards, in total and absurd chaos, something that makes its inhabitants terribly happy.
Despite his total uselessness, Norberto will become a key player in disrupting his own government’s plans. Accompanied by his bizarre companions, he will share adventures, fun and dangers in an attempt to save Colorlandia and, above all, in a search for his own happiness.
GENRE
Comedy & Adventure
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Spain & Argentina
PRODUCTION COMPANY
CAPITÁN ARAÑA S.L. (SPAIN) / AQUÍ Y ALLÍ FILMS (SPAIN) / VISTA SUR (ARGENTINA)
Capitán Araña was founded in 1998 with the aim of creating and producing innovative and quality content. In addition to numerous fiction formats for television, the company has produced three feature films selected at festivals such as San Sebastian, Malaga, Seville, Seminci, Mar del Plata and ITFS, which have received four nominations for the Goya Awards and one nomination for the Platino Awards. Currently, in addition to SuperKlaus, Capitán Araña is producing two other animated films entitled Norbert and Like!. The company is also developing several feature films such as A son, Alegre y Olé and La Española.
Pitchees:
In 2016 he produced and co-directed the animated feature film Ozzy. The Spanish-Canadian co-production was nominated for two Goya Awards and a Platinum Award. It also won the Gaudí Award and the Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos Medal for Best Animated Film.
He is currently immersed in the production of Norberto, a 3D animated feature film in international co-production with Argentina. This feature film, which has the suppor t of the ICAA Selective Grants, is directed by José Corral, whose previous works have won awards at numerous festivals and have been nominated for the Goya Awards.
At the same time, he is producing a new 3D animated feature film entitled Superklaus, co-produced with Canada, which will be released during Christmas 2024.
SUPERTHINGS Rivals of Kaboom - Kazoom Power
Synopsis:
GENRE
Comedy, Adventure, Superheroes
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Spain
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Filmax, Tandem Films and Turanga Films
Based in Barcelona, Filmax is one of the most important audiovisual companies in Spain. The company’s scope is wide-ranging, covering all stages of the film and TV industries: development, production, distribution, exhibition and international sales.
Pitchees:
Claudia Nario, International Sales Executive – Filmax
Best Friends Forever...Stranded! (BFFS!)
Synopsis:
Frank is a smarty-pants rooster who dreams of becoming a writer: he wants to be the most famous bestselling author ever! But the farm he lives in is too small for his big ambitious, so one day he decides to leave it, accompanied by his best friend Chops, a shy pig of few words. Together they embark towards the Big City! Unluckily, their boat gets hit by a big storm and they shipwreck in an isolated island in the middle of nowhere: the island of Bor-a-Boar. There they meet Charli, a vegan crocodile who welcomes them with open arms and quickly decides they are they new best friends. Frank and Chops have no other chance than to follow Charli, who will become their guide and companion while they adapt to their new life there. However, they soon discover something is happening in the island: a group of superstitious, lame boards lead by a crazy shaman claim that the newcomers are there to activate an ancient prophecy which talks about a Chosen one and a Beast with great power who can destroy life in the island. On top of that there is Ms Flaherty, an evil documentary filmmaker who arrives at the island with one single goal: to make the prophecy come true and become filthy rich. In the middle, a chicken, a pig and a vegan crocodile will just try to live together ignoring the biggest secret: that is, that one of them is the Chosen one of the prophecy. Oh my pork, what a mystery!
‘BFFS!’ is a crazy animated series mixing comedy and action-adventure while putting friendship at the heart of it. Each episode is self-contained but within a biggest season arc story which will lead the audience towards a big season’s finale.
GENRE
Comedy, Adventure animation series
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Spain, Ireland
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Peekaboo Animation, Studio Meala
Peekaboo Animation is an award-winning boutique studio located in Barcelona, Spain, and co-founded by Iván Agenjo (CEO) and Javier Galán (CCO, Chief Creative Officer). The company focused on the development and production of animated content for kids, mostly series and short content, and always works in coproduction with international partners. Peekaboo is also active as a distributor, not only it own shows but representing third party catalogue coming from Spanish producers such as OQO Filmes, Edebé Audiovisual or 3de3.
Among Peekaboo’s filmography we can highlight the series I, Elvis Riboldi (sold to more than 140 countries) and Audrey’s Shelter (sponsored by UNESCO). Peekaboo is also a coproducer at Mironins, a feature film which won the Gaudí award as Best Animated Film in 2021, was nominated at Goya Awards in the same category. Mironins also won the Panorama Award at Shanghai International Film Festival in 2022, and the INA Award as Best Transmedia Project in Annecy in 2017, among others.
Currently, Peekaboo is involved in the development of three animated kids series: My Little Heroes (in coproduction with Fabrique Fantastique), Best Friends Forever… Stranded! (in coproduction with Studio Meala) and WAW Resort. Peekaboo is also involved in the educational project for kids Hear Your Body for CCMA, a TV show presented by Catalan scientific researcher Salvador Macip, which will air in Fall 2024.
Pitchees:
Ivan Agenjo graduated in Business Administration and International Trade at UPF, he entered the audiovisual sector in 2008 as a salesman of fiction series and movies at Imagina International Sales (currently Mediapro Studios). In 2010 he jumps to animation at the audiovisual branch of the educational publisher Edebé, where he becomes a producer. It is not until 2015 that Agenjo co-founds Peekaboo Animation, a boutique studio in Barcelona focused on the production and distribution of animated content for kids.
His filmography as a producer includes kids series such as Four and a half friends, I, Elvis Riboldi (distributed to more than 140 countries), Rocky Kwaterner or Audrey’s Shelter (sponsored by UNESCO). He holds a nomination to Goya awards at Best Animated Film category for Mironins in 2021, and was named also European Producer of the Year at Cartoon Tributes in Toulouse in 2022.
Since 2019, Agenjo is chairman at ProAnimats (association of animation producers in Barcelona), VP of Spanish federations PROA and DIBOOS. He is also Vice Chairman of Animation in Europe since 2021.
Primeras / Firsts
Synopsis:
GENRE
2D ANIMATION SERIES, WOMEN, OVERCOMING CHALLENGES, HISTORY, MOCKUMENTARY
PROJECT’S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Chile and Spain
PRODUCTION COMPANY
TV ON SL, Admirable Films SL and Typpo Creative Lab
TV ON Producciones is an audiovisual production company located in Valencia, Spain. It was founded in 2000, with the producer Paloma Mora as the CEO and Producer, alongside a professional team with a long trajectory in the audiovisual field. For two decades we have produced content for both cinema and TV: feature films (LOW SEASON, BRAVA, LOVE IS NOT WHAT IT WAS, CAT FOOD…) documentary (BURNT LAND, TIERRA SIN MAL) , animated TV Series (SEX SYMBOLS, CRITICAL LINE, THE DIARY OF BITA AND CORA…) and fiction TV Series (IN THE AIR, FAVÀRITX), entertainment shows (PIANO-PIANO, RED NUMBERS, FLASHBACK), animated short films (POLLUTION, THE MENSTRUATION, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST…) and fiction short films (EZEQUIEL AND THE GREYHOUND MARIA, ELENA’S REASONS) some of them which are coproduced both in Spain and internationally and which are being distributed worldwide. We develop and produce our own IPs and we offer international production services to produce in Spain.
Pitchees:
Paloma Mora (Valencia, Spain, Dec. 1970) graduated from CCII and DEA in Audiovisual Communication. Member of the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain and Member of the Academy of Television and Audiovisual Arts and Sciences.
CEO and producer at TV ON Producciones (created in the year 2000) she began to produce fiction feature films such as The Other Shoe, Cat Food, A soft smell of cinnamon, Love is not what it was, Brava and In Low Season.
Since 2017, she began producing and directing animated series: Sex Symbols (26 x 7 min.), Trazo Crítico (13 x 5 min.) and El Diario de Bita y Cora (52 x 5 min.), and shorts such as El Criptozoólogo and Proceso de Selection, nominated for the 36th edition of the Goya Awards in 2022. She has been an international Jury with various organizations inside and outside Spain.
All these productions have participated in different national and international festivals and forums and have been broadcasted on different TV and platforms around the world.
She is currently developing feature length fiction projects such as L’Aguait and Nena, fiction series such as Favàritx and El Descubrimiento de Europa and animated series such as Primeras.
Judges
Josh Mandel
Adina Pitt
Agnes Augustin
Information
Deadline: December 8 (midnight GMT), 2023.
Contact: [email protected]
More information: [email protected]
The Content Americas Hispanic Kids Programming Pitch 2024 will bring C21’s tried-and-tested pitch format to Latin America, awarding its winner a prize of US$20,000 worth of marketing across C21Media’s digital, print and event products to support development and pre-sales promotion of the show.
Creators present their projects live at Content Americas 23-25th January in Miami, and a specially selected panel of leading buyers and commissioners are tasked to choose their favourite. The judges will be looking for audience appeal, how well the projects have been developed and planned, the potential for international travel and the strength of the team behind it.
The competition is open to early-stage kids content programming brands from established producers from Latin America, Spain and Portugal looking for international coproduction partnerships.
The deadline for entries has been extended to December 8 (midnight GMT), 2023.
Projects will be shortlisted and a select number will be invited to present a live pitch during Content Americas, which takes place between January 23 and 25, 2024, in Miami. The winning pitch will be announced during the event.
Successful submissions will be notified if they have been selected to pitch by December 15.
Entrants should note the country of origin of each production at entry stage.
Entries must be made in English.
For further information email pitch@c21media.net
The deadline for entries is December 8 (midnight GMT), 2023.
- Producers can submit up to two projects.
- Projects must have at least one part funding in place and be able to demonstrate this.
- Shortlisted projects will be selected to present a live pitch to delegates at Content Americas during the event (January 23-25, 2024).
- The pitch must include as much information as possible, including the rationale for international partnership and exactly what is required at this stage of development. It should be treated as a broadcaster/platform pitch.
- Mood boards, casting, treatment, mini-pilots or sizzles should be included if available.
- Entrants will be notified if they have made the shortlist and if they have been invited to pitch by December 15
- Projects must have at least one part funding in place.
- Projects must be from established broadcasters and producers.
- Projects can be suitable for mainstream networks or global or emerging digital platforms.
- Both longform and shortform series will be considered.
- All projects entered will need to be available to pitch to conference 23 – 25 January 2024 (up to two people per project).
- The projects selected to pitch live at the event will be offered complimentary passes to Content Americas.
- Projects must originate from Latin America, Spain or Portugal and be looking for international coproduction partnerships.
The winning pitch will receive US$20,000 worth of marketing across C21Media’s digital, print and event products to support development and pre-sales promotion of the show.
Please enter the C21 Content Americas Hispanic Kids Programming Pitch by clicking here, including:
- A clear outline description of the project you wish to pitch.
- Why you want to present this through C21.
- Financing plan outlining what finance is in place and what is still required.
- Series bible, pilot treatment, scripts if available.
- Teaser/other supporting visuals where available.
Entrants should note the country of origin of each production at entry stage.
Entries must be made in English.
Deadline for submissions is December 8th (midnight GMT), 2023. No entries will be considered after this date.**
Please click here to contact us with any queries.
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