Blue Ant launches toon studio

Canada’s Blue Ant Media has launched an animation studio, Look Mom! Productions.

The unit will aim to produce programming for kids aged 6-11 and teens and adults aged between 18-34.

Blue Ant exec Joshua Bowen has been tapped to lead Look! Mom as creative director.

Already in active development is the 26x11mins series Toy Hunters and Cloudface.

Toy Hunters follows two brothers who find out their eccentric grandfather led a secret life hunting down haunted toys, while Cloudface is about a character who wants to wear great suits and help people, but has no attention span and forgets to honour commitments.

Both shows will launch at MIPCOM, where Look! Mom will be eyeing coproduction partners and investors.

“Look Mom! Productions brings Blue Ant Media an incredible opportunity to diversify our content offering with kids and animated programming while producing in Canada, known internationally as a hub for world-class animation production,” said Sam Sniderman, global head of commercial affairs for production at Blue Ant.

Bowen joined Blue Ant in 2013 to launch a C$3 million (US$2.4 million) animated shorts incubation programme with Mondo Media on YouTube, Bite on Mondo.

“Having worked directly with over 500 independent artists and comedians on our existing slate, we are incredibly proud of Look Mom! Productions’ unique approach to talent discovery which we first developed through a production incubator programme of animated shorts,” said Bowen.

“With Joshua’s leadership in animation and creative story-telling, combined with his off-kilter brand of humour, Look Mom! is well positioned for huge success.”

The news comes soon after the expanding Blue Ant hired a number of former Fox executives to work under global networks and kids CEO Wade Platt.

Sniderman, meanwhile, joined over the summer from Vice Media.