Keith Chapman & Snipple partner to co-develop pre-school slate

Paco & The Pirate League

Keith Chapman, the veteran kids content creator behind Bob The Builder and PAW Patrol, has partnered with Snipple Originals, the UK-based original content arm of Snipple Animation, to co-create and develop a slate of new children’s programming.

The first production from the creative partnership is in development under the working title Paco & The Pirate League, a 2D animated show aimed at upper pre-school children and combining the themes of football and pirates.

It follows the adventures of the world’s greatest footballer, Paco, a ten-year-old cabin-boy living on the ‘Golden Boot’ pirate ship. He’s the star player for ’Seadog Juniors’ the youngest team in the ‘Seven Seas Super League’, playing other pirate teams across the globe.

Keith Chapman

The series is expected to be ready for pitching in October this year and is just the first project in a long-term plan for Snipple and Keith Chapman Productions to collaborate on further character-driven animated IPs for the upper pre-school market.

Snipple Animation was founded by London-based CEO Kaine Patel more than a decade ago, alongside studio director Jonathan Tinsay and creative director Romy Gacia. Its portfolio of animated productions includes Where’s Waldo? Dora And Friends: Into the City! Animaniacs, Green Eggs And Ham, Ducktales, Be Cool Scooby Doo and Phineas And Ferb.

Last year, the firm launched its of original content division, headed up by Karina Stanford-Smith, and backed by a £6 million (USD$8 million) investment from BGF, which London-based CEO Patel told TBI had been an “eight-year dream”. The firm appointed former Disney exec Tom Toumazis as its non-executive chair last March to supports its growth.

Kaine Patel

Its originals slate includes Peeled Prawn & Shaved Sheep, a comedy action-adventure series aimed at 6-12-year-olds; Snö, a magical adventure series for 4-7-year-olds and Trippin’, an 18+ comedy series based around a high octane and extremely offensive US road trip.

Keith Chapman, meanwhile, is one of the world’s most successful creators of kids IP, including Bob The Builder, PAW Patrol, Mighty Express and Fifi and the Flowertots.

“This deal represents a fantastic meeting of minds. Keith is the ultimate kids TV veteran. This creative partnership has the vital chemistry to create brilliant, original kids shows that will become global break-out hits. The visible quality, even at this early stage, is something the kids TV market should feel excited about,” commented Patel.

Chapman added: “I am thrilled to be working with the super talented team at Snipple on creating and developing Paco & The Pirate League. This is the show I wish I could have watched as a kid kicking my first football around. It will appeal to all kids of today, of all nationalities, and their parents too!”