Exclusive: France TV Distribution in the ‘Moods’ for pre-school sales

Moods

France TV Distribution has picked up international distribution rights for new pre-school animated series Moods, currently in pre-production for public broadcaster France Télévisions, TBI has learned.

The 52 x 7-minute series will be introduced internationally at the Annecy Festival in France next month, where France TV Distribution will be looking to strike pre-sale deals.

Produced by Toon Factory, the edutainment series, featuring comical characters with a graphic style inspired by emojis, is designed to help children understand and learn how to handle their emotions.

The show is an original creation, developed by Séverine Vuillaume and Nathalie Reznikoff as writers, and Marie-Laure Lautric as director and graphics creator, who all have proven track records in French animation, and it was conceived together with psychologists.

The move marks somewhat of a come back for France TV Distribution into pre-school, after having previously had more kids and bridge shows on its books. This is linked to the long delivery process of animation, Julia Schulte, SVP of international sales at France TV Distribution, told TBI.

“We are trying to always have one series for sale per each of the animation main children [age-groups]: pre-school, kids and bridge.

“Also, as global platforms are now more focused in IP-based series, we are trying to also support original creation,” adds Schulte, explaining: “Such series are more destined to international traditional broadcasters and their linear strands, still.”

France TV Distribution is also “trying our hands” in adult animation, says Schulte, with the company recently picking up its first such titles – Lastman.

Aimed digital platforms, the series was first adapted from the eponymous comic books eight years ago and recently relaunched. Its newly delivered second season was produced for France.TV’s YA platform Slash in partnership with anime and adult animation specialist ADN, which has become somewhat more active in investing in originals.