Impossible Kids and Kindle Entertainment To Deliver 3D CGI Animated Series for CBeebies

September 30, 2011

Impossible Kids, the children’s division of Impossible Pictures and Kindle Entertainment are delighted to announce an order from CBeebies for 52×11-minute episodes of a new 3D CGI animated children’s series, Dinopaws.

Aimed at the pre-school market, Dinopaws follows three bold, brave, resourceful and curious young dinosaurs – Gwen, Tony and Les – on a mighty mission to discover something new every day and understand their world. With striking designs, a poetic imagination and a dash of comedy, Dinopaws will captivate its young audience.

Says Impossible Kids’ MD Karl Woolley: “We are thrilled to be working with Kindle in creating this innovative, animated comedy for CBeebies. The skills both companies bring to the project, added to the writing talent of Alan Gilbey, provide a potent creative combination and the platform to make a truly groundbreaking show for CBeebies.”

Anne Brogan of Kindle Entertainment echoes Karl’s comment; “I cannot imagine a more creative team; everyone involved in this project is a tiny bit bonkers…which you have to be if you really want to make little kids laugh!”

Adds Alison Stewart, Head of CBeebies Production, Animation and Acquisitions,
“We’re delighted with this show. CBeebies could do with a few dinosaurs to add to its stable of stars, and I know our audience will love Gwen, Tony and Les from the moment they embark on their adventures!”

Dinopaws has been co-developed by Impossible Kids and Kindle Entertainment and will be co-produced by the two companies in association with Guru Entertainment in Canada.

ends

Notes to Editors:

Impossible Kids is the children’s division of Impossible Pictures, the multi-award winning independent television production company responsible for shows like Primeval and Blitz Street. Other Impossible Kids titles include Buzz & Tell for CBeebies and the forthcoming Fleabag Monkeyface for CITV. Impossible Pictures is led by Creative Director Tim Haines (Walking with Dinosaurs). The Impossible Pictures group of companies also includes Impossible Pictures Ireland (Sinbad), Firestep, and 360Production (Digging for Britain). For more information visit www.impossiblepictures.co.uk

Contact:
Grant Bushby
Head of Marketing & PR, Impossible Pictures
T : +44 (0) 207 408 2565
grant.bushby@impossiblepictures.co.uk

Kindle Entertainment is the BAFTA award winning Independent production company of the year led by Anne Brogan and Melanie Stokes. Kindle won an International Emmy for its BBC 1 family drama, Dustbin Baby and currently make Leonardo, an action adventure series for CBBC. Kindle are also the company behind the much loved, award – winning, pre-school series Big and Small, featuring the comic voice talent of Lenny Henry. For more information visit www.kindleentertainment.com

Contact :
Jacqueline McGee
T : +44 (0) 207 748 5275

Mark Wright Appointed 360Production MD

September 28, 2011

Impossible Pictures’ Head of Production, Mark Wright, has been promoted to the post of Managing Director 360Production, Impossible Pictures’ factual arm headed up by Creative Director John Farren. With offices in Derry, Dublin and London, 360Production is responsible for BBC series such as Digging for Britain, Making History and the recent James May’s Things You Need to Know.

“I am very excited to be stepping up to this role at 360Production at this time,” says Wright, “as there’s a fantastic slate of projects in the pipeline that I will be getting involved in. I’m looking forward to expanding Derry as the core base for all 360 productions and driving growth in output in both the domestic and international markets.”

Says 360Production’s John Farren: “We are delighted to have Mark on board as MD as he will bring real depth and experience to the company and help maintain 360’s commitment to producing multi-platform content.”

Adds Impossible Pictures’ MD Jonathan Drake: “360Production has been a remarkable success story since its launch three years ago. John Farren and his team have succeeded in building a really robust business and an effective production base in Northern Ireland. The time has come for a wholly dedicated MD to take it to the next level, and I have every confidence in Mark’s skills and determination to achieve just that.”

Primeval Heads to North America

September 20, 2011

Primeval, the successful drama series made by Impossible Pictures for ITV is to be spun off into a new, original series by Canadian broadcaster SPACE.  Titled Primeval: New World, the 13 x 1 hour show is set to begin production in Vancouver this winter.

Primeval: New World follows a team of animal experts and scientists that investigates the appearance of temporal anomalies and battles both prehistoric and futuristic creatures. Developed in association with Omni Film Productions and Impossible Pictures, Primeval: New World will deliver all the thrills and gripping storylines that fans of the British series have grown to love, but this time set in a North American world of adventure. Casting and production details will be announced soon.

Creative Executive for Drama, Katie Newman (Primeval) will executive produce for Impossible Pictures, while Gabriela Schonbach will do the honours for Omni Film.

Says Newman:  “The post watershed series offers a whole new world of possibilities in terms of characters, stories and, of course, thrilling action.   It’s older, darker and scarier than the UK series, and the fantastic backdrop of the Pacific North West make this series a real evolution from the original. Alongside an exciting new cast will be recognizable faces, a bigger budget and, of course, plenty of carnivorous and ferocious CG creatures.”

Adds Impossible Pictures MD Jonathan Drake, “It’s a really exciting development in the life of this fantastic property created by Tim Haines and Adrian Hodges. We are really looking forward to working with Omni to help make a series that can exceed even the huge success of the original Primeval in international markets and with viewers across the world.

“We’ve worked closely with Impossible Pictures and Space for two and a half years to create this spin-off, and we’re excited to take on the challenge of a UK – Canada co-production with a company whose creative work has impressed us for years,” says Omni Vice President Gabriela Schonbach.

Notes for Editors

Impossible Pictures
Impossible Pictures is a multi-award winning independent television production company based in the UK and led by Tim Haines, best known as the creator of the ground-breaking Walking with Dinosaurs and the co-creator of the hugely popular Primeval series.  Impossible Pictures is currently in production on Sinbad, a 13-hour series for Sky and BBC Worldwide. From its factual stable, the company is currently in production on The Last War Heroes for Channel 4.  The Impossible Pictures group of companies also includes Firestep (trading as Impossible Kids) and 360Production. 

For more information visit www.impossiblepictures.co.uk or contact grant.bushby@impossiblepictures.co.uk

SPACE is Canada’s national science fiction, horror and fantasy channel and is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. For more information about SPACE, visit spacecast.com.

Omni Film Productions

Omni Film Productions is one of Canada’s most respected independent television producers, and has produced hundreds of hours of award-winning programming including drama, comedy, factual and lifestyle series, documentaries, and children’s programming, since opening its doors in 1979. Omni co-produces and partners regularly with studios, production companies and broadcasters worldwide. Omni Film is currently in production on Arctic Air, CBC’s new one-hour flagship drama series.  Previously, Omni co-ventured with Fox Television Studios on Defying Gravity, a 13-episode drama series produced for CTV and SPACE (Canada), ABC (USA), BBC2 (UK), and ProSieben (Germany). In addition, Omni is now producing season three of the ratings hit Ice Pilots NWT for History Television, seen internationally in two dozen territories. Production is also underway on PYROS, a new one-hour unscripted series for Discovery Channel Canada, Discovery Channel UK and Discovery Europe.  www.omnifilm.com.

 For more information please contact: andrea.allen@bellmedia.ca or renee.dupuis@bellmedia.ca