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The success of Barbie has seen toy company Mattel plot a new slate of movies based on its products.
Another business you wouldn’t necessarily expect to make big move into the entertainment space is crayon company Crayola.
Crayola is now launch Crayola Studios, a new division to create content for kids and families, and has set its first project.
It has teamed with MIMO Studios, which is run by former Nickelodeon chief Cyma Zarghami, to co-develop The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian.
Overseeing Crayola Studios is Crayola’s EVP Marketing Victoria Lozano with support from Goatfish Agency, which was founded by Rick Glankler, Fremantle’s former President and General Manager Kids & Family Entertainment. Crayola’s sister company Hallmark Media will also support the initiative.
It will partner with production companies, animation studios and IP owners to create series for kids broadcast platforms around the world.
Lozano said, “As world leaders in creative self-expression, the establishment of Crayola Studios is a logical next step for us, it builds on plans announced last year to develop entertainment content that inspires and nurtures the next generation and helps them develop lifelong creative mindsets. Our unique perspective offers an exciting opportunity for the industry as it searches for stand out new and trusted content that has creativity at its heart.”
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian is based on a Gen-Z Media kids podcast, written and performed Jonathan Messinger. The podcast was launched in 2016 and has released 12 seasons and 260 episodes.
It centers on Finn Caspian, an eight-year-old boy aboard The Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station. Together with friends Abigail, Elias and Vale, Finn forms Explorers Troop 301 which takes off from the Marlowe to explore uncharted planets, help aliens, and solve a mystery that threatens to destroy the Space Station.
“Crayola is synonymous with kids and color and we are so excited to collaborate with them to bring these beloved journeys to life through world-class animation and artistry” said Zarghami, “We have been cultivating The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian since we first identified it and immediately saw the great potential and opportunity to tell rich stories in video the way Gen-Z Media did in the podcast. The combination pf great characters, creativity, adventure, and information is something we can’t wait to bring to audiences worldwide.”
Lozano added, “This series allows kids to explore the power and limitless potential of imagination, self-expression, and creativity. Its DNA is at the very core of what we do at Crayola and a perfect example of the type of shows we want to produce going forward. We’re thrilled to join forces with the talented team at MIMO to bring Finn’s action-packed adventures to life.”
