Pierre Sissmann

This interview originally appeared in the MIPCOM 2010 issue of TV Kids.

 

After securing a foothold in the preschool market, Cyber Group Studios has begun to diversify its portfolio. It not only wants to target a slightly older audience, but also to expand into live action. Pierre Sissmann, the company’s chairman and CEO, talks about the expansion of Cyber Group’s catalogue and plans for continued innovation.

 

TV KIDS: Why did you decide to expand the catalogue beyond preschool programming?

SISSMANN: We have been very fortunate with preschool shows like Ozie Boo!, Manon and Guess What, and hope to continue with Zou, which we are producing for Playhouse Disney in Europe for a 2011 release. We made a name for ourselves in preschool, but our intention was always to go target by target, from preschool to early teens. The idea was to cater to the whole market, but do it in an organized way to make sure that we focus on what’s right at the right time for that category.

 

For the 6-to-10 category, we are co-producing for Gulli Fish ’n Chips with Timoon Animation and SAMG. We’re co-producing Grenadine & Peppermint with Patoon Animation for TF1, Nina Patalo with Je Suis Bien Content for France Télévisions, and Academie Royale, which is in development for TELETOON as a co-production with Sieun Design. We are also embarking on Bambala-yé!, a 100-percent original Cyber Group Studios creation, like Tales of Tatonka, Zou or our new series Ozie Boo Save the Planet, done in association with the WWF [World Wildlife Fund]. 

 

In continuing to expand our catalogue even further, we will announce two major live-action series for tweens, as well, in association with Helion Pictures and world-class broadcasters.

 

TV KIDS: What is the difference between producing for preschoolers versus an older audience?

SISSMANN: There are actually many similarities. The quality of the storytelling is the first thing. Everything starts from a good story. The second aspect is the image. It includes the moving visuals, characterization, technology, etc. The third part is the music. For instance, Bambala-yé! will include many famous hits from the Motown era. For us, the music is a key element for the production of any of our shows. In that respect, preschool and an older audiences are the same. Where it changes is that preschoolers are more focused on the visual and the direct storytelling. They lack the notion of abstraction. A kid does not perceive abstraction until the age of four. So, at the ages of 6, 7 and 8, you begin to look for secondary plugs; you look for a sense of humor and underlying jokes. That’s a big difference in terms of writing.

 

TV KIDS: Are you going to continue to expand your presence in feature-length animation?

SISSMANN: We’re into developing brands. For us, going to the big screen is a continuation of the life of our brands. We’re into producing brands and producing different seasons, and eventually extending the brands through feature films. I am not saying that in three or five years from now we won’t have a department that will only focus on feature films, but we’re not there yet.

 

We really cater to the television market first. For us, it’s more important to cover all the age groups, from preschool to early teens, then from animation to live action and other types of entertainment content, like video games and web series.

 

TV KIDS: You’ve been recognized for your use of technology.

SISSMANN: When we started with Ozie Boo! we had very limited financial means. For us, it was still really important to have a great picture quality, but we had no money. So we started developing our own software and we were successful in working with larger software companies to develop our own technology. Twice we’ve been awarded the OSEO Innovation Award, which is delivered by the French Ministry of Research and Technology.

 

In Tales of Tatonka, we’re creating even more. It’s so spectacular you’ll think it’s a feature film. In fact, we are focused on trying to get a visual quality on the small screen that is similar to feature films. We are constantly working a lot on image enhancement. We’re innovating with technology, first, because it’s fascinating. Second, because entertainment is moving this way and the public at large is extremely demanding. And, third, because the use of technology can improve the storytelling, which is critical, because storytelling is the basis of all of our series.

 

TV KIDS: What are your plans for 3D?

SISSMANN: Our first 3D episodes will be released this Christmas. They are from the series Tales of Tatonka. We are planning a series in full stereoscopic 3D as well.

 

On the distribution side, we have signed a deal with GIMC, a Korean-based company, for the distribution rights in Europe for the first-ever preschool 3D series, called Cloud Bread. The series was animated in Korea and the stories were developed in the U.S. by top talent. It’s a great edutainment show.

 

So, we’re doing quite a lot, but we’re still trying to develop further on two levels. On the production side, we want to always better master the technology. On the distribution side, we want to even better attract potential clients and answer their needs all over the world, hence the growth of our team. Only in this way will we be able to follow an ever-changing market.