Numberjacks

TV Kids Weekly, December
5, 2006

NAME: Numberjacks

ORIGIN: Numberjacks is based on an original idea.

CREATORS: The show was created by Open Mind
Productions, a British independent producer that specializes in children’s
television.

TV SHOW: There are 45 15-minute episodes in the
first series of this preschool show that combines CGI and live action.
The Numberjacks are
animated superhero numbers who solve problems in the real world. The series
helps children develop math skills while providing slapstick comedy and fun. In
each episode, the inquisitive Numberjacks have to thwart the dastardly intentions of their enemies
the Puzzler, the Problem Blob and the Numbertaker and work out how to put
things right.

The series is
available in high definition.

EXECUTIVE
PRODUCERS: Kay Benbow and
Sarah Colclough

COMMISSIONING
BROADCASTER: Numberjacks was commissioned by the BBC’s digital
preschool channel CBeebies and airs on both CBeebies as well as on the BBC’s
terrestrial channel BBC Two. In only its third week on the air it was already
the second highest-rated show on CBeebies.

TV SALES: Beyond Distribution is handling the
international sales of Numberjacks and officially launched the series at MIPCOM Junior.
Negotiations are in the final stages with broadcasters in a number of key territories.

MAJOR TOY
LICENSEES: In the U.K.
Open Mind has appointed Granada Ventures as licensing and merchandising
representative, who is working with potential licensees and retailers.

STRATEGY
FOR ROLLOUT: Numberjacks was developed for the BBC. The broadcaster
wanted a preschool show that helped children with early math concepts: numbers,
counting, shapes, measuring, and problem solving. Open Mind Productions
came up with the idea of a comedy-adventure series, starring animated numbers
as superheroes, who go out into the real world to solve problems with the help
of children viewing from home.

Open Mind,
which was founded 1989 by Roland Tongue, previously a film editor at the BBC,
and Chris Ellis, previously a teacher and director at BBC Children's, has
produced some 500 programs for children and educational TV, including The
Number Crew and Ratatatat for Channel 4, The Shiny Show for the BBC, and Paz for Discovery Kids.

Numberjacks is a mathematical Indiana Jones for preschoolers that combines adventure
with learning. It’s a very interactive show as well. Children are encouraged to
think for themselves and help the Numberjacks out. “Numberjacks has proved very popular because it
tackles the subject of numeracy for preschoolers in a fun and involving way,”
says Katie Johnson, the VP of international sales at Beyond Distribution. “It
truly is “sit up” TV—it encourages learning but is also pure fun for its
young audience.”

The
interactivity is carried over online after the show. At the end of each episode
viewers are given a challenge, which they can try to figure out on their own.
And if they want, they can “call the Numberjacks” and go to the CBeebies
website to give their answer to the challenge. Children have indeed been
hitting the Numberjacks website in very large numbers, making the show one of the most
popular on the CBeebies website.

Numberjacks lends itself to an array of consumer
products, especially those that have numbers: clocks, watches, toy mobile
phones, simple calculators, toy remote controls, birthday cards, birthday
cakes, calendars, measuring toys; apparel with numbers, such as “counting”
gloves and socks, footwear with numbers; character figures of the Numberjacks
and the Meanies, playsets of the sofa; and numbered confectionery.

Beyond
Distribution’s goal is to position Numberjacks as a quality educational brand,
appealing to boys and girls of around 4-6, with “younger” and “less educational”
products to roll out at a later date.