DECODE to Present Preschool, Live Action, Tween Fare

TORONTO: DECODE Enterprises has lined up a slate of new preschool shows, including dirtgirlworld, alongside tween live-action titles like How to Be Indie.

The series dirtgirlworld is a commission by ABC, CBeebies and CBC. The show blends live action and animation with photomontage and illustration. Canada’s Bell Media Fund and Screen Australia are supporting the production of innovative online components to extend the dirtgirlworld brand and eco-message beyond the series.

Also for the preschool set, Grandpa in My Pocket has been a hit on CBeebies, with a second season already in production for 2010. Produced by Adastra Creative, the series takes an energetic grandpa, with a magic shrinking cap, and his imaginative grandson and watches their adventures.

Poppetstown a co-production between Neptuno and DECODE Entertainment. TVO and Knowledge in Canada. The show explores happenings around a town filled with poppets, and everyday is a new adventure and new challenges.

How to Be Indie is a comedic live-action series told through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl who is juggling the traditions of her South Asian family with her Western style. Another live-action series on the DECODE slate is That’s So Weird! The sketch comedy series features an ensemble cast of seven who provide a weekly slice of programs generated by the teen-operated network So Weird TV.

Josh Scherba, the VP of distribution at DECODE Enterprises, said: “We have a very strong line up this year with a number of standout new preschool shows as well as new episodes of more established series for this age group. Alongside distinctive animation, live action continues to be a focus, and we’re excited by the response to tween-skewed How to Be Indie and look forward to introducing the wacky world of That’s So Weird to the market.”