New Stop-Motion Preschool Series for CBeebies

LONDON: The new preschool series Rastamouse, based on the books by Michael De Souza and Genevieve Webster, has gone into production on 52 11-minute episodes for CBeebies, which will launch the show in early 2011.

DECODE Enterprises and DHX Licensing will handle the worldwide TV sales outside of the U.K. and worldwide licensing and merchandising. The series will be produced by Greg Boardman and Eugenio Perez of Three Stones Media in association with Dinamo Productions and publishers Little Roots. Rights holder for the Rastamouse brand is The Rastamouse Company. EMI Music Publishing will be supporting and investing in the show as well. A reggae-inspired soundtrack will be produced by The Rastamouse Company and U.K. composer Andrew Kingslow. Further investment comes from the Wales Creative IP Fund.

Greg Boardman, producer at Three Stones Media, said: “The market is changing rapidly; it’s about big ideas with the ability to transcend their originating platform. Rastamouse fits this concept perfectly and is an important property for our business. We are delighted about working on this project and look forward to developing the brand further.”

Guy Moot, EMI Music Publishing’s president for U.K. and European creative, added: “We’re thrilled to be involved at this stage of the development of a project that we believe will appeal to both children and their parents, and that will introduce the musically and culturally important sounds of reggae to a whole new generation. Everybody working on Rastamouse is incredibly talented, and I really think that will come through in the final product.”

Aron Evans, the managing director of Dinamo Productions, commented: “We at the studio are all really excited to be part of this fantastic and highly original show. Blending great design with enriching and amusing scripts, it’s a pleasure to be associated with this wonderful series.”

Kay Benbow, the controller of CBeebies, said: “The animated series of Rastamouse faithfully reproduces both the spirit and message of the wonderful Rastamouse books. We are delighted to have this intrinsically positive, distinctive, funny and uplifting show on CBeebies.”