Preschool Swings Forward

February 18, 2011 World Screen
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This article originally appeared in the MIPCOM 2010 issue of TV Kids.
 
Interactive games, mobile content, apps, computer-generated imagery, even 3D-style animation. You might think these are enhancements to teen or young-adult content. Think again. They are actually all used to boost the appeal of preschool programming.
 
“Advances in technology over the last five years have been breathtaking,” says Chloe van den Berg, the executive VP of international at Classic Media. “It’s not limited to Toy Story 3 in 3D in the cinema. Preschool shows now use a range of techniques from 3D CGI and 2D, to stop frame and a mixture of live action and animation.”
 
It’s the variety of different styles that makes an effective preschool schedule these days, argues Patrick Elmendorff, the managing director of Studio100 Media. “3D animation is definitely most popular right now, but little ones love diversity, so there is room for classic animation techniques.
 
“Animated, live-action or mixed-media shows work very well for preschoolers because they enjoy stories and music and they like to observe other children,” continues Elmendorff. “A broadcaster should line up a rich schedule with a mix of animation and live action.”
 
The other big technological innovation that is transforming the marketplace for preschool content is the development of multiplatform offerings on the web, game consoles and mobile smart phones. They all allow producers and broadcasters to extend the availability of today’s preschool offerings beyond the TV screen.
 
“If there’s a big trend in preschool, it’s toward interactivity more than anything, which means that a broad multimedia strategy for preschool brands is essential,” declares Classic Media’s van den Berg, who points to the success of Classic Media’s Where’s Waldo?, which rated as the most downloaded iPhone app earlier this year.
 
In an increasingly on-demand world, 360-degree concepts with well thought out Internet and mobile brand extensions will be the shape of preschool in the future and content will become increasingly geared to reflect that, observes Studio100’s Elmendorff.
 
This means shorter-form programming that cuts to the chase. “Content running for somewhere between 5 and 11 minutes will travel better than 26-minute episodes,” he argues.
 
It’s a trend confirmed by Skywriter’s executive producer and CEO, Kevin Gillis, who points out that the animated series Elliott & Lucy, which originally started life as a series of 11-minute episodes, has now been shortened to just 7-minute episodes. “If you can say it in less time and fewer scenes, do so because narrative time frames are being compressed,” observes Gillis. “But broadcasters still want conflict and conflict resolution, which can be a bit of a challenge for the writers, particularly if they have to deliver comedy as well.”
 
MOM-APPROVED CONTENT
The surge in multiplatform development is driven, in part, by the positive responses of parents, who see iPhone apps, games and downloadable short-form episodes as particularly useful when their children need to be distracted at the supermarket or during a car journey.
 
This uptake is all good news for the program brand, insists Studio100’s Elmendorff. “In an increasingly fragmented media environment, it is even more important to create a dedicated community around your brand in order to foster strong emotional ties. However, these interactive worlds shouldn’t get too complicated for this young target age group. The element of ‘fun’ should be the main focus, combined with educational elements in a playful way.”
 
The secret of multiplatform development is to move your audience between platforms, offering them a different experience on each while maintaining the same quality that audiences experience on linear TV.
 
CBeebies’ controller, Kay Benbow, explains: “CBeebies’ latest live-action music series ZingZillas has a really successful website which goes deeper into the show’s music content. Online games have been properly developed with the same musicians in consultation with a musical advisor specializing in young children’s development.”
 
Benbow confirms that downloadable mobile apps will probably not be too far away on more major CBeebies program brands. Besides offering parents a useful tool for distracting their kids with downloadable applications, platforms such as online can also be a good way of offering parents more information about programming, she adds.
 
“Some parents think that allowing their kids to watch TV is not a good thing and feel guilty about it,” continues Benbow. “Of course, we are not saying watch TV 24/7, but what we can do with the Internet is use it to explain to parents how a show is meant to work, plus we can suggest active things for parents to do with their children prompted by the website or mobile apps, such as printing out pictures and coloring them in. It enables us to give parents the opportunity to take part in activities related to the show, and make them feel more confident and less guilty.”
 
CHARMING TALES
But before we get too carried away by the heady possibilities of technological innovation, it’s important to remember the basics of successful preschool content, which remain unchanged, warns Classic Media’s van den Berg. “Despite the amazing range of techniques, it’s important to remember that kids don’t care so much about the look of a show or what platform it’s on. Success in preschool programming still boils down to the fundamentals: do you have a great story and great characters. The foundation stone of any show is a fantastic story that engages and makes kids laugh. If the child doesn’t engage, it’s never going to work.”
 
It’s a point echoed by CBeebies’ Benbow, who has overseen a wide range of in-house and independently produced shows for the BBC, including In the Night Garden, Numberjacks and ZingZillas.
 
“In a crowded field, what preschool shows really need to cut through is a strong story with strong characters who really connect with the audience. I’m looking for warm, appealing characters who are not challenging in too many ways,” says Benbow.
 
THE POWER OF LAUGHTER
Another essential part of the mix is to make kids laugh, Benbow adds. “If you can make them laugh you can engage them better. It builds their confidence in what they are viewing. In particular comedy works well for preschoolers because they love to anticipate what’s going to happen next. They feel empowered by that experience, and it’s an important part in their development.”
 
But appealing story lines and characters with a sense of fun might not be enough to get you a commission in today’s cutthroat children’s market. What might just push you over the finish line ahead of everybody else is a concept with a fresh, new original approach. In short, something that nobody has seen before.
 
“Everyone’s looking for something that’s a little bit different,” says Fiona Crago, the general manager at Beyond Distribution, who hopes her latest series Toybox and Iconicles tick that box for the MIP Junior audience. Created by Ron Saunders and Ian Munro, two of Australia’s most experienced preschool producers, Toybox is a “visually fresh” 75×30-minute animated series about toys coming to life, explains Crago.
 
She also has high hopes for Iconicles, a fast-paced multiplatform entertainment property that utilizes a mix of 2D and 3D animation with stylized live action aimed at older preschoolers. Beyond is also showcasing Wild Animal Baby Explorers, based on the award-winning magazine Wild Animal Baby.
 
CBeebies’ Benbow has her own distinctive autumn newcomer in the shape of The Octonauts, based on the successful books by design team Meomi. The 50×11-minute series promises a classic team adventure with dazzling CGI animation to transport preschoolers into a journey of discovery through the world’s oceans.
 
“We don’t have anything like it,” says Benbow. “It’s basically underwater Star Trek for preschoolers with a very distinctive look. It just stood out and offered something different involving teamwork and learning. We hope preschoolers will see something out of the ordinary.”
 
Classic Media’s van den Berg insists that it was the uniqueness of Tiger Aspect’s animated Tinga Tinga Tales, based on characters hand-drawn at an animation studio in Nairobi, that set it apart from other preschool animations. For van den Berg, it underlined that producers need to have done their homework before they start pitching shows to broadcasters. “You really have to know your market and make sure you know what else is out there, then you can tell if it’s bringing something fresh and new to the audience,” she explains.
 
Despite the importance of originality, it’s worth bearing in mind that in recent years broadcasters have shown a reluctance to take too many risks—a probable consequence of the economic recession. “There is a lot of conservatism among broadcasters at the moment because there’s a lot of pressure for things to work and there’s not much room for failure,” reports Beyond’s Crago. “That’s why there’s a tension between not wanting to take too many risks by re-commissioning established brands and looking for things that are fresh
and different.”
 
It’s a difficult balance to strike, insists Cookie Jar’s VP of development, Jilliane Reinseth. “There’s so much preschool programming that broadcasters don’t have many needs and that’s unusual in my ten-year experience. I’ve never found it so difficult.”
 
BOOK WORMS
One way to achieve balance is by offering commissioners unique concepts based on established preschool classics—typically, successful children’s books that can be re-versioned. Many, including Portfolio Entertainment co-president Lisa Olfman, argue it’s a strategy which is a lot less risky than launching an entirely new preschool property.
 
“We don’t do new properties for preschool, only pre-existing ones,” declares Olfman. “We only develop new concepts for the bigger tween marketplace where there are more opportunities.” 
 
Portfolio’s animated preschool property The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, a 40×30-minute series based on the Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat books, is a case in point. “I think broadcasters are looking for classic brands with iconic characters. It’s difficult for broadcasters with a fragmented market and no advertising attached to be as successful as they are with properties where kids or parents already have their own relationship with the characters.”
 
Studio100’s Elmendorff sums up the key elements that new shows are likely to need in an overloaded, competitive market. “The core values are kid-relatable, fresh, funny and amazing characters, entertaining stories with a great sense of humor, a unique way of storytelling, high production values and great music. But at the same time they all should have edutainment elements.”
 
Other trends in preschool include a demand for shows featuring more characters that are positive role models, says Portfolio’s Olfman. “More and more broadcasters are looking for aspirational protagonists. We have come a long way from the Dick and Jane stories, where fathers went to work with a briefcase and mom did the vacuuming. Now preschool stories need to show kids that anything is possible and boys and girls can be the best they can be.”
 
CBeebies’ Benbow confirms that she’s on the lookout for more shows like Everything’s Rosie, her 3D animated preschool series which offers positive role models for girls. “Everything’s Rosie has established itself very quickly—maybe because we have not had an out-and-out girl’s show up until now. That might be filling a gap so I’m on the lookout for shows that offer strong role models for our female CBeebies viewers.”
 
One such show is Playtime Buddies, produced and distributed by Mondo TV. This 52×13-minute animated series, produced in HD, encourages the development of positive social interaction and cognitive skills. The property features both real-life role models, such as bakers, cowboys, policemen, firefighters, athletes and farmers, as well as the fantasy characters who inhabit the imaginations of children, like pirates, mermaids, princesses and superheroes.
 
“Parents of young children do not want to place any boundaries on the possibilities for their children as they grow and explore their options in this world,” says Matteo Corradi, Mondo TV’s head of sales and board member. “This sense of unlimited potential is a gift that Mondo TV and Playtime Buddies hope to deliver to all preschoolers.”