Kavaleer & WDRmg Working On Dougie Noir Animated Series

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DUBLIN: Kavaleer Productions and WDR mediagroup (WDRmg) are collaborating on a new action-comedy series for 6- to 11-year-olds, Dougie Noir.

The 52×11-minute series is scheduled to begin preproduction in summer 2017. The show will follow the adventures of the eponymous 8-year-old hero, who was born to a circus life yet grew to become one of the world’s greatest detectives. However, he’s easily distracted and has difficulty paying attention and focusing on tasks.

The show was created by Kavaleer’s CEO, Andrew Kavanagh. He commented: “Roughly 10 percent of all kids suffer from some form of attention or hyperactivity disorder, but they don’t have a recognizable character on TV to root for who demonstrates the beneficial side of the condition, attributes such as hyperfocus. Dougie is by no means the first neurotypical character to feature in the detective genre—think Sherlock, Poirot, Monk, all the great detectives have an edge that society might stigmatize in some ways, but if channelled, can achieve incredible results.”

Kavanagh added: “In Dougie, we want to put on the screen a character that not only inspires kids who are having trouble with this condition to follow their dreams, but every kid who might doubt their abilities just because their grades don’t stack up. Dougie might have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but he always wins.”

Michael Loeb, CEO of WDRmg, said: “International co-production is an attractive business segment for us. By joining a project at an early stage of the production process, we can not only lend financial support but also contribute to shaping the program for global audiences as well as secure comprehensive rights for further distribution. Our focus here is set on innovative and original kids’ content.”

Stefanie Fischer, the head of content at WDRmg, added: “With Kavaleer, we have found a first-rate, highly creative partner. Dougie Noir is a truly unique program that conveys an important message: It shows kids all over the world how to turn something stigmatized as a weakness into an individual strength.”

Mary Callery, project manager at the Irish Film Board, said: “Having supported the development of Dougie Noir from the outset, we are delighted that WDRmg will partner with Kavaleer to progress this wonderful series—it is a great endorsement of the originality and creativity of the team at Kavaleer and further evidence of the quality and skill of the Irish animation industry.”

Kavaleer’s managing director and Dougie producer, Gary Timpson, added: “We are delighted and thoroughly looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with WDRmg. From the outset, we felt that they were the right fit for Dougie, they really got the nuances of the character and recognized the potential for a hit detective show for kids, something that has been missing from the airwaves for too long. The deal also signifies the ongoing strength of the development support we are fortunate to have both in Ireland and Europe and will help Kavaleer grow our slate and business, creating dozens of new jobs next year.’