Netflix’s Melissa Cobb Talks Original Animation Strategy

Melissa Cobb showcased Netflix’s strategy for original animation production at APOS today.

Cobb is the VP of original animation at Netflix, overseeing a slew of projects for kids and families at the streaming giant. “About 75 percent of the kids’ and family content we make is animated,” Cobb said, noting that the genre resonates well with Netflix’s global base. Highlights include Trollhunters from Guillermo del Toro and Boss Baby, as well as the slate of projects from DreamWorks Animation.

In conversation with Blue Hat Ventures’ Rob Gilby, Cobb highlighted the many projects the company has from Asia, including YooHoo to the Rescue and Mighty Little Bheem, its first original animation from India. New projects include Pashmina from Gurinder Chadha, an animated musical, and a show based on Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The creators Netflix is working with “really own the shows they’re making in a very personal way,” and are given the freedom to work in a range of styles.

“What’s really unique is we have series creators and feature creators all working together; first-time creators and senior producers.”

Cobb went on to say, “Creating safe content for kids is our number one priority. For our preschool audience, we think not only about what’s appropriate for them developmentally but also [what] we can bring to their development, so there’s a lot of social and emotional education. And then we’re also thinking about how kids develop over time, and we make sure there’s a range of content for every age.”