Spotlight: Showlab

There are two seasons available of the 3D CGI preschool show YoYo from Showlab that feature comedy and edutainment for little ones.

YoYo has aired on Rai Yoyo since 2018 with top ratings, and the show is running on channels around the globe in more than 80 countries.

Miracle Tunes is an animated/live-action hybrid series targeting girls 4 to 8, featuring “music, dancing and team spirit, with continuous positivity to be surrounded by—we believe these messages are more important today than any other time,” says Alfio Bastiancich, general manager of animation and youth programs.

The show debuted in Italy on Cartoonito in October 2018 and still airs today, with master toy support by Giochi Preziosi and all L&M and events in Italy managed by Showlab’s CP division. A distribution agreement has been finalized with TV Azteca, representing Miracle Tunes across all LatAm countries, including Brazil.

Klincus, Showlab’s latest IP, is billed as a “steampunk fantasy comedy” for kids 7 to 12 and families. Still in the production pipeline, Klincus will be ready for the end of 2022. Co-produced with Rai Ragazzi, it is inspired by the successful series books Klincus Corteccia, written by Alessandro Gatti and published in several countries, including Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Brazil and Turkey. The setting is that of the second industrial development (between the 19th and 20th centuries). Targeted to boys and girls 7 to 12 years old and families, the series features ecological topics, making the show more contemporary as a treatment.

“The quality speaks for itself, and we are so proud with all the partners aboard on this project and great news to be revealed soon around the show in the coming days,” says Bastiancich.

He adds, “Each of these shows has a different target age group and style of animation and production, allowing us to reach all broadcasters, buyers and OTT platforms.”

Showlab is growing in a “careful way” and planning its kids’ content division in all aspects. It’s strengthening its live-action and hybrid projects and filming technique more and emphasizing its current projects in the pipeline—“the quality of stories and content comes first,” Bastiancich says.

In June/July 2020, Showlab filmed in the middle of the pandemic under strict lockdown in Italy, producing and delivering on time to Rai Gulp a live teen series called POV (The First Years), a kids’ format from Newen Connect, originally created and produced by Tuvalu in the Netherlands. POV- i primi anni is produced by Showlab in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi and tells of the daily life of a group of teens during the first two years of high school.

Showlab has another new IP in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi that will be produced using a hybrid technique. It is set to start filming next June.