Staying True to Market Needs

Jonathan Abraham, VP of sales and business development at Guru Studio, on the demand for shows like True and the Rainbow Kingdom, which has a timely message of promoting mindfulness and positivity.

With many dubbing studios still closed as a result of the pandemic, Guru Studio has seen a need from broadcasters for high-quality programming with local-language dubs. “Shows that were originally scheduled to premiere have been delayed, so broadcasters have had to get creative to satisfy their content pipeline,” says Jonathan Abraham, VP of sales and business development at Guru Studio. “Companies like Guru with high-quality, widely distributed shows that are ready to go in local languages are really benefiting.”

Abraham adds that the company has seen “incredible demand” from cable and free-to-air broadcasters for its preschool hit True and the Rainbow Kingdom, “especially with its timely message of promoting mindfulness and positivity. Thankfully, we have 19 international dubs available, which gives us the ability to deliver quickly.

“Streaming platforms that have also been affected by the pandemic are looking for new content, and we have several original shows in consideration with them,” he continues.

Despite the challenges of the marketplace, the Guru teams have exceeded productivity expectations, according to Abraham. “It seems everyone in animation is counting their blessings right now, but that’s not to say it’s been easy to adjust. Initially, the challenge was ensuring our 400-plus staff got set up quickly at home, but as we started to close the gap on our productivity losses, we realized the next challenge would be to keep people creatively in sync.”

He adds, “Everything we’ve been doing is not only to keep productivity levels high, but to ensure our artists have the best working experience possible. This includes not only making investments into our infrastructure but inventing new ways to communicate between our creative teams. As a nimble studio, we’re able to move swiftly, adapt to our partners’ needs and deliver quickly.”

Guru’s newest preschool series, Pikwik Pack, is gearing up for its premiere next year on Disney Junior, so a lot of the company’s focus is on working with its global partners to align launch strategies. “The interest from all over the world has been incredible, and we’re putting a fantastic lineup of partners together, which will give the show a really strong base of support,” Abraham says.

He adds that with several international markets unsure whether they’ll be taking place, the company is finding new and creative ways to get its content in front of buyers.

“Our long-term focus will be setting up the studio to adapt to the ‘new normal,’” Abraham says. “But thanks to everyone’s incredible passion and hard work at Guru, we’re certain we’ll be able to continue to create and deliver great content.”

Even in the absence of physical markets taking place, he is driven by optimism in how business has continued to progress. “Luckily, we have really strong relationships with our partners, and we’re getting on calls with them a lot more,” says Abraham. “We’re taking the majority of these calls over Zoom and other similar video-conference services, which makes us almost feel as though we’re all in the same room. There’s a sense of togetherness that I’m really seeing within our industry, and I hope we can maintain that going forward.”