{"id":31278,"date":"2026-02-06T09:57:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T14:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T11:16:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:16:00","slug":"animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/","title":{"rendered":"Animotion\u2019s Julia Nikolaeva Talks Extending IP Beyond the Screen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Animotion Media Group has been hard at work extending its brands beyond the screen. From Roblox games to YouTube channels (its English-language channel for The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0just surpassed 3 million followers) to live experiences, the company is making sure kids are able to engage with their favorite characters in a variety of ways. Animotion\u2019s general manager, Julia Nikolaeva, talks to\u00a0TV Kids<\/em>\u00a0about all the possibilities an IP can have beyond the screen and how the company plans to expand its off-screen strategy this year.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0has been a huge success for Animotion, and you\u2019ve been finding ways to engage young viewers outside of the series itself, including with the Roblox game\u00a0Fixies vs Glitch Boss<\/em>. How has that game expanded\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0and its world?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0At Animotion, we approach IP development holistically\u2014from series production and global distribution to licensing, live events and interactive formats. Roblox is a natural extension of that ecosystem. The\u00a0Fixies vs Glitch Boss\u00a0<\/em>game allows children to step directly into\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0universe and engage with it through play. It translates the show\u2019s core values\u2014problem-solving, teamwork and curiosity about technology\u2014into interactive gameplay, offering fans a hands-on way to explore the brand beyond traditional viewing.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0You also partnered with Leo&Loona Kids Park in Abu Dhabi to provide an immersive experience for\u00a0The Fixies, Beardy Bodo<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0BabyRiki<\/em>. Do you plan on creating more in-person experiences for children?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0Absolutely. Physical and location-based experiences are an increasingly important part of how we build relationships with family audiences. In 2025, we launched\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0live show at the Theatre of Digital Art in Dubai, partnered with Leo&Loona Kids Park and activated projects around major destinations such as the Dubai Expo.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, we plan to scale these initiatives further, with new live shows and experiential formats, creating meaningful, family-friendly touchpoints that extend our brands into the real world. The formats of live events tested successfully in one region will be extended globally, with the initial focus on the markets where\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0or other brands already gained huge awareness.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0has continued to find buyers around the world. What about the series and its themes do you think has allowed it to travel so well and appeal to kids everywhere?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0resonates globally because it blends entertainment and education in a way that feels natural and accessible. The series explains how different devices and technologies work through simple, relatable stories and humor, focusing on everyday household appliances that are the same all over the world. Because children everywhere are surrounded by these objects, they instantly feel that\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0is talking about their own world and their own daily life.<\/p>\n

The show speaks directly to children\u2019s natural curiosity while also appealing to parents, teachers and schools, who appreciate content that is both fun and meaningful.\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0has earned strong support from educators and educational institutions, as it helps children better understand how things work while encouraging problem-solving and interest in science.<\/p>\n

This combination of universal themes, familiar environments, educational value and lovable characters creates a sense of recognition and trust. As a result,\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0travels easily across cultures and continues to connect with kids, families and classrooms around the world.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0Late last year, Animotion announced it was opening a hub in Abu Dhabi. What drove that decision, and what are the plans once it\u2019s complete?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0Abu Dhabi offers a rare combination of creative ambition, strong institutional support and a clear long-term vision for the media and content industries. One of the important factors behind this decision is the opportunity to work closely with Creative Media Authority (CMA), which gives us access to the local creative ecosystem\u2014including local, emerging talent, influencers, educators and industry initiatives that support sustainable sector growth. We are aligned with CMA on the sustainable growth of content to entertain and educate local children and teen audiences but also use the Abu Dhabi hub to develop new content for global audiences.<\/p>\n

Through our collaboration with CMA, we engage with local creators and contribute to talent development. As part of CMA\u2019s Media Camp initiative, we recently hosted a hands-on workshop for children, introducing them to the animation process and explaining how animated stories are created\u2014from the initial idea to the final on-screen result. These initiatives are important to us, as they help inspire the next generation while strengthening ties with the local community.<\/p>\n

Our plans include expanding local production activity, developing new formats, investing in talent initiatives and collaborating closely with regional partners on animation, live-action and educational content aligned with local priorities and Abu Dhabi\u2019s broader creative vision.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0Are there any territories you\u2019d like to explore that you haven\u2019t yet?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0MENA remains our core market, with strong distribution across platforms such as MBC Shahid, Spacetoon, Abu Dhabi Media and Yango Play, alongside our Arabic YouTube channel that has just surpassed 33 million views within its first year. We are yet to tap into brand relationships and expand our merchandising activities, and our key goal is also to expand rapidly in Saudi Arabia. The YouTube channel is our first step there.<\/p>\n

We are also focused on other growth regions such as Asia, where China continues to be our core strategic market, where our portfolio includes\u00a0The Fixies, Tina & Tony, Dinocity<\/em>, as well as\u00a0Beardy Bodo<\/em>, which has also established a solid presence. Our long-standing work in China has given us valuable experience in local partnerships and format adaptation. Their audience relates to the family values and STEM elements in our products.<\/p>\n

We are also very inspired by Southeast Asia, where the rapid growth of animation studios, the emergence of new formats and the success of original franchises are shaping a dynamic and highly creative market. This momentum is exciting for us, and we see strong opportunities for both distribution and collaboration in the region. We also intend to work with some local studios there on new content development.<\/p>\n

We are focused not only on territories but also on languages to capture the biggest audiences across all platforms. In this regard, Spanish-speaking markets in Latin America are another key focus, supported by recent deals with Canela TV and Globo, which confirm the strong appetite for family and kids\u2019 content in the region.<\/p>\n

Beyond that, we are always open to collaborations on new content with various European partners to tap local animation rebate programs and put together presale revenues across borders.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0What accomplishments from the past year are you most proud of as a company?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0We are especially proud of the continued global growth of\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>, including new partnerships across multiple territories and industry recognition from BroadcastPro Middle East, where the brand received the Best Kids\u2019 Initiative of the Year award\u2014a strong validation of its educational and cultural impact.<\/p>\n

Another major milestone was the theatrical release of\u00a0Finnick 2<\/em>, which launched its cinema run in the GCC this year, marking the start of a broader international rollout, with additional theatrical releases planned across other markets later in the year. This represents an important step forward in expanding the franchise\u2019s global presence in cinemas.<\/p>\n

In parallel, we expanded our music and audio content, releasing new albums for\u00a0The Fixies<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0BabyRiki<\/em>, as well as original soundtracks\u2014including a special cover of \u201cI Want It That Way\u201d by the Backstreet Boys created for\u00a0Finnick 2<\/em>. We also continue to distribute partner tracks and collaborate with bloggers and digital creators to extend our brands\u2019 reach across music platforms and social media.<\/p>\n

On the strategic partnership side, we are proud to close our deal with Emirati investment company Madbridge to expand our growth in MENA via this JV partnership, and potentially will look for a similar setup in other regions where local partners bring local leverage.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0Can you share any projects that you\u2019re excited about in the year ahead?
\nNIKOLAEVA<\/strong>: We\u2019re excited about several upcoming initiatives, including new animated and live-action projects in development, as well as continued expansion into experiential and educational formats.<\/p>\n

We also reached a significant creative milestone with the international premiere of our new animated series,\u00a0Shooting Stars,<\/em>\u00a0at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, one of the world\u2019s most influential platforms for animation. Premiering at Annecy reflects both the creative ambition of the project and our focus on developing content for older kids and teens with strong international appeal.\u00a0Shooting Stars<\/em>\u00a0is an animated adventure comedy that fuses sports action with hilarious, high-energy sci-fi. We are also developing\u00a0Fixilab<\/em>, a live-action edutainment spin-off from\u00a0The Fixie<\/em>s universe that brings science and experimentation to life through real-world interaction.<\/p>\n

Across all projects, our focus is on creating engaging formats that connect with young audiences in relevant and innovative ways.<\/p>\n

TV KIDS:<\/strong>\u00a0What are your overall goals for the company in 2026?
\nNIKOLAEVA:<\/strong>\u00a0In 2026, our goals are to expand into new international markets, develop original IPs and further strengthen Animotion\u2019s position as a company that integrates storytelling, education, technology and experiential formats for children and families.<\/p>\n

A key focus will be the development of offline and location-based experiences, including family entertainment shows, live performances and partnerships with theme parks and indoor entertainment venues. These formats allow our brands to move beyond the screen and create deeper, more memorable connections with audiences through shared, real-world experiences.<\/p>\n

We are also placing a strong emphasis on live-action content for families and teens and expanding well-known animated franchises into new formats while developing original live-action projects that reflect contemporary themes, youth culture and regional sensibilities.<\/p>\n

As the industry continues to evolve, we aim to remain agile and responsive\u2014embracing new technologies, new platforms and new collaboration models while maintaining the highest creative and production standards. Above all, our goal is to ensure that our stories reach audiences wherever they are, delivering meaningful, future-ready experiences across screens, stages and physical spaces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The managing director of Animotion talks\u00a0about all the possibilities an IP can have beyond the screen and how the company plans to expand its off-screen strategy this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7389,"featured_media":31279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,21],"tags":[9564,9636],"class_list":["post-31278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-interviews","category-top-stories","tag-animotion-media-group","tag-julia-nikolaeva","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nAnimotion\u2019s Julia Nikolaeva Talks Extending IP Beyond the Screen - TVKIDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Animotion\u2019s Julia Nikolaeva Talks Extending IP Beyond the Screen - TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The managing director of Animotion talks\u00a0about all the possibilities an IP can have beyond the screen and how the company plans to expand its off-screen strategy this year.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-06T14:57:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-13T16:16:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/julia-nikolaeva.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"395\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kloudia Sakowski\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kloudia Sakowski\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/\",\"name\":\"Animotion\u2019s Julia Nikolaeva Talks Extending IP Beyond the Screen - TVKIDS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-06T14:57:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-13T16:16:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/0c0fb596604e018568d0e01fe463109b\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/animotions-julia-nikolaeva-talks-extending-ip-beyond-the-screen\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Animotion\u2019s Julia Nikolaeva Talks Extending IP Beyond the Screen\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\",\"name\":\"TVKIDS\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/0c0fb596604e018568d0e01fe463109b\",\"name\":\"Kloudia Sakowski\",\"description\":\"Kloudia Sakowski is the associate editor of World Screen. 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