CAKE Entertainment is marking its strategic move into producing live-action blended with cartoon animation with today’s announcement of a live-action/CG hybrid tween comedy pilot for a series called CARTOON GENE (26 x 30″), co-produced with Galakids and TELETOON Canada. The move sees CAKE build on their existing experiences in this area, and reinforce their established position as a meeting place for a growing family of producers of high-end children’s content.
CARTOON GENE follows the extraordinary life of a teenage human boy who has extra random cartoon DNA. “It’s a metaphor for adolescence, lending a hightened empathy for the viewer.” says Tom van Waveren Partner & Creative Director, CAKE. Gene’s Mum is a computer-generated action game star, whilst his dad is a computer geek. As he hits puberty, his ‘cartoon gene’ kicks into action and his human body literally erupts in a variety of cartoon-like reactions under different circumstances. In addition to co-producing the series’ pilot – in association with TELETOON, CTF, Shaw and Rocket Fund – CAKE will also be distributing it to the international marketplace. Cartoon Gene is a Galakids original concept created by Louis Fournier and Natalie Dumoulin and directed by Adam Weissman (I CARLY/ZOEY 101/DRAKE & JOSH).
CAKE has also recently taken on the worldwide distribution rights to a live-action Irish series from Telegael, AIFRIC (26 x 30″), four times winner of best kids drama at the Irish Film and Television Awards. Aifric is a thirteen year old girl whose parents have made the fatal mistake of moving to a small village from the city. The comedy drama deals with the big issues facing all young teens, as a 13-year old girl tries to navigate her way in a new and smaller world where her weird and wacky family stand out in a big way.
Genevieve Dexter, Partner & Commercial Director, CAKE says, “CAKE is known as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all kids’ programming and our move into live-action is simply another step on the ladder. We have been co-producing for a while now and are thrilled to be involved in both the creative and distribution of such a fantastic comedy series; CARTOON GENE offers creativity, reality and fantasy to the tween market and is another great property to add to our ever-expanding portfolio.”
The announcement follows the recent news that CAKE has also landed the international distribution rights for the live-action comedy drama DEAD NORMAL (working title), produced by Coolabi Productions Ltd and Australian-based Burberry Productions Pty Ltd. Ahead of CAKE’s involvement, the series already has a plethora of international broadcast deals with CBBC, ABC Australia and Nickelodeon Germany, to mention a few.
CAKE’s experience in live-action and animation means that the children’s programming specialists are perfectly suited to creating projects that span both genres, with creative director Tom van Waveren having also invested in LIZZIE MCGUIRE, Disney Channel’s flagship and definitive show of the early 2000s.
Leave a Reply