Komixx Teams Up for “Toby’s Travelling Circus”

London, UK — Komixx Entertainment has selected award-winning Manchester-based model and animation studio Mackinnon & Saunders to work with them on the production of new pre-school TV series, Toby’s Travelling Circus.

Toby’s Travelling Circus is a story based around a seven year-old boy who runs his own magical travelling circus with his friends. Mackinnon & Saunders are providing puppet characters and stop-frame model animation for the exclusively UK-based production, aimed at a pre-school audience of 3—5 year olds. The first series will consist of 52 x 10min episodes, due to air on Channel 5 in September as part of the broadcaster’s milkshake! programming strand.

With principal photography for series one underway at Mackinnon & Saunders, Komixx has already been recommissioned by Channel 5 milkshake! to create a further 52 x 10min programmes for broadcast beyond 2013. Moreover, with UK-based animation currently seeing a resurgence following government support for the sector, Komixx continues to receive many expressions of interest from broadcasters around the world, covering programme content, merchandising and licensing for this series.

Andrew Cole-Bulgin, Joint CEO and Head of Film & TV, Komixx Entertainment commented: “The support we have received from Channel 5, and the interest we’ve seen from a range of international broadcasters, are testament to what is a British success story in the making. We’ve always maintained that the UK creative industry is world-class, and Mackinnon & Saunders is doing a wonderful job bringing these characters to life in their studios. Our decision to invest in UK creative talent was never in doubt, and Channel 5 milkshake! clearly shares that vision.”

Chris Bowden, Executive Producer, Mackinnon & Saunders, commented: “It has been clear from the first time that we entered discussions with Komixx that they are deeply passionate about supporting British animation. The appeal of stop-frame model animation is that it’s a process which produces very tangible images that resonate with audiences young and old. Komixx have made it clear that producing consistent, high quality content onscreen is key to their vision for Toby’s Travelling Circus – a vision that we share and feel well able to deliver.”