Cartoon Network Grows its Australian-Made Original Animation in 06

Cartoon Network Grows its Australian-Made Original Animation in 2016 November 18, 2015

SCREEN FOREVER / MELBOURNE - Cartoon Network, Asia Pacific's leading kids' TV brand, has announced that four Australian-made animation projects will be part of its regional programming line-up in 2016.

Sitting alongside Cartoon Network Originals from its bricks-and-mortar studio in Burbank, California, such as We Bare Bears, The Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time and Ben 10, will be a number of Australian-grown comedies from creators hailing from around the country.

Sydney-produced Bill & Tony and The Sketchy Show out of Brisbane are both short-form comedy series commissioned by Cartoon Network.

Another Australian creation, Lasso & Comet, has also been accepted by Cartoon Network Studios' international shorts program and a short will soon go into production. In addition, Cartoon Network Australia has greenlit a pilot for Monster Beach: The Series. The telemovie by the same name won a 2015 ASTRA award, with Keith Moore recently winning an APRA as composer of the soundtrack, and it's currently nominated for a gong at the Asian Television Awards.

Mark Eyers, Chief Content Officer for Turner's kids' channels in Asia Pacific, including Cartoon Network and Boomerang, said: We're looking to build on our success with Exchange Student Zero and Monster Beach, and develop even more Australia-made content using our virtual studio model approach. The level of professionalism of the creators, the creative culture and understanding of comedy animation that can be exported around the world, are all reasons for tapping into this impressive talent pool.

In addition to the TV screen, the content will also air on Cartoon Network Anything and Cartoon Network Watch and Play digital platforms. Cartoon Network Anything is the recently-launched app that provides users a never-ending engagement experience, which is ideal for content and micro-shorts that are only 15 seconds in length. It recently hosted the debut of animated digital series Mighty Magiswords, which offers viewers a choice of different endings. The Sketchy Show and Bill & Tony are slated for a digital debut on the app next year.

Exchange Student Zero, Cartoon Network's first full-length Australian-made series, is a product of a virtual studio model and officially wraps production in Victoria this week. For the very first time the full team, including voiceover artist Rove McManus, are physically together. Cartoon Network's Melbourne-based creators Patrick Crawley, Bruce Kane and Maurice Argiro worked on the 13-part comedy-adventure that fuses anime with western animation and ideas. It features the many voices of Rove and the music of DEVO's Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh.

Bill & Tony / Flying Gherkin (Sydney)

Actions speak louder than words in the entirely non-verbal claymation comedy adventure series Bill & Tony. They are brothers from another mother with hearts of gold, but are dumber than a bag of hammers. From exploring alternate universes to wreaking havoc in minimum wage jobs, see Bill and Tony celebrate friendship and absurdity in grand slapstick style.

The Sketchy Show / Ludo Studio (Brisbane)

The Sketchy Show is an animated comedy series that takes real kid's drawings and turns them into hilarious animated shorts featuring a cast of coloured-in characters surrounded by insanity.

Monster Beach: The Series (pilot) / Bogan Entertainment Solutions (Melbourne)

A story about surfing, scary locals and two kids battling to save their new home. Jan and her brother Dean are packed off to stay in what should be paradise. But why is this place so deserted? And what are those strange noises coming from the beach?

Lasso & Comet / Rubber House Studios (Melbourne)

Lasso & Comet is an action-adventure-comedy about a 13-year-old boy with a magic rope and his best friend a talking comet from outer space who live in a pre-historic world filled with giant monsters.

About Cartoon Network Asia Pacific

Cartoon Network, the number one kids' channel in Asia Pacific, offers the best in original animated content including the multi-award-winning global hits Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball and Adventure Time and new comedy We Bare Bears. In 2016, the network welcomes back new series of popular franchises Ben 10 and The Powerpuff Girls. Cartoon Network is available in 31 countries throughout Asia Pacific and is currently seen in more than 85 million pay-TV homes. Cartoon Network also reaches millions more through its websites, games and apps, including Cartoon Network Watch and Play and Cartoon Network Anything.

About Turner Asia Pacific

Turner creates and distributes award-winning brands throughout Asia Pacific. In the region, Turner runs 59 channels in 13 languages in 38 countries, including CNN International, CNNj, CNN, HLN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, POGO, Toonami, World Heritage Channel, Warner TV, Oh!K, TCM Turner Classic Movies, truTV, WB, MondoTV, TABI Channel and HBO in South Asia. Turner also manages distribution for HBO Defined and HBO Hits in India. Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

LINK:	http://www.timewarner.com/newsroom/press-releases/2015/11/18/cartoon-n...
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