Showing posts with label 2020 on Nickelodeon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2020 on Nickelodeon. Show all posts

Friday, February 05, 2021

Nickelodeon Acquires Rights to 'The Bureau of Magical Things' Season 2

Originally published: Tuesday, November 26, 2019.

THE MAGICAL ADVENTURE RETURNS WITH THE BUREAU OF MAGICAL THINGS SEASON 2

ZDF Enterprises, Screen Queensland and Screen Australia have today announced the second season of hit live-action children’s series The Bureau of Magical Things from internationally-renowned producer Jonathan M. Shiff. The series is made for Network 10 locally, plus ZDF Germany and Nickelodeon.


The first season of The Bureau of Magical Things screened in over 170 territories and received the AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program in 2018. Season 2 continues the adventures of Kyra, a teenage girl who acquired magical powers when caught in a clash between an elf and a fairy. In this new series, when Kyra and Darra embark on a quest to find a legendary lost temple, Kyra’s orb magic accidentally awakens a dangerous object causing fairy and elf magic to malfunction. As the danger escalates, Kyra must risk everything to deal with a threat that endangers the entire magical world and brings her own identity into question.

Production will take place from December 2019 to July 2020 with the original cast to return for the 20-part series led by Kimie Tsukakoshi (The Family Law) as Kyra. Siblings Elizabeth Cullen and Julian Cullen (Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan) return as elf brother and sister on screen. Mia Milnes and Rainbow Wedell (Jiva) also headline as fairies. Jamie Carter plays Kyra’s human friend and now a member of ‘The Bureau’, while Arnijka Larcombe-Weate returns as Kyra’s problematic bestie oblivious to the magical world.

Update (27/3/2020) - The second season of Jonathan M Shiff’s children’s fantasy The Bureau of Magical Things was shooting in Brisbane and the Gold Coast but was curtailed this week due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The 20-part series was commissioned by Network 10, German pubcaster ZDF and Viacom-owned kids’ net Nickelodeon. There is currently no word on when production will resume.

UPDATE (19/7/2020) - Filming for The Bureau of Magical Things season two will resume on the Gold Coast from Monday 29th June 2020!

The young cast are joined by experienced actors Christopher Sommers (Sweet Tooth, The Water Diviner), Nicholas Bell (Mission Impossible II, Wanted), Steve Nation (Neighbours) and this season introduces Tasneem Roc (Harrow, Rake, Reef Doctors).

Joining the cast in season two is Miah Madden, who will portray Tayla.

Producer, Jonathan M. Shiff said, “Australian children, like children all around the world, love fantasy, mystery and adventure. It’s wonderful to build on the success of the first series with a story more magical and more epic as our young heroes seek answers to their mystery not only in Australia but across South East Asia. The extraordinarily talented Queensland cast and crew, plus the stunning local locations continue to help us to achieve the highest quality production values for a global audience.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, whose Government has supported the series through Screen Queensland said, “We are delighted to welcome back another season of The Bureau of Magical Things to Queensland. This production will film on the Gold Coast and Brisbane from February to June 2020 and create more than 200 jobs for cast and crew. Queensland continues to be the location of choice for major screen productions including The Bureau of Magical Things that will showcase our world-class screen industry capability and stunning locations. My government is proud to continue to support the screen industry because it creates jobs, boosts tourism and promotes our international reputation. I look forward to the next season of The Bureau of Magical Things.”

Screen Australia’s Head of Content, Sally Caplan said, “Jonathan M. Shiff has time and time again proven his ability to create enchanting children’s television and The Bureau of Magical Things has not only gained critical acclaim but has also captured the imaginations of children around the world. We’re thrilled to support the second season from the talented creative team who will bring this next magical adventure to life.”

Fred Burksen, President & CEO, ZDF Enterprises, said, “We have been working with Jonathan and his team for so many years, we consider them family. Side by side, we have managed to put smiles on the faces of children in almost every country on Earth. We are delighted that our extremely successful partnership with Jonathan M. Shiff Productions will now be continued with the second season of The Bureau of Magical Things.”

The Bureau of Magical Things season 2 is a Jonathan M. Shiff Productions project for Network 10, ZDF and Nickelodeon. Major production investment from ZDF Enterprises, Screen Queensland and Screen Australia. It is presold to Network 10 Australia, German public broadcaster ZDF and Nickelodeon, and is distributed worldwide by ZDF Enterprises.

ABOUT JONATHAN M. SHIFF PRODUCTIONS

Jonathan M. Shiff Productions is a world leader in live-action children’s fantasy drama with credits including the global smash hit H2O – Just Add Water and its spin off Mako Mermaids. In 2018, Jonathan was awarded a World Screen Kids’ Trendsetter Award in recognition of his leading contribution to the international television industry and for driving innovation in children’s programming. The first season of The Bureau of Magical Things is an international hit and is being viewed around the world via Network Ten, ZDF Germany and Nickelodeon worldwide. The series went on to win the AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program, plus the international 2019 Kidscreen Award Best New Series Tweens/Teens.

Jonathan M. Shiff Productions award winning content has screened in over 170 countries worldwide entertaining an audience of hundreds of millions and showcasing Queensland locations and lifestyle. Their Mako Mermaids series became the first ever Netflix Original live-action series for children. Graduates of Shiff’s productions include Liam Hemsworth and Margot Robbie, both seen as younger actors in The Elephant Princess. H2O stars Phoebe Tonkin (Bloom, Safe Harbour) and Claire Holt moved onto the US series The Vampire Diaries and its sequel The Originals; their co-star Luke Mitchell to The Code, Blindspot and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. They are amongst an impressive list of those who learned their craft and the business of filmmaking on Mr. Shiff’s sets.

From IF Magazine:

Jonathan M. Shiff series and Steve Jaggi film herald Queensland production re-start


Julian Cullen and Kimie Tsukakoshi in ‘The Bureau of Magical Things.’ (Photo credit: Mark Taylor)

Screen production in Queensland is set to restart with the second season of Jonathan M. Shiff Productions’ The Bureau of Magical Things and a rom-com feature from the Steve Jaggi Company.

The cameras will roll on Shiff’s children’s fantasy, which was shut down in March, on June 29 on the Gold Coast.

On the same day, Jaggi and director Christine Luby will begin shooting This Little Love of Mine in Cairns. Scripted by Georgia Harrison, it’s a co-production with Nicely Entertainment, an LA-based distribution and production company recently launched by former Gaumont exec Vanessa Shapiro.

Jaggi is producing with Kelly Son Hing and Spencer McLaren; the cast will be announced next week.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Shiff’s 20-part series is employing more than 200 cast and crew and injecting more than $8.5 million into the State’s economy. Jaggi’s film will create 25 local jobs and spend more than $1.5 million.

Network 10, German broadcaster ZDF and Nickelodeon commissioned season two , with investment from ZDF Enterprises, Screen Queensland and Screen Australia.

Kimie Tsukakoshi returns as Kyra, a teenager with magical powers, as she and Darra (Julian Cullen) embark on a quest to find a legendary lost temple.

On the first block of 10 episodes Evan Clarry and Martha Goddard had finished shooting 30 of the 43 days scheduled before the production shut down.

So they will complete shooting that block in the coming weeks, followed by the second block directed by Grant Brown.

Palaszczuk acknowledged the screen industry had been hit hard by COVID-19. Her government responded by creating a $3.3 million support package and forming a Queensland screen industry task force.

“As well as focussing on local productions, we’ve also been working to ensure major international productions can return to the State,” she said.

The Premier said Hoodlum Entertainment aims to get season three of the ABC’s Harrow back into production in the next few months. That is contingent on the federal government granting a waiver on travel restrictions to bring back star Ioan Gruffudd from LA.

Her government is also working closely with Baz Luhrmann and his production team to resume production on the untitled Elvis Presley biopic at the Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast.

“We want to ensure this can happen as soon as possible while making sure the cast and crew can operate safely,” Palaszczuk added.

The start date on the Warner Bros production was postponed after Tom Hanks, who plays Colonel Tom Parker, and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19.

Hanks and Austin Butler, who plays Elvis, both returned to the US, so the producers will need special dispensation to bring them back.

Screen Queensland and Queensland Health are developing a screen industry COVID-safe plan, which will be released shortly.

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From We Are Gold Coast:

GOLD COAST FILM INDUSTRY EMERGES FROM LOCKDOWN TO MAKE “MAGICAL THINGS”

QUEENSLAND’S SCREEN PRODUCTION INDUSTRY RESTARTED THIS WEEK AFTER MONTHS IDLE DUE TO THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, WITH THE GOLD COAST-SHOT FANTASY SERIES THE BUREAU OF MAGICAL THINGS LEADING THE CHARGE.


Julian Cullen and Kimie Tsukakoshi in The Bureau of Magical Things season 2. Image credit: Mark Taylor

Getting the greenlight to shoot again has meant strict compliance with guidelines developed by Queensland Health and WorkSafe QLD, cross-checked with the Australian Screen Production Industry’s official advice and the Bureau team’s own set protocols.

Heavy measures, but Bureau’s lead producer Stuart Wood says necessary ones to overcome the biggest production challenges he’s witnessed across a 40-year career.

“Nobody’s ever seen anything like this,” says Wood, “the situation is unique for the screen industry, really just as it’s unique for the world.

“We’re working in new territory today and – as medical advice and understanding of the virus evolves – we also need to be prepared to adjust how we work in the future.”


Julian Cullen as Darra on The Bureau of Magical Things' first day back in production under COVID safe protocols. Image credit: Mark Taylor

A COVID-SAFE SET

Wood says COVID-safe guidelines affect every aspect of screen production, with traditionally dynamic film set environments now operating under tight controls.

Actors rehearse wearing facemasks and crew abide by strict new rules about who can handle which pieces of equipment. Even the memory cards are sanitised each time they’re pulled from the cameras.

Makeup artists use a separate kit for each actor, and the cast stays distanced while clever camera angles bring them closer together. Masks and sanitiser pumps are ubiquitous.

Bureau is partly set in a magical realm and cast members’ prosthetic elf ears needed protocols all their own, with the tools to apply them surgically sterilised after each use.

“Our makeup department is under the tightest hygiene restrictions on the set, because they’re working on human beings,” says Wood.

Aside from the public health issues, the return to work to complete season two also means high stakes for the Bureau team from a creative perspective.

The show’s first season was a global hit and scored several industry awards, including the AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program, and Wood says the cast and crew are back at work fired up to maintain standards.

“A lot of our work is to make the on-set protocols invisible,” he says.

“There’s a certain headspace we need to protect around our directors and cast and key creatives.

“We want the actors to be comfortable that they’re safe, and then forget about it and go and deliver the best performance they can.”


Camera operator Brad Hunt shooting on The Bureau of Magical Things' first day back in production under COVID safe protocols. Image credit: Mark Taylor

PULLING TOGETHER

The Bureau of Magical Things was halfway through its season two shoot when coronavirus began to flare worldwide.

The production voluntarily instituted hygiene measures well ahead of community standards, but the set was shuttered late March, Wood says, once they could not be sure continuing work was the safest course.

During shutdown, the producers conducted a risk assessment and developed plans to mitigate COVID-19 transmission, then worked with their department heads on practical protocols for making a COVID-safe film set run.

But Wood says there’s much more than paperwork behind this week’s restart, with getting the show back on the road a collaborative effort between crew, government and financiers.

Screen Queensland and the City of Gold Coast’s film unit have, he says, been “rock solid” in support of Bureau’s production company, Jonathan M. Shiff Productions.

“Both those organisations have been incredibly supportive in understanding what we were doing and why we were doing it.”

Jonathan M. Shiff Productions has made hundreds of episodes of TV on the Gold Coast and inspires particular loyalty among local crew.

“We work closely with a lot of talented people, and they’ve pulled together as a team; that’s vital in an environment like this,” he says.

“We want to look after them and – most importantly – we want them to go home and re-assure their families they’re not at risk.”

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From IF Magazine:

Jonathan M. Shiff on new shooting protocols and why the TV Producer Offset must be doubled

Shooting of the second series of Jonathan M. Shiff Productions’ The Bureau of Magical Things resumed in Queensland on June 29, one of the first to restart after the lockdown.


Directors Evan Clarry and Martha Goddard completed the first 10 of 20 half-hour episodes last week and Grant Brown is now directing the remaining 10.

The company’s founder tells IF about the new shooting protocols, the extra costs involved and the need to rewrite scripts, and his fears that live action children’s TV is doomed unless the TV Producer Offset is doubled to 40 per cent.

Q: I assume you are using the COVIDSafe guidelines, adapted to the specific needs of your production?

A: Our COVID-Safe guidelines and on-set protocols are extensive and are based on the Australian Screen Production Industry Guidelines as well as those provided by Queensland Health and basic workplace safety requirements. There was extensive consultation (via Zoom) for some weeks with cast and crew to build department specific protocols.

Many great suggestions were derived from this. All arrivals to our set, whether studio or location, are tagged with a QR code logging them in and out; all must answer relevant safety contact questions on arrival; and all are temperature checked. Hand washing is mandatory on arrival, at the time of departure and during the day.

A full-time nurse is always on set also recording temperatures of all cast and crew during work hours as well as supporting our COVID/Safety supervisor Rocky MacDonald in encouraging the use of regular hand sanitizer and distancing. Cohorts of sub-groups, for instance make-up and hair, gather separately on set. No equipment is ever touched by other department personnel and all equipment and hand props are sanitized.

Q: How are the cast and crew adapting to the new shooting protocols? Does that mean you can’t do as many set-ups per day as before?

A: Each department had help to develop the very best way they could work safely and efficiently and were pre-prepared for the new protocols and so we’ve found that so far there is very little delay to our workflow.

We are still doing comparable set ups but because we are working under continuous shooting or “French Hours” (working for 10 hours straight without a break for lunch), I found the rhythm of shooting now is actually far better than when previously it was interrupted by lunch.

Individual catering lunch packs, which are very generous and very well received by the crew, are available over a period of some hours and can be taken at the convenience of cast and crew. This means crew are distanced and gathering only in their company of department colleagues rather en masse at a buffet.

Each department has made significant changes: all gear, hand props and surfaces must be regularly sanitised. For instance, make-up and hair have very, very strict protocols, including those that govern the application of prosthetics.

Other than those that are required, no one is permitted to enter their buses, which are also sanitized constantly. Standby members of this team gather separately on set and along with the wardrobe crew, are supplied with a live stream from the shooting cameras in an intranet feed so they can see everything on an iPad, just as they would have if standing beside the video village.

We had had to acquire more crew and vehicles to allow greater social distancing, including more make-up, wardrobe and green room facilities. More staff are on board specifically for cleaning and sanitizing common surfaces.

We’ve also hired more unit staff, including one dedicated team member at craft services so we do not all touch tea and coffee making equipment etc. There are demountable buildings on site for wardrobe fittings and our art department and office staff have spread out to allow just a handful of people in requisite spaces. I have closed my workstation in the office and now work largely remotely, having installed a sim camera on the directors monitor bank, which means I can live stream at my apartment or on my iPhone.

Many of the management team including our producer Stuart Wood and our line producer Wade Savage can also access this feed. I do visit set but try not to be there for long periods. No visitors or independent contractors are permitted on set. All on-set crew wear masks: we have provided washable masks to all personnel together with replaceable filters. Whilst the actors on camera cannot wear masks during takes they will always take comfort from the PPE worn by all crew that surround and support them. There is a huge cost to this new way of shooting. But if it keeps us safe and engaged then it’s the only way forward.

Q: Did the writers have to rewrite any scenes?

A: Yes. Our story producer Mark Shirrefs had to rewrite quite a bit of material. Firstly, even though it is diametrically opposed to all the training I have ever received, we tried to pull as many scenes as possible out of our studio sets and into, say, parklands where social distancing is much easier for all.

We had to consolidate many scenes and rewrite around cast availability so as to minimise (or ideally eliminate) multiple trips for interstate cast to join us here in Queensland. Because the situation and state border restrictions are changing constantly we remain in regular contact with Queensland Health and are guided by their advice and remarkable endeavours to keep us safe.

Q: Network 10, German broadcaster ZDF and Nickelodeon commissioned season two, with investment from ZDF Enterprises, Screen Queensland and Screen Australia. So does that cover the production cost with the Producer Offset?

A: No. Jonathan M. Shiff Productions is also a significant investor and is providing considerable equity and now additional funds to enable production to continue and complete.

Q: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the series is employing more than 200 cast and crew and injecting more than $8.5 million into the state’s economy, so that is your biggest ever production?

A: No. It is comparable to many I have produced here in the 20 years since I brought Cybergirl to Brisbane in 2000. H20 – Just Add Water, Mako: Island of Secrets and many of our shows were equally as ambitious. Some had large underwater crews in addition to the on-land crew. None, however, have had to weather the challenges of a deadly international pandemic.

Q: What did you and your colleagues do during the shutdown? Spend more time on development?

A: My producer Stuart Wood and some of our senior management worked long hours on Zoom meetings planning and preparing for our safe return. I personally spent time with my family and was blessed with quality time to live with and get to know my nearly two-year-old granddaughter – time I would not have ordinarily have had.

As for new projects, clearly the type of stories, the way we tell them and the locations in which they are to be filmed must now be totally revisited and re-imagined. Wonderful opportunities now emerge.

Q: Are you concerned the government will extend the suspension of the FTA broadcasters’ local content quotas into 2021?

A: Yes.

Q: I know your colleague Julia Adams was instrumental in drawing up the Australian Children’s Television Producers submission on the options paper. What is the best-case scenario for kids TV funding and regulation you can hope for? And the worst?

A: More than 20 producers of quality content for children joined in this joint submission to government. I would hope that other content triggers will replace the ineffectual C classification system and that funding will expand and protect Australian stories for Australian kids.

Without this we will not only be culturally adrift but swamped by poor foreign sourced content for young audiences – or worse still, little content at all. I would insist that the 40 per cent Offset must be extended to cover children’s live action. There will be no industry, no production in our genre without it.

Q: In 2018, Screen Australia reported you had made 28 seasons or 290 hours’ worth of 15 live action children’s series with budgets totaling $221 million. What’s the tally now?

A: We are now at 29 seasons or 300 hours worth of 15 live action children’s series with budgets totaling $232 million.

Q: Mako: Island of Secrets returned more net revenue to investors in calendar year 2017 than any other television drama made with Screen Australia investment. What is your outlook now for selling Australian children’s series the rest of the world as productions resume and economies start to recover?

A: There has always been and will always be, a huge international appetite for high quality, engaging, well-crafted content for a younger audience. Many of the world’s leading SVODs use this content at the sharp end of their drive forward for new subscribers.

Massive opportunities present themselves and no less in this environment. Of course, your question presupposes the global economies actually do recover. Many will not.

However, no matter where they live in the world, children love and need human stories, of adventure and heroism, of danger and how to deal with it, of friendship and how to value it. Whether children’s content is a doona to hide under, or a superhero cape to throw over your shoulders, now more than ever it’s needed. Globally!


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From TVKIDS:

Creative Keynote: Jonathan M. Shiff

Acclaimed Australian producer Jonathan M. Shiff provided insights on making compelling live-action tween content in his TV Kids Festival creative keynote.

Shiff was interviewed by Anna Carugati, group editorial director of World Screen and TV Kids, for a TV Kids Festival session today. He has created and exec produced numerous series, including H2O: Just Add Water, Mako Mermaids and, most recently, The Bureau of Magical Things. Carugati began the session by asking Shiff what attracted him to producing live-action shows for tween and teen audiences.

“The programming I do tends to be stories I’m passionate about and engaged with. I often think the 12-year-old Jonathan might have got the bug and started this process! I relate very much to that preteen age myself, when I had a vivid imagination and was full of stories or engaged with going to the movies. It’s an age of engagement. You’re on the verge of being an adult. For live action, tweens engage because it’s aspirational. We can reach down to 7-, 8-, 9-year-olds. They want to see, what’s it like when I have an argument with one of my girlfriends? What’s it like to face real danger? Teens are watching because they are hopefully engaged in the story and because I think they sometimes relate to the cast. I often think that a lot of the kids watching, particularly the teens, are siblings, co-viewing because it’s kind of cool to watch superhero teenagers battling things.”

As for his creative inspiration, Shiff noted, “It has to come from within, and if you don’t have a connection with your story, it’s very hard to expect the audience to go on that journey. You’ve got to have a personal connection with the story to make it real, make it valid, and bring your passion to the story. There are so many influences. You look at what’s going on with the world we’re in. I look for inspiration in genre, in what sort of show I’d like to make: would it be a period show, would it be a contemporary show, would it be a sci-fi show. Fantasy plays a huge part in what I do.”

There is no formula to the art of storytelling, Shiff added. “Sometimes, you get one piece of the jigsaw, but you can’t just put it on a table and make the rest of the jigsaw work as a straight pattern. Stories evolve and change. I often think that the jigsaw is in the air and I’ve got to build it, but it keeps moving. In other words, the piece that I got the first time might now be behind me and not in front of me. The story keeps moving and evolving and you’ve just got to go with it. You’ve got to let the story take you somewhere, even though it isn’t what you originally intended. Sometimes you get fragmented with character, sometimes you get inspiration from an emotion, you sometimes have a deep resonance for the plot, but then later realize we need to find the story, not just the plot. It’s very organic and a little bit scary at times.”

On the global appeal of his shows—which are distributed by ZDF Enterprises—Shiff noted: “There are nearly 200 countries that watch our stories. You want to reach out to the humanity of the story—the universal picture of the story. At the same time, you’re dealing with high production values, high budgets. You’re going to need an international audience to even bring the story to life. It is very difficult to tell a story for just a handful of people. I want to tell a story that is epic in scale. So epic, it doesn’t matter where you live.”

Production recently wrapped on season two of The Bureau of Magical Things. On managing production amid COVID-19 restrictions, Shiff noted, “We had to, first, revisit all the stories that I’d spent a year and a bit writing and falling in love with. That sort of dynamic is part of normal filmmaking. Being a creator and being a producer sometimes is in conflict. You’ve got to find the synergy and the pathway, and I found I had to approach it the same way. We need to move this forward and do the best story we can do. We had to rewrite scenes, move interiors to exteriors to be safer, strip out cast that were not critical to the scene to be sensible about it. We had to reduce the number of extras. We had to reimagine sets. It’s very counterintuitive to everything I learned in 30 years of filmmaking. We had to take the ceiling off sets. Sets that were designed to be small and intimate had to be opened up a bit. Sets that were very open and expansive had to be made smaller for less cast. There was a lot of work on that.”

Shiff continued, “There was a certain elevation of focus that you get out of working in a pandemic. When you’re at war with a virus that can hurt you and your family, you come in focused on doing the very best you can and more because you’ve given up a lot or you’re risking a lot to be [there]. And I think, possibly, The Bureau of Magical Things season two might be my best work. I, personally, feel it was the most challenging and probably the best job.”

Asked about managing the increased costs around filming during COVID, Shiff said, “Some of it was covered internally. A lot of it was covered by Australian government subsidies, which we were very blessed to receive, and Screen Australia and Screen Queensland elevated their investments. We were very blessed to be working in concert with ZDF and ZDF Enterprises and so on. And Nickelodeon. But largely, it was, frankly, the Australian government assistance that helped us muddle through and without that, I think it would’ve been quite difficult to conquer it.”

Shiff’s productions have served as launch platforms for many local talents, including Phoebe Tonkin, Jeffrey Walker, Liam Hemsworth and Margot Robbie. On the challenges and opportunities involved in working with young actors, Shiff said: “They’re engaged, they’re motivated and they bring a creative energy that’s irreplaceable. There are challenges, too, because sometimes I feel like I’m a high school principal. Cell phones created a whole new challenge, as did social media. Handled right, it’s wonderful and engaging in its connectivity. We’ve got tens of millions of fans, and that connectivity is precious. Doing behind-the-scenes clips and engaging the fans, what I call deconstruct the media. It is very healthy that teens or tweens basically see that it’s a job, and it’s fun and it’s possibly a future career pathway, and so they engage critically with the media. But it also can be distracting from the craft, so finding that balance of when to allow phones on set and engage with social media, that’s a challenge.”

Asked about the opportunities presented by streaming platforms to creators and producers today, Shiff said, “They’ve offered us the world, and that’s our audience. The engagement with the world is direct; it’s immediate. They’ve also completely freed us from the shackles of any form of constraint in storytelling. Your narrative can be sideways, forwards or backwards. Your length of program can be short or long. It’s an explosion of the potential of the business. It’s very exciting and I think it’s just the beginning. This connectivity, this globalization of broadcast directly to a world audience is a wonderful thing when you’re producing for a global audience.”

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

H/T: Mirage News.
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Friday, January 01, 2021

Happy New Year from NickALive!

NickALive! would like to wish everyone a very Orange and Slime-Tastic Happy New Year!


It's fair to say that 2020 wasn't that great - in fact, it was a complete dumpster fire. However, Nickelodeon kept us entertained with tons of brand new shows, episodes and specials, and with even more brand new episodes, shows, events, and lots more slime on the horizon, 2021 promises to be another aweslime year on Nick! Take a look at what Nickelodeon has in store for the coming year here!


What has been your favourite part of 2020 on Nickelodeon, and what are you most looking forward to watching on Nickelodeon in 2021? Let NickALive! know in the comments below!


A huge thank-you to everyone who visited and who contributed to NickALive! over the past year!


NickALive! Awards 2020: The Results!

Throughout December, NickALive! asked fans to vote about what they have liked best about Nickelodeon in 2020 in the first-ever NickALive! Awards! In this years awards, fans cast a whopping 7,801 votes for their Nickelodeon favorities across 32 categories, 85% more votes that in NickALive!'s Best Of Nickelodeon Fan Poll 2019 last year! As we roll in 2021, I'm pleased to announce the results of the 2020 NickALive! Awards. A huge thanks to everyone who voted! :)

Best New Live Action Series (291 votes)

First Place: The Astronauts - 82 votes; 28.18%
Second Place: Danger Force - 61 votes; 20.96%
Third Place: Young Sheldon - 40 votes; 13.75%

Best New Animated Series (409 votes)

First Place: Glitch Techs - 267; 65.28%
Second Place: It's Pony - 112; 27.38%
Third Place: Ollie's Pack - 30 votes; 7.33%

Best New Preschool Series (212 votes)

First Place: Santiago Of The Seas - 125 votes; 58.96%
Second Place: The Adventures of Paddington - 87 votes; 41.04%

(There was only two nominees in this category)

Best New Season of a Nickelodeon Show (325 votes)

First Place: Glitch Techs season 2 - 173 votes; 53.23%
Second Place: The Loud House season 5 - 53 votes; 16.31%
Third Place: SpongeBob SquarePants season 13 - 48 votes; 14.77%

Best New Season of a Nickelodeon Preschool Series (194 votes)

First Place: Blue's Clues & You! season 2 - 99 votes; 51.03%
Second Place: PAW Patrol season 7 - 48 votes; 24.74%
Third Place: Ryan's Mystery Playdate season 3 - 11 votes; 5.67%

Best Standalone Nickelodeon Special (227 votes)

First Place: The SpongeBob Musical: Live On Stage! - 60 votes; 26.43%
Second Place: Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020: Celebrate Together - 39 votes; 17.18%
Third Place: The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular - 20 votes; 8.81%

Best Special of On-Going Series (1158 votes)

First Place: Rise of the TMNT Finale - 663 votes; 57.3%
Second Place: Rise of the TMNT: Tales of the Hidden City - 302 votes; 26.1%
Third Place: SpongeBob: Escape From Beneath Glove World - 44 votes; 3.9%

Best Special of On-Going Preschool Series (228 votes)

First Place: Blue's Clues & You!: Blue's Sing-Along Spectacular - 76 votes; 33.33%
Second Place: PAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue - 36 votes; 15.79%
Third Place: Butterbean's Café: The Legend of the Shadow Bean! - 33 votes; 14.47%

Best Competition Series (186 votes)

First Place: SpongeBob Smarty Pants Game Show - 47 votes; 25.27%
Second Place: The Crystal Maze - 34 votes; 18.28%
Third Place: Nickelodeon’s Unfiltered - 30 votes; 16.13%

Best Filmed-At-Home Series or Special (162 votes)

First Place: The Loud House / The Casagrandes "Hangin' at Home" Crossover Special - 50 votes; 30.86%
Second Place: Kids' Choice Awards 2020: Celebrate Together - 28 votes; 17.28%
Third Place: Danger Force: “Quaran-kini” - 21 votes; 12.96%

Best Seasonal Special of a Nickelodeon Show (145 votes)

First Place: SpongeBob's Spookiest Scenes Countdown Special - 29 votes; 20.00%
Second Place: The Loud House: "Ghosted!" - 25 votes; 17.24%
Third Place: The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular - 21 votes; 14.48%

Best Seasonal Special of a Preschool Series (132 votes)

First Place: Blue's Clues & You!: Thankful with Blue - 29 votes; 21.97%
Second Place: Santiago of the Seas: "A Pirate Christmas" - 25 votes; 18.94%
Third Place: Blue's Clues & You!: "Spooky Costume Party with Blue" - 22 votes; 16.67%

Best Nickelodeon Stunt (112 votes)

First Place: Nickmas - 23 votes; 20.54%
Second Place (TIE): Nickmas in July - 20 votes; 17.86%
Second Place (TIE): SpongeBob SmartyPants Challenge - 20 votes; 17.86%
Third Place: #KidsToegther - 19 votes; 16.96%

Best Short-Form Nickelodeon Content (106 votes)

First Place: Throw Back With Nickelodeon - 17 votes; 16.04%
Second Place: SpongeBob Smarty Pants Game Show - 14 votes; 13.21%
Third Place: Lincoln & Ronnie Anne's Vlog - 13 votes; 12.26%

Best Nickelodeon Podcast (102 votes)

First Place: Listen Out Loud with The Loud House - 46 votes; 45.10%
Second Place: Blue’s Clues & You: Story Time with Josh & Blue - 42 votes; 41.18%
Third Place: The Casagrandes Familia Sounds - 14 votes; 13.73%

Best Factual Nickelodeon Special (94 votes)

First Place: Slime In Space - 29 votes; 30.85%
Second Place: Nick News: Kids Pick the President - 26 votes; 27.66%
Third Place: Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special - 22 votes; 23.40%

Best Nickelodeon Game of 2020 (228 votes)

First Place: TMNT: Mutant Madness - 128 votes; 56.14%
Second Place: SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated - 48 votes; 21.05%
Third Place: Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix - 27 votes; 11.84%

Movie Network Premiere of the Year (153 votes)

First Place: Shrek - 44 votes; 28.76%
Second Place: Kung Fu Panda - 25 votes; 16.34%
Third Place: Kung Fu Panda 2 - 17 votes; 11.11%

Sad to See End (530 votes)

First Place: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 466 votes; 87.92%
Second Place: Henry Danger - 54 votes; 10.19%
Third Place: LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar - 8 votes; 1.51%

Sad to See End: Preschool Show (115 votes)

First Place: Shimmer and Shine - 55 votes; 47.83%
Second Place: Butterbean's Café - 21 votes; 18.26%
Third Place: Top Wing - 16 votes; 13.91%

Live-Action Nickelodeon Show of the Year (116 votes)

First Place: Henry Danger - 30 votes; 25.86%
Second Place: The Astronauts - 20 votes; 17.24%
Third Place: All That - 16 votes; 13.79%

Animated Nickelodeon Show of the Year (876 votes)

First Place: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 747 votes; 85.3%
Second Place: SpongeBob SquarePants - 41 votes; 4.7%
Third Place: The Loud House - 23 votes; 2.6%

Preschool Nickelodeon Show of the Year (140 votes)

First Place: Blue's Clues & You! - 45 votes; 32.14%
Second Place: Santiago Of The Seas - 22 votes; 15.71%
Third Place: PAW Patrol - 20 votes; 14.29%

Nickelodeon Channel or Programming Block of the Year (171 votes)

First Place: Nicktoons - 66 votes; 38.60%
Second Place: Nickelodeon - 64 votes; 37.43%
Third Place: NickRewind - 16 votes; 9.36%

Most Looking Forward To: New Live-Action Nickelodeon Series (141 votes)

First Place: Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series - 38 votes; 26.95%
Second Place: Zoey 101 Reboot - 33 votes; 23.40%
Third Place: Power Rangers Dino Fury - 26 votes; 18.44%

Most Looking Forward To: New Animated Nickelodeon Series (154 votes)

First Place: Rugrats reboot - 37 votes; 24.03%
Second Place: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years - 27 votes; 17.53%
Third Place: Untitled Garfield Projects - 19 votes; 12.34%

Most Looking Forward To: Upcoming New Preschool Nickelodeon Series (97 votes)

First Place: The Tiny Chef Show - 49 votes; 50.52%
Second Place: Made by Maddie - 32 votes; 32.99%
Third Place: The BeatBuds - 16 votes; 16.49%

Most Looking Forward To: Upcoming New Season of a Nickelodeon Series (105 votes)

First Place (TIE): Are You Afraid of the Dark? season 2, "Curse of the Shadows" - 20 votes; 19.05%
First Place (TIE): The Loud House season 6 - 20 votes; 19.05%
First Place (TIE): It's Pony season 2 - 20 votes; 19.05%

Second Place: The Casagrandes season 3 - 12 votes; 11.43%
Third Place: All That season 12 - 9 votes; 8.57%

Most Looking Forward To: Upcoming New Season of a Preschool Nickelodeon Series (101 votes)

First Place (TIE): PAW Patrol season 8 - 33 votes; 32.67%
First Place (TIE): Bubble Guppies season 6 - 33 votes; 32.67%

Second Place: Blaze and the Monster Machines season 6 - 14 votes; 13.86%
Third Place: Ryan's Mystery Playdate season 4 - 11 votes; 10.89%

Most Looking Forward To: Upcoming New Nickelodeon Special (125 votes)

First Place: Kids' Choice Awards 2021 - 71 votes; 56.80%
Second Place: Untitled SpongeBob Holiday Special - 33 votes; 26.40%
Third Place: SpongeBob's Best Sporting Moments Countdown Special - 7 votes; 5.60%

Most Looking Forward To: Upcoming New Nickelodeon Movie - Theatrical or TV (341 votes)

First Place: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie (Netflix) - 564 votes; 81.2%
Second Place: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (Paramount+) - 47 votes; 6.8%
Third Place: The Loud House Movie (Netflix) - 29 votes; 4.2%

Most Looking Forward To: Upcoming New Nickelodeon Podcast Series (141 votes)

First Place: Avatar / Korra Airbender Universe - 57 votes; 40.43%
Second Place: SpongeBob BingePants: The Rewatch - 34 votes; 24.11%
Third Place: Are You Afraid of the Dark? - 24 votes; 17.02%

Is the NickALive! Awards Trophy a Splatty or a Nicky? (184 votes)

WINNER - Splatty - 123 votes; 66.85%
Nicky - 61 votes; 33.15%


No New Years celebration is complete without fireworks...

Press play on the videos below for NickALive!'s firework display! Hope everyone enjoys them!:

Nickelodeon Internationals SpongeBob SquarePants "The Year Of The Sponge" Fireworks ident from 2009:



Nickelodeon International's Happy New Year 2018 Fireworks Short:



Classic Nickelodeon Space/Fireworks ident from 1984:



Nickelodeon's 90s Are All That remake of the classic Nickelodeon Fireworks ident from 2011:


NickALive! | Postcards From Planet Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon Ooze News Archive | Nickelodeon TV Media.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Vote for Your Nickelodeon Favorites in the NickALive! Awards 2020

Introducing the 2020 NickALive! Awards, celebrating the best of Nickelodeon in 2020!


Every year during December, NickALive! usually asks visitors to vote for what they liked best about Nickelodeon during the year with the Best Of Nickelodeon.. fan poll - and this year is no different, however, the poll will be bigger. Much bigger! Introducing the first-ever NickALive! Awards!

Fans can now cast their votes across 32 different categories, each representing a different part of Nickelodeon - that's double the amount of polls in last years Best of Nickelodeon survey! And, to make things fairer, preschool series now have their own categories.

Apart from the 'Most Looking Forward To' categories, the nominees include programming or content broadcast or released on a Nickelodeon channel or platform between December 1, 2019 and November 30, 2020. New shows and specials that make their debut in December 2020 will be included in the 2021 NickALive! Awards.

UPDATE (12/24) - Some good news and some bad news - depending how you look at it! Unfortunately, a lot of the categories have reached their max number of votes allowed, so regrettably, I've had to close them. However, there's still a few categories available to vote in, which you can check out below! Thank-you to everyone who voted in the NickALive! Awards, so far, I can't wait to announce the results!

There are two ways to vote. You can start HERE and follow the breadcrumbs through each poll, or by scrolling down and selecting which poll you'd like to vote in.

- You don't need to vote in each category (but it would be great if you did!)

- You can cast one vote per day in each category.

- Although this Big Ballot is meant for Nickelodeon fans around the world, some of the nominees have only aired or have been held in the USA.

Remember, NickALive! is an unofficial website, and the inaugural 2020 NickALive! Awards fan poll is for fun and entertainment purposes only. Unfortunately, nobody will actually receive an Splatty - or is it a Nicky?

Any problems voting or questions? Let me know by using the 'Connect with NickALive!' box in the sidebar (I respond quicker on Twitter) - or drop a comment below!

The 2020 NickALive! Awards are open now and will close on Wednesday 30th December 2020 at 23:59 GMT.

The results of 2020 NickALive! Awards will be revealed on midnight GMT on Friday 1st January 2021, as part of NickALive!'s annual New Year's celebration post. Remember to let me know how you voted and why in the comments below, and make sure to share the poll - each poll has its own sharing link!

Here are the nominees of NickALive! Awards 2020:

Best of Nickelodeon in 2020
Most Looking Forward To:
More Nick: 2021 on Nickelodeon | New Shows, Specials, Podcasts, Events, Movies, Episodes, and More!

Originally published: Wednesday, December 02, 2020.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Nickelodeon International Orders New Live-Action Comedy 'Goldie’s Oldies'

Originally published: Tuesday, October 15, 2019 Update (17/9/2020) - Nickelodeon is slated to premiere Goldie’s Oldies "later this year"! In additional news, Maggie Bain has been cast in the role of Pib in the show! Update (15/10) - Below is Nickelodeon International and Viacom International Studios UK's official press release announcing the exciting news!:

NICKELODEON INTERNATIONAL COMMISSIONS LIVE ACTION COMEDY “GOLDIE’S OLDIES”

Viacom’s in-house production arm Viacom International Studios UK is set to produce the series


LONDON, 15th October 2019: Nickelodeon International today announced that it has commissioned a brand new live action comedy series titled Goldie’s Oldies. The series is the first original commission made exclusively for Nickelodeon International’s channels and platforms in more than 170 territories outside the U.S.

Goldie’s Oldies, a 20 x 22 minute live action situation comedy to be filmed in studio and on location, will be produced by Viacom’s in-house BAFTA-winning production arm, Viacom International Studios (VIS) UK, marking the studio’s first move into scripted comedy, first commission for Nickelodeon and a significant step into children’s TV production, following previous work for Channel 5’s multiplatform preschool brand, Milkshake!.

VIS UK’s move into children’s programming is being spearheaded by Jill Offman, who became Managing Director of the production studio in April, and has been tasked with overseeing its expansion.

Goldie’s Oldies focuses on the life of teenager Goldie, whose life is turned upside down when her family moves in with their Grandpa Maury and his three ‘70 something’ room mates. The series, which has an eleven strong global writing team, will begin filming in January 2020 and is set to air later next year across Nickelodeon’s international channels.

VIS UK will produce the series out of Manchester, expanding upon the launch of VIS UK’s first regional office at Salford’s dock10 MediaCity UK earlier this year. Goldie’s Oldies will tap into a number of local filming resources, including local on- and off-screen talent, studios, equipment and locations.

“We’re very excited about this series – its warmth, humour and variety of characters, including a strong female lead, make it a perfect fit for Nickelodeon,” Nina Hahn, SVP Production and Development, Nickelodeon International commented. “With a global writing room bringing different comedic and cultural perspectives to the show and its universal themes, including family and the special relationship between young and old, we can’t wait to introduce Goldie’s Oldies to our young audiences all around the world.”

Joe McLusky, General Manager, VIS UK saidGoldie’s Oldies will mark a number of firsts for VIS UK, broadening our scope and scale whilst demonstrating our commitment to supporting the UK’s regional production sector. The commission supports our ambitions to grow our international studio business, as we continue to expand production output for Viacom’s network of international channels, as well as third party broadcasters and VOD platforms.”

Goldie’s Oldies is set to join an impressive roster of live action content on the Nickelodeon slate including Hunter Street, Henry Danger, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and The Thundermans. The series has been commissioned for Nickelodeon International by Hahn. It was created by Evan Thaler Hickey (Top Wing, Go Away , Unicorn!, The Magic School Bus Rides Again) and the head writer is Mark Oswin (Hunter Street, So Awkward,). It will be executive produced for VIS UK by Trevor Klein.

-ENDS-

Note to editors:
Jill Offman is also Executive Vice President of Comedy Central and Paramount Network International.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 40th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon is one of the most globally recognized and widely distributed multimedia entertainment brands for kids and family, with 1.2 billion cumulative subscriptions in more than 500 million households across 170+ countries and territories, via more than 100+ locally programmed channels and branded blocks. Outside of the United States, Nickelodeon is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc.

About Viacom International Studios UK
Viacom International Studios (VIS) UK is Viacom’s in-house production arm and forms part of Viacom International Studios - the umbrella brand for all of Viacom’s content production and distribution activities outside of the U.S. VIS UK has grown significantly in terms of size and production turnover in the last three years, and has had a successful 2019, producing more than 105 hours of content for Viacom including the Inside… series (including Inside Aldi, the highest rated show on Channel 5 this year), Cruising with Jane McDonald and The Wonderful World of Chocolate for Channel 5, Cribs for MTV and Most Ridiculous for Comedy Central. Earlier this year, the production studio produced Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure for ITV in the UK. Last year its programmes won awards including a BAFTA for ‘Best Features Programme’ for Cruising with Jane McDonald, an RTS North West award, its first European win at the Venice TV Festival, and just this month retained its title as ‘Best UK Production Company’ at the NRTAs.

###

Original post:

Nickelodeon International has handed out a series order to Goldie’s Oldies, a new live-action comedy from the Viacom International Studios UK. The announcement was made today at MIPCOM in Cannes.

Goldie’s Oldies is the first-ever original commission made exclusively for Nickelodeon International’s channels and platforms outside of the US. Viacom’s in-house production arm Viacom International Studios UK is producing the 20 x 22-minute series. Goldie’s Oldies follows the life of teenager Goldie, whose life is turned upside down when her family moves in with their Grandpa Maury and his three ‘70 something’ room mates. It is a single-camera comedy that will be shot in studio and on location.

Filming for the show, which has an 11-strong global writing team, gets underway in Manchester in January 2020 ahead of a global rollout on Nickelodeon’s channels later that year. Production will use a number of local filming resources such as studios, equipment and locations.

The series will be produced out of the dock10 TV facility at MediaCity UK in Salford, Greater Manchester, after VIS UK opened its first regional office there earlier this year.

Evan Thaler Hickey (Top Wing) created the series, and the head writer is Mark Oswin (Hunter Street). Trevor Klein is the executive producer for Viacom International Studios UK. Goldie’s Oldies was commissioned by Nina Hahn, Senior Vice-President (SVP) of Production and Development for Nickelodeon International. In addition to being the first original commissioned exclusively for Nickelodeon International, Goldie’s Oldies also marks VIS UK’s first move into scripted comedy. It is also a a significant step into children’s TV production, after their previous production for Channel 5’s Milkshake!. VIS UK’s move into children’s programming is being led by Jill Offman, who became Managing Director (MD) of the production studio in April and has been tasked with overseeing its expansion.

“We’re very excited about this series – its warmth, humour and variety of characters, including a strong female lead, make it a perfect fit for Nickelodeon,” Nina Hahn said in a statement. “With a global writing room bringing different comedic and cultural perspectives to the show and its universal themes, including family and the special relationship between young and old, we can’t wait to introduce Goldie’s Oldies to our young audiences all around the world.”

While Joe McLusky, General Manager of VIS UK, added: “Goldie’s Oldies will mark a number of firsts for VIS UK, broadening our scope and scale whilst demonstrating our commitment to supporting the UK’s regional production sector. The commission supports our ambitions to grow our international studio business, as we continue to expand production output for Viacom’s network of international channels, as well as third party broadcasters and VOD platforms.”

Other Nickelodeon live-action content produced in the UK include Renford Rejects, Summer In Transylvania, Tecknick, School of the Week, and Fish & Chips.

From TBI Vision:

VIMN promotes Jill Offman for Viacom International Studios UK’s scripted push

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has promoted Jill Offman to an expanded position at its global studios division, whose UK arm is now poised to move into scripted development.

Offman becomes MD at Viacom International Studios (VIS) with immediate effect, where she will oversee all English-speaking markets.

She assumed management of the UK arm of VIS in April, rebranding it from Elephant House Studios, and in her new role will add content sourcing opportunities for Canada, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to her existing remit overseeing VIS UK.

VIS UK is also now moving into scripted development, beginning with a slate of five co-production projects that have debuted here at MIPCOM this week. The projects – The Gold, Artemisia, Natalya, Sleepless and The Turkish Detective – are being developed as part of VIS UK’s strategy to secure commissions from third-party broadcasters and SVOD platforms.

The move into scripted development follows yesterday’s announcement that VIS UK is set to produce its first scripted kids’ show for Nickelodeon International and is a shift in focus for the division, which has primarily produced factual content for Viacom’s UK TV networks such as Channel 5.

Offman said: “This is an incredibly exciting time in global drama, with an intensifying battle for the best talent, ideas and scripts. I’m delighted that VIS UK is joining the fray with these fantastic projects, and I’m looking forward to finding partners across English-speaking territories who share our passion for extraordinary stories.”

VIS UK’s slate includes: The Gold, an 8 x 60 minute returning limited serial telling the untold story of Britain’s biggest gold heist written by Neil Forsyth; Artemisia (6 x 60 minutes) about the only female Renaissance artist; and Natalya, a 4 x 90 minute returning crime thriller.

Also on the slate is Sleepless, a 6 x 60 minute supernatural crime drama based on the novels by James Nally, and The Turkish Detective, a 6 x 90 minute returning detective series set in modern day Istanbul based on the Inspector Ikmen novel series by Barbara Nadel.

Since taking the helm at VIS UK, Offman has restructured the team to centre on five genres – scripted, comedy, reality, factual and children’s – with scripted, comedy and children’s being new areas of focus.

###

From The Hollywood Reporter:

MIPCOM: Viacom U.K. Studio Moves Into Scripted Content

Jill Offman expands her role as managing director at Viacom International Studios for all English-speaking markets.
Viacom's Viacom International Media Networks unit said Wednesday that its Viacom International Studios (VIS) U.K. is moving into scripted development with five co-production projects being showcased at the MIPCOM market in Cannes.

It also said that Jill Offman has moved into an expanded role as managing director at VIS for all English-speaking markets. She assumed management oversight of VIS U.K. in April, now adding content sourcing for Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

"The move into scripted development follows yesterday’s announcement that VIS U.K. is set to produce its first scripted kids’ show for Nickelodeon International, also spelling a significant step for VIS U.K. into the production of children’s programming," the company said.

So far, VIS U.K. has primarily produced factual content for Viacom’s U.K. networks, including Channel 5, MTV and Comedy Central. Earlier this year, it secured its first third-party commission in travel documentary series Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure for ITV.

"This is an incredibly exciting time in global drama, with an intensifying battle for the best talent, ideas and scripts," said Offman. "I’m delighted that VIS U.K. is joining the fray with these fantastic projects, and I’m looking forward to finding partners across English-speaking territories who share our passion for extraordinary stories."

The five scripted co-production projects the studio is debuting at MIPCOM are The Gold, an eight-episode hourlong limited serial telling the story of Britain’s biggest gold heist; Artemisia, a drama about "ambition, sex, politics and art, telling the never-before told story of the only female Renaissance artist"; Natalya, a crime thriller series based on the books by GD Abson; Sleepless and The Turkish Detective.

Sleepless is described as a six-episode hourlong supernatural crime drama series based on the novels by James Nally, written by Rob Fraser (Tin Star) and Gillian Roger Park (Young Offenders) and produced and directed by Bruce Goodison (Born to Kill, Doctor Foster).

The Turkish Detective is a detective series set in modern-day Istanbul based on the Inspector Ikmen novel series by Barbara Nadel.

VIS U.K. was rebranded from Elephant House Studios in April and has doubled its output and revenue over the past two years. In 2018, it produced more than 100 hours of content for Viacom’s U.K. networks.

###

From Forbes:

Viacom’s UK Studio Expands To Embrace Scripted Content, Too

Scripted content is the future for just about any media venture heading into 2020. So many have expanded to include it in their formula, going beyond unscripted or simply airing other studios’ content. Now you can add Viacom International Studios (VIS) U.K. to the list.

Today Viacom's Viacom International Media Networks announced that VIS U.K. has five co-productions underway. They were introduced at Cannes during the MIPCOM market.

Up till now, VIS U.K. had largely concentrated on fact-based content for Viacom networks based in the United Kingdom, such as Channel 5 and Comedy Central.

With the new venture, Jill Offman rises to VIS’s managing director for English-speaking markets, which include Australia, New Zealand and Canada. She had risen to head of VIS U.K. earlier this year.

On Tuesday, VIS U.K. said it was getting into children’s productions with a new scripted series for Nickelodeon International.

In an interview late last month, Viacom International CEO Dave Lynn said the company had carefully considered global expansion plans.

“Our TV studios business, Viacom International Studios, is already a leading creator and distributor of Spanish and Portuguese content, with a slate of 1,000 hours available for sale this year, including a TV remake of the Hitchcock classic, To Catch a Thief,” he said.

“VIS Americas has sold the rights to two of its scripted series to a leading U.S. broadcaster and streaming service. We’ve also got ambitious plans to expand our studios business across Europe and particularly in the UK, where we’ve just secured our first third-party commission for ITV [Trevor McDonald’s Indian Train Adventure].”

VIS U.K.’s new co-productions are:

- The Turkish Detective, based on the series of more than a dozen Barbara Nadel books
- Sleepless, a supernatural crime drama also based on a book, this one by James Nally
- Natalya, another crime drama
- The Gold, which chronicles the biggest gold theft in British history
- Artemisia, about a woman artist during the Renaissance

###

More Nick: Nickelodeon International Sets India Co-Production 'The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj'!

Originally published: Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 19:37 BST.

Sources: TVWise, Kidscreen, C21 Media.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Goldie's Oldies News and Highlights!

Monday, July 06, 2020

Nickelodeon's 'All That' Reunites Jamie Lynn Spears with the Cast of 'Zoey 101' in All-New Version of “Thelma Stump”

Originally published: Thursday, November 21, 2019.

NICKELODEON’S ALL THAT REUNITES JAMIE LYNN SPEARS WITH
THE CAST OF ZOEY 101 IN ALL-NEW VERSION OF “THELMA STUMP”

Share it: @Nickelodeon @allthat (Instagram) #allthat #zoey101


Nickelodeon’s All That reunited Jamie Lynn Spears with fellow Zoey 101 castmates Paul Butcher, Sean Flynn, Kristin Herrera, Chris Massey, Erin Sanders and Matthew Underwood in an all-new version of the sketch “Thelma Stump.”

Shot in Los Angeles, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 21, the new sketch features Spears reprising her role as the bacon-loving bodyguard who attempts to stop the All That cast members and stars of Zoey 101 from entering the set.

“Thelma Stump” is scheduled to air early 2020. All That airs Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

Update (6/30/20) - Nickelodeon will premiere the All That Zoey 101 reunion special on Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT)!

"Episode 1130: Jamie Lynn Spears returns to All That with the cast of Zoey 101, Alex hits ‘em with a new Spanish lesson, auditions for a new school mascot are held, Penny chooses a character for her new game, and Kate attempts the world’s most difficult trick shot."

As a lead-up to the reunion on a new All That episode, TeenNick is airing a single episode of Zoey 101 next Monday-Friday at 9am (ET/PT). Then the "Spring Break-Up" and "Chasing Zoey" specials will air on Saturday, July 11 from 6-8pm (ET/PT).

Trailer/Sneak Peek:


Update (7/3/20) - To celebrate the premiere of the brand new All That episode, Jamie Lynn Spears recently shared some awesome photos from the Zoey 101 reunion on Instagram!:


For additional series information, visit NickPress.com.

Subscribe to the official All That YouTube channel!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6UzskfVDPkJ5aSe755ZGgQ

More Nick: Nickelodeon Renews 'All That' for 13 Additional Episodes; Aria Brooks to Join Cast!

Update H/T: Special thanks to @RealMagitroopa for the news!; Additional sources: Bravo, Nickandmore!.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon, All That and Zoey 101 News and Highlights!

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Nickelodeon Big Base Camp to Open Easter 2020 at Secret London Location Making Kids Stars of the Show

Update (10/3/2020) - Nickelodeon UK & Ireland regretfully announces that the Nickelodeon Big Base Camp scheduled for Easter 2020 is now being postponed. Due to the COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) outbreak, Nickelodeon's number-one priority is the safety of their guests, and they've taken this decision as a precaution. All customers will automatically be refunded within 3-5 working days from Wednesday 18th March 2020. Nickelodeon apologies for any inconvenience caused. A new date for the event has not yet been set.


From https://nickelodeonbigbasecamp.com:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to the continuing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), it has been decided to postpone Nickelodeon Big Base Camp as a precautionary measure.

A new date for the event has not yet been set.

We appreciate that this is disappointing for everyone who was due to attend the event, however, our number one priority is to ensure the health and safety of our guests.

If you have purchased tickets for Nickelodeon Big Base Camp you will be eligible for a refund equal to the face value of your ticket (s), the booking fee and delivery costs.

Your refund will be processed automatically on Wednesday the 18th March and will take 3 to 5 working days to arrive in your bank account. If you have not received your money by the 26th March please contact the Kaboodle customer service team on hello@kaboodle.co.uk.

If you have closed your bank account since booking, please contact hello@kaboodle.co.uk by the 17th of March to let us know and we will help you to update your details.

NICKELODEON BIG BASE CAMP TO LAUNCH EASTER 2020 at Secret London Location making kids stars of the Show


New mega immersive event to launch at secret London location making kids stars of the show


Nickelodeon are launching a new immersive event featuring all their greatest characters and shows, putting kids at the heart of the story.


Coming to a brand new London location Easter 2020, in conjunction with BroadWick Venues, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland are delighted to announce the arrival of Nickelodeon Big Base Camp, the ultimate day out!

Update (12/1/2020): Follow the Nickelodeon Big Base Camp on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nickbigbasecamp!


This all new, mega immersive experience in the heart of London, is set to be Nickelodeon UK’s BIGGEST ever kids event.

A place where families have the chance to engage and interact with the Nickelodeon brand first hand, as kids favourite shows and characters are brought to life. The Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will be an epic family adventure.

As a kids first event, the main attraction is the BASE CAMP STUDIOS EXPERIENCE where young explorers 7-14 will discover life behind the scenes & learn what it takes to become the star of the show, complete with 5 immersive zones filled with games, laughter and SLIME!


PLUS, the whole family will also be able to experience a number of activities in BIKINI BOTTOM BEACH, explore the BASE CAMP, or relax on the beach itself food and drink from the Krusty Crab itself.

The Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will be located at Magazine, a brand new venue located on the Greenwich Peninsula riverbank adjacent to the O2 Arena. This new event space for the capital is a purpose built, 24,179 sq m destination and the largest of its kind in London, and now the official home to Nickelodeon Big Base Camp.

Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will take place between Saturday 4th - Monday 13th April 2020.

Tickets are available to purchase now. Visit https://nickelodeonbigbasecamp.com for more information!

5 immersive zones for kids only!

- Transformation Zone where kids will learn to become the ultimate hero & discover their superpower skills from Phoebe Thunderman.

- Use their superpower skills to make it through Henry Danger’s Man Cave, a mystical chamber full of hidden secrets.

- Uncover the mystery in our Hunter Street Escape Room as kids race against time.

- Go behind the scenes at The Nick Studios as kids become the star of the show.

Finally, kids will understand what it means to be the ultimate Nickelodeon hero, and that is what an epic sliming in the SLIME Zone finale will provide.


Nickelodeon's Big Base Camp advertising / sponsorship opportunity through Sky Media

Nickelodeon’s Biggest Kids Event

- Across ten epic days in the heart of London.
- OTG reach of 60,000 kids and families.
- Promotion across TV, social and Heart FM.

Nickelodeon Big Base Camp creates unique opportunities for brands to speak to kids and their families. As part of the Nickelodeon Big Base Camp 2020, Nickelodeon and Sky Media are now offering brands Partnership Packages. There will be 3 key commercial packages, that will engage multiple media touchpoints:

Partnership Packages

HEADLINE SPONSOR
Become the headline sponsor and own the inaugural Nickelodeon Big Base Camp. The Headline sponsor will always have a mention alongside event promotions

ZONE SPONSOR
Become a sponsor for kids eyes only and creatively own a full zone, integrating with the most popular shows on Nick

SAMPLING / RETAIL PARTNER
Showcase your brand, product or service to 60,000 kids and families attending the event, in a trusted and engaging environment

All partnerships (exc Sampling only) will include;

- Branding inclusion and in-venue content
- Sampling and activation opportunities
- Broadcast and Digital media
- Media delivered across TV and digital to support each Sponsor. (dependent on package)

Full information for this fantastic Nickelodeon Sponsorship Opportunity can be found on the Sky Media Marketplace!

Update (22/10) - Nickelodeon has appointed Camden-based public relations & communications company Frank to help launch the Nickelodeon Big Base Camp!

According to a LinkedIn post by Frank founder and CEO Andrew Bloch, Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will be "a truly immersive family adventure that allows kids to be part of the show as they explore five different worlds".

Kids (and their parents) will get the chance to meet SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol and see other Nickelodeon favourites like The Thundermans, Henry Danger and more.

"This is a dream client for the agency, not to mention the major brownie points it has won me with my eight-year-old son," Bloch wrote on social media.

In the past year, Frank has won Atom Bank, The Book People, Burger King, Diet Coke, Simply Business, Huawei and Culture Trip as clients, and launched a social purpose arm called Good Stuff.


EXPLORE THE WORLD OF NICKELODEON BIG BASE CAMP
Nickelodeon: Big Base Camp The Fair
BASE CAMP
Base Camp is the main area as you enter into the venue, for the whole family to enjoy!

As soon as you arrive at our Top Wing Helter Skelter you know your kids are going to have the best time with Nickelodeon! There’s a range of games to keep the family entertained whilst your little ones begin their adventure straight away in our PAW Patrol soft play area!

Nickelodeon: Big Base Camp Slime

A place where kids 7-14-years-old rule and their favourite shows come to life!

TRANSFORMATION ZONE
The Z-Force needs you! Kira Kosarin is dialing into The Thundermans School for Superheroes to set you the ultimate super hero challenge – to gain a super power and entry into the elite hero league, also known as the Z-Force! You’ll need to think fast and work together!

HENRY DANGER MAN CAVE
This next challenge will push your Z-Force status to the limit – The Henry Danger Man Cave! This cave is full of twists and turns, puzzles and passages – your challenge is get through the cave unscathed or face transportation to another dimension! Jace Norman will be on screen to give you the low down, and tips on getting through!

HUNTER STREET
Can you unlock the mysteries of Hunter Street? As soon as the door locks – the countdown begins! Work together to solve the clues and see if your team can unlock our escape room, and escape from Hunter Street!

NICK STUDIOS
It’s your turn to be the star of the show and step in front of the camera here at the Nick Studios! Benjamin Flores Jr, star of Game Shakers will talk you through how his journey to stardom began, and then it’s over to you – as you get to star in your very own Nickelodeon Video! Lights, Camera, Action!

SLIME ZONE
It’s time for SLIME! Over the years, Nickelodeon has slimed some of the biggest celebrities on the planet, from Justin Bieber and Will Smith, to David Beckham and Sir Andy Murray! Watch as we take you on the journey of SLIME before turning the SLIME on you!

BIKINI BOTTOM BEACH
Bikini Bottom Beach is all about fun and play! Kids can get creative in the craft area, before hopping on the Top Wing Bouncy Castle. When they’ve finished exploring the Ball Pool, there’s plenty of time to relax with non-stop entertainment on our mainstage! There’ll be endless games for small (and big!) kids, and the chance to meet the SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol costume character! That all sounds like hungry work! So, sit back and enjoy the range of food options here at Bikini Bottom Beach.

Food & Drink

THE KRUSTY KRAB
With a great selection of hot & cold food and your favourite soft drinks, you can see why The Krusty Krab is SpongeBob’s No. 1 choice!

TURTLE PIZZA
Nothing says Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles like a good pizza! Let Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo or Raphael help you choose one of their own recipes or create your own!

Official Nickelodeon UK Press Release, via The Fan Carpet:

EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE: NICKELODEON BIG BASE CAMP Set To Be The Ultimate Easter Adventure For The Whole Family In 2020

Event: Nickelodeon Big Base Camp

Location: Magazine, 11 Ordnance Crescent, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0JH

Dates: 4th – 13th April 2020

Timings: 9am-7pm

As of tomorrow at 10am, tickets for Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will be available.

Early bird tickets will be available to BUY HERE

London, 13th November 2019 - Nickelodeon, has today announced specially priced early bird ticket sales for its first ever Nickelodeon Big Base Camp, an epic family adventure through a truly immersive experience, running from the 4th – 13th April 2020.

Nickelodeon Big Base Camp allows kids to be part of the show, with five different worlds to explore and keep them entertained. Kids will be able to gain new skills and face challenges head on, from racing against the clock to solve the mystery of Hunter Street Escape Room, learning key superhero skills at the Thunderman’s School for Superheroes, to trying to make their way through the perilous Henry Danger’s Man Cave. No matter the activity, parents can rest assured that there will be an abundance of Nickelodeon fun and slime to be had, for both themselves and kids alike.

Taking over the London venue, Magazine – conveniently located three minutes from Greenwich Station – Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will become a home away from home for Nickelodeon’s show characters and children will get the chance to meet SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol and see The Thundermans, Henry Danger and many more.

The excitement doesn’t stop there, as Nickelodeon Big Base Camp will host its very own iconic and satisfyingly messy SLIME TIME area to complete the Nickelodeon experience. The event will also give kids the opportunity to immortalise their experience in Nick Studios with stunt videos, voiceovers and green screens – the ideal addition to an event designed to make kids the stars of the show.

What’s more, whilst the big kids are off becoming superheroes, spies and stars, the Nickelodeon Fair and SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom Beach will have plenty on offer to keep smaller adventurers happy. Kids will be able to have a play in PAW Patrols Adventure Soft Play Area and slip and slide down the Top Wing Helter Skelter.

Early bird tickets are now on sale and available to buy at: https://bookings.kaboodle.co.uk/book/9782/ticket

About Nickelodeon
The home of SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PAW Patrol and Nella the Princess Knight, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland Network is available in over 13 million cable and satellite homes and now reaches more than 10 million viewers a month. Launched in 1993, the top-performing Nickelodeon network comprises seven dedicated entertainment channels for kids aged 4-15 and their families: Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon HD, Nickelodeon +1, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., Nick Jr. +1 and Nick Jr. Too. The entertainment company has built a diverse multi-platform business by putting kids first in everything it does – Kids Rule! Content is at the core of the business with critically-acclaimed and hugely-popular television programming from the UK and around the world. In addition to the quality television programmes, Nickelodeon also produces bespoke content available online and on Nick Play, as well as consumer product and recreation opportunities such as the UK’s first-ever Nick theme park, Nickelodeon Land and the slimiest music festival for kids, SLIMEFEST UK.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Adventure Lakeside in Essex Opens its Doors!

Originally published: Monday, October 21, 2019.

Additional source: PR Week.

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