Australian Learning Program Literacy Planet Inks Deal With Nickelodeon UK And Nickelodeon Australia

The International News Magazine is reporting the Nickelodeon International news in the following article that Literacy Planet, an online learning resource based in Australia's Gold Coast which offers an interactive and fun learning program to assist in childhood literacy development, has announced a partnership with Nickelodeon UK and Nickelodeon Australia:

Gold Coast company taps into Asian market
Brisbane 30 May 2013. A small Gold Coast company is taking online English language skills to more than 65,000 students across the globe after securing several Asian distribution deals.

Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts Ian Walker said Literacy Planet was a real Queensland success story.

“It’s amazing to think the work of a start-up company based at Varsity Lakes is now being used by students around the world,” Mr Walker said.

“A lot of companies struggle to find investment dollars, but Literacy Planet founder and Executive Director Shane Davis along with CEO Chris Roberts, have raised more than $5 million in private equity through Ellerston Capital and MAP Capital Advisors.

“That is a remarkable achievement and shows what can be achieved when you innovate.”

Literacy Planet provides an online education application teaching English literacy to primary school children, including about 20,000 students in Queensland.

Mr Walker said the company had also recently announced it had struck a deal with FrogAsia, a virtual learning environment used by all Malaysian government schools.

“Through a partnership with MAP Capital Advisors, the company is also distributing its package into government schools in the Philippines,” he said.

Literacy Planet founder Shane Davis said the company hoped to expand even further in the future, after entering into a partnership with Nickelodeon UK and Australia.

“This will open up significant opportunities in Britain. We are also exploring the Chinese market,” Mr Davis said.

Nickelodeon Expands Animated Shorts Program, Announces 2013 Finalists

Kidscreen's children's digital entertainment and media news column iKids is reporting the Nickelodeon news that, after looking at nearly 900 pitches from writers, artists, directors, designers and comedians from around the world, Nickelodeon has picked 12 finalists for its second annual Animated Shorts Program, the Nickelodeon 2013 Animated Shorts Program, which is intended to cultivate creative talent and develop original comedy-driven kids content.

The kids network will develop the 12 concepts into fully realized shorts that could end up airing on Nickelodeon, Nick.com and the new Nick App, which is growing in popularity, attracting more than one million users since launching in February 2013.

With the added distribution platform for shorts and growth of the program (300 more pitches compared to 2012 spanning all styles from 2D, digital 2D and CGI to stop motion and mixed media), Nick plans to further expand the shorts program with an international launch in the coming months.

According to SVP of animation development Jenna Boyd, the network's London-based SVP of international production and development, Nina Hahn, will be extending the entry deadline until Annecy in June 2013 to take internationally born pitches.

Concepts chosen from the 2013 program as finalists include "Bug Salad", "Earmouse and Bottle", "Welcome to Woodstump" and "Broats". "Bug Salad", created by Carl Faruolo (director of the upcoming animated Nick series "Sanjay and Craig", which Nick USA will premiere on Saturday, May 25, At 10:30 a.m. (ET/PT)), follows the story of a naïve fly and his two best friends, while "Earmouse and Bottle", from storyboard artist Brian Morante, follows a revenge story involving an indestructible Earmouse and a fragile bottle character who are cursed by an evil wizard.

Artist Zach Smith's "Welcome to Woodstump" features main character Dennis Deer's epic adventure to get home after realizing he accidentally wore his mom's jeans. Jack Cusamano's "Broats", meanwhile, focuses on three slacker goats that open their own petting zoo.

Looking at the progress of the 2012 shorts program, six of the final 12 created shorts are currently in series development with two set for pilot orders. "Pam and Sid's Port-a-Party" (pictured below, click here to watch a short video), one of the shorts in series development, will head to the Nick App, but it has not been determined which platforms the other shorts will air on.

Meanwhile, in related shorts news, Nickelodeon has launched "SpongeBob SquareShorts: Original Fan Tributes", its first ever global SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired short film competition. You can find more information about Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants film festival here on NickALive!:

Nick expands shorts program, announces 2013 finalists


After looking at nearly 900 pitches from writers, artists, directors, designers and comedians from around the world, Nickelodeon has picked 12 finalists for its second annual Animated Shorts Program, which is intended to cultivate creative talent and develop original comedy-driven kids content.

The kidsnet will develop the 12 concepts from their 2013 Animated Shorts Program into fully realized shorts that could end up airing on Nickelodeon, Nick.com and the new Nick App, which is growing in popularity, attracting more than one million users since launching in February.

With the added distribution platform for shorts and growth of the program (300 more pitches compared to 2012 spanning all styles from 2D, digital 2D and CGI to stop motion and mixed media), Nick plans to further expand the shorts program with an international launch in the coming months.

According to SVP of animation development Jenna Boyd, the network’s London-based SVP of international production and development, Nina Hahn, is extending the entry deadline until Annecy in June to take internationally born pitches.

Concepts chosen from the 2013 program as finalists include Bug Salad, Earmouse and Bottle, Welcome to Woodstump and Broats. Bug Salad, created by Carl Faruolo (director of the upcoming animated Nick series Sanjay and Craig), follows the story of a naïve fly and his two best friends, while Earmouse and Bottle, from storyboard artist Brian Morante, follows a revenge story involving an indestructible Earmouse and a fragile bottle character who are cursed by an evil wizard.

Artist Zach Smith’s Welcome to Woodstump features main character Dennis Deer’s epic adventure to get home after realizing he accidentally wore his mom’s jeans. Jack Cusamano’s Broats, meanwhile, focuses on three slacker goats that open their own petting zoo.

Looking at the progress of the 2012 shorts program, six of the final 12 created shorts are currently in series development with two set for pilot orders. Pam and Sid’s Port-a-Party (pictured, click here for video), one of the shorts in series development, will head to the Nick App, but it has not been determined which platforms the other shorts will air on.

Meanwhile, in related shorts news, Nickelodeon has launched SpongeBob SquareShorts: Original Fan Tributes, its first ever global SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired short film competition.

Fans of all ages can submit entries from May 6 until June 28 for a chance to win a cash prize and a trip for four to a screening event in Hollywood.

Submissions can be live-action, animation, or stop-motion, but must celebrate SpongeBob’s humor and positivity and be no longer than three minutes in length. Additional details can be found at www.spongebobsquareshorts.com.

Tags: Animated Shorts Program, Bug Salad, Carl Faruolo, Earmouse and Bottle, Jenna Boyd, Nick App, Nickelodeon, Nina Hahn, Pam and Sid’s Port-a-Party, SpongeBob SquareShorts: Original Fan Tributes

The Nickelodeon Writing Program Announces Nickelodeon Developing A Brand New Live-Action Show From Program Alum Gabe Garza And Jonathan Butler!

The Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship Program today (Monday 17th December 2012) announced on their official Facebook profile page, facebook.com/NickWriting, the Nickelodeon News that Nickelodeon is currently developing a, as yet unnamed, brand new live-action series from Program Alum ('09-'10) Gabe Garza ("The Penguins of Madagascar") and Jonathan Butler ("Fanboy & Chum Chum")!:

Guess who has a show in development at Nick...? Program Alum ('09-'10) Gabe Garza & Jonathan Butler!

Congratulations on a successful pitch and the selling of your live action show idea!!!

The Nickelodeon Writing Program was developed by Nickelodeon to help broaden their outreach efforts, and is designed to attract, develop and staff writers with diverse backgrounds and experiences on Nickelodeon Network productions. Operating in a three-phased structure, the Program provides a salaried position for up to one year and offers hands-on experience writing spec scripts and pitching story ideas in both live action and animation television. This three-phased structure allows writers an opportunity to nurture relationships with creators, network executives, line producers, head writers, show runners and story editors. As part of their script writing, each writer is assigned to an Executive in Charge of Production and have an opportunity to write a spec script for an on-air Nickelodeon show. In addition, all writers are integrated into the activities of both the development and production departments. This allows the writers an opportunity to attend storyboard pitches, notes meetings, records, table reads, show pitches and show tapings; all while being exposed to top creators and key production crews.