Wednesday, January 27, 2021

ViacomCBS Int'l Studios Announces 'Kally's MashUp' TV Movie, VIS Kids Slate and New Brand Identity at Virtual NATPE Miami 2021 Event

ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) today announced that the studio is producing a brand new movie based on Nickelodeon Latin America's (Latinoamérica) smash hit family comedy series, Kally's MashUp!


Titled A Very Kally's Birthday (working title), days before her birthday, Kally goes on an unexpected trip where she accidentally meets a celebrity musician named Storm. While she is having the time of her life, she will have to decide what to do with her heart.

Does this mean the end of Dally? Dante won't let Kally go that easily. With the help of her friends - and her sister - he will try to win her back. Kevin, Tina and Stefi will do their best to reunite the couple.

A Very Kally's Birthday is based on the hugely successful series, Kally's Mashup. The made-for-tv-movie is written by Peter Barsocchini, whose credits include High School Musical and High School Musical 3 - Senior Year (2006-2020) and Adam Anders known for hits Glee (2009-2015), and most recently the Netflix original musical, The Prom (2020) as well as the upcoming Road to Bethlehem (2021). Anders will also serve as Executive Music Producer for the movie overseeing its musical score.

A Very Kally's Birthday is locally titled ¡El Cumpleaños! in Latin American countries.

"Kally’s Mashup - ¡El Cumpleaños! (título a confirmar) – Días antes de su cumpleaños Kally emprende un inesperado viaje en el que accidentalmente conoce un famoso cantante. Mientras se encuentra pasando el mejor momento de su vida, Kally se verá en una encrucijada amorosa y tendrá que decidir qué hacer con su corazón. Esta película hecha para televisión, está basada en la exitosa serie Kally’s Mashup y es escrita por Peter Barsocchini, cuyos créditos incluyen High School Musical y High School Musical 3 – Senior Year (2006-2020) y Adam Anders conocido por el hit televisivo Glee (2009-2015), y el musical de Netflix, The Prom (2020) así como también el próximo Road to Bethlehem (2021). Anders también se desempeñará como productor musical ejecutivo y supervisará el desarrollo de la música."

Kally’s MashUp is inspired by the real-life musical journey of Glee’s executive musical producer, Adam Anders. It follows the adventures of Kally, a young musical prodigy who tries to balance her life as a piano virtuoso and a regular girl when she moves from a small town to the most prestigious music university in the country. Although everyone thinks she was born to be a classical piano player, her true dream and passion is to be a pop star. Kally’s MashUp features original songs composed by Anders, his wife Nikki Anders, and longtime collaborator Peer Astrom. Anders serves as executive producer for the show and oversees all the music featured in the series.

Kally's MashUp is co-produced by Nick LatAm, Anders Media and 360 Powwow, with Anders and Powwow CEO Daniel Gutman executive producing, and airs regularly on Nickelodeon Latinoamérica, Nickelodeon Brazil (Brasil) as well as the Telefe network.

Kally's MashUp stars a very talented cast from Argentina and Mexico, headed by Maia Reficco as Kally Ponce (Mica 6.3.5); Alex Hoyer as Dante Barkin; Sarah Cobo as Gloria Skyler; Mariano Chiesa as Mike Ponce; Betina O’Connell as Carmen Ponce; Marita Ballesteros as Rosario; Emiliano Dionisi as Carlos (Charly) Ponce; Josefina Scaglione as Abrankhousen; Sebastián Holz as Norman Skyler; Francisco Donovan as Félix; Daniel Campomenosi; Sarai Meza as Tina Barkin; Jackie Castañeda as Caridad; Fer Serrano as Lisa Barnes; Tomás Carullo as Kevin; Tupac Larriera as Alex; Daniela Flombaum as Lucy Magliano; José G. Zapiola as Tomás (Tommy) Greco ; Lalo Brito as Andrés (Andy) Guiderman; Milagros Masini as Olivia; Celeste Sanazi as Stefania (Stefi); Camila Mateos as Nicole; Cintia Torres Garcia; Facundo Giordano; Julieta Perez Cieri; Juan Martin Delgado; Carla Guidobono; Maximiliano Morales; Lucas Noacco; Florencia Ortega; Mario Juangorena; Sofia Miramon; and Maximo Espindola as Nando.

Kally's MashUp season one (75×60-minute episodes) debuted on Nickelodeon Latinoamérica in October 2017 and has since been seen by more than 5 million viewers across the Latin American region, achieving the No. 1 position in Mexico among girls aged 7 to 14 years. Following its success, Nickelodeon Latinoamérica recently ordered more new episodes. Kally's MashUp season two (45×60-minute episodes) premiered in February 2019 to similar acclaim.

A line of consumer products inspired by the popular series is now available. "Kally's MashUp: La música: banda sonora original de la serie de TV", a album featuring 18 songs from the hit TV show, was released on Friday 9th March 2018 by Deep Well Records, under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC. The album can be downloaded now at kallysmashupofficial.com.

Kally's MashUp has been snapped up by television channels around the globe, including TeenNick Israel, DeA Kids in Italy, Gulli in France, Gulli Girl in Russia, DStv Kids in Angola and Mozambique, and Biggs in Portugal.

ViacomCBS International Studios announced the news today (Jan. 21) the Virtual NATPE Miami 2021 event, where the studio also unveiled more its diverse new slate of content and confirmed the expansion of its business globally into the development and production of new formats such as documentaries, made-for-streaming movies and content from VIS KIDS that will start production in 2021.

"This slate represents the vast depth and breadth of global stories and voices that represent a compelling offering to our partners and audiences," said JC Acosta, President of ViacomCBS International Studios and Networks Americas. "We continue to partner with the most diverse content creators across the globe and cannot wait to bring these stories to life."

The confirmed projects include a wide variety of genres going from documentaries to comedies, thrillers, horror, dramas, comedy-dramas, kids, and teen series. The newly announced projects are set to be produced across a wide range of territories and in alliance with proven international partners.

ViacomCBS International Studios' upcoming VIS KIDS slate includes:

  • Marcelo, Marmelo, Martelo – In association with Coyote Producciones Cinematográfica, VIS is developing a series based on the popular collection of books by Brazilian writer Ruth Rocha. The story follows the adventures between the past and the present of the children of the Caramelo neighborhood. The series will be directed by Duda Vaisman and Calvito Leal.
  • Gloria Wants to Know It All – As previously announced, the new animated children's series Gloria Wants to Know It All, is produce alongside Marc Anthony's Magnus Studios, Juan José Campanella's Mundoloco Animation Studios, and Lanugo Media Inc. Gloria Wants To Know It All is an animated series for pre-school children that tells the story of Gloria, an eight-year-old alpaca from the big city that goes to spend her vacation at her grandfather's house in Pueblo Lanugo. This tiny town is a vibrant example of Latin American culture's richness, where there is much to learn, and she wants to know everything. Gloria will feature music from Grammy-winning singer and international star Marc Anthony.
  • Deer Squad, Season 1 & 2 – As previously announced, this adventure show follows four lovable, enthusiastic, and heroic deer friends — Kai, Lola, Bobbi, and Rammy. Together, they protect the animals of Central Forest and the humans who inhabit Platinum City, a futuristic metropolis surrounding their woodland home. A collaboration between VIS KIDS, Nickelodeon International and market-leading online entertainment company iQIYI, Deer Squad will premiere in the US, January 25th on Nickelodeon.
"PROGRAMACION INFANTIL

- Marcelo, Marmelo, Martelo – En alianza con Coyote Producciones Cinematográfica, VIS se encuentra desarrollando esta serie infantil basada en la popular colección de libros de la escritora brasilera Ruth Rocha que sigue las aventuras entre el pasado y el presente de los niños del barrio Caramelo. La serie será dirigida por Duda Vaisman y Calvito Leal.

- Gloria – La nueva serie animada para niños Gloria Quiere Saberlo Todo es una producción en alianza con la compañía de Marc Anthony, Magnus Studios, Mundoloco Animation Studios de Juan José Campanella y Lanugo Media Inc. Dirigida para niños en edad preescolar, Gloria narra la historia de una alpaca de 8 años que sale de la gran ciudad para ir a pasar vacaciones a casa de su abuelo en Pueblo Lanugo, una pequeña ciudad que representa la riqueza cultural latinoamericana y donde hay mucho por aprender y su protagonista quiere saberlo todo. Gloria contará con la colaboración musical de la super estrella internacional Marc Anthony.

- Deer Squad Temporada 1 & 2 – Tal como fue anunciado previamente este programa infantil de aventura, sigue a un grupo de cuatro adorables, entusiastas, energéticos y heroicos ciervos - Kai Lola, Bobbi y Rammy, quienes juntos se encargan de proteger al resto de los animales del Bosque Central así como a los humanos que habitan en la ciudad Platino, una metrópoli futurista que rodea su hogar en el bosque. Deer Squad, una colaboración entre VIS KIDS, Nickelodeon Internacional y la compañía líder de contenido digital iQIYI, se estrenará el 25 de enero en Estados Unidos a través de Nickelodeon."

As part of VIS's evolution, the studio is launching a new and innovative brand look introduced at NATPE. The new identity reflects the strength of its global content identity. VIS also unveiled its first global brand campaign, consisting of short spots that feature top talent talking about their passion. Their passion for their audiences, for telling stories on screen and behind the camera, and giving tips on their expertise – producing, directing, or acting - and how they have mastered their craft.


More about ViacomCBS International Studios' upcoming slate can be found here.



ABOUT VIACOMCBS INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS

Introduced in 2018, ViacomCBS International Studios is a division of ViacomCBS Networks International that includes production of content for ViacomCBS brands and platforms, including Paramount+, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, Channel 5, Network 10, VIS, Telefe, Ananey and Porta Dos Fundos and for third parties, as well as sales and distribution of original productions, co-productions, formats sold for local adaptations and ready-made content. In 2020, VIS KIDS launched to further the expansion of the studio's global kids content pipeline. The content that ViacomCBS International Studios produces covers all genres, from pre-school to young adult and live action and animation, as well as soap operas, dramas, short and long-form comedy formats and feature film productions.

Update (27/1) - It's been revealed that in A Very Kally's Birthday, when Kally publishes a new song one day before her birthday, she ends up being recognized by a great designer from Colombia. She will need to travel to the country to sing in the fashion show, but of course it won't be that easy. Dante Barkin, played by Alex Hoyer, will not accept this news so well and will do everything to stay with the protagonist. Already during the trip, Kally faces incredible adventures and meets a new boy who is also a musician, Storm. A Very Kally's Birthday will serve as a "beautiful finale" to the hit Nickelodeon series.


Originally published: Thursday, January 21, 2021.

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Nina Hahn Sets Out ViacomCBS' Wishlist for Nickelodeon and VIS Kids

ViacomCBS International Studios Kids (VIS Kids) is looking for preschool, animation, live-action and TV movies for its Nickelodeon channels.


Nina Hahn, head of the new division, recently outlined her shopping list at the Children’s Media Conference’s (CMC) online Animation Business Conference virtual event in November.

ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS), meanwhile, wants programmes that “reflect the world authentically in which a kid lives,” particularly dramas, anthologies and young-adult content aimed at those over the age of 14.

For the Nickelodeon channels, show lengths should follow the typical seven-, 11- and 22-minute rule in order to fit with the commercial model and ad breaks.

For VIS, Paramount+ and Pluto TV, the company is “length-agnostic,” according to Hahn.

The exec, who serves as Senior Vice President (SVP) of Production & Development at Nickelodeon International and head of ViacomCBS International Studios' (VIS) VIS Kids added that she is happy to see ideas at any stage of development, but that earlier is better in order to fully “understand and bring to life the creator’s vision” and prevent the company from feeling “less like a partner and more like a translator.”

“Showing us anything earlier is great, even if it’s just on a scribbled piece of paper,” Hahn said.

From C21 Media:

VIS caters to new demand for fresh content

The pandemic has seen a spike in demand for Viacom International Studios content, according to senior VP Lauren Marriott, who outlines her playlist on C21’s Digital Screenings this week.

Viacom International Studios (VIS), a division of ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), was launched in 2018 as a studio serving third parties and the parent company’s own brands and channels.

Viacom International Studios Distribution acts as distributor for VIS, the studio’s production arm with bases in Latin America, Europe and the UK, as well as VIS Kids and Brazilian comedy indie and web streamer Porta Dos Fundos. It also distributes content from VCNI’s kids brand Nickelodeon, youth skewing net MTV, Comedy Central, BET, UK terrestrial broadcaster Channel 5 and Argentina’s Telefe.

Early last year, VCNI added an extra brand to its portfolio by acquiring Israeli pay TV channel provider and prodco Ananey Communications Group.

VIS’s presence in international markets has proved beneficial to the company during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Lauren Marriott, senior VP of sales and business operations. She explains that the business has experienced increased demand for non-English-language dramas from buyers needing to fill gaps in their schedules created by Covid-related production delays.

“One of the interesting things we’ve seen is a boom in interest in scripted content – not the traditional scripted content you’d expect from the US, but international and non-English-language dramas. This has been really great for us because that’s the space we’re in, with our extensive slate of content from Lat Am and Israel,” Marriott says.

“Maybe that’s happened because, number one, the streamers have made it more acceptable for English-speaking audiences to watch subtitles; and number two, there’s less supply coming from the US, so people have had to look elsewhere and into other markets to find new content.”

With that in mind, VIS is including five foreign-language titles in its playlist on C21’s Digital Screenings this week, starting with Spanish-language dramedy R.

Coming from Telefe, R tells the story of a middle-aged man who is diagnosed with a terminal illness that will end his life in a matter of months. Free from all pressures, he decides to throw his life overboard and ends up killing a powerful mobster, only to find out that his diagnosis was a mistake and the result of a spelling mistake in his name.

The second Spanish-language series is Porta dos Fundos’s comedy format Backdoor. Adapted from the Portuguese-language original in Brazil for the Spanish speakers of Mexico, Backdoor features short sketches that showcase different social situations in satirical, over-the-top and comical ways.

VIS’s playlist also includes three scripted teen series from Ananey, each of which are available as finished tape in Hebrew. The first show, The Hood, centres on the struggles of a low-income family living on a social housing estate in the middle of one of the richest districts in Israel.

Rising, meanwhile, is an adventure series set in 1946, two years before the State of Israel was founded. A seemingly innocent training farm secretly functions as a special forces training base and recruitment centre for exceptional teens, as well as a home base for illegal immigration missions and special ops against the British mandate.

The third scripted teen series from Ananey is Greenhouse Academy, which follows two siblings who enrol at a private boarding school for gifted future leaders following the death of their astronaut mother in a rocket explosion. An English-language version has been commissioned by Netflix for four seasons.

Also from Ananey, but within the unscripted space, is competition format My Trip is Better, in which five strangers who love to travel, but otherwise have little in common, will meet for the first time in a foreign city to spend five days sightseeing. They each take turns to act as tour guide for the day, having full control of the itinerary and everyone’s entertainment – or frustration.

This unscripted format caters to another trend in demand that Marriott has seen during the pandemic, for escapist and humorous content “that makes people laugh and makes people feel like they can escape or feel like they are in a far-flung place.”

“There has definitely been an uptick in people looking for more escapist content, and a lot of our catalogue lends itself well to escapism. Our reality formats have done really, really well this year in terms of local adaptations; we’ve had several different shows adapted in Germany among others,” the exec continues.

“The other thing we’ve noticed is more demand for comedy. One of the titles we launched this year on Comedy Central UK was gameshow Guessable, which is hosted by comedian Sara Pascoe and was produced under Covid safety guidelines. That has had a couple of option deals as a format already.”

Guessable, which also features on VIS’s playlist, is a play-along comedy gameshow featuring two teams of comedians and celebrities battling it out to guess what is inside a mystery box. Each round is a twist on a classic family guessing game and the answers from each round are clues as to what is hidden in the box.

Elsewhere in unscripted, VIS is featuring one factual and one factual entertainment programme in its playlist. The fact ent series, The Story of Songs, was produced for Channel 5 in the UK and Reelz in the US and explores the stories behind music legends and their most iconic songs. Each episode focuses on a different artist, from Aretha Franklin to Metallica. According to Marriott, the series has been sold into 11 major territories and is one of VIS’s most successful factual shows of all time.

The factual show, meanwhile, is Channel 5’s one-off doc Diana: In Her Own Words, which features rarely seen footage and testimonies from those who knew the late Princess of Wales best. In line with the demand for escapist content, Marriott says VIS has also seen “huge demand” for documentaries on the British royal family.

Completing VIS’s playlist are three children- and family-oriented shows. With channels like Nickelodeon and Nick Jr in its portfolio, VCNI has a big presence in the kids’ space, allowing VIS Distribution to benefit from strong demand for children’s programming during the pandemic.

The first of the three kids’ shows featured in the VIS playlist is Nick Jr’s preschool animation Santiago of the Seas, a fantastical pirate adventure with exciting and altruistic missions rooted in Caribbean culture.

Introducing children to the Spanish language, the series also caters to the demand for educational content while kids are home from school. The debut of Nickelodeon’s animated series Santiago of the Seas garnered the biggest L+3 lift the network has ever had for a preschool launch in the US, according to Marriott, who hopes it will become the new Dora the Explorer.

Santiago of the Seas is joined by Nickelodeon’s live-action series Noobees. Filmed in Colombia, Noobees follows a young girl who creates her own eSports team to compete to win the Professional League of Video Games and help her brother’s dream come true.

The final series is Nickelodeon’s kids’ and family competition format America’s Most Musical Family, which sees 30 families compete by taking to the stage and performing for a panel of judges.

According to Marriott, most of the series on the studio’s playlist would be suitable for both linear networks and VoD platforms, although she thinks Ananey’s teen series The Hood and Rising would particularly suit a streaming model due to their “bingeable” nature.

“Our catalogue spans so many genres – kids, drama, entertainment, factual, comedy, young adult – and we’ve tried to pick something from each of those genres. We’ve also included some content from our different-language studios, so our playlist has a really broad selection across all those different genres,” she says.

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Originally published: Tuesday, December 29, 2020.

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Level Up Your Luck and Unlock a OXpicious Lunar New Year with Nickelodeon South East Asia

This February, level up your luck and unlock a OXpicious Lunar New Year with Nickelodeon South East Asia!


Level 1 - Take care of good fortune with the Deer Squad!

Level 2 - Enjoy prosperity when you visit the Louds and the Casagrandes!

Level 3 - Uncover happiness as you seek your way into SpongeBob's pineapple under the sea!

Level up your way to an OXpicious Lunar New Year, weekdays at 4:00pm in Malaysia and Philippines and at 3:00pm in Indonesia, only on Nick!

In the Chinese zodiac, the Ox is known for its diligence, persistence, willpower and indomitable fighting spirit, and the fact that the element for this year is metal, which denotes duration, resistance and loyalty.


More Nick: ‘Deer Squad’ Joins Nickelodeon and Highlights Consumer Products Line!

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Play & Learn Along with Nickelodeon's Dora and Diego as 'Dora & Diego - Let's Explore!' Exhibit Visits the Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Get ready to explore with Dora and Diego in Dora and Diego — Let’s Explore!


Indianapolis, IN - Beloved characters Dora and Diego from Nickelodeon’s hit preschool series Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!, along with their friends Boots, Map, Backpack, Isa, Tico, and of course Swiper, will be featuring in their own interactive exhibit at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis this Spring for your family to explore, learn, and play along!

Nickelodeon’s Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore! takes you on an active adventure in the enchanting world of Dora the Explorer, her animal-rescuing cousin Diego, and their friends.

Presented in both English and Spanish (en español), you can explore these areas as you learn and play along:

Rocket Ship
Pilot the ship and help Dora and Boots take their friends home to the Purple Planet.

Pirate Piggies’ Ship
Sail the high seas with the Pirate Piggies’ ship and divvy up the treasure!

Animal Rescue Center
Help care for endangered baby animals.

Tico’s Nutty Forest
Help Tico gather nuts to fuel his car before Swiper swipes them. 

Isa’s Garden
Help Isa tend her garden by sorting her flowers by shape.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.childrensmuseum.org/visit/calendar/view/882.

¡Vámanos! Everybody, let’s go!

Produced by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis in cooperation with Nickelodeon, the Dora and Diego — Let's Explore! has been touring family-friendly museums across the U.S., and is now heading home.

Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore! will be back at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis between Friday, February 25 – Sunday, July 25, 2021. Entry to the exhibit is free with museum admission.

Please note that when planning your visit, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis has limited their daily ticket reservations to less than 25% of maximum building capacity to allow for social distancing for you and your family throughout the museum. Advance reservations encouraged. The museum has made many exhibit changes to help keep you safe. Face masks are required for all visitors ages 2 and older—unless you have a medical exception. Super heroes wear masks all the time. Rex wears one, too! Click here for tips to help plan your day.

Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore! is presented by Riley Children’s at Indiana University Health and supported by Aquafina and Priority Press.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis has also partnered with Nickelodeon to produce exhibits such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Secrets of the Sewer and PAW Patrol: Adventure Play.

For more Nickelodeon Experiences where you live, visit https://www.experiencesbynick.com.




Originally published: Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Krang Pop Figure Exclusive Launches at Funko Fair 2021

Funko today (Jan. 26) unveiled their brand new Turtley Awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Krang Pop Exclusive as part of the sixth day of Funko Fair 2021, featuring upcoming TV themed Funko figures!


Super-sized at 6-inches, this TMNT Krang Pop figure features the supervillain Krang in his robot body as he appeared in the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series from the'80s and '90s.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Krang Pop figure is slated for a March 2021 release, and is currently available to pre-order at Entertainment Earth for $22.99 while it lasts. A sell out is inevitable on this one, so reserve one while you can. As noted, the Krang Pop is part of the Funko Fair 2021 lineup. You can keep tabs on all of the new releases via ComicBook's Funko Fair master list.


Speaking of Krang, Playmates Toys recently launched two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles box sets that are loaded with reissues of '80s Playmates TMNT figures with oversized roto (hollow) heads. The Villains and Sewer Lair box sets include six figures each, and come packed in a themed carrying case. Naturally, Krang is included in the Villains set. A breakdown of the two box sets can be found below.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Retro Villains Mutant Module Rotocast 6-Pack - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth for $99.99 (free shipping): Figures include Bebop, Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman, Slash, Krang, and a Foot Soldier. The packaging is inspired by the classic Mutant Module vehicle. Arrives in June 2021.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sewer Lair Rotocast Action Figure 6-Pack - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth for $89.99 (free shipping): Figures include Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Shredder, and Splinter. The packaging is inspired by the Ninja Turtles' Sewer Lair. Arrives in June 2021.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Readies Next Chapter of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with All-New CG-Animated Theatrical Release Produced By Point Grey Pictures!

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