Irish cartoon to go global as show is picked up by Nick Jr
Will be rolled out worldwide in 2019
AN Irish animation company has been put on the world stage thanks to a pick-up by global children’s TV powerhouse Nick Jr.
Becca’s Bunch, which centres on the adventures of the eponymous animated bird, will be aired in the US later this year followed by an eventual worldwide release during 2019.
Produced in both Ireland and the UK by JAM Media, the programme features handmade puppets with added visual effects giving its characters high-definition impact.
Dublin-based JAM Media’s CEO John Rice expressed his excitement about the partnership, which will bring Becca and her lit- tle friends to the world stage for the first time. ‘Nickelodeon is the perfect partner for Becca’s Bunch and it’s exciting that they have made such a commitment to the show, rolling it out worldwide,’ he said. The show’s scripts were penned in Dublin and post-production took place in Belfast, whilst songs for the series were written by Irish electronic-rock band Jape, also based in the capital.
Over 4,000 handmade props, set pieces and characters create the idyllic pre-school landscape for the show. It centres on one little bird, Becca, and her bunch of friends, who are ever-ready for some excitement.
Becca, a happy bobble-hat wearing bird, sees adventure in every situation and, as a result, often bites off more than she can chew, landing herself and her bunch – Russell, Sylvia and Pedro – in some sticky situations. But it is in the midst of these ‘oops’ moments that Becca’s ideas, heart, positive thinking and leadership skills really shine. Thinking on her feet, Becca will urge a generation of kids to never give up, aim high and have big ideas.
In the series premiere, Legendary Gill, Becca and the bunch set out to prove that the episode’s title character – the big fish in Wagtail lake – is real.
Nick Jr. is a digital channel run by the Nickelodeon Group, which broadcasts in over a dozen countries, with a cable audience of over 13million children. Enterprise Minister Heather Humphreys recently led a trade mission of Irish animation companies to Hollywood with the aim of connecting the industry to some of the largest names in global entertainment.