Hugues Dufour
Production Executive, Corus Entertainment
What I’ll be looking for at the fall markets: Adult animation driven by a personal creative vision geared at the domestic and international markets.
Favorite thing I watched in 2022: Top Gun, the reboot. As much as I wanted to dislike it, I got caught up in the emotion, sincerity, and surprising twists of the story.
Best way to approach me with your pitches: Start with the concept, get into the characters, and then tell me why this project matters to you. Best pitch I ever got: Red Ketchup, the animation series. Martin Villeneuve, the creative lead on this, was so committed and passionate that I could not turn away.
The movie that changed my life: That’s a hard question. I’d have to say Blue Velvet, because it scared me so much I was convinced David Lynch was some sort of magical wizard.
Best advice for animation creators: Connect the content with what matters to you and then find the right niche for you.
Most annoying catch phrase or trend of the year: “This is a game changer.” Or was that last year?
Guilty pleasure: Listening to Air Supply songs and watching reruns of Gilligan’s Island.
What I’ll be looking for in the fall markets: Comedy animation for 6-12s that will appeal to boys and girls, with strong relatable characters and scope for longevity. Ideas should be smart in humor and concept and complement our existing portfolio.
The best thing I watched in 2022: Outside of kids animation, it’s the Channel 4 series Big Boys, a heartfelt comedy about the strong friendship between two university friends. In our Paramount world, there has been so many terrific animation produced across film and series — but I have to single out Sharkdog, which I’ve absolutely fallen in love with both as a producer and viewer. It’s such a pleasure working with everyone on the production of the show and hearing how much the audience loves it. They watch it again and again! Best way to approach me with your pitches: You can pitch at any time, but we are at all key markets. Please talk to us at an early stage — for us in our team, that is before you have any scripts or bible, as we really love to collaborate on the development.
Best pitch I ever got: Well, that would be telling! But I’ve been fortunate to be part of some terrific pitches that have become hugely successful series. Each one of those pitches was delivered with passion and integrity, and the concept fit the brand values.
The animated show that changed my life: As a child, I loved so many classic British stop-frame series. In fact, I watched so many cartoons after school, before school, during the weekend. It’s hard to single one out, but if I had to choose one it would be Postman Pat, because not only is he a relatable character set in a friendly northern town, but as a grown up I got to work on the new series!
Best advice for animated content creators: Believe in yourself, believe in your project and make sure to partner with the right people for the right reasons.
Most annoying catchphrase of the year: Thank you so much.
Guilty pleasure: Classic Doctor Who!
What I’ll be looking for in the fall markets: A creator-led, funny preschool project untethered to trends, with an authentic voice and a deep sensibility. The best thing I watched this year: Rosie’s Rules, coming to PBS KIDS in October. Honest. I can say it without seeming to be patting myself on the back because I barely had anything to do with it.
Best way to approach me with pitches: Show me that you know what PBS KIDS is all about. Tell me your favorite current series or game on our platforms and why. That way I know that the pitch you have for us was tailored to our mission and audience. Perhaps it won’t be the right fit this particular time but I can promise you that the conversation will be engaging, and we’ll both leave it interested in the next one.
Best pitch I ever got: A video pitch (for a different network and before video pitches were ubiquitous) where the creator used LEGOs to talk about this ‘Circus Planet,’ almost exactly like a seven-year-old would. We didn’t go for that particular project, but the next time I was looking for something in particular, I went immediately to that creator and asked for their take.
The animated show/movie that changed my life: Mad Monster Party, The
Simpsons, The Wrong Trousers, Samurai Jack.
Best advice for content creators: Take a deep breath, look around you, think about what will really make a difference. You’ll know it. And don’t take it (or me) too seriously.
Most annoying catch phrase or trend of the year: “Metaverse for preschoolers” as the next big thing. Scary!
Guilty pleasure: Not animation, nor puppets, but good old-fashioned kaiju content… During the last couple of years, we’ve rewatched all the early Ultraman series (from Tsuburaya Productions) on Blu-ray. And for more recent, snackable and adorable animation, Mr. Carton (from Tant Mieux).
• Pitching comes close to being an art, so it is no wonder that not everybody is good at that. If you recognize that you’re not the best pitcher, then find someone who is more capable to handle that very special and sensitive job for you! That’s a smart and helpful way to bring your concept-baby to life!
• Before you pitch, do research to ensure your idea or concept really is innovative and does not exist already anywhere in the world market! This way you avoid wasting your money and your time as well as the time of the partner you want to pitch to. • Also, avoid reading your pitch from paper. That’s another killer.
• Prove that you know your project inside out by being able to deliver the concept’s USPs in a smart way, name the reasons why it fits your targeted partner and age group.
• Do your homework beforehand! You need to show that you know the partner and the platform you are pitching to. (In our case, know the world of KiKA, its programming and philosophy.)
• Finally, be prepared to convince your prospective partners with three individual arguments why you feel your project could be a great fit! ◆