Animonsta, KL developing 3D series 'BoBoiBoy'

Kuala Lumpur based Animonsta, a newly established animation studio is currently working on 3D animated show BoBoiBoy (26 episode X 11mins). Animonsta has been established by Ex-founders of Les Copaque (which produced the hit series Upin & Ipin) Mohd Safwan Mohd Nizam, Muhammad Anas and Kee Yong Pin with the vision of producing universal animation content with local touch. Currently the studio is based in Cyberjaya Malaysia under the MSC MAC 3 facilities provided by the Multimedia Development Coporation (MDeC).

With the team of six artists, the pre production of BoBoiBoy started last September. Currently the studio is working with the 3D characters and backgrounds. The first pilot episode would be ready by the end of the year.

BoBoiBoy targeted at children and teenagers (7-15 years old) is about an adventure of BoBoiBoy and his friends who gains super powers to fight against aliens who invaded earth for coffee. BoBoiBoy has unique super powers and can shoot lightning, control earth and manipulate wind. Ultimately he can split into three characters, on with each power.

Talking to Animation Xpress Asia Pacific, about the idea of the series, Mohd Sawfan, Founder, Animonsta shared, "We first started of to make an animated series about superheroes in our Malaysian community (something like the series 'Heroes'). However after a long long discussion we thought it can be more fun and can be developed further if the heroes concept started of as supeheroes among children."

Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, Head of MSC MAC 3 shared, "We've tracked the team from Animonsta since their days from Multimedia University. They're a great bunch of artists and businessmen! The valuable experience they gathered while being part of the Les Copaque team will indeed help them in their way forward. The MAC3 is a catalyst and a support structure to small creative content businesses that want to look at creating good quality world-class products. Our hard and soft infrastructure support by way of very low rental, hardware and software plus mentorship from industry will help nurture the next top talents and companies."

Nizam added, "MAC3 is a very relevant initiatives from our government through MDeC to develop more creative companies such as ours.The open-space office concept allows all the incubator companies to interact and help each other in developing many animation projects. We as one of the incubatees are very grateful to be given the space here and it has helped us save many start-up costs so we can focus more on developing our product and business. MDeC helped us in providing office space with very cheap rentals plus original off-the shelf software and branded workstations. They also facilitate us in funding for commercialization for our product."

The studio has plans to release merchandises
simultaneously with the broadcast of BoBoiBoy
series.

"Our plan is to appoint at least 5-10 licensees to start producing merchandises for BoBoiBoy latest by March 2010. We already have our candidates lined up for merchandises consist of the following categories like Apparels, Footwear, Msagazines, Activity books, Mobile content ,Stationery, Soft Toys We are also working on some other categories like tableware, food, toys, etc. Therefore, we believe merchandises of BoBoiBoy is going to flood the market by the time when the animated series being aired on TV stations. In term of international market, we are opened up to any interested offers at the moment. Soon after we granted broadcasting right to international TV Station, we will appoint licensees accordingly." Nizam and Safwan shared.

About the distribution, Nizam concluded, "We are currently in talks with Music Valley Sdn. Bhd., one of the biggest Home Video distributor in Malaysia, and we are currently at the stage of finalizing the deal with them. It is a distribution company that owns more than 70 branches in most of the hypermarket nationwide, and has the ability to distribute to more than 200 video stores across Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore."