Cartoon Network & MDA announce SNAPTOONS in Singapore







 

 

     





By AMRITA VALECHA

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30 June, 2011 - 12:13




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Cartoon Network today announced a joint agreement with Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) to launch SNAPTOONS (Short New Asia Pacific Cartoons), an initiative that calls for creative pitches for original series from professional and budding animators.


The SNAPTOONS project aims to connect Cartoon Network with new creative talent from Singapore, with the end plan of investing in and developing fresh animated ideas appealing to kids, reflecting the Cartoon Network brand’s promise of fun, funny, surprising and fearless.


“It is important to us at Cartoon Network to find and nurture home-grown talent from around the Asia Pacific region,” said Silas Hickey, Creative Director of Animation, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc.  “Singapore has long been known as a hub for creativity, particularly within the arts, and with the support of MDA we hope to showcase this talent on an international platform while animating kids’ lives with the best in homegrown entertainment.”


Talking to AnimationXpress Asia Pacific about the collaboration with MDA, Silas continues, "We’re thrilled to have MDA on board lending support for SNAPTOONS Singapore. This strategic collaboration provides a platform for promising new talents to showcase original inspiring ideas on a regional and international platform. We’re all really looking forward to receiving interesting pitches and developing some of the best ideas to showcase Singapore talent to an international audience.


SNAPTOONS invites animation industry professionals, individual animators and animation studios from Singapore to send in their pitches, with the potential to see their ideas eventually come to life alongside the Channel’s line-up of iconic characters such as Ben 10, Chowder, The Powerpuff Girls, Generator Rex and Johnny Bravo.  Up to ten pitches will be shortlisted, based on their development potential, with up to five eventually created into broadcast quality shorts.


Mr Yeo Chun Cheng, Director of Broadcast, Animation, Film and Music, MDA said: “We are pleased to partner with Cartoon Network on SNAPTOONS. Our collaboration provides opportunities for Singapore content creators especially budding animators to create original and creative content for the international market. We look forward to receiving many interesting pitches and have some of the best ideas developed into shorts or even a full series.”


This is Singapore’s second collaboration with Cartoon Network. In March this year, Cartoon Network and Singapore’s home-grown animation studio, Scrawl Studios announced a multi-year agreement to develop, produce and distribute high quality content on the channel across the Asia Pacific Region.


About the genre that Cartoon Network is looking for, Silas asserted "Comedies of course! We are looking for great original ideas that are totally awesome and incredibly hysterical which reflect the Cartoon Network brand: fun, funny and fearless. Cartoon Network is all about laugh-out-loud comedies that truly animate kids’ lives and this is what we will be looking for. Both MDA and Turner will contribute to Snaptoons Singapore, ensuring the shortlisted projects receive adequate creative, technical and financial support from both parties


Cartoon Network’s latest partnership with Singapore marks Cartoon Network’s ongoing commitment to nurture creative talent across Asia Pacific and has previously launched SNAPTOONS in India, Malaysia and Australia. As a result, Cartoon Network has produced or is in production on a variety of projects including Kul Veera (India), Johnny Bravo Goes To Bollywood (India), Hi-So Hillbilly (Thailand) and Exchange Student Zero (Australia).


Entry for SNAPTOONS Singapore is open to all inventive and visionary industry professionals. Concepts should appeal to kids, be inspiring, smart and surprising but, above all, they should be funny.


Hickey concluded, "The deadline for submission is 30 September 2011 and MDA will conduct a first round of selection. Thereafter, Cartoon Network will conduct a second round for short listing. The whole process could typically take up to three months, depending on the volume of submissions. Turner’s Executive Producer, Yoshiya Ayugai and I will be part of the team to select the final submissions and we’ll see them through to production as well."




For more information on the program, interested parties can visit the SNAPTOONS site at www.snaptoons.org.  .