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The content will involve four 26-episode 3D series. Alternately,
it can be three 26-episode series and a movie.
'We aim to, in a year have the largest order book for an animation
company in India and our deal with BKN is one step further in that
direction' says UTV CEO Ronnie Screwvala. "Animation last year
represented less than 1 per cent of our revenues and we see that
growing to 5 per cent in the future and all of this will be global
business".
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, UTV director operations and finance
Ronald D'Mello says, "The first two 26-episode series will
be executed in the next 18 months and a small part of this deal's
revenue will be reflected in this fiscal itself. Production is scheduled
to start in January-February 2006. "
The first two 26-episode 3D series will be for Kong The Next
Generation and another which is yet to be titled series. BKN
has also recently signed a number of licensing deals with partners
in the US for other Kong Properties.
UTV Toonz will be ramping up its man force for this contract, adding
up to 100 people under the variable model, says D'Mello. "We
have a long term arranagement with BKN. We expect to get more outsourcing
contracts from them."
That apart, under this USD 10 million agreement, UTV Toonz has
also bagged distribution, licensing and merchandising rights to
some of BKN's high demand animation series like:
- Legend of the Dragon, a successful title based around
the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac;
- Roswell Conspiracies, which got revenues of over 11 million
for BKN in its first few months;
- Starla & the Jewel Riders;
- Skipper & Skeeto,
- Ali Baba Forty Thieves.
Some of these will feature on Hungama TV, the company announced.
BKN is an international producer, distributor and marketer of animated
children's programmes and exploits the ancillary rights through
licensing and merchandising. The company has a catalogue of some
22 titles covering 862 episodes.
"With this deal, we expect the revenues from our animation
division to be around $3 million this fiscal," says D' Mello.
Says BKN International CEO Allen J. Bohbot, "BKN has made
King Kong a major centerpiece of our company's expansive
original animation slate and we look forward to embarking on the
production of Kong - the Next Generation Series and Kong
II - Return to the Jungle feature film with UTV, one of India's
- and the industry's largest and most prolific 3D studios".
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