MUMBAI: Turner Entertainment Networks has entered into deals with three Indian production houses - Miditech, Graphiti Multimedia and Famous Studios - to mark its foray into locally produced CG animated feature films and television series.

A Turner Entertainment Networks spokesperson from Hong Kong confirmed to Indiantelevision.com that the three Indian production houses "have been contracted for TV animated series as part of our Snaptoons initiative." Turner was also "exploring the possibility of feature films." She, however, said there was "no contract yet for the movies."

Indiantelevision.com has learnt from the size of the projects that Miditech and Graphiti Multimedia would in all possibility be churning out animated movies designed for the Indian market in Hindi and English.

The characters in the movies would be strengthened through episodic television shows, sources close to the developments say.

Sources also confirm that Famous Studios has been roped in for producing half hour episodes of an animated television series.

Senior executives of the three production companies were not willing to comment on this issue.

Graphiti Multimedia is in the pre-production phase of scripting and developing concepts for Turner, sources say.

The project commissioned to Miditech will give birth to a futuristic superhero against a distinctly Indian backdrop. Nearing the end of the pre-production stage, Miditech is already five months into developing the concept.