Kids
‘3rd and Bird’ prepares for take off in Spain
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has entered into new deals in Spain for children’s animation series 3rd and Bird.
Playhouse Disney and Televisio de Catalunya have both secured broadcasting rights for all episodes and the 20-minute special and will broadcast in Spain from the first quarter of next year.
In a further deal, BBC Worldwide also confirmed the sale of 3rd and Bird! to PTS Channel, Taiwan’s major free-to-air channel. All episodes of the programme have been purchased and will broadcast in Mandarin from early 2010.
3rd and Bird! has enjoyed ratings success in the UK where it has aired on CBeebies since Summer 2008. The programme, aimed at pre-school girls and boys was created by Josh Selig and produced by his company, Little Airplane Productions.
3rd and Bird! is animated in an original style created by Little Airplane called photo-puppetry animation. The stories of 3rd and Bird! focus on a community of birds that fly and whistle in their feathery wonderland.
BBC Worldwide holds global distribution rights for 3rd and Bird! including programme distribution, DVD and merchandising.
GTV sales of the programme will be followed by licensing campaigns in territories across the world. Fisher-Price holds a multi-year global master toy license for 3rd and Bird! and is set to launch their first product to market in the UK for Spring 2010.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
