EYE PRESENT, GIGGLEBUG, AND NELVANA TO PARTNER FOR "BEST & BESTER" NEW SERIES

London-based Eye Present, Helsinki-based Gigglebug Entertainment and Toronto-based Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor and licensor of children’s animated and live action content, have announced that they are partnering on Nickelodeon International bound "Best & Bester", the new animated comedy series created by Joonas Utti and Anttu Harlin.  The three-way co-production was pre-bought by Nickelodeon International early last year.

The deal also sees Nelvana handling international distribution rights to the series, excluding the UK and the Nordics which are retained by Eye Present and Gigglebug Entertainment respectively. The latter have already secured a raft of national public broadcasters in the Nordics: YLE, DR and NRK were all early adopters of the project. The series will also air on a Corus Entertainment kids’ network in Canada, to be confirmed at a later date.

Surprising, smart and spirited, the 52 x 11-minute series for kids aged 7-11 takes the idea of choices and comparisons to ridiculous heights. "Best and Bester" are siblings and best friends obsessed with comparing the best things of all time while enjoying the power to transform themselves into anything they want, once a day.

Currently in production and set for delivery in Spring 2022, "Best & Bester" is the latest Gigglebug Entertainment show designed to spread joy to its audience and inject Nordic positivity and creativity to kids around the world. Nelvana will direct and produce the animation, music and post-production, with its creative editorial input headed up by Athena Georgakalis, Head of Development at Nelvana. Scripting, storyboards, animatics and voice recording will take place at Eye Present in the UK, with art direction, design, rigging, layout, and backgrounds at Gigglebug Entertainment in Finland.

“The  world of ‘Best & Bester’, where anyone can be anything, gives our animators and composers endless opportunities and the creative freedom to let our imaginations soar,” said Athena Georgakalis, Head of Development, Nelvana. “This series is a welcome addition to our production slate and we know audiences around the world will resonate with this ragtag group of friends as their hilarious hijinks lead them to learn about self-discovery, empathy, and embracing each other’s differences.”

“It has been my pleasure to secure this deal which puts us in full production with delivery completing in Autumn 2022.  Eye Present is now seeking other broadcast partners for the UK in addition to Nickelodeon International to maximise the brand potential here.” said Genevieve Dexter, CEO of Eye Present.

“We have the power to make the world a more joyful place place thorough storytelling, so we could not be more proud than to have ‘Best & Bester’ headed for such a prestigious platforms and signed to leading global distribution partners. It’s yet another exciting development for us on our mission to spread laughter, fulfilling our ambitions as creators and producers. Now, as we expand into a brand-new studio, we are setting even bigger and bolder goals!” said Anttu Harlin, Executive Producer and Co-founder of Gigglebug Entertainment.