Serious Kids gets more global sales for "The Sound Collector"

Serious Kids has made a solid start to international sales for "The Sound Collector" from Eagle Vs Bat since signing the worldwide distribution rights. The series, co-produced with Italian company Enanimation and narrated by Keira Knightley, was launched launched on ITV and RAI last year when the ratings are amazing to the commissioning editors.

In addition to ITVBe and ITVX and RAI’s Yoyo, "The Sound Collector" has now travelled to 12 more platforms in just 3 months since delivery: Knowledge Network (Canada), CBeebies (Africa and Poland), Kidstream (USA), BeiN (MENA), Czech TV, HRT (Croatia), ERR/ETV (Estonia) HTV (Croatia), LTV (Latvia), Channel 1 (Slovakia) and RTVS (Slovenia) with others underway.

Darren Nartey at ITV says “We’re really proud that 'The Sound Collector' forms part of ITVX Kids’ offering, it’s a special show that captures the magic of discovery and curiosity in a unique way. Upon its release in 2023, the show was the 3rd best-performing pre-school series and in the top ten kids programmes for all ages on ITVX, beating some much bigger franchises”.

The series has been nominated/won 27 awards and has just been announced as a finalist in the Prix Jeunesse taking place in May 2024 and has also just been nominated for 2 British Animation Awards, for Best Children’s Series and Best Use of Sound. "The Sound Collector" was Winner of the 1st Prize for Animated Television at the Chicago Intl Children’s Film Festival, nominated as Best Series at Annecy & The Pulcinella Awards, and won an Industry Excellence Award for Best Character Design at the Manchester Animation Festival.

RAI Kids says: ”The series, launched on November 23 in Italy, has had an excellent result in terms of ratings and is particularly appreciated for the high quality of the project, both in terms of production and content, and with an original narrative that delicately conveys the theme of disability and inclusion, in the full spirit of Public Service broadcasting.”

"The Sound Collector" is a 60 x 5 minute live action and stop frame animation series aimed at 4-7 year olds and family, from UK producer Eagle Vs Bat for ITV, in co-production with Enanimation for RAI, made with the support of the Young Audiences Content Fund which is financed by the UK Government and managed through the BFI, and with the support of Italian Selective Funds financed by the Italian Government.

Narrated by Keira Knightley, directed by Chris Tichborne and co-directed by Lisa Arioli, with episodic direction from Barry Purves and Andy Burns. Sixty short stories about sound, as heard through the ears of a small but very active little being called the Sound Collector, who has a passion for sound despite the fact that he is very hard of hearing. "The Sound Collector" is all about finding, recording and creating sounds that people may take for granted, and perhaps have never experienced before.

Keira Knightley says “As a viewer and a parent, 'The Sound Collector' is a welcome relief for me. It’s a real hit with my own family –something 3 generations can sit down and enjoy together. I love the space it allows – every time we watch an episode, we feel soothed”.

Created and Produced by Erica and Tom Angell of Eagle Vs Bat, co-produced by Federica Maggio of Enanimation, models and animation by Mackinnon & Saunders ("The House"), the series is written by Dave Ingham ("Lucas the Spider"). The show’s ambassador and advisor is the world-famous deaf percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie.

Evelyn say: "Whenever I watch 'The Sound Collector', I feel the world really is an orchestra where we can be the composers and the performers. There is no end to the bridges that can created when we observe even the minutest detail. It is wonderful to be able to enter his gentle and fascinating world that ignites so many emotions. We can all learn so much from him (and, of course, Mole too)!"