Cecile Cau: “Comedy remains a huge focus for a lot of broadcasters”

One of the global leaders in the children’s entertainment industry, Banijay Kids & Family is the dedicated production, distribution, and sales division for children’s programming at Banijay. With a diverse catalogue of content, Banijay Kids & Family’s strategy is to partner with leading broadcasters and platforms globally and produce a wide range of animation and live action series, digital content, and entertainment formats for kids and families worldwide.

Regarding particular properties, one of the company’s main focuses right now is its latest CGI action-comedy, “Shasha & Milo,” co-produced by Zodiak Kids & Family France (a Banijay Kids & Family company) and South Korean studio Pingo Entertainment, which will launch in Korea with public broadcaster EBS. Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America and Tencent (China) have also been confirmed to broadcast the upcoming series.

“Shasha & Milo” centres around 12-year-old protagonists, Shasha and Milo, who are given a secret new role as the Crescent Island Guardians. Gifted with the power to transform between human, cat, and a formidable hybrid form, they must protect the island from villainous forces, whilst navigating the daily complexities of pre-teen life.

“The main show that we are pushing, that we actually launched during the last Annecy, is ‘Shasha & Milo,’ which is a great new CGI action-comedy show. We already have secured international pre-sales for this title too,”  commented Cecile Cau, Senior VP of Sales, Coproductions and Acquisitions at Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution, in conversation with Señal News.

Also during Annecy, the company launched the distribution across Europe – except Italy, Spain and Portugal – of its new preschool show “The Game Catchers,” while also keeping its focus on “Topo Gigio,” the iconic children’s brand. “We are pushing ‘Topo Gigio’ in Europe. In fact, we have a few conversations on going in key markets,”  Cau announced.

Furthermore, targeting a different audience but conserving the company’s DNA, another highlight of the Banijay Kids & Family’s catalogue is “Corpse Talk,” described as a lethally entertaining, comedy-led chat show hosted by history-loving Adam (voiced by popular British actor and YouTuber Joe Sugg). In each episode, Adam digs up the dirt on some of the most famous, infamous and incredible figures in history, such as Mozart, Cleopatra, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marie Curie, and more, unearthing the unknown and surprising stories from these amazing characters. The show is created by Tiger Aspect Kids & Family.

According to Cau, regarding market trends, in Europe, there is a clear need for comedy shows. “I think comedy remains a huge focus for a lot of broadcasters. Plus, quite a few broadcasters have mentioned they are looking for shows for a slightly younger audience, like six to eight years old. I think this is the sweet spot for many broadcasters at the moment, which is exactly the target of ‘Shasha & Milo’ and ‘Topo Gigio,’” she said.

In the executive’s words, broadcasters are now currently focusing on 6-8 years-old children because it is a target that offers them a clearer picture of where they are and how to reach them. “In this target, the broadcasters still know where the kids are. I think after that age of eight, it becomes a bit trickier for the broadcasters to reach them because they go to social networks and some other windows, which is a little more challenging for traditional linear broadcasters and even VOD platforms”  Cau explained.

By Diego Alfagemez and Federico Marzullo