Acquires distribution rights to new Irish animation series that aims to teach young kids about online safety and empathy
Toronto, ON – January 28, 2021 – WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, has acquired worldwide distribution to Alva’s World (52×11’), outside the UK, Ireland and Finland. Produced by award-winning Irish animation studio Kavaleer Productions, Alva’s World is a fun, irreverent and forward-thinking 2D animated show for kids from upper pre-school to early elementary, which aims to create a new canon of fables for the digital age, placing internet safety at the heart of its inventive and whimsical storytelling.
At a time when many kids are online more than ever before, Alva’s World explores themes that have been developed in conjunction with CyberSafeIreland and Crandall Consulting in the format of magical tales to teach kids about appropriate behaviour online, including interaction, as well as preparing them for common childhood problems they may encounter through social media. Recent research by CyberSafeIreland shows that even by age eight, almost 50% of kids have some form of internet accessible device and 45% are already using some form of social media.
Alva’s World is commissioned by RTÉjr (Ireland) and Sky Kids (UK) and produced in association with Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and B.C.P Asset Management with development funding from Creative Europe / MEDIA. The series is set in Gizmo, an allegorical world of the internet with all its wonders and dangers and features the eponymous 8-year-old heroine pitted against the plots of the Trolls – three duplicitous dunderheads.
Caroline Tyre, VP Global Sales & Rights Strategy at WildBrain, said: “Alva’s World is an important and timely series that conjures up fun and fantastical adventures, with the subtext of helping kids to navigate the online world. It’s also packed full of captivating characters that inspire kids to prioritize kindness, fairness and creativity in all their interactions – both online and off. We’re delighted to be partnering with Kavaleer to bring this innovative new series to the global market.”
Andrew Kavanaugh, show creator and CEO of Kavaleer, said: “Alva’s World is the first television series focused on providing digital water-wings for children. The series tackles a number of key areas, from cyber-bullying and online gaming to identity theft and current issues around COVID tracking and home learning. The characters and storylines have been developed to equip kids with the online wellbeing tools they need via safe, non-threatening entertainment. We feel it’s an important show and embodies the Kavaleer ethos of supporting young hearts and minds to thrive.”
When Alva isn’t hanging out with her digitally connected family in real life, she loves to visit the magical land of Gizmo, which is full of incredible creatures and places, and where anything is possible. You can sled up mountains, fly an umbrella up into the clouds, invent your own toy-growing trees and talk with friendly, furry beasts as big as houses! Most of all, though, Alva loves visiting her friends the Oolies, the cute, elven race who live in Gizmo. Together, Alva and the Oolies have oodles of fun, but also solve problems and overcome obstacles – every trip to Gizmo is a new adventure!
But no place is without its problems – and in Gizmo, those problems are usually started by the Trolls. They delight in stirring up trouble amongst all the different communities in Gizmo, and it’s up to Alva to save the day!
For more information, please contact:
Trade media: Aimee Norman at DDA Blueprint PR
aimee@ddablueprint.com
+44 (0) 7957 564 050
About WildBrain
At WildBrain we inspire imaginations to run wild, engaging kids and families everywhere with great content across all media. With approximately 13,000 half-hours of filmed entertainment in our library – one of the world’s most extensive – we are home to such brands as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Johnny Test and Degrassi. At our 75,000 square-foot state-of-the art animation studio in Vancouver, BC, we produce such fan-favourite series as Snoopy in Space, Chip & Potato, Carmen Sandiego and more. Our shows are enjoyed worldwide in more than 150 countries on over 500 streaming platforms and telecasters, and our AVOD business – WildBrain Spark – offers one of the largest networks of kids’ channels on YouTube, garnering approximately four billion views per month from over 200 million subscribers. We also license consumer products and location-based entertainment in every major territory for our own properties as well as for our clients and content partners. Our television group owns and operates four family entertainment channels that are among the most viewed in Canada. WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at wildbrain.com
About Kavaleer
Kavaleer believe in creating animation that is as brilliant, diverse and unique as every child who watches it. A kid’s world is innately diverse. This is worth cherishing. That’s why Kavaleer only create innovative, ground-breaking shows that celebrate uniqueness, which support young hearts and minds to thrive. Now in their 20th year of business, Kavaleer’s recent work includes the CBBC / Gulli ratings-topping Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese (with Watch Next Media and Cloudco), the 2019 Broadcast Awards (Best Preschool)-winning Pablo (with Paper Owl) and Kiva Can Do!, which aired globally on Nick Jr. Based in the heart of Dublin, Ireland, Kavaleer’s 60-strong animation crew are currently at work on Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese (Season 2), Circle Square (with Wyndley Animation and the Brothers MacLeod) and the pioneering media-literacy show, Alva’s World. www.kavaleer.com
About CyberSafeIreland
Established in 2015, CyberSafeIreland is an Irish registered charity which works to empower children, parents and teachers to navigate the online world in a safe and responsible manner. Our founders and staff have backgrounds in cybercrime investigation, law enforcement, forensic psychology, education, online child protection, academia and the not-for-profit sector. We can see on a daily basis how technology plays an increasingly important and integral part of both their present and future lives. It is being used more and more widely in schools and while we view this as a positive, empowering development, even a standard smartphone can potentially allow a child to take risks which were unthinkable 20 years ago. We want our children to be able to embrace the opportunities for learning and enjoyment that technology can deliver, but we recognise that as parents and educators we have a responsibility to equip them with the tools to stay safe and avoid harm.