"Splat & Seymour" the animated series for children from the books of Rob Scotton
Cats and mice have always been great subjects for both children's books and animated projects. So, it's not surprising that Splat & Seymour, the new series from the French animation house Blue Spirit, features a charming duo of cat and mouse, who are also good friends. Based on the best-selling book Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton, the 52-minute 11-episode animated series is one of the hottest properties on show in markets like MIPCOM this fall.
“We've known Rob Scotton's books for a long time and dreamed of turning them into an animated series and bringing Splat to an animated life,” says show producer Armelle Glorennec. “So when we got the opportunity to buy the rights, we were very happy! We started development in 2017 and soon the French broadcaster TF1 came on board… Now we are almost at the end of production and we are ready for the premiere of the show on TF1 “.
Eleanor Coleman, Blue Spirit's head of international presales and development, believes the preschool show is a great buddy comedy about growing up. “I love the exceptional production value of this show and how our artists have truly captured the uniqueness of Rob Scotton's designs and respected Splat's incredible fur,” he explains. “I also love the way Splat uses his innate kindness to navigate the world beyond his garden gate. I am convinced that young viewers will delight in the daily stories of this unlikely friendship between a cat and a mouse, in which kindness and solidarity are both the key message, and the key to solving the funny and very identifiable situations in which Splat is found as he ventures past his protective home and family. "
Show director Jean Duval, who has worked on numerous successful animated shows such as a Goof Troop, Darkwing Duck, TaleSpin, Babar e Mini ninja, says the visual inspiration for the project derived from Scotton's books. “From furry cats (and mice) to twisted furniture, from lollipop trees to duck sculptures popping up everywhere, it's all there,” he notes. “However, in Splat & Seymour, l'environment is not accurately represented in the books, we had to create the city of Splat, Moggy Bottom from scratch, staying true to Rob's spirit, but adapting to the animated narrative. Our main goal in animation was to create a cute and believable friendship between a cat and a mouse. Whether it's funny or a little scary or full of excitement, our storytelling is all about emotion! "
He adds: “By putting the camera on their level and playing with the size of the characters, using high-quality animation and compositing, a strong camera lock and a powerful soundtrack, we were able to bring the characters to life. splat and its environment. "
Splat & Seymour it is produced in-house at Blue Spirit studios in Paris and Angouleme, France, and Montreal, Canada. The team of over 350 uses 3ds Max software and faced many challenges when creating the CG animal fur. Glorennec says making Splat's CG fur fluffy wasn't an easy task, but the team is delighted with the final results.
Blue Spirit, best known for producing the animation for the Oscar-nominated film My life as a courgette, is bringing three more shows to markets this fall: Alice and Lewis (already sold in more than 100 territories), the fourth and final season of The mysterious cities of goldand the second season of the award-winning show Arthur and the children of the round table.
“Blue Spirit is an Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated 3D and 2D hybrid animation studio in France and Canada and is dedicated to bringing the best stories and production value to all of their projects,” notes Coleman. “We treat each project in a personalized way by adapting our ongoing pipeline across our facilities to deliver the best work on time and within budget. Over the past 14 years, more than 40 animated films and series, included Pachamama, Gigantosaurus, Tom Sawyer, The Pirates Next Door, Lilybuds, Jean-Michel Super Caribou, Zorro The Chronicles, Mini Ninjas S1 and S2, Rocket & Groot (Wonder), Ernest & Célestine e The journey of the prince - were created in our studios.
He adds: “The animation scene in France is booming. We have the best schools and strong support from local broadcasters as well as regional and national funds and excellent tax credits. We welcome the growing worldwide animation productions that are coming to France and we hope it will continue. It's a great time for animation and artists in France! "
For more information about Splat & Seymour and Blue Spirit, visit www.spirit-prod.com.
