ANNECY: Collaboration and coproduction are key if animation companies want to survive the economic downturn, says Grainne McNamara, VP of development for live action and animation at BBC Studios Kids & Family.
Grainne McNamara
What are your main objectives at Annecy this year?
I’m really looking forward to my first Annecy since joining the BBC Studios Kids & Family team. It remains a cornerstone event for us, providing an invaluable platform to showcase our latest animation content and projects in development. As the new VP of development for live action and animation, I am particularly excited to introduce some new projects to clients that reflect our commitment to bold storytelling and innovative animation.
Beyond this, Annecy offers a space for fostering partnerships. We will be looking at strengthening relationships with established collaborators but will also be on the lookout for fresh connections and opportunities for coproductions. We are also keen to contribute to and engage in discussions around emerging trends and innovations to ensure our development slate remains at the forefront of creativity and audience engagement.
The initial episodes of preschool animation Rafi the Wishing Wizard are close to delivery
What is the biggest issue facing the animation industry?
The animation industry is navigating a challenging landscape, as are all sectors, with rising production costs and tighter budgets impacting the development of original IP in particular. In response, the industry has pivoted to meet market needs and has taken a strategic approach to securing investment, seeking out coproductions and multiple funding partners.
At BBC Studios Kids & Family, we are embracing coproduction partnerships as a key solution, ensuring creative visions are realised while balancing financial sustainability. We remain committed to developing original IP, recognising that innovation drives long-term success and, more importantly, young audiences deserve fresh, new ideas that resonate with them. Bluey started as an original idea, didn’t it? How will we find the next Bluey if we don’t continue to develop original ideas?
At the same time, diversification across established IP is important to continued success and growth. We combine business, commercial development, production and content strategy to maximise end-to-end value. Being part of a content powerhouse like BBC Studios means we can tap into a 360-degree infrastructure with kids’ specialists across insights, brands, marketing and licensing, consumer products and digital.
Where do you see the biggest opportunity in the animation sector at the moment?
There has been a turnaround in a demand for new IP catering for the six- to seven-plus age group – I think there are exciting opportunities opening up again. Children vs Battle Super Stars, our anime series with Blink Industries, is completely original and for this exact age group. We have to keep innovating. By collaborating with partners who share our creative aspirations, we can continue to push the boundaries of storytelling while entertaining and maintaining the high-quality standards our audiences expect.
Supertato, coproduced with Tencent Video, is now on Netflix
How can animation companies survive and thrive during a period of economic instability?
Adaptability and collaboration are key to navigating economic challenges. We need to continue to seek coproduction opportunities to be able to unlock new opportunities for growth and creativity, including access to emerging technologies. Taking a multifaceted, multiplatform approach, exploring different distribution channels, different revenue streams with merchandising and licensing opportunities, and leveraging existing IP to create new content such as spin-offs, can go some way to mitigating the economic downturn. More achievable budgets are obviously something every studio is looking to figure out and which you can really see happening now in the market as we move into this new landscape.
What new shows are coming down the line that you are focused on?
Our development pipeline is focused on exciting projects that reflect our ambition to create content that resonates globally. Our creative partnership with Blink Industries, which we announced last year, has resulted in a fantastic new anime-inspired series called Children vs Battle Super Stars. We’re really looking forward to revealing more about it to clients for the first time at Annecy. It’s a 22×22′ kids’ martial arts tournament epic for eight- to 12-year-olds. Set in a fantastical modern-day world and inspired by the classics of the genre, it explores the comical fallout as ordinary kids come up against the extraordinary battle Super Stars.
Rafi the Wishing Wizard, a fresh preschool animation that blends magical realism with heartfelt storytelling, is about to deliver its first episodes, and it’s looking beautiful. This series explores the adventures of a seemingly ordinary family who, in reality, are modern-day wizards navigating everyday life in extraordinary ways. We’re also delighted to share that My Friend Maisy – our coproduction with Trustbridge Entertainment – has been picked up by Sky, marking our first animation commission with them.
Outside of the animation space, we just announced our new live-action series Crookhaven, an action-packed 8×45’ TV adaptation of JJ Arcanjo’s hit book series. We are really excited about this one as it has something for everyone. It has been created for television by the very talented Justin Young (Ripper Street, Death in Paradise, Sanditon) and is set in a secret school for crooks where students learn how to hone their skills in order to do good. It’s a gripping series about friendship and belonging, with great characters, ingenious plot twists, dark secrets and a terrifying enemy.
Hey Duggee is among the titles ‘continuing to thrive’ for BBC Studios
What have been your most successful shows of the past six months and why?
Flagship animated properties Hey Duggee, made by Studio AKA, and Ludo Studio’s Bluey, continue to thrive. They remain audience favourites, expanding their reach across new platforms and territories. Bluey, of course, continues to break records, and production is well underway with the movie, with the 2027 release date hotly anticipated.
We’ve secured pre-sales for Hey Duggee S5 in Australia and multiple SVoDs in China. Spin-off series Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club recently premiered on CBeebies in the UK and has been really well received by audiences. It was the number-one kids’ brand on CBeebies and number-two kids’ brand on iPlayer during its week of launch, and we have also secured deals in both EMEA and APAC for the series. Season one of this BAFTA- and International Emmy-winning series is also now streaming on Netflix in the US and Canada.
Supertato S1, our coproduction with Tencent Video, has also hit Netflix – its first time on a mainstream SVoD platform in the US. Based on the bestselling books by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, the Netflix deal means even more kids around the world can enjoy the slapstick silliness of this comedy series about the world’s greatest potato superhero.
We were delighted that Tencent Video came back on board as a coproduction partner for the second season, alongside BBC Children’s & Education. Since S2 premiered on CBeebies in the UK, we have seen a real uplift in viewership. Kids are loving that it is even more action-packed and silly, and they are enjoying the introduction of new characters.
