APC Kids forms animation outfit

Zephyr Animation’s first show Adoonga and David Sauerwein

French sales house APC Kids has set up an animation prodco and hired a former head writer, story editor and script doctor at Xilam as its chief creative officer.

Paris-based Zephyr Animation will be headed by APC Kids’ partners Lionel Marty, Emmanuelle Guilbart and Laurent Boissel.

David Sauerwein has joined the venture as chief creative officer to oversee and manage all projects created and produced by the company.

It will develop its own projects as well as co-develop and coproduce others with international partners, targeting age groups from preschool to kids aged 6-9 and focusing on genres such as action-adventure and comedy.

Zephyr Animation’s first show will be Adoonga (52×11′), an animated comedy series from South Korean studio Vooz, creator of Pucca.

Aimed at kids aged 8-11, it follows a young, good-hearted and adventurous gorilla who tries to make it in the big city and is set to be available in 2021.

Zephyr and Vooz will co-develop and coproduce the series with APC Kids taking global distribution and licensing rights outside Asia and Latin America.

“Adoonga is the perfect blend between slapstick action and sitcom that we think will appeal to kids all around the world,” said Sauerwein, who has spent the past four years with Xilam, working on shows such as Mr Magoo.

Three other projects will be announced soon after Cartoon Forum, which takes places in Toulouse next week, ahead of Mipcom, APC Kids said. The company is the children’s entertainment distribution arm of coproducer and distributor About Premium Content.