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Bob the Builder creator in Universal deal

ANNECY NEWS – Chapman Productions, the animation boutique set up by Bob the Builder's creator Keith Chapman, has signed an exclusive development deal with Universal-owned Vision Video Ltd.

The first look deal with UK-based division of Universal Pictures will allow Chapman to develop and bring to market a raft of pre-school, family and adult animation projects. The deal was brokered by Front Row Productions, which has long-standing relationships with both the animator and VVL.

{Keith has built up a war-chest of animation ideas over the years and when we showed them to VVL they flipped,{ said Front Row's md Greg Lynn, also a creative partner in Chapman Productions.

{The first project to begin production will be a pilot for a pre-school stop-frame series,{ he added. {It will be a little more girl-orientated than Bob the Builder, although it won't be simply supporting gender stereotypes.{ The series will be 13 episodes of between 10-15 minutes each. The pilot will be finished by the end of the year, said Lynn.

Chapman will be out-sourcing all its animation to UK studios, though further down the track will also look to the US and Far East to supply work, said Lynn. {We won't be setting up our own studio.{

He added that Chapman's output wouldn't be limited to stop-frame, and would extend to cel, puppet and plasticine.

Under the deal, Universal will distribute Chapman Productions' animations internationally.

Keith Chapman's previous creation Bob the Builder was picked up by UK producer/distributor Hit Entertainment and has since become a global phenomenon.

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Bob builds Hit Entertainment's sales figures 17 May 2001

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