Neptuno Films builds its 2003 slate

Building on the recent award for animated series Connie The Cow at Cartoons On The Bay, Spanish toon studio Neptuno Films is expanding its production and distribution activities for 2003.

Based in Barcelona and Munich, Neptuno is working on 2020 (26×26') together with Spanish broadcaster Megatrix. The series features a dysfunctional family living in the near future and is targeted at 8-12 year olds.

Three further projects are also in the pipeline for delivery this year: Puss In Boots (52×26'), a contemporary take on the classic story for 6-10 year olds; preschool gag show Ambi & Lance (10×47') and Byte Boy (1×80'), a feature and spin-off TV series about a boy bestowed with superpowers to fight evil.

Established in 1991, Neptuno has been steadily expanding its activities, launching two subsidiaries Animation World and Bolero Films in the last two years. The former offers production services for animated TV series and features, such as Neptuno's collaboration with France's Dupuis titled Cedric, and the latter is aimed at the live-action, documentary and format market.

The outfit recently picked up distribution rights to preschool show Danny & Daddy (52×3'), currently in production by a company of the same name. Neptuno also acquired the live-action programming catalogue from Euskal Irrati Telebista (ETB) last year, securing worldwide rights (excluding the US and Spanish-speaking territories).

Neptuno's back catalogue contains interstitial toon Balin (300×20{), about a mouse who lives in city drains; worm sleuth show Detective Bogey (52×26') and mystery thriller The Gravediggers Squad (52×13'). Literary adaptations include classics The Ugly Duckling (104×26') and The Three Bears (52×26').