Technicolor takes over OuiDo

Transatlantic studio Technicolor has acquired Paris-based independent animation company OuiDo Productions to bolster its position in the French market.

Technicolor said the deal would see it combine its strengths in technology and production with the licensing and development expertise of OuiDo, which is headed by Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog.

OuiDo has recently coproduced animated reboots of franchises such as Alvin & The Chipmunks for local broadcaster M6 and Sonic the Hedgehog for Cartoon Network in the US and Canal J/Gulli in France.

Technicolor, meanwhile, began developing and producing its own original content in 2010, having previously specialised in post-production work for clients such as DreamWorks Animation and Nickelodeon.

Since then it has developed series such as Chamelia and The Deep, while it received a commission from Disney XD for Atomic Puppet (52×11′), which follows a fearless superhero who is transformed into a powerless puppet by his villainous sidekick.

OuiDo also has its own fledgling subsidiary, Allo Houston Productions, which focuses on live-action programming and recently produced a documentary inspired by the Back To The Future movie franchise.

“OuiDo has done an incredible job in leveraging the rights to major global media brands,” said Tim Sarnoff, president of Technicolor Production Services. “We will now be better positioned to develop, finance, produce and service the full range of needs of content creators, licensors and distributors around the globe.”

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.