ZDF Enterprises reports on 150 program hours sold to Asia and announces line-up for Asia TV Forum 2015

ZDF Enterprises - November 2015

Ahead of Asia TV Forum 2015, ZDF Enterprises announces over 150 hours of programs sold from the ZDFE.junior slate across the region.

Mako Mermaids - Season 3

Australia’s ABC International acquired pan-Asian Pay TV rights for all three seasons of ‘Dance Academy’ (65x26’, three-time ADG Award winner, three-time AFI Award nominee, Banff Rockie Award nominee, iEmmy Award nominee, Logie Award nominee and two-time winner) while HBO Family Asia picked up PayTV rights for season two of international hit ‘Mako Mermaids’ (26x26’). ThaiTV3 acquired FreeTV rights of live action adventure comedy ‘Sam Fox -Extreme Adventures’ (26x26’), ‘Wolfblood’ seaons one and two (26x26’), along with ‘Wicked Science’ season one (26x26’). Next Step, Thailand, acquired FreeTV rights for the animation series ‘Rusty Knight’ (52x13’), ‘Shaolin Wuzang’ (26x26’), ‘Tempo Express’ (26x26’) and the first season of ‘The Skinner Boys’ (26x24’). The Free TV rights for both seasons of ‘Elephant Princess’ (52x26’, AACTA Award winner and Logie Award nominee) were secured by Indonesia’s Spectrum Films for Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Christophe Goldberger, Managing Director at GoldBee, will again be representing ZDF Enterprises’ catalogue at this year’s ATF. ZDF Enterprises and GoldBee have been partners since early 2014 in order to manage and distribute ZDFE.junior’s program catalogue and consumer products in Iberia, Latin America and Asia.

Peter Lang, Vice President ZDFE.junior: “With more than 3,500 commercial hours, ZDFE.junior has one of the strongest catalogues of kids programs in the industry, from high quality pre-school properties to animated comedies and adventures for kids, and outstanding teen live action dramas and comedies. With this background, we will further strengthen our established relationships with broadcasters in the region and find new key partners.”

Coconut, the Little Dragon

In terms of line-up, and heading up the list of live action series, is brand new ‘Mako Mermaids’ (52x26’), the spin-off of international hit series ‘H2O - Just Add Water’ which aired in over 160 territories, and successfully all across Asia, with broadcast partners such as HBO Family Asia, Media Prima (Malaysia), GMA (Philippines), and MCOT (Thailand). ‘Mako Mermaids’ is now available for all platforms in Asia, with 52 exciting episodes already available, and a third season underway with a new Asian mermaid.

Multiple award winner teen saga ‘Wolfblood‘ (39x26’), now in its third season and already in production on a fourth season, features Maddy Smith, an almost normal teen living with her parents in a small rural town. But she is a Wolfblood, neither completely wolves nor humans. She will connect with new kid Rhydian, as their secret will lead them to face the most important question: “As we grow up, how do we know who we should be?” – a question only they can answer.

On the animation side, ‘Coconut, The Little Dragon’ (52x11’), a brand new CGI pre-school series based on best-selling books, is launching at ATF hot on the heels of the recently released animated feature film which sold in over 70 territories. Life is not always easy on Dragon Island – Coconut has flying problems, Oscar is the only vegetarian in his family and Matilda has no say as a porcupine in a dragon’s world. Nevertheless the three friends manage to solve every problem while making new friends along the way. Driven by Coconut’s insatiable curiosity, the trio’s fantastic teamwork brings the most varied families of dragons together, standing up for friendship and tolerance along the way.

Video-game themed ‘Marcus Level’ (52x13’) launches after a successful debut in the App world. The series borrows from the gameplays that children know so well. When Marcus gets the latest version of his favorite video game, he suddenly finds himself transported inside it, and trades places with his hero Gorbar the Magnificent! The only way for him to get back home is to face every challenge, finish the game and save the princess.