In this episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, Jo, Emily, and Andy are joined by Michael Hirsh, the co-founder of Nelvana Animation Studio and Cookie Jar entertainment. Michael, who is credited with building the Canadian Animation industry from the ground up, shares his experience and insights gained over more than five decades in entertainment. He has kept pace with changes to the industry, working with dedicated children's channels like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney channel, while also embracing the possibility of streaming and online platforms like Netflix and Youtube. Very few people working in the Kids Media industry today have that combination of experience and curiosity.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Animation-Nation-Built-Cartoon-Empire-ebook/dp/B0DFTVVS7D

The Kids Media Club revisits a recent chat with the Insights Family. In this Kids Media Club Podcast episode brought to you by The Insights Family, Jo, Andy, and Emily are joined by Adam Woodgate, VP of Research Solutions, and Aimee Brookes, Customer Success Manager for the Insights Family to take a look back at 2024 and discuss the emerging trends in store for 2025 and beyond.

Happy holidays. We're taking a break this week, but to carry us through we thought we'd revisit this great interview from this year with Kevin Gillis the creator of the classic animation, Raccoons.

Tis' the season of Christmas hats, xmas jumpers, and lots of tinsel and the Kids Media Club crew have got with the festive spirit for this week's episode. Jo, Emily, and Andy test each other's knowledge of Christmas movies past and present, and compare notes on two new Netflix animated movies, 'Spellbound' and 'That Christmas'.

In this Kids Media Club Podcast episode brought to you by The Insights Family, Jo, Andy, and Emily are joined by Adam Woodgate, VP of Research Solutions, and Aimee Brookes, Customer Success Manager for the Insights Family to take a look back at 2024 and discuss the emerging trends in store for 2025 and beyond.https://theinsightsfamily.com/

This week's episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast features part two of the chat with Evan Shapiro. In this section of the chat Evan discusses the role of PBS in the current kids media eco-system.https://eshap.substack.com/p/all-the-tea-vee

Evan Shapiro, a media cartographer and analyst, delivers crucial insights into the shifting media landscape. He discusses how power is shifting from traditional media to individual creators on platforms like YouTube, reshaping cultural narratives. The rise of social media stars like Jake Paul illustrates this change, while regulatory challenges affect the creator economy for kids' content. Shapiro also emphasizes the need for diversified revenue streams for creators and analyzes the evolving competition between YouTube and TikTok.

In this episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, Jo, Emily, and Andy are joined by Nic Hill, co-founder of digital creative agency Sawhorse. Nic is a specialist at creating fantastic experiences and games on Roblox and is the go-to person for big brands and studios when they want a promotional game for their product or movie that has impact on the platform. They discuss: * How the film industry is leveraging UGC platforms like Roblox to support box office as we’ve seen with KF Panda, Minions and Beetlejuice. * Roblox and Sports – what is the opportunity for rights holders? * The Roblox brand partnerships hub, will all companies have a 3D space in lieu of websites? How soon? * What do brand owners or IP creators need to bear in mind when activating on Roblox

Paul Schleicher, a key figure behind Netflix's hit animated series Bad Dinosaurs, shares insights on the show's evolution from YouTube shorts to global success. He dives into the unique challenge of creating a language-less comedy, emphasizing the importance of expressive characters. The conversation also highlights production strategies, the need for audience feedback, and the hurdles of establishing new intellectual properties in kids' media. With humor and innovation at the forefront, Paul discusses the future of animated storytelling.

Steve Smith, an animation producer at Beakus, shares insights from his work on the animated series BIG LIZARD. He discusses the creative journey and development process, revealing the importance of humor and education for young audiences. Smith dives into the challenges of international co-productions, from funding complications to navigating cultural differences post-Brexit. He also emphasizes the delicate balance of production management and creativity in bringing animated stories to life. It's an engaging episode for anyone in the animation world!