Astral’s Disney XD and Disney Junior Commission Canadian Original Series and Original Movie

^[1]Astral ^[1]’s Disney XD ^[2] and Disney Junior ^[3] have commissioned two Canadian original productions for the 2012/2013 season. Disney Junior has commissioned the animated shorts Yub Yubs from Radical Sheep Productions ^[4] (Stella & Sam) for both its English and French language networks, while Disney XD has ordered its first original movie from Fresh TV ^[5] (Humans vs Vampires) with the live-action film Bunks. Slated for broadcast in 2013, production on both properties will begin in Toronto later this summer.
“We’re looking forward to working with our partners at Radical Sheep and Fresh TV again to deliver new and engaging content for our viewers across all platforms. Our fall production slate features diverse and innovative projects that will complement the other successful Canadian original programs already on our schedule,” said Michael Goldsmith, Director, Original Programming, Astral Kids. “With Yub Yubs, we’ve been able to develop an inventive and versatile series of shorts that will support Disney Junior in French and English while also providing growth opportunities for the two channels’ emerging digital businesses. Our live-action productions have always rated exceptionally well and we anticipate our first Disney XD original movie, Bunks, will continue this trend and reinforce our commitment to developing event programming for Disney XD.”

Series Synopsis – Disney Junior Canada

YUB YUBS (50 animated shorts x 2-minutes) – Yub Yubs stars three curious and playful characters whose feelings are expressed by changing into other physical forms. When the Yub Yubs play together, magic happens. This silly and heartwarming animated series explores sibling dynamics and focuses on the communication of feelings. Created by Matthew Fernandes of Industrial Brothers Studio and developed by Radical Sheep and Industrial Brothers, Yub Yubs will be produced as a short form CG series and an interactive mobile world for preschoolers.

Movie Synopsis – Disney XD Canada

BUNKS (90 minutes) – The first Canadian Original Movie for Disney XD, Bunks, follows the O’Reilly brothers in a coming-of-age live-action comedy about brotherhood, making your mark and the great outdoors. Grayson, Dylan and Dane don’t exactly have what you’d call a warm and fuzzy relationship, and now these boys will be put to the test as they head off to camp together. Set in Ontario’s idyllic Algonquin Park, Bunks is produced by Fresh TV.
Astral Kids has experienced great success thanks to the production partnerships it shares with Radical Sheep and Fresh TV. Radical Sheep are the producers behind the imaginative animated series Stella and Sam, currently airing on both the English and French-language Disney Junior channels. The show has received national recognition, taking home such notable honours as the Youth Media Alliance’s 2011 Award of Excellence Grand Prize for Best Program, the Children’s Fiction Program Award at last year’s Banff World TV Festival and three Gemini nominations in 2011. Fresh TV produces the innovative multi-camera series Really Me, which is set to debut its second season on Family Channel in November.