Cloth Cat Animation commissioned for Magic Mall’s ‘Luo Bao Bei’
Cardiff-based animation studio Cloth Cat Animation today announced an international collaboration with Magic Mall and award-winning writer Dave Ingham on a new 52 episode preschool animated series based on Chinese fictional character Luo Bao Bei.
Created by Beijing-based company Magic Mall in 2008, Luo Bao Bei is known to children nationally as a city spokesperson, road safety icon and community outreach programme representative. With a presence and popularity already established the hope is for the series to have equally wide appeal, broadened by ‘a dash of British humour and charm’.
Magic Mall focuses on the creation of family and children-oriented entertainment content, with original properties including the in-progress National Stadium TV series Nestar and the Chinese Football Association comic book series Kick’n’Rush. Luo Bao Bei marks their first collaboration with Cloth Cat.
I look forward to working with Cloth Cat Animation, a young studio bursting with brilliant talent and enthusiasm. When I went to visit them for the first time at the beginning of this year, I was greatly impressed with the various projects I saw. It was of paramount importance to find a creative and production partner who would work with us tirelessly to get everything right from day one in order to have Luo Bao Bei work in China and overseas. I can’t wait to see our beloved character’s brand new show in early 2017.
– Grace Tian, Magic Mall General Manager and Luo Bao Bei co-creator
The award-winning Cloth Cat is the largest animation production company in Wales, known for such projects as Toot the Tiny Tugboat, Boj, Grandpa in my Pocket, Tales of Friendship with Winnie the Pooh and Ha! Ha! Hairies. Having recently relocated to new premises adjacent to Cardiff Bay, the studio now boasts the appropriate facilities, resources and talent to fully develop projects for international clients.
It’s going to be a wonderful collaboration to bring our expertise to this Chinese creation. We’re excited about the opportunity to work on something that’s truly multi-cultural, and hoping this series will travel, not only in the country where she’s from, but to the UK and beyond.
-Jon Rennie, Managing Director of Cloth Cat Animation
Among writer Dave Ingham’s prior projects are Charlie & Lola, Shaun the Sheep, Octonauts, Timmy Time, the recent Clangers revival (which won itself a BAFTA last year) and the internationally successful Boj, which he co-created.
I’m so excited to be a part of this creative team and am sure Luo Bao Bei will become a show loved by kids the world over.
-Dave Ingham, Writer
We are confident that this cooperation will yield the kind of meaningful cultural exchange and quality content that has been missing for this key audience for so long.
-Alex Chien, Executive Producer
Luo Bao Bei is expected to launch in China starting March/April 2017, with international partnerships to follow.