The tyke market: Italy
Carnaby Street
Creatives involved: Director Marco Pagot, original concept and drawings Marco and Gi Pagot
Number and length of episodes: Twenty-six 26-minute episodes
Concept: The new cartoon series, which will be aired in Italy by Mediaset flagship Canale5 in autumn, is created and financed by Rever, one of the rare Italian companies producing and internationally selling cartoons, launched by the Pagot family in the '60s. "Carnaby Street" is totally pre- and post-produced in Italy, using a mix of traditional animation techniques and computer graphic. Show centers on an American high school girl named J.D., who lives in London with her diplomat father and becomes a successful secret agent by accident, embarking on all kinds of exciting adventures.
Selling point: J.D. doesn't have superpowers: All she does is set in a context of real, everyday life. She is just an intelligent, romantic, brave girl, the kind of person all smaller girls hope to become when they grow up.
Producers' Take: "This series appeals to children between 8 and 14 ... girls (and) boys who are generally very interested in action, adventure and spy series," according to Angela Pagot, Rever general manager. "We think the series has a highly emotional charge. As it mixes real world with mystery, suspense, humor; this series is definitely different from the usual cartoons."
