COOKIE JAR TEAMS WITH SHAFTESBURY FILMS AND YTV ON DARK ORACLE Cookie Jar Sets MIP-TV For Worldwide Distribution Launch Of Shaftesbury-Produced Live Action/Animated Action-Adventure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Montreal/Toronto CANADA (Date) - Cookie Jar has joined forces with Toronto-based producer Shaftesbury Films to launch the worldwide distribution of DARK ORACLE, a high concept live action/animated adventure series comprised of an initial 13 half-hour episodes set to debut this fall on YTV.
DARK ORACLE follows the adventures of 15-year-old twins Cally and Lance Stone who discover a comic book that gives them clues about the future of their lives. As they are suddenly thrust into a comic book world of danger, fear and uncertainty, the twins learn the Dark Oracle has a hidden agenda that threatens their very existence. In a unique blend of live action and comic book style animation, the two confront their animated alter egos, Violet and Blaze, who possess the uncanny ability to manipulate their future. With events in the comic book world influencing ones in their own world, Cally and Lance struggle to stay one step ahead of their dark counterparts, or face a very unpleasant fate. The stakes become higher still, with Violet and Blaze trying to escape into the real world to wreak further havoc. DARK ORACLE is a distinctive TV drama, shifting teens in and out of an exciting and perilous fantasy world.
DARK ORACLE stars Paula Brancati and Alex House as "Cally" and "Lance Stone", along with Jonathan Malen as "Dizzy", Lance and Cally's long-time childhood friend; Barbara Mamabolo as "Annie" Cally's best friend; and Danielle Miller as "Sage" who sparks Lance's interest.
"One of the things that drew us to DARK ORACLE, is that it applies a strong high concept, of a comic book coming to life, to the lives of ordinary high school kids. Visually it's going to look amazing, and it's a terrific arena for great dramatic stories as Lance and Cally have to figure out how to deal with the predictions of the comic" explains Suzanne French, Executive Producer at Shaftesbury Films.
"YTV is looking forward to this innovative production. The live action and animation appealed to us right away. When those comic book characters move, it will spook out our audience and keep them watching the whole series." says Corus Television's Bonita Siegel, Director Original Productions, Children's Television.
Christina Jennings, Executive Producer and Chairman of Shaftesbury Films states "Heather Conkie and Jana Sinyor have created a unique series set in the world of kids, comics and gaming. There's nothing quite like it on television right now. We look forward to the response of our target 8-12 viewers worldwide."
"We are extremely excited to launch DARK ORACLE at MIP-TV. This highly imaginative series is certain to become a magnet for kids and one of their most talked-about new shows on television. Meeting broadcaster demand for quality live action entertainment for kids, we believe DARK ORACLE has all the elements to become another 'Are You Afraid of the Dark,' Cookie Jar's hit live-action series that burgeoned into a major global hit and continues to air successfully around the world," said Louis Fournier, head of Distribution for Cookie Jar.
The series was created by newcomer Jana Sinyor, who has teamed up with International Emmy Award winner Heather Conkie (Mrs. Ashboro's Cat, The Zack Files) to write the series. Executive Producers of DARK ORACLE are Christina Jennings and Scott Garvie for Shaftesbury Films and Heather Conkie. Producers are Suzanne French and Laura Harbin for Shaftesbury Films and Jana Sinyor. Ron Murphy (The Gavin Crawford Show, Our Hero, In a Heartbeat) will also serve as a producer and be the director of most of the episodes. DOP is Luc Montpellier, a Gemini Award Winner for Shaftesbury Films' Hemingway vs. Callaghan.
DARK ORACLE is produced in association with YTV, A Corus Entertainment Company and the Canadian Film or Television Tax Credit and Ontario Tax Credit and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund Equity and License Fee Programs.
Founded in 1988, Shaftesbury Films has established a reputation as one of Canada's leading producers of high quality films and television. Shaftesbury Films has produced numerous television movies including TV franchises: The Joanne Kilbourn Mysteries, Murder 19C - Detective Murdoch Mysteries, The Atwood Stories and The Shields Stories. Shaftesbury Films is currently in production on ReGenesis, a 13-epsiode one-hour drama series for TMN/Movie Central and Mischief City, an animation series for YTV. In addition to feature films and its large slate of television production Shaftesbury is also an industry leader in the production and distribution of large format films and recently released the acclaimed IMAX 3D hit BUGS! The Company operates out of offices in Toronto, Canada.
One of the world's edutainment leaders, The Cookie Jar Group controls such global entertainment assets as Canada's Cinar Entertainment, Britain's Filmfair and education assets including Carson Dellosa and High Reach Learning, both based in The United States. Newly acquired Cinar Entertainment is renown for its productions of Arthur, Caillou, The Busy World of Richard Scarry and Are You Afraid of the Dark. Filmfair is the company that brought the Michael Bond book-based Paddington Bear to life. One of the largest providers of supplemental education materials in the US, Carson-Dellosa reaches nearly 2 million teachers with a wide array of books, classroom decoratives, puzzles and games, toys, science kits, flash cards, manipulatives and more. Through HighReach Learning, over 350,000 preschools and daycare centers receive continuity programs of curriculum and educational supplement products every month.
The Cookie Jar Group develops, produces, distributes and markets quality products to children their caregivers, parents and teachers with a commitment to providing the best in children's published content, animated and live action programming as well as innovative and creative educational and entertainment driven products worldwide.
MEDIA CONTACT: SSA Public Relations (For Cookie Jar) Steve Syatt - (818) 501-0700
For Shaftesbury Films Sue Baldaro - (416) 363-1411 ext. 111
