WildBrain’s Katie Wilson Details New Titles to Delight Kids & Families

WildBrain has an ever-growing slate of series on offer, all tied to its goal to “bring shows that will entertain and delight kids and families and make them laugh,” says Katie Wilson, VP of global sales and acquisitions for the company for the company. Three new titles fitting this goal will be on offer at MIPCOM: Badjelly, Secrets at Red Rocks and Storybooth, all “compelling stories that kids and families entertained by.” Wilson spoke with World Screen’s Jamie Stalcup about WildBrain’s exciting MIPCOM slate.

Badjelly, a co-production between Canadian, New Zealand and U.K. companies, is inspired by Spike Milligan’s Badjelly the Witch story from the ’70s. “It’s an epic adventure” featuring the voices of Miriam Margolyes and Rhys Darby, with Ava Diakhaby and rising star Malachi Hall, that tells “the tale of two kids that go on an epic quest to find their beloved lost cow, only to discover a crazy witch who has lost her powers and needs a boy and a girl to make a soup to eat to get her powers back,” Wilson explains. “That in itself is just such a crazy tale. When you layer that with an amazing cast and bring in powerhouses like Miriam Margolyes, you’re bound for an adventure.”

Secrets at Red Rocks, meanwhile, transplants the Celtic myth of the selkies to New Zealand, following a 12-year-old boy who travels to spend the summer with his father on the island nation. It addresses environmental issues, and, “at the core of it, is about community and family and the sense of finding yourself,” Wilson notes. “That’s something that’s going to resonate not just with kids. It’s going to transcend age because there [are] so many themes within the story that parents and adults are going to be very entertained by.”

The third new title from WildBrain, Storybooth, is a short-form series that had its start on YouTube and involves real kids calling in from all over the world and telling their stories—from first kisses to self-esteem struggles. “What initially grabbed all of us at WildBrain when we first saw the sizzle was just how authentic the stories were,” says Wilson. “They’re stories that transcend age, but they’re also relatable no matter where you are.”

Ultimately, “the number one thing is that kids love to laugh,” Wilson reiterates. “Kids love things that are funny.” Whether it’s the witchy adventures of Badjelly, the mythical exploits of Secrets at Red Rocks or the real-life tales of Storybooth, WildBrain is aiming to bring buyers’ young audiences joy this MIPCOM.