The Children’s Media Conference recently held in Sheffield brought together some amazing filmmakers presenting kids content. Preschool eco-comedy and lifestyle brand Deer Little Forest (78 x 7′) by Koko Rose Media won the highly anticipated ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is’ session.
The above session brought together TV Presenter and entertainer Joanna Adeyinka-Burford; TV Presenter, Entertainer and Podcaster, Nigel Clarke and a panel of US judges including Adina Pitt from Warner Bros. Discovery, Eryk Casemiro from Nickelodeon, and Rick Clodfelter from Disney.
The panel were presented with four five-minute pitches by Lisa Hryniewicz of Koko Rose Media; freelance author Paula Harrison; Emma Taylor and Alex Walker of Brickwall films; and Helena Mitchell of Chronically Creative. Lisa Hryniewicz pitched Deer Little Forest, Paula Harrison pitched Spook and Sleuth, Emma Taylor and Alex Walker pitched Embers the Dragon and Helena Mitchell pitched Fellow Farm.
As per a CMC report, Deer Little Forest is a pre-school eco-comedy show about four friends who learn to use the power of curiosity to learn about the natural world around them and themselves, learning special skills along the way, such as how to assess and overcome fears, navigate friendships and how to taking on challenges.
The stars of the show include Barley-Crumb the Badger, Rowan the introspective fox, Lockhart the loud and goofy red female deer, and Bodhi Bear, the friend’s connection to the universe and other worlds. Each episode starts with a nature-related question and an internal issue that a character is struggling with. This property has hand-made art as its basis and has lots of potential for extensions into publishing and cross-promotion with forestry groups, environmental groups, Natural History Museum, and art groups as well.
The artwork and the innate diversity embedded within the story was highly appreciated. The judges recommended the story lean into conservation issues with the environment rather than taking the adventures someplace else; they recommended balancing girl characters with the boy characters; and recommended that the story leans into the emotional side of the relationship of the characters and how they are connected.