It’s one of the projects that will be pitched to industry reps during the newly launched Animation Series Gap-Financing Market at Rome’s MIA Market. Based on the Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winning book series that’s been translated into 17 languages, the show – which comprises 52 episodes, each 11 minutes long – follows the comic misadventures of Barry Loser, a lovable middle-schooler with a wonderfully warped imagination. The series, which aims to go into production in 2027, has been picked up in the U.K. by ITVX Kids.
Speaking to Variety ahead of MIA, Big Little Fish CEO Mark Procter described the show as a “passion project” — and one that hits close to home. He couldn’t get his hands on them fast enough. It would be a joy to lift that from the page and turn it into a TV franchise.” Launched in 2019, Big Little Fish Television is best known for its catalog of unscripted documentary, though both Procter and COO Georgina Surtees have worked extensively in children’s TV, including both live-action and animation.
In 2023, the company produced the 20-part scripted reality family series “Meet the McQueens” for CBBC, and is currently developing a slate of pre-school and older kids’ programming based on both in-house and licensed IP. Created by Smith, the “Barry Loser” franchise includes 11 books and graphic novels that have sold more than a million copies worldwide. The characters are well-rounded.
There’s some really funny personalities in there. His home life, his friends and school,” said Procter. With that comes the opportunity for us to unleash Barry’s imagination and go anywhere with it.
The partnership sprung from a fruitful meeting at MipJunior several years back, said Procter, with the Italians making an irresistible pitch that included photos of the “Barry Loser” series on their own children’s bookshelves. While shoring up the show’s financing is the main goal at this year’s MIA Market, Procter said the team behind “Barry Loser” is just as excited to find creative partners to help the series on its journey to the screen. Our Italian co-producers and animators love the idea of it.
But it would also be wonderful to sit down and go through the creative process with European partners to ensure that what we love about this works for them, too,” he said. But the idea of sitting down and presenting and then adapting to local needs and wants — all of that is part of the creative development process that we’re really excited to move into,” he continued.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
