Sector: Creative Industries - Screen Production

“Perfectly matching pieces of a puzzle” is how Promenade Pictures President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Bond describes the capabilities of US-based Promenade and New Zealand animation company Huhu Studios which are co-producing a 12-feature film series for the family entertainment market.

The series is titled Epic Stories of the Bible and each film will be created by Huhu Studios and Promenade and produced, marketed and distributed worldwide by Promenade in a joint ownership arrangement. The total project is worth more than US$150 million.

Bond says a fantastic relationship has developed between Promenade and Huhu Studios, based on shared values and working styles, combined with complementary expertise.

The first film in the series, The Ten Commandments, was released in 2008.

Huhu Studios produces original animated content that has already gained international attention for its creativity and quality. This includes the popular children’s animated series Buzz & Poppy and work on Hermie & Wormie and The Pond. Promenade Pictures, founded and led by studio pioneer and entertainment industry legend Frank Yablans, is a full service production, distribution and marketing company focused on films for the family market.

“When we saw a demo reel of Huhu Studio’s work we were immediately impressed,” says Bond. “Their track record in the family arena and their expertise in animation make them the ideal partner for The Epic Stories of the Bible.”

Huhu Studios has developed proprietary software for the project, allowing it to produce animation at a faster rate and at a higher quality than would otherwise have been possible.  Huhu has a partner studio and a software and animation partner company, based in Singapore, who has also worked on The Ten Commandments.

Bond says the ease of working with both the New Zealand film industry and the New Zealand government has been instrumental in the prospects for commercial success of the fully branded 12-film series.

“There is a great work ethic in New Zealand and it’s not a cynical environment. The support the New Zealand government gives to film projects is also impressive. New Zealand has all the necessary ingredients to attract major, international film projects.”

The Huhu Studios/Promenade collaboration has received investment from iGlobe Treasury, one of the funds sponsored by the New Zealand government’s Venture Investment Fund. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the national economic development agency, has also provided support with business mentoring, research and funding for Huhu, some of which enabled specialist training for its team of animators.

“Having that investment support from a New Zealand Government-backed fund was crucial in attracting other investors,” says Bond. “They want to see skin on the table before they commit to projects and the iGlobe Treasury funding provided that.”

Investors have committed ongoing funding for the Epic Stories of the Bible series which Bond says reflects confidence in the project and the success it is expected to achieve in the family entertainment market.

Casting for the second film in the series is well advanced and scripting is underway for the third.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Sector Manager at the time, Adam McElroy, said the Epic Stories of the Bible project was a milestone for the New Zealand digital entertainment industry.

"It's is another demonstration of the high quality creative work being undertaken in New Zealand and the potential for further growth."

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