Saban Plans “Paul Frank” Christmas Special
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — June 14, 2011- Saban Brands announced today the start of pre-production on a Christmas special featuring Julius and other beloved characters from the Paul Frank brand. This primetime event in the spirit of The Simpsons and with the heart of Modern Family is designed to enhance family entertainment and fun for viewers of all ages when it makes its debut in December of 2012.
Saban Brands has brought on a successful team of producers to bring this project to life including Mike Reiss, the Emmy-winning producer of The Simpsons and writer of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the upcoming Ice Age: Continental Drift, as well as the Emmy-nominated producing team Erik Wiese and Cynthia True. Erik was a writer/director for the pop culture phenomenon SpongeBob SquarePants and they both served as co-creators and executive producers of Amy Poehler’s hit show The Mighty B! on Nickelodeon.
Based on Paul Frank’s colorful characters, the special will feature an animated Julius as he makes sure his friends have the best holiday ever, going to especially great lengths to show one special friend the true meaning of Christmas. Drawing on a long history of more than 15 years of inspiration, the special will pack pop culture fun with charm, creativity and whole-hearted sincerity that has been a staple of the brand for years.
“Paul Frank is one of our most unique and beloved properties that reaches children and adults of all ages who continue to share a passion for Julius and his loveable Friends,” said Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands. “With this holiday special we aim to establish Paul Frank as an entertainment brand with a transmedia approach that will build, enhance and extend brand affinity across our key demos.”
This will be the first foray into broadcast television for Paul Frank; having produced animated web shorts featuring the iconic characters back in 2000. Saban Brands and Paul Frank will also be producing new flash-based shorts that tap into pop culture in real time, offering hilarious takes on current events. Additionally, Saban Brands plans to produce several perennial specials for 2013, including Easter and Halloween.
“What started humbly in my garage in the mid 90s is now in the hands of the entertainment industries finest,” said Ryan Heuser, Chief Creative Officer of Paul Frank. “Its incredibly exciting for me to see our cast of characters brought to life for the world to enjoy.”