AUCKLAND, Today: Boutique production studio ToyBox has unveiled its new 10-part animation series Sherwood, created in partnership with Baby Octopus New York.
Sherwood is now available on YouTube Premium, as it bolsters its presence in the ANZ market. One of the main characters, Tui, is Maori. Ep 1 hit 7.4 million viewers globally in its first week.
After four years in production, the state-of-the-art animation offers a modern take on the story of Robin Hood set in the dystopian future of 2270. The series follows the battles of 14-year-old Robin and her friends in their efforts to overcome inequality and fight for justice.
ToyBox and its 60-strong team were involved in the story design, visual development and animation of the online series which seeks to inspire young women and their future role in technology.
The series launch follows the very successful trailer which has generated over five million views since it was unveiled on YouTube last month. All 10 episodes are now available on YouTube Premium.
ToyBox creatives Nanette Miles (ToyBox MD, and Sherwood exec producer), and Bruce Carter (ToyBox CD, and the director of Sherwood) were key contributors and helped drive connections with a young audience, highlighting climate change as well as the future of women in technology.
“We love working with programme makers as much as our agency clients. The two worlds are becoming increasingly blended.”
Carter explains how the ToyBox ethos focusses on pushing boundaries to deliver stellar work for all its clients: “The Sherwood series is an insight into the calibre of work ToyBox are capable of creating in today’s animation market.
“We value the relationships we have with all our clients and strive to bring innovative and fresh approaches to projects across a wide spectrum of media in both short and long formats. Our relationship with Baby Octopus is a great example of how strong creative collaboration can shape an idea to reach a wide audience.”
Nanette Miles said: “Our artists work with a roster of national and international clients and provide services for all stages of production including live-action, design, concept art, motion graphics, pre-visualisation, 3D & 2D visual effects, world-class editorial, colour grading and animation.
“We have a number of exciting projects in the pipeline and we’re excited to fly the flag for the New Zealand and Australian region on a global stage.
“We have always loved working with storytellers and programme makers as much as with our advertising clients. The two worlds are becoming increasingly blended and ToyBox is in a unique position to offer boutique innovative creative-services to agencies and studios alike.”
The NZSPG for International Productions is part of the NZ Government’s screen incentives scheme, offering eligible productions a baseline 20% cash rebate on qualifying spend, and includes a Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Grant.
About ToyBox
Toybox works with a roster of national and international clients and provide services for all stages of production including design, concept art, motion-graphics, pre-visualisation, 3D & 2D visual effects, animation and live action. Our designers, animators, and FX artists use the latest digital tools to blend visual arts and technology to create innovative and compelling stories. We believe in the power of story to define and shape experiences. At Toybox we obsess over how a character talks, walks and expresses the emotions that will breathe life into the story.
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