When French artist Émile Cohl created the first animated film in 1908, least did he know that animation would come this far in terms of treatment, technique and content. With technology reaching heights, several IP creators are taking their imagination a notch higher with the aid of it. Indian animation industry which is booming with every passing day is no exception.
One such content creator is Sony YAY! (part of Sony Pictures) whose recent launch, KickO and Super Speedo, blends high-quality 3D production and substance. With one of the country’s finest animation production house, Green Gold Animation backing up the production, the series aims to provide kids with a character like never before—KickO who will be a close friend and a role model both.
This action-comedy brings together world-class animation, exciting action sequences, ambitious role-models, funny sidekicks and thrill-seeking adventures—all that kids want as their daily dose of entertainment.
This new kids’ superhero, KickO, is a well-intentioned kid who fights for justice with his sidekicks, as his name suggests, when the situation demands. He owns a special remote controlled gadget—Super Speedo, a smart car that emerges from KickO’s wrist watch named ‘R7’. Super Speedo is possibly the smartest car ever which runs on cosmic energy and is interfaced by a tablet named Tab O. It is fitted with all possible gadgets of defense and can transform into an aircraft, a submarine or a speedboat when necessary. Green Gold CEO Rajiv Chilaka commented in a press note, “Indian animation sector has bright future and is growing tremendously. KickO and Super Speedo is a great addition to our portfolio. Along with Sony YAY! we are offering kids exactly what they want. The shows that Sony YAY! produces are completely in line with what kids want and being associated with this genre ourselves, it is only an honour to be working with them. We are excited about this partnership and are even more eager to bring to kids some high-quality 3D animation. The show is packed with action, humour, friendship, and lots of fun!”
Sony YAY! programming head Ronojoy Chakraborty reflected the same sentiment, and while talking to AnimationXpress, revealed what went behind this friendship-comedy adventure. Here’s what he had to say:
What was the inspiration behind Kicko and Super Speedo?
The germ of thought for this particular show came from an extensive research from our target audience that kids love wrist watches and remote controlled cars. Apart from that, they love having a role model, especially if it is someone who stars on television. This is the first show that showcases a seven-year-old boy having a car—a dream everyone has as a child. Everything from KickO’s car to his watch to the relationship he shares with his friends is something kids will associate with.
The show is an action comedy and with kids’ fondness for this genre, introducing this genre to our programming wasn’t a debate. Green Gold Animation is one of the best animation companies in the country. To deliver such animation, there was no second thought on who we wanted to partner with. They have the capacity and understanding to create this level of animation, and we have seen it with the work they have done.”
How is Kicko different from other superhero kids? What’s special about him and the series which will make it stand out?
Kicko is unique because he fights only with his kicks. In his repertoire of kicks, he has an ‘O’ kick which leaves a circle of fire when he executes the kick. The series will stand out because it is very imaginative in a futuristic way. In the real world, kids will get to see self-driven cars very soon in their surroundings. We have taken a step ahead in that imagination and have introduced a smart car which kids will be fascinated to watch in the show.
How many episodes have been aired so far? How has been the response till now? How many episodes are you targeting towards, for now?
We are producing 52 episodes in the first season and would be airing this first season across this year till December.
Who owns the IP? Can you elucidate on the process of making of the series and about the techniques used?
Sony Pictures Networks India is the owner of this IP. Green Gold has a state of the art CGI facility which uses the latest technology of animation and is supported by an internal high computing render farm, as well as cloud rendering. To add to that, an experienced and dedicated animation team at Green Gold has been able to streamline and help deliver such a challenging show in such a short time.
How has technology played a part in making of this series?
We have used the services of the best available 3D production facility in India at Green Gold. As I mentioned before, a challenging show like KickO needed a lot of innovation and technological support from the production company. Green Gold has been able to do that using an expanded and dedicated CGI team. They have used the latest animation tools, high computing render farms, a special proprietary production management software to manage and deliver this particular show.
Are there any plans of merchandising the character if it becomes popular with kids?
Yes, we have plans for consumer products. You will hear about this from us very soon.
What message do you wish to spread among the kids with this series and the titular character?
The byline of this series is “Fight for the Right”. This is the message that we want to propagate through this series. Kicko is a role model for kids who will admire him. We wanted him to have all positive qualities expected in a role model. He is a courteous and well-mannered kid. He is very loyal to his friends. But when his city or his friends are victimised, he steps in to fight for the right.
What are the marketing and promotional processes in place?
The launch of the show was backed by a massive 360 degree marketing campaign – On Air, Digital, On Ground etc. where we gave kids an experience of the show. The same will be followed up by a sustained marketing campaign through the year.
Within the first week of its launch, KickO and Super Speedo has attracted attention of kids across the nation and promises to provide an extra dose of entertainment through a catchy theme song titled ‘Jeet Wala Geet’. With captivating tunes and simple lyrics, the song has instantly caught on to children across the country. The theme song of the show KickO And Super Speedo has received a brilliant response with 1.5 Million views in only 2 weeks.
