Pocoyo Awards IV (BAFTA)

David Cantolla, Guillermo García, Kathryn Hart, Anne Brogan, Jonathan Doyle

The photo was taken at 7.30pm in Hotel London Milton. After we’d met in the lobby, we shared a champagne cocktail with very elegant and glamorous people in an enormous function room with reserved seating. At our table were Anne Brogan (Executive Co-Producer), David Johnson (Financial Director), Catherine Williams (Script Editor), Giles Ridge (Head of Production), Emmanuelle Namiech (Int'l Sales Exec.) and Lynda McNaughton (Post-Pro) from Granada Kids and Granada International, Jon Doyle (Executive Co-Producer) from Cosgrove Hall and us three: Kath Hart (Executive Co-Producer), Guillermo Garcia (Co-Director) and myself (Co-Director).  Kath, Guillermo and I flew from Spain the previous night and we stayed with our friends/associates. We made out that we weren’t going to be that bothered if we lost…but of course … who did we think we were kidding!?  Before the ceremony started, Guillermo and I had already finished our bread and butter, despite the incredulous stares from our fellow guests! …  We Spaniards are always lowering the tone!

After about 5 or 6 award presentations came our category of nominations. Next to "Charlie and Lola", "The Koala Brothers" and "Postman Pat" , Pocoyo appeared on the screen … and the crowd applauded ferociously … this really did touch me … my heart was pounding and I could tell by the faces around the table that we all felt the same way …

fingers crossed….

the moment arrived …. “and the winner is: ……… Pocoyo”

Wow!  I was absolutely over the moon!  We were all absolutely thrilled!  Anne was euphoric and Jon too … how fabulous for them, after all the bad news we’ve had over the last few months.

Granada Kids is closing down, yes, it’s unbelievable.

Television is above all a question of money, if the business plans are not profitable then companies and their projects close down and disappear. For those of you who have not been following the issue, here is more or less the chain of events:  1. OFCAM in the UK is prohibiting the advertisement of sweets and junk food in any area of children’s products, which of course is great for our children, but…. 2.  As a result of this, ITV’s business plan has had to be reworked looking at its children’s products.  It has ruled that the business plan cannot sustain this area and has therefore decided that they are not going to commission anymore children’s productions.  3.  On making this decision, the plan for Granada Kids’ co-productions has become unviable, and Granada International has announced its closure.  4.  Not only Granada Kids, a whole host of producers have been left alone in the market and are only going to be able to look to the BBC in the future… which indicates a desolate panorama for our children… at the same time, it is a possibility that (as is the case in Spain) the majority of the children’s’ products will be imported from countries who produce them internally … as we say in Spain, that’s football for you!

For this reason (as well as the obvious!) I was especially sorry for Anne, after the efforts she has gone to with us.  I can’t tire of thanking her because she is the before and after in this series, which has made it a very special award.

I wish to dedicate this award to them, to Anne and Jon who have been the best travelling buddies we could have hoped for in Pocoyo!  With them we have learned so much. And of course, to all the others at Granada, some of whom were with us at the table, and to those who have also been part of this adventure but, for one reason or another, could not be there with us.

After everything that you’ve read …and as you’re now getting to know the ins and outs of Zinkia and about how we make Pocoyo, I suppose that you can imagine how wonderful an award like this is for us. Yes, Annecy is, in the world of animation, almost an Oscar, but this award is like winning the best pre-school product on television!!  And even more so in England with competition in infant products as fierce as it is…….. thanks to all of you who support us, to all of you who write here, and to those of you who have believed in us right from the start.  And lastly, a very special thank you to the whole Zinkia team who have made this adventure possible.

more about pocoyo awards here

Comments

[Niel Bushnell]

Well done! This was so well deserved!

[Izza]

Congratulations! It's lovely to see this show being recognized.

[Denise]

Hi David,

Reading that whole blog brought tears to my eyes! I think I felt the same joy as you when the winner was announced! :D

It's sad about Granada Kids. But at least Pocoyo will survive! As I've said before, you're all blessed and so too is Pocoyo. :D

Denise (back online at last!)

[Charisse Cristobal]

Hi,I'm Charisse Cristobal from Las Pinas, Manila, Philippines. I'm so glad about the show. My one-year old son, Paulo, recognizes Pocoyo already. He shouts and scream when we watch the show on Disney playhouse channel. We hope you'll have Pocoyo merchandise soon in the Philippines.. I'm happy that you've won the award! HURRAY FOR POCOYO!

[Sean]

Yay, congratulations. I bet it was very tense aswell and i didnt think this show was very pupular until now of course! Congratulations!

[Curtis Jobling]

David - terrific news! Experienced Bafta winning myself in the same category a few years back (I'm the designer of BOB THE BUILDER) and it's a great recognition of work well done. Well deserved too, as Pocoyo is a lovely show. Say Hi to Jon Doyle for me - where did his hair go? He and I go back a way to Cosgrove Hall when I was starting out.

Do please call by the blog or drop me a mail - am always interested in collaborating with new and groovy folk such as yourself.

Curtis Jobling
frankscat@hotmail.com

[Yudhis]

Greetings from Indonesia. Congrats guys. My whole family loooove Pocoyo! Hurray for Pocoyo family :D

[Hennell]

Not trying to be pedantic but it's OFCOM (Office of Communications) who've imposed the Junk Food ban.

[Denise]

Thanks Hennell for the correction. It's not easy when English is your second language. :)

Denise

[Marcus Vinicius Freitas Margarites]

Hi, guys !
Congratulations for the award !
My 3 years old son loves Pocoyo, and I feel the very same way. I'm really sorry for the Granada Kids team, and hope they find a way to continue this great work. Maybe the award can help them.
Thank you very much !

[abi, Malaysia]

Hi, congratulations!
It's great to see that this show is getting the recognition that it deserves.
My 4 years old niece and I love Pocoyo, and she's even told others that Pocoyo is her boyfriend!
Again, congratulations to all of you. Yay!

[Socorro]

Felicitaciones desde Argentina!

[Julian]

Congrats on a fantastic work.

I have three little girls who love our little friend. It is unfortunate that the project might be handicapped due to the financial constraints at Granada.

I can't just say that I do tape some of the episodes ( yes I am one of those evil people who copy stuff from TV and passes to friends). Many friends are not aware of the show and I have become an apostle. I tell every single father I met and I pass them some episodes just to make sure they have a quick chance to watch them. It is as well great that ( in Spain ) emission is in English and Spanish which makes it a fantastic way of learning and supporting english learning classes.

Keep up the good job.

Julian

Madrid.

[Marilou See]

Congratulations! from the Philippines. I've been searching high and low for your merchandise, hoping you could spread the POCOYO fever thru Asia. Sad to hear about the Granda Kids...I never get tired watching POCOYO...he's so cute. =)

[Andre Barnwell]

I am probably one of the millions of blog watchers who thanks you for the update on your journey with pocoyo as a product but most of all a series that never ceases to make me and my friends at sheridan college in the animation smile. Thank you once again for the guidance and advice and all the coninuing best to you.

[Yulimar Barboza]

Hola Sres.:

De corazón quiero felicitarlos de parte de todos aquellos padres que se preocupan por lo que sus hijos ven en la tele, por que POCOYO y sus amigos es un personaje muy instructivo, mi hijo Andrés tiene 2 años y cuando estrenaron la serie en Venezuela, se enganchó de inmediato, y me parece que lo incentiva bastante a aprender...

Gracias Mil, nuevamente... y Hurra por Pocoyo!

[David]

Felicidades a todos ustedes, tocayo... but... would there still be financial support to you guys from somewhere else? I'd hate to see you guys left sponsorless while the series is gaining so much momentum elsewhere... I'm quite confident that you'll get by. Saludos desde Puerto Rico.

[Fer]

Congratulations :)

i am amazed that a series so GREAT as Pocoyo is made here in Spain.

:) you are the best of spanish TV.

:) a very big smile :)

[Alvaro]

Congratulations
Felicidades

Great Work.

[Henry]

Hiya Guys!
Great to hear about the awards, u guys deserve every single of it (and more!)
as an animation fans such as south park, king of the hill, family guys and the simpsons, its so great to see sumthin dat accepted in many age-range, id luv to see spongebob with my aunt's daughter but sometimes its too hard for her to understand it, but POCOYO always works in simple way and i ended loving it way more than her.lol

as a 27 years old metalhead, many of my mates in the recording studio mocking me for dis 1st but when i see it twice a day (im in Indonesia, they play it twice @6am n 10.30am, 4 story each), n have to woke up early juz to catch those giggle sounds and silly songs they start to pay attention n now, we all watch it together n talk about it once a while. a rare scene in the music studio who usualy dealing with extreme metal music.lol

so guys, please, i dunno how u can work it out but, please, i never sez please twice, not even to my ex-gf but u got to keep PO CO YO going!

ull make it happen guys. POCOYO KNOWS!

[Carles Fernández]

¡Enhorabuena por el premio! Os lo merecéis, porque animaciones españolas que triunfen por el mundo como la vuestra hay pocas.

[gina]

Congratulations for winning the Bafta! i'm truly sad about the closing of Granada kids. i have a 1 1/2 yr old son and he already knows pocoyo and the theme song. He stands up from his crib whenever he hears the song. i even have it as my ring tone and my computers also has pocoyo wallpapers and screen savers. The lessons in every pocoyo episode may be quite simple but so very important and valuable. this is the reason why the series and characters have been so endearing to the parents as well. It's quite disappointing to know that my son will not be able to learn these lessons from the series when he's old enough to understand. your merchandise is not available here in the philippines so my husband would just have to download the series from the internet just so our son would still be able to continue watching. My son shall celebrate his 2nd birthday this september and his party theme is pocoyo. i hope the series will still be around by then. again, congratulations for a job well done.

[Patrícia Bizarro]

Hi, Congratulations!!!!
A big Kiss of a Big fan from Portugal!!!

Love Pocoyo
;-)

[Vanina]

I am - just as much or perhaps even more than my 2 year old - a huge fan of Pokoyo... and of Stephen Fry's voice.
I am delighted that you won this very well deserved award and hope that the ABC here in Australia will carry on broadcasting our cheeky little Spanish friend for a long time to come.
HURRAY FOR POCOYO!

[Diana Jumat]

Hi I'm Diana from Singapore. First of all, a big congratulations to the whole team for the BAFTA award.
I would like to thank all of you for making such wonderful characters. I like the fact that Pocoyo and friends are very simple. Easy to understand and there is always something for the kids to learn in each episode. I also like the fact that Pocoyo is just like any other pre-schooler who loves to explore, figure out things, learn through play and never forgets to have fun!
I feel that today's childrens' programmes are a little bit "violent". It's always good guys versus bad guys. Lots of fighting. So Pocoyo is a fresh breath of air!
Last of all, I would like to say thank you for putting up a show that my 10 month old daughter enjoys. As soon as she hears the music to the opening title, she is fixed to the TV.

[Pedro]

Just to let you know that there are at least two big fans (just kidding there are millions) here in Brazil, me and my 21 months old son!
He only wants to watch Pocoyo!! Congratulations!!!

[Diana. Spain]

Gracias por todo. Me encanta Pocoyo. Sé que tendría que hablar de parte de mis hijos, pero es que me siento muy happy (esto para que se vea que hablo bien de vosotros) cada vez que veo Pocoyo, tanto que yo soy la primera en saltar del sillón para bailar con la música de Pocoyo.
Congratulations!!!!

[gina]

i totally agree with diana of singapore. pocoyo is a breath of fresh air when it comes to children's shows.
hurray for pocoyo! and hurray for all the children (and parents too!) who appreciate and love pocoyo!!!
More power!!!

[C. Torres]

Congratulations!

My son loves pocoyo,(he looks like pocoyo :)

I love pocoyo!!!!

[Beatriz]

Enhorabuena!!, conocí a Pocoyo el pasado mes de noviembre cuando di a luz a mi segundo hijo, Lucas, y por las mañanas veía la tele con mi hija mayor, Helena (dos añitos), y la verdad es que no sé quién se enamoró antes de vuestros personajes, ella o yo, estábamos esperando la salida de los DVD y ya los tenemos...y, by the way, ¡¡¡me encanta que seáis de mi Madrid del alma!!! (se nota que no vivo allí y lo echo de menos). Felicidades, son los personajes más tiernos y simpáticos de la tele desde hace mucho tiempo.

[Alexandre Mascari-Dumont]

Felicitations David!
Pocoyo est fantastique!!!!!!

[KATHERINE WALKER]

hola me encanta el personaje de pocoyo. me gustaria saber si viene articulos de cumpleanos para celebrale el 1 anito a mi bebe de pocoyo.

[Amee Halim-Illiya]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

my son absolutely loves pocoyo..!!
keep up the good work!!

[Amee Halim-Illiya]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

my son absolutely loves pocoyo..!!
keep up the good work!!

[Cali]

Congratulations on the thoroughly deserved award. I'll 'fess up: I work for ITV and I hope that we see sense and continue to support such a superb piece of children's programmming.

My two year old son loves Pocoyo and all the other characters; as someone who works in TV and as a parent, I think it would be a terrible mistake if ITV decided not to support such an excellent show and creative team.

Keep up the good work: Hooray for Pocoyo!

[Marie]

I love Pocoyo... congrats on the Bafta! Nice work!

I do so hope that Granada Kids dying doesn't mean that we're not going to get Pocoyo anymore. That would be just AWFUL.

[Moises Gallardo]

The best work for the kids my friends, congratulations...!!! ho!, and a like it to lol..!!! so cute pokoyo and friends...!!!really beautiful work, god bless all you..!!

[watten]

congrats !!!

i am watten from indonesia
father of 3 years old son

i really enjoy your show, the best show for kids since sesame street, bob the builder & pingu

hope to see pocoyo dvd&toys in indonesia

let us see more pocoyo !!!

[joi]

Me and my 2 yr old son loves Pocoyo so much...thanks for your wonderful creation..Hope to see more of Pocoyo .

Joi
Philippines