Off the Leash You Tube Channel Launches
31st August 2017
AWARD-WINNING ANIMATION STUDIO FACTORY LAUNCHES RUPERT FAWCETT’S ‘OFF THE LEASH’ SERIES EXCLUSIVELY ON YOUTUBE
BAFTA-winning animation studio Factory today announces the launch of an Off The Leash series, a 2D line-animated version of Rupert Fawcett’s brilliantly observed hit cartoons about dogs.
The brand new series of 12 episodes will be launched via a newly created YouTube channel, with the first being released in association with the RSPCA on Saturday 26th August, National Dog Day, building on Off The Leash’s huge social media following.
The 2D digital animation series, created from Rupert’s unique hand drawn sketches, will consist of 12 x 60 second Off The Leash episodes and will be the first of the Clive Juster rights acquistion to be developed and released by Factory in 2017. The partnership with Rupert Fawcett marks a further move into self-initiated content for the animation studio as they grow the development of their own IP, alongside their existing commissions for broadcasters.
Rupert Fawcett, Cartoonist, writer and the original creator of the Off The Leash cartoons, launched the brand Off The Leash on Facebook in 2012, subsequently developing them into a bestselling book franchise. Off The Leash is a selection of cartoons, featuring the secret thoughts and conversations of dogs of every size, shape and breed. The series aims to celebrate the nation’s favourite belly scratching, tail-chasing, bed-stealing canine friends for dog lovers everywhere.
The Off The Leash episodes will be launched on social media, primarily via Facebook, Twitter and the new Off The Leash YouTube channel, harnessing the huge existing following that Off The Leash has through fans of the books, and it’s 860K followers on Fawcett’s Facebook page.
The commission of Off The Leash’s new animations comes after Factory announced its new licensing and brand management division, Factory Rights, following the acquisition of Rollo Rights.
The deal transfers rights in a raft of brands including Rupert Fawcett’s Off The Leash, David McKee’s Mr Benn, King Rollo, Victor & Maria, Towser, Watt the Devil, Art, Ric and Dr Xargle.
Factory acquired the catalogue in a move that further underpins its ambition to develop a rights ownership arm that supports its studio production business and will go on to build an experienced team to develop the new initiative.
Phil Chalk comments: “The Off The Leash series has already been generating huge interest, the brand alone has such a dedicated fan base and we’re so excited to finally launch the Youtube channel and unleash the new content to the world!”
Rupert Fawcett comments: “It has been such a privilege to work alongside Phil Chalk and the amazing team at Factory to bring my beloved doggy sketches to life! It has certainly been a challenge to pick which of my many stories are to be recreated into the 2D traditionally animated episodes but I am confident that all of our Off The Leash fans and dog lovers around the world will be thrilled with the 12 that we have produced so far!”
Off The Leash will launch in partnership with the RSPCA on YouTube with ‘Bedtime Barker’ on National Dog Day, 26th August.
