The third dimension: Pentamedia’s Sinbad to sail on Cartoon Network

Our eFE Bureau in New Delhi

CARTOON Network announced the launch of two 3D animation shows—Pandavas and Sinbad—at a press conference here on Tuesday. The two shows will be aired on the channel beginning September 8, according to Turner Entertainment’s general manager and senior vice-president, Mr Ian Diamond.

The exclusive premiere of these two shows will also mark the launch of Cartoon Network’s new programming franchise ‘Toonami’, according to Mr Diamond. Produced by Chennai-based Pentamedia, Pandavas and Sinbad have been created using the latest real-time motion capture 3D animation technology.

Said Pentamedia’s head of marketing, Mr Kailashnath Koppikar, that on an average a 90-minute animation film costs around $10 million. But the cost could go up much more, depending on factors such as quality of animation. Cartoon Network, which has acquired the cable rights for two of Pentamedia’s shows, refused to divulge the acquisition cost.

Kids’ channel in the works

PENTAMEDIA Graphics, a Chennai-based entertainment solution company, is planning a children’s channel, ‘Splash’. Even as it is not certain whether it will be a 24-hour channel or not, the channel is scheduled to be launched around Diwali. The channel will be a mix of animation and non-animation contents.