Toonz Media Group has signed a worldwide distribution agreement for “MechWest,” an independently produced CG-animated action-adventure series created by Dave Gallagher and produced by AnimSchool Studios.
The corporate is presenting the series to international buyers on the Annecy Animation Festival.
Set within the dieselpunk frontier world of Meridian, “MechWest” follows Pearl West, a teenage girl who befriends a mysterious coal-powered robot called Six and embarks on a journey that upends the fate of their world, joined by her cowboy brother Pico and quick-talking friend Casey. Gallagher developed the series with writers Noah Gallagher and Clifford James Taylor; the creative team also includes Layout Director Galen Chu (“Ice Age: Collision Course,” “Ferdinand”) and Head of Story Moroni Taylor (“The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “The Iron Giant,” “Despicable Me”). The series targets kids aged 7–12 and family audiences.
One in every of the more odd points of the production is its staffing model: the series was made largely by recent AnimSchool graduates, the accredited 3D animation school founded by Gallagher, whose own feature credits include supervisory roles on the “Ice Age” franchise, “Rio,” “Robots,” and “Horton Hears a Who.” The show has collected greater than 11 million lifetime views and brought home Gold and Silver honors on the Telly Awards and Gold and Audience Selection recognition on the Collision Awards.
“We’re very excited to partner with Toonz Media Group for this next chapter of ‘MechWest,’” Gallagher said. “Our team has made the series independently, one episode at a time, and it’s very rewarding to see the show resonating with audiences. Toonz brings a lot expertise in international distribution and a real enthusiasm for the series. They share our vision for the show’s broad appeal, and this partnership gives us a possibility to introduce the show to recent audiences and expand its global reach.”
Under the agreement, Toonz will distribute the show to each linear and non-linear channels globally. The corporate, which has greater than 25 years of experience across animation, live-action production, and international distribution, also operates the MyToonz FAST channel and a YouTube network reaching audiences through VOD and telecom partnerships.
Viswanath Rao, CEO of Toonz Media Group, said, “Exceptional storytelling has all the time been at the center of successful global entertainment, and ‘MechWest’ is a strong example of that. What Dave Gallagher and the AnimSchool Studios team have achieved is remarkable, making a visually stunning, emotionally engaging series that has already built a passionate audience through its own merit. We’re delighted to partner with the team and help bring the series to audiences worldwide.”
Gulshan David, VP, feature movies at Toonz Media Group, added, “‘MechWest’ stood out immediately, the standard of the animation, the world Dave and the AnimSchool team have built, and an audience that’s already found it. What they’ve achieved is rare for an independently produced series, and we consider it has exactly what major global platforms and broadcasters are on the lookout for. We’re thrilled to bring ‘MechWest’ to the world stage starting at Annecy.”