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Taffy focuses Mipcom slate as presales wane.

New toons Cosmic Quantum Ray and Lamimila lead the Mipcom slate for LA-based Taffy Entertainment, but the firm has several other animated shows further up its sleeve to launch in 2008.

Cosmic Quantum Ray (26x22') is a high-definition CGI toon that unites copro partners M6 and Method Films of France, KiKa/ARD of Germany, India's UTV, Europool, Telegael, Korean IT giant SKC&C and Ocean Productions.

The action comedy, about reluctant teenager who gets sucked into a intergalactic battle against "evil, brilliant aliens, cosmic surfers," is due to debut on US cable channel Animania HD in the fourth quarter of this year, Taffy joint CEO Bill Schultz told C21.

Lamimila (65x7'), Taffy's other big push for Cannes next month, is a Federal Communications Commission-compliant preschool copro between the distributor's sister companies Mike Young Productions (MYP) in LA and Moonscoop Productions of France, as well as broadcaster France 5 and South Korea's EBS and Character Plan.

"It looks like fuzzy felt come to life," said MYP joint CEO Mike Young (SuperTed, ToddWorld), who set up in LA after a stint pioneering animation in Wales. "The stories start with kids' voices off-screen and then the collage starts to come to life." It is based on the works of French author and artist Mila Boutan.

"Lamimila is a one-of-a-kind series that engages its young audience by encouraging them to explore their own imaginations, and Cosmic Quantum Ray is like a comedic thrill ride for kids," said Lionel Marty, president of worldwide distribution at Taffy.

These two new shows will launch at Mipcom on a slate also comprising Taffy's older series I Got A Rocket (52x11'); MixMaster: King of Cards (39x22'); Dive Olly Dive (52x11') and SamSam (52x7'). Taffy is also debuting new seasons of Code Lyoko (97x22'), Pet Alien (52x22') and ToddWorld (78x11').

Further up the production pipeline for 2008, MYP and Taffy are working on several other series. Hero 108 is a 2D Flash series inspired by the Chinese Water Margin stories and has Gamania of Taiwan as copro partner and Cartoon Network attached for worldwide pay-TV rights.

Twisted Whiskers, meanwhile, is a CGI HD series that has DataQuest and American Greetings attached as copro partners. "It'll blow everything else out of the water - including our servers," said Young, keeping the project under wraps for the moment.

Three other projects are in development or pre-production, added Schultz: Chloe's Closet, Caspar and Geronimo Stilton. The latter has Italy's Atlantyca Entertainment involved but Canada's 9 Story Entertainment is no longer attached.

"Of our new shows, we'll only really be pushing Lamimila and Cosmic Quantum Ray since our new policy is to only showcase projects that are ready to go," said Schultz. "Networks want to see episodes, not one-sheets. Otherwise they can spend the whole time looking at stuff that'll never get made.

"We're concentrating our time - and our clients' time - on shows that are actually in production. The presales business just isn't there anymore. Buyers don't want to waste time on projects that might never get that final 10% of the budget. There's a lot less animation in production these days but a lot more half-financed projects around," he added.