Synopsis
In a city that’s collapsing back into nature, a girl bumps into a crocodile. She’s practical and sensible; he’s confused and desperately wants someone to explain this city and its civilized ways to him. He asks to be her pet. Luckily, she’s the sort of girl who likes a challenge. Our show will be about two characters stuck in a friendship – a friendship which is plainly impossible because they come from such utterly different worlds. Every day they spend together results in confusion and calamity – and yet they feel this connection, this affinity – and so they will never leave each other. Life would be so easier if they did, but it would also be way less fun, and less meaningful.
Mister Crocodile
Director: TBC
Scriptwriters: Simon Nicholson and Joann Sfar (Adaptation from Monsieur Crocodile a beaucoup faim by Joann Sfar)
Graphic design: Joann Sfar
Producer: Aton Soumache (The Magical Society, France) and Cédric Pilot (The Magical Society, France)
Format: 52 x 11’02
Target audience: Children 6-11
Technique: 3D Computer
Mister Crocodile is an anticipated new animation series project by The Magical Society, a dedicated studio created to develop Joann Sfar’s universe, founded by Joann Sfar and Aton Soumache, the founder and president of ON kids & family (Mediawan Group), known for their internationally-distributed titles such as the TV series Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir and the animated feature The Little Prince.
The Magical Society teamed up with veteran screenwriter Simon Nicholson to deliver fun stories with a duo, a girl and a crocodile, to a children’s audience (targeting 6 to 11 year old).
We heard the story behind the project from Cédric Pilot, producer from The Magical Society and Method Animation, and Simon Nicholson, the lead of the scriptwriting team.
Interview with Cédric Pilot and Simon Nicholson
Hideki Nagaishi (HN): Could you please let us know what part of this animation project you think will be the most appealing or attractive to the prospective audience?
Cédric Pilot: Mister Crocodile is about a duo, two strong characters stuck in a friendship. A crocodile and a little girl are both kind of lonely in their own worlds, but once together they become best friends.
There are two big feelings developed all along the series: finding this impossible friendship hilarious and touching. This is what we’ll explore all along 52 fast-paced, funny, farcical episodes, in such a funny and surprising way, our audience will feel Daisy and Mister Crocodile are their friends.
HN: Could you please let us know the theme or topic of the series, as well as the outline of the story of the series?
Simon Nicholson: In brief, Mister Crocodile is a series about a friendship between an ordinary seven-year-old girl and an ordinary 800lb carnivorous crocodile. It’s a friendship that should never have happened, and it should fall apart instantly – but for some reason it doesn’t, in fact it becomes the thing that makes both of them the happiest.
HN: If you have a message or experience you want to deliver to the audience through the story, what would that be?
Simon Nicholson: The most unlikely friendships can also be the most rewarding ones.
HN: What part of the original comic is the most attractive for you in developing the story for the animation series?
Simon Nicholson: I loved Joann’s book – wild, impulsive and hilarious. There is a particular picture in which the girl takes the crocodile to the supermarket and, as they queue up with their groceries at the checkout, the croc tells the shop assistant “the kid’ll pay.” That idea of a kid being in charge of such a big powerful creature – I thought it was hilarious, and I think kids will too.
