Sphere Media, a Canadian TV and film content creator, producer and distributor, announced the acquisition of Montreal-based animation studio Sardine Productions.
Founded in 2002 by Ghislain Cyr, Sardine has made a name for itself in Canada and internationally with several successful original series including My Goldfish Is Evil!, Chop Chop Ninja and ToonMarty. These productions’ high quality has ensured sales to more than 200 territories around the world.
With the acquisition of Sardine, Sphere will continue to grow and expand its original animation content offering for international markets while strengthening its team of designers and production partners locally and around the world, most notably in Europe and Asia. Sphere Media is already active in animation through its business unit Oasis Animation, the largest 2D studio in Quebec and one of the biggest in Canada. Oasis is a very active player in the U.S. market, among others.
“We are privileged to be welcoming the Sardine Productions team to the Sphere Media family,” said Sphere Media president and CEO Bruno Dubé. “By joining our already existing talented animation team, the Sardine team is sure to help us further extend our creative footprint and expand into promising new markets thanks to quality original content.”
Sardine Productions current president Cyr added, “I’m very pleased to see Sardine join a leading group like Sphere Media, with which we share a common vision of creation and commercialization of original animation content. Besides helping us accelerate development of a number of new original productions, this alliance will multiply opportunities for international distribution of our existing content catalogue.”
Established in Montreal and Toronto, Sphere Media’s team includes roughly 200 employees and over 9,000 freelancers tackling its ranges of feature film, documentary, scripted TV, 2D animation, digital projects and more. The sphere includes Go Films, Oasis Animation, BGM, Sienna Films, Sphere Media Distribution and international sales agent WaZabi Films.