In an interview with ttvnews, Tony Albert, CEO of Motion Pictures, talks about the importance of creating high-quality content with memorable characters and stories, that can entertain and educate children across cultural boundaries.
With nearly 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Tony Albert, CEO of Motion Pictures, knows firsthand the importance of children’s content as a tool not only to entertain children, but also to educate, instill values, and create an emotional connection that transcends cultural boundaries.
In this sense, Motion Pictures seeks to make the impossible possible, with the mission of finding high-quality artistic projects with solid stories and strong characters, and the potential to travel around the world at affordable costs.
In the following interview with ttvnews, the CEO shares his current vision of the children’s animation market, the challenges, opportunities, and trends he projects for this year, and the highlights of his content catalog for the international market.
What is your current vision for the children’s content industry? What do you think will be the main trends in terms of genres and productions for 2025?
As we always say, we don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future, but at Motion Pictures, we see an industry in constant transformation, where children’s content has taken on a new dimension: beyond entertainment, its ability to educate, engage, and emotionally connect with children is now valued. For 2025, we believe the main trends will revolve around animation with values and content based on strong and recognized IPs. New seasons from well-known brands will surely continue to be produced.
What are the main challenges of producing children’s content today? What do you look for when selecting projects for your catalog?
One of the main challenges is creating stories that capture attention in an ecosystem saturated with stimuli, without losing the essence of what it means to tell a good story. We seek out the impossible: projects that combine artistic quality, a solid narrative, memorable characters, a clear international reach, that are also economically viable.
What are the star titles in your current catalog for the international market?
Our catalog includes established titles such as MyaGo, a preschool series that has enjoyed a significant international run, broadcast in more than 100 countries. We have produced 156 episodes. I also highlight Turbozauros, for which we have also produced 156 episodes and intend to produce a film based on this IP. We also have such iconic series that continue to perform very well, such as Glumpers, Boom & Reds, Telmo, and Tula.
Unlike previous generations, who accessed content only on linear television, having content available whenever and wherever they want is the norm for today’s children. How do you think the evolution of streaming has changed the business of distributing children’s content?
Streaming has been a revolution. It has opened the doors to a more segmented, flexible, and global distribution. For us, it has meant the possibility of reaching new territories with titles that perhaps would not have found a space on traditional linear television. It has also prompted us to think about shorter, more adaptable formats and more powerful localization strategies to connect with different cultures. It’s truly a difficult challenge. Before, you could forecast revenue because you knew roughly the prices linear channels were paying. With streaming, you reach the entire world, but calculating monetization is complex.
In this sense, what platforms and territories do you currently work with? In which regions do you think there is the greatest growth potential for your content?
Well, we work with many platforms, most of them with international or pan-regional reach. In addition to globally renowned platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, our content can be seen on Lingopie, JY Animation, Kindjo, Mondia, Toon Googles, LoolooKids, Amoho, Ottera, Magic Bee, EFG Digital, Durio, El Reino Infantil, Primeran, 3CAT, among others. We also manage our own YouTube channels.
In terms of growth, we’re seeing growing interest in Latin America and Asia, especially for preschool and educational content with a polished aesthetic. We also see opportunities in Eastern Europe, where there’s a growing demand for series with an international focus.
How do you see the evolution of children’s content and younger audiences in the coming years?
We believe that animated series will continue to be the main driver of children’s content, both on television and on digital platforms. Animation has a unique ability to connect with children: it is flexible, visually powerful, and able to cross cultural boundaries with ease.
I am confident that in the coming years, we will see an evolution toward more personalized narratives, with plots that integrate contemporary values such as diversity, the environment, multiculturalism, religions, gender equality, and so on. Young audiences are increasingly critical, active, and conscious, so they will seek content that not only entertains them, but also represents them and makes them reflect.
Furthermore, with the expansion of platforms, content will adapt to multiple consumption windows: from the television screen to mobile phones and tablets. This will require more agile, multilingual, and transmedia formats.
With nearly 30 years in this industry, in a rapidly changing world, animation remains our favorite way to tell great stories in a small format.
