Flying Bark Productions

Flying Bark Productions Pty. Ltd. (formerly known as Yoram Gross Film Studios, Yoram Gross-Village Roadshow and Yoram Gross-EM.TV) is an Australian entertainment and animation studio that is a subsidiary of Belgian children's production company Studio 100. The studio acts as a full-service production facility across feature films, television and an assorted range of digital content. The studio was established by Yoram and Sandra Gross in 1967 as Yoram Gross Film Studios, and its stake was acquired by Australian media group Village Roadshow in 1996 before their stake was sold to German media & entertainment company EM.TV & Merchandising.

Flying Bark Productions Pty. Ltd.

Logo used since 2021
Trade name	Flying Bark Productions
Formerly	Yoram Gross Film Studios (1967–1996) Yoram Gross-Village Roadshow (1996–1999) Yoram Gross-EM.TV (1999–2006)
Industry	Entertainment Animation
Founded	1967; 58 years ago (1967)
Founder	Yoram Gross Sandra Gross
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Products	Motion pictures Television programs
Parent	Village Roadshow Pictures (1996–1999) EM.TV & Merchandising AG (1999–2008) Studio 100 (2008–present)
Website	www.flyingbark.com.au

History

In January 1996, Yoram Gross Film Studios announced they had established a partnership with Australian media group Village Roadshow, with the interest of Yoram Gross Film Studios being sold to them under their motion picture production division Village Roadshow Pictures. The company was later renamed to Yoram Gross-Village Roadshow, with Greg Coote, producer and founder of Village Roadshow's American division Village Roadshow Pictures, and Graham Burke, Village Roadshow's president & CEO, joining the renamed Australian animation studio's board. The studio agreed to produce ten animated series with Village Roadshow's television division.^[1] One year later in October 1997, Yoram Gross-Village Roadshow made a co-production pact with Europe-based German production and distribution company EM.TV & Merchandising AG, with whom they jointly handled television productions.^[2] Following this successful partnership, and with Village Roadshow seeking an exit from television production, EM.TV & Merchandising bought out Village Roadshow's interest in Yoram Gross-Village Roadshow in 1999, renaming the company to Yoram Gross-EM.TV. EM.TV was also now distributing the animation studio's programmes worldwide.^[3] By December 1999, Yoram Gross-EM.TV launched their own in-house licensing division named YG-EM Licensing to handle their own productions including EM.TV's co-production alongside their Junior programming catalogue.^[4]

In January 2006, seven years after their acquisition of 50% of Yoram Gross EM.TV, EM.TV & Merchandising announced their full acquisition of the remaining 50% stake of Yoram Gross EM.TV from its founders Yoram and Sandra Gross under their entertainment division EM. Entertainment, giving EM.Entertainment full control of the Australian animation and production group.^[5] By October 2006, Yoram Gross EM.TV announced a restructuring and rebranding of the company as Flying Bark Productions, alongside its distribution division Yoram Gross Distribution, which was renamed to Flying Bark Distribution.^[6][7][8]

In May 2007, Flying Bark Productions' then-parent company EM.TV announced their plans to exit the children's entertainment business through the sale of their children's division, including Flying Bark Productions, its distribution library including Yoram Gross' animated productions such as Blinky Bill, the library of Japanese animation studio Zuiyo, its classic catalogue such as Maya the Bee and Vic the Viking, and their German television channel Junior.^[9]

In late-May 2008, EM.Sport Media AG announced that they had exited the animation and children's entertainment production business and sold Flying Bark Productions, alongside its entertainment division EM.Entertainment (including its German television channel Junior) to Belgian production group Studio 100 through their Munich-based German international distribution division Studio 100 Media.^[10]

In late-March 2022, Flying Bark Productions announced the establishment of its new production arm After Bark, dedicated to adult animated programmes along with scripted and unscripted projects for mature audiences, with Amy Noble and Kate Andrew becoming CCO and head of legal & business affairs of the new production subsidiary.^[11]

In June 2024, Flying Bark Productions announced they had opened a Madrid-based animation studio, partnering with Spanish animation studio supervisor Ramon Giráldez to head the new Spanish animation studio.^[12]

Filmography

Flying Bark Productions feature films

Title	Release date	Distributor	Notes
Gumnutz: A Juicy Tale	December 24, 2007	FFC Australia	co-production with Bix Pix Productions and ABC Studios)
Santa's Apprentice	November 24, 2010	Gaumont	co-production with Gaumont Alphanim, Cartoon Saloon and Arvill Stark Entertainment
The Woodlies Movie[13]	February 23, 2013	Seven Network Universum Film (Germany)	co-production with Studio 100 Media, Seven Network, ZDF and Telegael
Maya the Bee[14][15]	2014	StudioCanal Universum Film (Germany)[16]	also known as Maya the Bee Movie co-production with Studio 100 Film, Screen Australia, ZDF and Buzz Studios
Blinky Bill the Movie	September 17, 2015	StudioCanal	co-production with Telegael, Screen Australia, Screen NSW and Assemblage Entertainment
Maya the Bee: The Honey Games	April 1, 2018 (Germany) July 26, 2018 (Australia)	StudioCanal Universum Film (Germany)	Sequel to Maya the Bee Movie co-production with Studio 100 Film, Screen Australia, Buzz Studios and Fish Blowing Bubbles
100% Wolf[17]	2020	Studio 100 Film	co-production with Studio 100 Film, Screen Australia, Screenwest, Lotterywest, Create NSW, Siamese and De-Fi Media
Maya the Bee: The Golden Orb[18][19]	January 7, 2021	StudioCanal	co-production with Studio 100 Film, Studio 100 Media, Studio Isar Animation and Studio B Animation
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie	August 5, 2022	Netflix	Animations services only produced by Nickelodeon Movies
Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia[20][21]	May 26, 2022 (Germany) October 27, 2022 (Australia)	Icon Film Distribution Constantin Film (Germany)	co-production with Studio 100 Film, Studio 100 Media, Studio Isar Animation, Constantin Film, Studio B Animation and Hahn Film AG
200% Wolf[22][23]	August 8, 2024	StudioCanal Atlantika Films (Spain)	Sequel to 100% Wolf co-production with Studio 100 Film, Screen Australia, Screenwest, Lotterywest, Siamese and Atlantika Films
Zac Power[24]	Coming 2025	Unknown	co-production with Cheeky Little Media[25]
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender	October 9, 2026	Paramount Pictures	Animation services only[26] produced by Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Avatar Studios

TV series

Title	Years	Network	Notes
The Adventures of Blinky Bill	1993–2004	ABC/Seven Network	co-production with EM.TV & Merchandising, EM.TV Wavery and WDR
Tabaluga	1997–2004	Seven Network ZDF (Germany)	co-production with EM.Entertainment, ZDF Enterprises and Victory Media Group
Skippy: Adventures in Bushtown	1998–1999	Nine Network	co-production with Tele Images Productions
Dumb Bunnies	1998–1999	Seven Network CBS (United States)	co-production with Nelvana and Scholastic
Flipper and Lopaka	1999–2005	Seven Network ZDF (Germany, season 3)	co-production with EM.Entertainment, Animation Filmmakers Corporation and Victory Media Group (season 2)
Fairy Tale Police Department	2001–2002	Seven Network (Australia)	co-production with EM.Entertainment, Talit Communications and Victory Media Group
Old Tom[27]	2002	ABC1 TF1 (France)	co-production with EM.TV Wavery and Millimages
Bambaloo	2003–2004	Seven Network	co-production with The Jim Henson Company (season 1)
Deadly	2006	Nine Network	Last production under the Yoram Gross-EM.TV name co-production with SLR Productions
Dive Olly Dive![28]	2006-2010	Seven Network Animania (United States) KIKA (Germany)	credited as Yoram Gross-EM.TV for the first 16 episodes; first production under the Flying Bark Productions name co-production with Mike Young Productions, Taffy Entertainment (season 1), MoonScoop (season 2), GDC International, Atlantyca Entertainment (season 2) and Telegael Owned by Splash Entertainment
Staines Down Drains	2006–2007	Seven Network	co-production with EM.Entertainment, Flux Animation Studio, Traction and NZ On Air
Zeke's Pad	2008–2010	Seven Network YTV (Canada)	uncredited co-production with Leaping Lizard Productions, Bardel Entertainment and Avrill Stark Entertainment
Master Raindrop	2008–2009	Seven Network	co-production with EM.Entertainment, Big Communications, Flux Animation Studio and Media Development Authority
Legend of Enyo	2009–2010		co-production with Avrill Stark Entertainment and Screen NSW
Zigby[29][30]	2009–2011	ABC Kids Treehouse TV (Canada) ZDF (Germany)[31]	co-production with Avrill Stark Entertainment, Thunderbird Films and Big Animation
The Woodlies	2012	Seven Network ZDF (Germany)	co-production with Studio 100 Media
Vic the Viking[32]	2013–2014	Network Ten/Eleven (Australia) ABC3 (Australia) TF1 (France)	co-production with Studio 100 Animation and ASE Studios
Tashi	2014–2015	7TWO	co-production with Telegael and Discreet Art Productions[33]
Heidi	2015–2019	Nine Network TF1 (France) Tiji/Piwi+ (France) ZDF (Germany)	season 1 only co-production with Studio 100 Animation and Heidi Productions (season 1) Based on the novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill[34][35]	2016–2017	7TWO/ABC Me	co-production with Studio 100 Animation, Telegael and Giant Wheel Animation
Oh, Yuck!	2017	Seven Network	co-production with Silhouette Media Group
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	2018–2020	Nickelodeon	Animation services only produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Glitch Techs	2020	Netflix
Lego Monkie Kid	2020–2023	Peacock	co-production with The Lego Group continued by WildBrain Studios from season 4 onwards
100% Wolf: Legend of the Moonstone	2020–2023	ABC Me	co-production with Studio 100 Animation and Studio 56
FriendZSpace	2021–present		co-production with Studio 100 Animation, Studio 100 Media, Dan Clark Company, Shellnut Entertainment and T&B Media Global
What If...?	2021–2024	Disney+	Animation services only produced by Marvel Studios Animation
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur	2023–2025	Disney Channel	Animation services only produced by Disney Television Animation, Marvel Animation and Cinema Gypsy Productions
Tales from Outer Suburbia	Coming 2025	ABC	co-production with Siamese and Highly Spirited[36]
Stranger Things: Tales From '85	Coming 2025	Netflix	Animation services only produced by 21 Laps Entertainment, Upside Down Pictures and Netflix)[37]
Untitled Ghostbusters series	Coming TBA		Animation services only produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Ghost Corps[38]
Untitled Minecraft series	Coming TBA		Animation services only[39] produced by Netflix[40]
Untitled Clash of Clans series	Coming TBA		Animation services only[41] produced by Netflix[42]

Web series

• The Eggsperts (2014)

Yoram Gross feature films

• Dot and the Kangaroo (1977)
• The Little Convict (1979; also known as Toby and the Koala)
• Around the World with Dot (1981; also known as Dot and Santa Claus)
• Sarah (1982; also known as The Seventh Match and Sarah and the Squirrel)
• Dot and the Bunny (1983)
• The Camel Boy (1984)
• Epic (1984; also known as Epic: Days of the Dinosaur)
• Dot and the Koala (1985)
• Dot and Keeto (1986)
• Dot and the Whale (1986)
• Dot and the Smugglers (1987; also known as Dot and the Bunyip)
• Dot Goes to Hollywood (1987)
• The Magic Riddle (1991)
• Blinky Bill: The Mischievous Koala (1992; also known as Blinky Bill)
• Dot in Space (1994)
• Skippy Saves Bushtown (1999)
• Tabaluga and Leo (2005; with ZDF Enterprises)
• Blinky Bill's White Christmas (2005)
• Flipper and Lopaka: The Feature (2006)

Yoram Gross TV series

• Bright Sparks (1989; with Beyond International Group)
• Samuel and Nina (1996–1997; with Children's Television Workshop and Cartoon Network Productions)
• Art Alive (2003–2005)
• Seaside Hotel (2003–2005; with Télé Images Kids)

TV special

• The Adventures of Candy Claus (1987)^[43]

Interactive board game

• Atmosfear (2004)

See also

• List of film production companies
• List of television production companies