The Northern Star Project, a partnership between BBC, DR, NPO, NRK, and VRT, has launched a joint call for live-action scripted projects for kids 7-plus.
The call was announced at the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield. Selected projects from the five participating countries will be co-developed and co-commissioned by the partners in the initiative.
Content should be “relevant and culturally resonant across all five territories,” with relatable characters, representation on and off-screen, a platform-agnostic approach, and the ability to break through the clutter. Episodes should be 30 minutes or less, with a total duration of 150 to 240 minutes, aimed at kids 7 to 9 or 10 to 12. Rights must be available across all five markets, including linear, streaming, and YouTube.
The Northern Star Project was announced last month.
Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC Children’s and Education, said: “Launching Northern Star’s first development call at the Children’s Media Conference is a powerful statement of intent. We want to back bold, original ideas from the very best creative talent across Northern Europe and create children’s drama that can compete for attention in a crowded global market. By combining our investment, expertise, and shared commitment to public service storytelling, we can help bring more ambitious, authentic stories to young audiences across all five territories.”
Morten Skov, head of the children’s department at DR, noted, “With Northern Star, we are looking for new, original fiction ideas for children. At DR, we have a core responsibility to continuously develop our portfolio of content so that it reflects children’s lives, with stories and characters they can recognize and relate to. Northern Star is an example of how public service broadcasters and producers across Europe can come together around a shared task: creating compelling stories that engage and connect with children.”
Hans-Jørgen Osnes, head of international financing for drama at NRK, stated, “Public service partnering across Northern Europe is vital to stay competitive and relevant for our audience. Building on Nordic collaborations and New8, the Northern Star aims to open boundaries, inspire producers, and strengthen the ties among the 5 strong partners in our region. As a result, The Northern Star will by this serve our audience with new strong stories that resonate in our world today.”
Anne Dreesen, head of children’s content at VRT, stated, “This open call reflects our shared belief in the power of children’s fiction. Great stories help children understand themselves, each other, and the world around them. At a time when ambitious productions are becoming harder to realize alone, collaboration is more important than ever. Through Northern Star, we are combining our strengths as public service media to support local creators and develop stories that reflect the experiences, curiosity and imagination of a new generation.”
Robert Fortuijn, manager of NPO Zapp, noted, “It’s fantastic to see Northern Star move from ambition to reality. We are proud to take this first step together in developing and producing children’s series through this unique partnership. By joining forces across Northern Europe, we can create stronger, more ambitious stories that connect with young audiences wherever they are.”
