Distribution deals to take the UAE's mysterious Um Khamas and her ancient friends to foreign parts are now being finalised, following an agreement between television station Cartoon Network and Lammtara, the studio behind the popular animation series FREEJ.

Charles Murito, Business Development Director Middle East and Africa at Cartoon Network, told Emirates Business the platform is currently "in the midst of negotiations on a couple of deals to take FREEJ outside the region". He said details would be made public once the deals were finalised.
The TV station, a part of the Time Warner company Turner Broadcasting, yesterday announced a collaborative licensing and development deal with Lammtara.

As part of the agreement, Cartoon Network will be able to syndicate the show outside the Middle East and North Africa, besides retaining the rights to air Freej on its platforms. It will also use the show's characters in a local version of Skatoony, its part live-action, part animation fantasy quiz series – a move that has proved successful in other markets before, Murito said.

He said the agreement announced yesterday was a way of connecting with regional audiences better. "We're constantly looking for more locally relevant content that resonates with our audiences," he said, "and for us, this is a long-term strategic partnership will help us improve our marketplace in the region as well as take Lammtara's work outside."

He was unable to quantify the deal in dirhams. "For us the value of the deal is in being able to increase awareness and the level of relevance in the region," he said. In a media statement, FREEJ creator Mohammed Saeed Harib described the collaboration as "the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship that will present further exciting opportunities in the future". This newspaper's attempts to reach Harib were unsuccessful.

The news follows on the heels of an announcement at MIPTV in Cannes last fortnight that Cartoon Network is to open a dedicated animation training academy at twofour54 in Abu Dhabi, as part of an attempt to develop more animated content in Arabic that could eventually make it onto the channel and perhaps be franchised around the world.

Murito said he expected production on the localised version of Skatoony to begin in September or October.