Mukpuddy to Create New Zealand’s Own Nickelodeon

Mukpuddy, a Kiwi animation company best known for their hit TV series The Barefoot Bandits, wants to be New Zealand’s answer to the US family entertainment giants.

Tim Evans, Alex Leighton and Ryan Cooper kick-started Mukpuddy in 2002. Now, seventeen years later, they are keen to explore new territories and platforms for their trademark family-orientated fare. Besides having a number of TV projects in their kitty, Mukpuddy has stepped into the gaming industry, having recently completed a short-film trial-run for an animated feature.

Cooper recalls they just wanted to make web cartoons. “Some of our heroes had started making little animated web-shorts. We thought that’s where things were going to go. Unfortunately, that didn’t work in New Zealand because the internet wasn’t quite up to speed and people were a bit confused by the concept. But we were determined to keep developing our ideas and so just kept chipping away doing stuff.”

Leighton said they took part in the annual 48 Hour Film-Making Challenge and shared everything they could on their website since social media didn’t exist. “Then in 2006, we pitched an idea to What Now that got the green light.” He said their Sparkle Friends, Pocket Protectors and C.R.U,M.B.S segments all developed a following which still continues today. Cooper believes the ‘big break’ came when they pitched a Christmas Special to TVNZ called Missing Christmas at the end of 2012. “That was when we got our first NZ On Air Funding and helped us get a foot in the door at TVNZ. From there we took those Missing characters and expanded them into The Barefoot Bandits.”

From its debut in 2016, the show is currently in production on its third season.