Month: July 2015

Thunderbirds Are Go watched by over 1 million UK kids

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Thunderbirds Are Go

According to the ITV GE Kids July Newsletter, over 1.3m unique kids in the UK have so far watched Thunderbirds Are Go on ITV and CITV. More boys 6-11 have watched Thunderbirds Are Go than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars and Power Rangers for the same age group. In Australia and New Zealand, it was the top-rated show for 5-12 year olds across all channels at the time of launch.

Thunderbirds Are Go is also ready to launch in the Middle East and Israel later in the year. MBC3 will air the series from August. ITV Studios Global Entertainment has appointed MBC as the licensing agent for the market, and Toy Triangle as the master toy partner, with products launching from January 2016.

The series will air on Noga in Israel from December, with toys from Ilanit launching just after the TV broadcast. ITVSGE has appointed LDI as the licensing agent for the region.

Meanwhile, the Tracy Island playset has been listed as one of the ‘Top 10 toys for Christmas’ by Argos, Hamleys and Tesco in the UK. Initial sales of the Thunderbirds Are Go toy range in Australia and New Zealand have proven to be strong. The DVD is also a success, reaching top of the charts at all major retailers according to ITV.

Thunderbirds Are Gp bootcamp

Fans who are signed up to the series official website, www.thunderbirds.com will already be aware of the imminent launch the Thunderbirds Are Go: Bootcamp, featuring a host of weekly activities, downloads, videos, fun facts, polls and quizzes to keep fans engaged until the main site returns with episode 14 in autumn 2015. ITV reports 33,000 active users and over half a million page views per month, with an average 7 minute dwell time.

Original Captain Scarlet mini albums now on sale!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Captain Scarlet mini album - Big Ben Strikes Again Captain Scarlet mini album Flight 104 Captain Scarlet mini-album Special Assignment

  • Specially recorded versions of 3 Captain Scarlet episodes
  • Special narration from Captain Blue

Around fifteen years ago Fanderson released two special mini albums containing four Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episodes that had previously never been released.

What made them unique was they had been given the ‘mini album treatment’, and contained specially recorded narration by Captain Blue voice artist, Ed Bishop.

Ralph Titterton selected the episodes whilst Cathy Ford and Ros Connors took the scripts and wrote the linking dialogue. The recordings took place at TVS Studios Maidstone in September 1993.

The first two stories, Manhunt and Model Spy were released by Fanderson in 1999 under the title The Manhunt For Captain Black. A second release including Big Ben Strikes Again and The Heart Of New York appeared on the CD The Power Of The Mysterons.

Four other titles were recorded but never released as the club focused on developing its range of highly successful soundtrack albums, the most recent of which is the hugely popular Thunderbirds 50th anniversary 4-disc set.

We have received several requests to re-release the first four Captain Scarlet episodes. Rather than do that, we thought we would take the opportunity to incorporate two of the previously unreleased stories, Flight 104 and Special Assignment, together with Big Ben Strikes Again into a new set. This will form the first of a special range of Captain Scarlet mini albums.

Buy your copy online now!

Please remember that our merchandise is available exclusively to Fanderson club members. If you are not yet a member and want the chance to buy a fantastic range of items from Fanderson sales, you can join Fanderson by completing our online form.

Judith Shutt obituary to appear in FAB

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

An obituary covering the work of  AP Films and Century 21 puppeteer Judith Shutt will appear in the next issue of Fanderson’s FAB magazine, to be be released at the end of July. Judith passed away at the age of 74 in May.

From the early days of AP Films at Islet Park, through the move to Ipswich Road and AP Film’s transition to Century 21, Judith Shutt was an essential part of the sculpting and puppeteering team on shows like Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds.

 

New Thunderbirds episodes are go on Kickstarter

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

New Thunderbirds episodesFans have been delighted by news of a new Kickstarter campaign to raise £75,000 for a brand new episode classic Thunderbirds.

Led by director Stephen La Riviere, Thunderbirds 1965 will see the creation of up to three new episodes based on the audio-only ‘mini albums’ released in the 1960s.

The Thunderbirds 1965 project will launch on crowdfunding website Kickstarter on 10th July, and backing the project is the only way that fans from around the globe will be able to watch these new episodes.

In addition to a DVD / Blu-ray of the finished production, project backers have the opportunity to receive other rewards including a  photo-book featuring rare and previously unpublished stills from the original series. Backers will also be able to visit the Thunderbirds 1965 production studio and experience the classic model and puppet filmmaking techniques developed fifty years ago.

Stephen La Rivière says: “We have shot new sequences with the puppets using the old-fashioned techniques. Whilst many of the methods used seem a little archaic and time-consuming by today’s standards, we thought that it would be very special to do a one-off project bringing Thunderbirds back to life 1960s style. Sadly, many of the original voice cast have passed away since 1965. However, thanks to the original audio footage we’ve rediscovered, we have new, authentic stories that have never been adapted for screen.”

If you’re interested in backing the project go to the Kickstarter page and donate now!

Thunderbirds are go!

Win a De luxe Thunderbirds jigsaw puzzle!

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Thunderbirds Jumbo jigsawFanderson has teamed up with Jumbo Games to offer fans the chance to win one  of five de luxe Thunderbirds jigsaw sets.

Released to mark the 50th anniversary of the original Thunderbirds series, this beautiful Collector’s Box Set contains three 500-piece jigsaws depicting craft, characters and famous scenes from the series. Measuring roughly 49cm x 35cm, each jigsaw puzzle comes packaged in its own individual presentation box, and is made from high-quality cardboard to ensure that every piece is hard-wearing.

To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is enter the competition that will appear in FAB 81, which will be on its way to  Fanderson members at the end of July.

 And if you just can’t wait until then, you can buy the box set from Amazon right now!

Not yet a Fanderson member?  You can join here.