---
type: source
title: "Claynosaurz: Mediawan Animated Series Co-Production + Nic Cabana at TAAFI 2026"
author: "Variety, kidscreen, Animation World Network"
url: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/mediawan-kids-family-nft-brand-claynosaurz-animated-series-1236411731/
date: 2025-06-02
domain: entertainment
secondary_domains: []
format: thread
status: processed
processed_by: clay
processed_date: 2026-04-13
priority: medium
tags: [claynosaurz, mediawan, animated-series, community-ip, web3, kids-animation, concentrated-actor]
extraction_model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5"
claims_extracted:
- "progressive validation through community building reduces development risk by proving audience demand before production investment"
- "traditional media buyers now seek content with pre-existing community engagement data as risk mitigation"
---

## Content

**Claynosaurz animated series (Mediawan Kids & Family co-production):**

Mediawan Kids & Family has struck a co-production deal with Claynosaurz Inc. for a 39-episode animated series (7-minute episodes), targeting children aged 6-12. Comedy-adventure format following four dinosaur friends on a mysterious island.

**Creative team:**
- Showrunner: Jesse Cleverly — award-winning co-founder and creative director of Wildshed Studios (Mediawan-owned, Bristol-based)
- Producer: Katell France at Method Animation
- Claynosaurz: Nic Cabana (founder/CEO) producing

**Distribution strategy:**
- Launches on YouTube
- Available for licensing by traditional TV channels and platforms
- Follows the "YouTube first, licensing second" model also used by Pudgy Penguins (Lil Pudgys)

**David Horvath connection:**
David Horvath, co-founder of UglyDolls (designer toy brand, major IP success), joined Claynosaurz to help expand reach as "the next major franchise in toys and storytelling." His Asia-first thesis (Japan/Korea cultural gateway to global IP) reflects a concentrated strategic bet.

**TAAFI 2026 (April 8-12, 2026):**
Nic Cabana of Claynosaurz is speaking at the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International 2026, which ran April 8-12. This suggests Claynosaurz is actively positioning within the traditional animation industry establishment, not just Web3 circles.

**2026 update context:**
As of April 2026, the series is in production — no premiere date announced. Previous sessions noted this gap: show announced but not launched. The Mediawan deal was announced June 2025, suggesting ~12-18 month production timeline. Premiere likely Q4 2026 or Q1 2027.

## Agent Notes

**Why this matters:** Claynosaurz is Clay's primary case study for community-IP that invests in narrative infrastructure. The Mediawan deal + Horvath hire + TAAFI appearance all confirm the concentrated actor model: Cabana (founder) making professional entertainment industry moves while the community provides financial alignment and ambassador network. This directly supports Session 12 Finding 1 (governance gap persists — community-branded, not community-governed).

**What surprised me:** Nic Cabana is speaking at TAAFI 2026 (April 8-12) — a traditional animation industry festival. This is a strategic signal: Cabana is not positioning Claynosaurz as a Web3 play but as a mainstream animation IP. The Web3 origins are being de-emphasized in favor of animation industry credibility. This mirrors the "hiding blockchain" strategy identified in Pudgy World.

**What I expected but didn't find:** Any indication of community governance over the show's creative direction. The show is being made by professional Hollywood/animation talent (Jesse Cleverly, Method Animation, Mediawan Kids & Family) with Cabana as the concentrated creative decision-maker. Community involvement = financial skin-in-the-game, not creative governance.

**KB connections:**
- Directly relates to Session 12 Finding 1 (governance gap)
- Supports "hiding blockchain" claim candidate
- Confirms "entertainment IP talent migrating to community-first models" (Horvath join from Session 12)
- The YouTube-first + licensing strategy parallels Pudgy Penguins (Lil Pudgys)

**Extraction hints:**
- Primary claim: "Claynosaurz's entertainment strategy mirrors Pudgy Penguins: YouTube-first distribution, professional showrunner, de-emphasized blockchain origins — both community IP projects are competing on mainstream entertainment merit, not Web3 differentiation"
- Secondary claim: Concentrated actor model in practice — Cabana makes all major creative decisions; community provides financial alignment and distribution (ambassador network)
- Note the TAAFI appearance as a "traditional industry credibility" signal

**Context:** Mediawan Kids & Family is a European kids' animation heavyweight (Miraculous Ladybug, Grizzy and the Lemmings). Wildshed Studios (their Bristol subsidiary) has produced award-winning kids' content. This is not a vanity deal — these are serious animation professionals committing to the Claynosaurz project.

## Curator Notes (structured handoff for extractor)
PRIMARY CONNECTION: Community-owned IP governance gap (Session 12 claim candidate: "community-branded but not community-governed")
WHY ARCHIVED: Claynosaurz's production approach (professional showrunner, traditional animation studio, founder-controlled creative direction) is direct evidence for the governance gap claim. The TAAFI appearance is a mainstream industry positioning signal worth noting.
EXTRACTION HINT: Extractor should compare Claynosaurz and Pudgy Penguins production strategies — both use YouTube-first + licensing, both hide Web3 origins, both are founder-controlled creative decisions. The parallel pattern is stronger than either case alone.
