Iginio Straffi, “I, the Italian Walt Disney. Thanks to the Winks I created an empire” – Libero Quotidiano

They call him the “Italian Walt Disney” but it would be more correct to describe him as European because his Rainbow production company has no equal on the continent. In 2004 he created the world of Winks, which allowed him to reinvest and grow. Then there were the 44 cats. The latest serial creation by the visual designer and producer Iginio Straffi, who cut his teeth for Sergio Bonelli during his university years, is a saga set at the bottom of the sea, a mixture of magic and courage, which gets the hand of the top of the charts. 50 countries around the world as a result of the distribution on Netflix from August 22. It ranks first in the Kids TV Series category.

Straffi, how did the idea for the animated series Mermaid Magic, set in the ocean, come about?

“We wanted to create a new saga for children that could also entertain adults. We drew from the myth of mermaids, tritons and Atlantis, also focusing on the sea as it is a good starting point to talk about ecology and the environment. It’s a fairy tale, there’s a magical world, with sea creatures coming ashore to save their world. The series tells the adventures of the fearless princess Merlinda and her mermaid friends Sasha and Nerissa to fight against the evil pirate Barbarossa.”

Tell us about the production effort…

“Thanks to Netflix we had a special freedom of writing and very large means of production between the parent company Rainbow, Rainbow Cgi of Rome, the Canadian Bardel Studios, we were supported by great professionals to supervise the animations and the board -story. Success, I always tell my colleagues, is difficult to predict, there is never any certainty. “…

If…

“Surely a series like this, as written, cannot go unnoticed. It is so sophisticated and refined that it is like a cinema. Then the success depends on how much the characters like. The great satisfaction appears first in the markets of England, America, Canada and even French which is not easy. And then Germany, Australia and New Zealand, Mexico and Brazil, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey. “

American animation, as we know, is king, let’s think about the recent success of Inside Out 2. Quentin Tarantino called Toy Story 3 his favorite movie of all time.

“It’s stopped. There had been special expectations for the new order about investing part of the conversion in animation, but then there was no unanimity among the ministers. a sin Every rich country should pay some attention to the children who will be adults tomorrow. Deposits are required. Rai only has an annual budget. In Italy several million people work in the sector. “

How much has the Winks, born in 2004, changed your life (which will be celebrated on Saturday in Rimini with a big party for the 20th anniversary of their debut)?

“Well, obviously a lot. That success allowed us to create a real campus in the Rainbow headquarters in the Marche region, these profits made us reinvest in the growth and development of the company. Then 44 cats arrived and had very good results. I also mention Tommy & Oscar, PopPixie, Huntik – Secrets & Seekers, the 3D production Gladiators of Rome, Regal Academy, three CGI Winx Club movies and the recent live action success Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends”.

Is there a “rival” cartoon that makes you particularly jealous? Or would she want to do it herself?

“I’m not jealous, but I’ll tell you two programs, a couple of subjects that my colleagues gave me and I let slip. One of them wanted to change the Snow Princess. “We will make a film about the past of the Trix witches,” he told me. But I thought it was not the time and it was better to focus on the Winks again…”.

And then Elsa from Frozen arrived, the ice queen…

“Very well, it arrived five years after that proposal. Damn. Then the other program is about Despicable Me, which is not very well known in French, to begin with. After the fourth chapter of the saga arrived today, in cinemas, it was too ambitious a project for Europe. Then it was sold with a regular contract abroad: it looks like a stars and stripes product but in reality it is an example of European creativity. Then I have another regret, but in reverse.”

“Mermaid Magic”, the new Italian series created and produced by visionary Iginio Straffi (pictured left), debuts in the Netflix TV Series category Kids. Starting on August 22, it attracts adults and children all over the world, so much so that it is the most watched in more than 50 countries. Iginio Straffi, founder and president of Rainbow, had created the “Winks” phenomenon in 2004.

“For three years we have been fully committed to work where Rainbow has expressed the professionalism of its creators to the highest level”, comments Straffi

Tell us.

“Each fairy in the Winks spin-off had a different magical power. We wanted to make “magical” PopPixie areas but we were allowed by the Japanese who wanted to do something more traditional. So there are no fields. It was around 2010. What’s next in 2018? MGA entertainment creates Lol areas, a huge success. Do you know?”.

This is me. They call it the Italian Walt Disney, what do you think?

“It’s obviously flattering. A great comparison. From the first product I always wanted to create something that could be exported. On a European level there is no animation company like us. So if they told me…’European Walt Disney’ I would be even more honored.” Upcoming projects? “Many. The Winks will return after eight years. A project of the highest order, we hope to win over many of new fans. In October we will present a live action I Gormiti. But there will be time to talk about it.” She has three daughters between 5 and 11 years old. Do they give you character tips? «I support Winks, the latest from Marmaid Magic, they mention the characters with their friends. But you have to be careful, don’t make the mistake of taking your children as representatives of the public. This is almost never the case. Because they grew up in a special environment. So it’s always good to do focus groups. However, from time to time they look at the competition. It’s obvious”