Pop Paper City creator Georgina Hurcombe on the origins of the show – and its licensing potential

Georgina, it’s great to connect. Can you give us an introduction to Pop Paper City, the thinking behind it, and the ethos of the series?
Pop Paper City is a vibrant children’s series that blends adventure with arts and crafts, offering a world where kids don’t just watch – they actively participate by creating their own crafts.

The show revolves around a group of characters – Plom, Hooper Mae-Mae, Zip, Phoebe and Fly – who embark on imaginative adventures in their paper world with the help of Helping Hand, voiced by Nick Mohammad. They use creativity and crafting to solve challenges encountered on their adventures.

Where the idea for the show come from?
It was inspired by my own childhood love for crafting, drawing from iconic British shows like Blue Peter and Art Attack. The ethos of Pop Paper City is centred around “doing as well as viewing.” We wanted to inspire kids to be part of the adventure, encouraging them to get creative and make their own crafty creations.

“The show’s use of paper textures and hands-on activities makes creativity feel accessible.”

The show’s use of paper textures and hands-on activities makes creativity feel accessible, fostering imagination in a fun, wholesome way. Each episode invites viewers to explore new locations – from safaris and theme parks to underwater adventures and even space – using crafts to bring the world to life. It’s an engaging format designed to empower children to express their creativity both on and off the screen.

Can you tell us about the broadcast history of the show in terms of partners, audiences and distribution?
Pop Paper City has been distributed to 178 territories worldwide – and counting! – thanks to our fantastic distribution partner, Aardman. The show is featured on major networks such as Channel 5’s Milkshake!, BBC, ABC, HBO and Warner Bros to name a handful. The reception across these regions has been incredibly positive, with the show’s universal themes of creativity and adventure resonating with a broad audience.

One of the most exciting aspects for me personally has been hearing the various voice dubs from studios around the world… It’s amazing to hear our characters speaking different languages and know they’re bringing joy to children globally.

In addition to the TV series, we’re developing a feature film based on the Pop Paper City IP, which will further expand the universe and introduce even more children to the world of crafting and adventure.

Exciting times. I also know licensing is on the agenda… Product-wise, what areas of the market are you looking to develop from a licensing point of view?
We’re excited about expanding Pop Paper City across various markets, including merchandise, publishing, games and educational products. Our goal is to create a ‘crafty universe’ that extends beyond the TV series, into physical and digital spaces. We already have detailed teaching plans with craft packs, and we’re exploring opportunities in toys, crafting kits, and interactive digital products that align with the show’s creative spirit.

“Our goal is to create a ‘crafty universe’ that extends beyond the TV series, into physical and digital spaces.”

One of our greatest assets is our extensive and well-organised asset catalogue and library. We have thousands of 3D models, from characters and costumes to environments like space, underwater worlds, theme parks, and more. These assets are perfect for gaming and work brilliantly in 2D form for publishing and licensing, covering a huge range of themes from pirates and dinosaurs to baking and holiday fun. If you can imagine it, we probably have it!

We’re already running craft workshops and have a few licences in place, but we’re at the beginning of this incredibly exciting journey. We haven’t just created a series with a few locations; we’ve built an entire universe. We’re eager to find partners who want to join us on this crafty adventure. The landscape is so dynamic right now, and we’re open to collaborating with partners as a newer IP, we’re in an exciting position to shape the future of Pop Paper City alongside partners creative inputs.

What attributes do you think Pop Paper City has that suit consumer products licensing?
Pop Paper City is an incredibly versatile IP that lends itself to a wide range of consumer products. The show’s vibrant, diverse environments – ranging from theme parks and space adventures to under-the-sea settings – naturally extend into crafting kits, toys and interactive games. The show’s core message of “doing as well as viewing” and “creating adventures together” encourages children to get hands-on with creativity, making it perfect for products that inspire them to build and create.

Beyond traditional toys and crafts, we’re actively exploring digital expansions into platforms like Roblox and other metaverse experiences. Thanks to the show’s extensive 3D asset library featuring hundreds of thousands of assets – including characters, costumes, props and environments – we can explore these metaverse opportunities, enabling our audience to create and interact with their favourite characters in immersive digital environments. This further enables us to extend the brand from the screen into a fully-fledged universe, combining real-world play with digital adventures.

We’re also excited about expanding into educational spaces. We’ve developed teaching plans and craft packs that align with the show’s themes, perfect for educational programs and crafty workshops. These workshops not only bring the magic of Pop Paper City into classrooms and community spaces but also encourage creativity and problem-solving in a hands-on, engaging way. By combining entertainment with education, we’re creating meaningful experiences that go beyond the screen.

“With a film, games and another series on the horizon, it’s a great time to get crafty with us!”

Publishing is another key focus for us; with the strong visual storytelling in Pop Paper City translating beautifully into storybooks, paper craft activity books and interactive digital formats. Whether it’s colouring books that allow kids to bring their favourite scenes to life, or interactive e-books that let them craft their own stories, we see endless opportunities to inspire creativity and engagement.

In essence, Pop Paper City is much more than a TV series; it’s a world of creativity and adventure that’s perfectly suited for a variety of consumer products, from toys and games to educational tools and digital and live experiences.

We’re eager to partner with those who share our vision to help build this crafty universe together, offering kids everywhere the chance to explore, create and have fun both in the real world and the digital one. With a feature film, games and another series on the horizon it’s a great time to get crafty with us and help shape our future together!

What lessons and insights have you garnered about licensing so far?
The licensing space – much like the children’s TV world – feels like a friendly, creative community. Many of the Pop Paper City team members come from branding and corporate backgrounds, as the studio was in this space for over a decade before moving into the kids’ space, which has been a real asset for us.

Having worked on TV adverts and branding for large corporations, we gained valuable insights into asset banks and style guides, which helped us approach Pop Paper City as more than just a cartoon – it’s a brand. From the beginning, we focused on creating a clear style guide and an extensive asset catalogue to ensure our future partners could easily engage with our content – whether it’s 3D models for gaming, 2D assets for licensing and publishing, or line drawings.

Licensing, much like the TV world, has its challenges. It often feels like a chicken and egg situation… Everyone wants the next Bluey or Peppa, but only once it’s already huge. And yet, how do you become huge without the right partners or huge budgets for marketing? As a smaller studio, we faced similar hurdles pitching Pop Paper City to major networks. I often compare it to being a first-time horse in the Grand National… We looked great trotting around the ring, but we hadn’t run the race yet, and we were asking broadcasters to bet millions on us.

Luckily, we found our champion trainer in Aardman and now we’re clearing all the fences with worldwide distribution. Have we finished the race yet? Nope. Are we in a strong position? We think so, and we’re looking for licensing partners willing to bet on us too.

Are the advantages to being a brand new IP?
Being a newer IP has great advantages! We’re nimble, agile and ready to collaborate. We can involve partners in shaping the future of the brand. Imagine not only creating a toy set from our world, but designing part of our world around a future toy set! That’s an exciting opportunity for the right partners. Just like in the Grand National, it’s sometimes the new horse that surprises everyone!

You mention you’ve developed a style guide. How did you approach crafting that?
The process involved working closely with our design teams to create guidelines that would allow for consistency across all product lines, while still offering flexibility for creative interpretation. In addition, we also created a huge asset library catalogue, which shows all the themed assets we have on offer – from character poses in a variety of costumes to expansive props and environmental assets. The idea was to demonstrate the scope of the series to potential licensing partners.

Pop Paper City attracts an equal split of boy and girl viewers. Was this one of your original objectives for the brand?
Absolutely! One of our core objectives from the outset was to create a show that appeals to all children, regardless of gender. We believe that creativity and adventure are universal themes that resonate with all genders, and this balanced appeal has been a significant advantage in the TV market. It allows us to engage a broader audience, providing inclusive content that feels relevant and exciting for everyone.

As a female studio owner, I also felt strongly about including strong, positive female characters. We were very intentional about ensuring an equal split of characters leading the adventures. This balance encourages young audience members to see themselves in our characters. Within the studio, we’re proud to reflect this ethos in our own team. We built a diverse group of animators, production team members and writers because we believe in the importance of authentic and diverse voices behind the scenes as well. This diversity not only enriches the storytelling, but also helps ensure that Pop Paper City resonates with children from all walks of life.

This approach has helped Pop Paper City stand out as a show that reflects the diverse experiences of all children, creating a series that feels inclusive, empowering, and full of possibility. It’s also something that broadcasters and parents increasingly value content that promotes positive role models and balanced storytelling for their children.

Pop Paper City has a very unique look. Can you tell us more about the design process behind the show’s style?
The unique visual style of Pop Paper City was born from the idea of bringing crafting to life in a way that feels vibrant, engaging and accessible to children. We wanted the world to resemble something kids could actually create themselves, so we incorporated paper textures, bright, bold colours and small imperfections – like folds and creases into the designs. This gives everything a handmade feel, adding to the charm and approachability while still maintaining a sense of adventure.

In terms of the characters, I wanted an even boy-girl split, and I also made sure each character had their own unique personality traits that our young audience could resonate with. Being a female studio owner, it was important to me to create strong, inspirational female characters, so the girls often lead the adventures. But we were very careful to give each character their moment in the spotlight, with dedicated episodes where they take on the role of the key protagonist. This way, everyone has their chance to shine!

When building the environments and models, we embraced the idea that crafting isn’t about perfection… It’s about having a go and enjoying the process. I often tell people that one of the inspirations for Pop Paper City was my childhood love for Blue Peter. I vividly remember spending weeks crafting my own version of Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island out of chicken wire and papier-mâché, which was a segment on the Blue Peter show. Now, did it look like the actual Tracy Island? Absolutely not! But I was so proud of it, and that joy of creation is what we wanted to capture in Pop Paper City.

It’s like when a child draws a picture of a horse and it ends up looking like a two-headed dog with five legs – it’s brilliant because they had fun, they were creative and they’re proud of their work. That’s the spirit we want kids to feel when they’re building their own versions of Pop Paper City, often with their families involved in the activity.

Great answer. Was there much trial and error in nailing down the show’s aesthetic?
It involved a lot of experimentation with different 3D materials and textures to make sure the show had a distinctive look that would stand out in the crowded kids’ TV market. Fun fact: Pop Paper City is the first-ever TV series to be built in Maxon’s Cinema 4D – we’re really proud of that! I’m always delighted when people say, “I love your stop-motion show!” and I get to tell them, “No, it’s actually 3D!” It’s a huge compliment because it really does look like paper.

“When building the environments, we embraced the idea that crafting isn’t about perfection.”

When developing a series like Pop Paper City, how much time and thought goes into making sure it appeals to an international audience?
We put a lot of thought into ensuring Pop Paper City resonates with an international audience. Universal themes like creativity, adventure and friendship are at the heart of the series – and they’re concepts that connect with children everywhere. We’ve also made sure the settings are diverse. We take viewers to deserts, jungles, the countryside, the ocean, and even into space – there’s truly something for everyone.

The visual storytelling and focus on crafting help make the show accessible across different cultures, and we work closely with Aardman – our distributor – as well as our international partners to ensure the show connects with local audiences in meaningful ways.

Do you have a favourite character in Pop Paper City?
That’s a great question – it’s like asking me to pick a favourite child! I love all the characters because they’re such a fun and dynamic bunch. We like to think of them as a bit like the FRIENDS cast; they’re all so different, but together they create such a wonderful balance.

That said, I do have a soft spot for Zip. He’s the one who’s a little scared of life… Where Mae-Mae would charge ahead to find a sea monster, Zip would be horrified by the very idea! He always makes me laugh with his cautious nature. Plus, Tauran, who voices Zip, started recording when he was just five years old. Watching this little kid, who has only been on the planet for five years, confidently step into a 52-episode series was incredible.

Within the series we also have a lot of animals, so I also love our ‘Popacas’ from the ‘Farmyard Runaways’ episode. During lockdown, while many people were getting dogs, I ended up with three alpacas. Now, somehow, I have 14 – if anyone wants an alpaca, do let me know, I’ve got too many! I loved creating that episode as some of our animation team came to visit and they filmed them prancing about for reference and fed them treats! One of our Poppacas in the episode even spits rainbows, which was a fun touch! Unfortunately, my real alpacas don’t have that magical ability!

With a feature film in development, we’re thrilled to be bringing even more characters and adventures to the Pop Paper City universe. There’s so much more to explore, and we can’t wait to share it with the world!

Good answer – and hopefully it stirs up some interest in your alpacas! Now before we wrap up, what does 2025 hold for Pop Paper City?
2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Pop Paper City. We’re continuing to expand the brand with a feature film in development. We’ll also be launching games and apps that will allow kids to engage with the Pop Paper City universe in interactive and educational ways. Our goal is to build a wholesome, crafty universe that extends beyond the screen and inspires creativity across platforms and at home.

Finally, what TV series inspired you as a child, and why did you find them inspiring?
As a child, I was inspired by shows like Blue Peter and Art Attack. They made crafting feel so accessible and fun, encouraging kids to create their own crafty creations. I also loved adventure series like DuckTales – and yes, that theme tune is still iconic!

Combining creativity with exploration and adventure became a goal of mine, and I wanted to create something that could inspire today’s kids the way those shows inspired me.

On the gaming side, Monkey Island had a huge impact on me. The beautifully designed environments, interactive details, the lighting and the engaging gameplay were so captivating. Creating a series with high production values was so important to me. There are plenty of kids shows out there that are made quickly and cheaply with questionable ethics, but I’m proud of our UK team that really did craft Pop Paper City with care and attention in our Dorset studio.

Absolutely. Thanks again!