This article needs a plot summary.(August 2024) |
A Kind of Spark | |
---|---|
Genre | Fantasy Children's television series |
Created by | Anna McCleery |
Based on | A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll |
Starring |
|
Composer | Jessica Dannheisser |
Country of origin | United Kingdom
|
Original language | English |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 20 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Anna McCleery Gráinne McNamara Andra Johnson Duke Jeff Simpson |
Producers | Paul Munn Kim Powers |
Running time | 25 minutes |
Production companies | 9 Story Media Group Brown Bag Films LS Productions |
Original release | |
Network | |
Release | 31 March 2023 – present |
A Kind of Spark is an Irish-British-American-Canadian children's television series created by Anna McCleery, based on the novel by Elle McNicoll. It is produced by Canadian-based 9 Story Media Group co produced with Irish-based Brown Bag Films in association with Scotland-based LS Productions and American TV channel BYU TV for the CBBC. The series follows Addie, a young autistic girl who wants a memorial in her village for the witches who were persecuted there.
It first premiered on 31 March 2023 on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom, followed by a network premiere on CBBC and BYU TV. [1] It has also been distributed for streaming on ABC iview (Australia), CBC Gem (Canada), France Télévisions (France), NPO Start (Netherlands), TRTE (Ireland), NRK (Norway), SVT (Sweden), TVNZ+ (New Zealand).
In October 2023, it was announced that the series has been commissioned for a second season. [2] On World Autism Awareness Day 2024, it was confirmed that the 2nd season would premiere on 26 April 2024 in the United Kingdom, and 28 April 2024 in the United States. [3] [4]
Series 1 was filmed in Knutsford, Cheshire. Series 2 was filmed in Northern Ireland. The series features several actors who are neurodivergent, as is also the case for a large portion of the production team. [5]
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Spark" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery and Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
2 | "Juniper" | Marek Losey | Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
3 | "The Witch List" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery | 31 March 2023 |
4 | "Sisters" | Marek Losey | Vicki Lutas | 31 March 2023 |
5 | "Party" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery and Vicki Lutas | 31 March 2023 |
6 | "Nicest Village" | Matt Holt | Anna McCleery | 31 March 2023 |
7 | "Sleepover" | Matt Holt | Karissa Hamilton-Bannis | 31 March 2023 |
8 | "Something Wicked" | Matt Holt | Vicki Lutas | 31 March 2023 |
9 | "Burnout" | Matt Holt | Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
10 | "The Way I Am" | Matt Holt | Anna McCleery and Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "What Next?" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery and Elle McNicoll | 26 April 2024 |
2 | "Bonnie" | Marek Losey | Elle McNicoll | 26 April 2024 |
3 | "Le Tour de Frank" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery | 26 April 2024 |
4 | "Shark Day" | Marek Losey | Vicki Lutas | 26 April 2024 |
5 | "Choices" | Marek Losey | Vicki Lutas and Anna McCleery | 26 April 2024 |
6 | "The Codebreakers" | Matt Holt | Scott Payne | 26 April 2024 |
7 | "Miriam" | Matt Holt | Karissa Hamilton-Bannis | 26 April 2024 |
8 | "Juniper at War" | Matt Holt | Anna McCleery | 26 April 2024 |
9 | "Runaway" | Matt Holt | Elle McNicoll | 26 April 2024 |
10 | "Safe" | Matt Holt | Anna McCleery and Elle McNicoll | 26 April 2024 |
The series has received critical acclaim. [6] In an article for The Guardian , disability activist and writer Cathy Reay praised the production's commitment to platforming disabled talent in a children's series. [7]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program | Lola Blue as Addie Darrow | Pending |
2024 | Royal Television Awards NI | Best Children's or Animation Series | "A Kind of Spark" | Won |
2023 | Rose D'Or | Best Children's Program | "A Kind of Spark" | Nominated |
2023 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Casting for a Children's or Family Viewing Series | "A Kind of Spark" | Nominated |
2023 | Royal Television Awards | Best Children's or Animation Series | "A Kind of Spark" | Won |
2023 | Broadcast Awards | Best Children's Series | "A Kind of Spark" | Won |
The Cramp Twins is an animated television series created by British cartoonist Brian Wood based on his 1995 graphic novel of the same name. The show was produced by Sunbow Entertainment, Telemagination, and TV-Loonland AG, in association with Cartoon Network Europe.
BYU TV is a television channel and free family-friendly streaming service, founded in 2000, which is owned and operated as a part of Brigham Young University (BYU). The channel, available on most smart TVs or through cable and satellite distributors in the United States, produces a number of original series and documentaries with emphases in comedy, history, lifestyle, music and drama. BYUtv also regularly broadcasts feature films, nature documentaries, acquired dramas and religious programs. Additionally, BYUtv Sports is the primary broadcaster of BYU Cougars athletics, producing more than 125 live sporting events in 2012 alone. The channel has won multiple regional Emmy Awards, a national Children's and Family Emmy Award, and several of its original series have been praised by national television critics.
Studio C is an American sketch comedy television show originally created by Matt Meese and Jared Shores. Produced by BYUtv, the show aims to be a clean, family-oriented comedy for a national audience.
The 2012–13 BYU Cougars men's basketball team represented Brigham Young University during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. It was head coach Dave Rose's eighth season at BYU and the Cougars second season in the West Coast Conference. The Cougars played their home games at the Marriott Center. The Cougars finished the regular season at 21–11, good for third place in the WCC. The Cougars accepted an invitation to the NIT, where they lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Baylor. The Cougars finished with an overall record of 24–12, one win away from what would have been a seventh consecutive 25-win season.
The Next Step is a Canadian teen drama series created by Frank Van Keeken, that originally premiered on Family Channel on March 8, 2013. Presented in a pseudo-documentary style influenced by reality television, the series follows the members of a troupe from the titular dance studio, as they train for and compete in various championships, while dealing with rivalries and drama from other dance schools and even among the team itself.
The 2014–15 BYU Cougars women's basketball team represented Brigham Young University during the 2014–15 college basketball season. It was head coach Jeff Judkins' fourteenth season at BYU. The Cougars, members of the West Coast Conference, played their home games at the Marriott Center. They finished the season 22–10, 12–6 in WCC play to finish in fifth place. They Cougars won the WCC Tournament and earned an automatic trip to the NCAA women's tournament where they lost to Louisville in the first round.
The 2014 BYU Cougars women's soccer team represented BYU during the 2014 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. The Cougars were coached for a 20th consecutive season by Jennifer Rockwood, who was co-coach in 1995 and became the solo head coach in 1996. Before 1995 BYU women's soccer competed as a club team and not as a member of the NCAA. The Cougars entered the 2014 season having won back-to-back West Coast Conference championships and having made the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons and in 15 of the 19 seasons that Rockwood has been the head coach. The Cougars would win the WCC title and secure a berth in the College Cup, where they lost to Colorado playing in the snow.
The 2017 BYU Cougars women's soccer team represented BYU during the 2017 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. The Cougars were coached for a 23rd consecutive season by Jennifer Rockwood, who was co-coach in 1995 and became the solo head coach in 1996. Before 1995 BYU women's soccer competed as a club team and not as a member of the NCAA. The Cougars entered the 2017 season having won five consecutive West Coast Conference championships and having made the NCAA Tournament each of the last five seasons and in 18 of the 22 seasons that Rockwood has been the head coach. Joining Rockwood as assistant coaches are Brent Anderson and Aleisha Rose with volunteer assistants Rachel Jorgensen and McKinzie Young. The Cougars came off of a season were they advanced to the third round of the College Cup before being defeated by South Carolina to finish the season 18–3–1. The Cougars were picked to finish second by the WCC media. After a slow start the Cougars finished the season with their first losing record since 2004 at 7–8–4 and failed to make the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2011. They finished the conference tied for fourth at 4–4–1.
The 2018 BYU Cougars women's soccer team represented BYU during the 2018 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. The Cougars were coached for a 24th consecutive season by Jennifer Rockwood, who was co-coach in 1995 and became the solo head coach in 1996. Before 1995, BYU women's soccer competed as a club team and not as a member of the NCAA. Overall, the Cougars had made the NCAA tournament in 18 of the 23 seasons that Rockwood had been the head coach. Joining Rockwood as assistant coaches were Brent Anderson and Steve Magleby with volunteer assistants Rachel Jorgensen and McKinzie Young 7th season). The Cougars came off of a season were they fourth in the WCC and went 7–8–4, 4–4–1 in the WCC. The Cougars were picked to finish third by the WCC media. The Cougars stunned the conference and went 8–1 to win the WCC Championship and return to the NCAA Playoffs, where they lost to TCU in the first round. The Cougars finished the season 13–5–1.
Itch is an Australian children's action-adventure television series which premiered on ABC iView on 31 December 2019 and ABC Me on 15 January 2020. The two ten-part action adventure series is based on the books written by Simon Mayo. It is directed by Renée Webster, Nicholas Verso and Tenika Smith. The show was renewed for a second series in October 2020 which premiered on ABC ME and ABC iview on 17 September 2021.
Gremlins is an American animated fantasy adventure horror comedy television series. Serving as a prequel to the eponymous 1984 film of the same name and its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch, the series is set in 1920s Shanghai, East China, and tells the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing met Gizmo, a young Mogwai. It was written and executive produced by Tze Chun. Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sam Register, and Brendan Hay also serve as executive producers, with Joe Dante as consulting producer. In February 2021, ahead of the series premiere, the series was renewed for a second season.
The 2019 BYU Cougars women's soccer team represented BYU during the 2019 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. The Cougars were coached for a 25th consecutive season by Jennifer Rockwood, who was co-coach in 1995 and became the solo head coach in 1996. Before 1995 BYU women's soccer competed as a club team and not as a member of the NCAA. Overall the Cougars had made the NCAA tournament in 19 of the 24 seasons that Rockwood had been the head coach. Joining Rockwood as assistant coaches were Brent Anderson and Steve Magleby with volunteer assistants Rachel Jorgensen and McKinzie Young. The Cougars came off of a season where they were first in the WCC and went 13–5–1, 8–1–0 in the WCC. The Cougars were picked to finish as co-champs by the WCC media.
Malory Towers is a 2020s British-Canadian historical drama television series based on the eponymous book series of the same name by Enid Blyton.
Knights Of, also known as Knights Of Media, is a London-based independent publishing house, specialising in publishing inclusive children's books.
Elle McNicoll is a Scottish children's literature writer. She has been described as "undoubtedly an outstanding new talent in children's books [who] will inspire readers young and old for generations to come".
A Kind of Spark is a middle grade novel by Elle McNicoll, published on 4 June 2020, by Knights of Media. The book follows Addie, "an autistic 11-year-old [who] seeks to memorialize the women once tried as witches in her Scottish village." The book was commissioned as a 2023 CBBC television adaptation, with McNicoll acting as head writer for the series.
Ruby and the Well is a family fantasy TV show on BYUtv, premiered in America on February 27, 2022. The show features a present-day teenager whose father inherits an orchard in Emerald. This leads to the two moving to Emerald where Ruby discovers a wishing well. Once she makes contact with the wishing well, Ruby becomes the new keeper of the well and must grant the wells wishes so that the town can prosper. Season one and season two both contain ten episodes, with season 2 having been picked up before season 1 even debuted. On May 2, 2023. it was announced that the show had been renewed for season 3 on the show's Instagram page. On August 9, the show's Instagram page announced season 3 would premiere on BYUtv in September 30. On September 9, 2023, BYUtv officially announced that 'Ruby and the Well' has been renewed for a fourth season. The filming will take place in Toronto, Ontario. While they have not yet revealed the full production schedule or season release date, production is underway. In August 2024, BYUtv began playing video clips showing the new season will premiere Sunday, September 8, 2024. As with seasons 2 and 3 it'll be made available first through the App and website. Episodes will premiere on Family Channel weekly beginning a day later Monday, September 9, 2024.
Silverpoint is a European science-fiction teen television series, which airs on CBBC, created by Lee Walters and Steven Andrew. The series follows a group of kids at an adventure camp who discover a strange artefact, while also drawn to the fate of four children who mysteriously disappeared twenty years ago. The first series was broadcast on CBBC from 6 March 2022. It was renewed for a second series which premiered on 17 May 2023 on iPlayer. In the United States the series airs on BYUtv. All season 1 episodes were made available on the BYUtv App in February 2023 with season 2 following in September 2023.