Freefonix

Last updated

Freefonix
Genre Animation, action, fantasy
Created by Magnus Fiennes, Alex Tate, Simeon Warburton
Directed byJerome France, Pierre Alan Chartier
Voices of Shelley Longworth, Marcel McCalla, Jules de Jongh, Adam Longworth, Joseph Fiennes, Susan Zelouf
Theme music composerFreefonix
Opening theme"Do What Ya Like"
ComposerMagnus Fiennes
Country of originUnited Kingdom, France, India
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes40
Production
Executive producersAnthony Bouchier, Steve Christian, Magnus Fiennes, P. Jayakumar, Aton Soumache, Alexis Vonarb
ProducersRichard Wilder, Chris Rice
Running time24 minutes
Production companiesCinnamon Entertainment, Method Films, Toonz Animation, Isle of Man Film
Original release
Network BBC One, CBBC
Release4 January 2008 (2008-01-04) 
22 January 2009 (2009-01-22)

Freefonix is a children's animated television series created by Magnus Fiennes, Alex Tate and Simeon Warburton and co-produced by Cinnamon Entertainment, Toonz Animation-Trivandrum and Method Films for CBBC, in association with Isle of Man Film. [1] The series launched on 4 January 2008 on BBC One with the first thirteen episodes; airing weekly up until 28 March 2008. The rest of the series was broadcast on CBBC from 18 December 2008 to 22 January 2009.

Contents

The series focuses on three musical 'Freewave' renegades that make up the fictional band of the same name. Using the power of the Thirteenth Note, a mystical musical energy source, they take part in musical battles against antagonist band Mantyz in order to keep their home city of Los Bosmos safe from the evil Sonic Lord known as Vox and the money-making schemes of Mya De Zya, the head of ComaCo, a record label and corporation who produce manufactured 'prepsi' musical acts.

Storyline

Freefonix have discovered a sophisticated way of fighting their battles against rival band Mantyz, by using the power of the Thirteenth Note, an awesome force that can bend space, time and minds when the perfect sound is created. When the two rival bands meet, the result is an explosive Soundclash, where the opposing forces do battle as all the energies of the Thirteenth Note are released.

Production

Freefonix features performances from singers Jamelia and Justin Hawkins, saxophonist and former cricketer Alastair Cook, actor Joseph Fiennes and musician Haylie Ecker. With a budget of more than £10 million ($15 million), Freefonix is the largest commission by BBC for an animation. The scripts for Freefonix were written in Los Angeles and Toronto, and story edited by Jeffrey Alan Schechter, Baz Hawkins and Will Schifrin.

Characters

Main

Freefonix

The protagonist "freewave" band who possess the power of the Thirteenth Note.

  • BB (voiced by Shelley Longworth) – 15-year-old lead singer, formally a member of the prepsi band BCD before becoming a Freewaver.
  • Freezbone "Freez" (voiced by Marcel McCalla) – 16-year-old guitarist and secondary singer/rapper with an outgoing and sometimes hippy personality. His guitar is named Misty.
  • Mostart "Mo" (voiced by Jules de Jongh) – 13-year-old beatmaker and DJ of the band, whose SoundShaper device acts as his mixer. Mo lacks confidence due to being the youngest member, and has a crush on Lady Lux.

Mantyz

The antagonist rock band who possess a corrupt version of the Thirteenth Note.

  • Kurtz (speaking voice by Adam Longworth, singing voice by Justin Hawkins) – 17-year-old self-absorbed lead singer and guitarist and Lady Lux's half-brother. His guitar is named Axe.
  • Lady Lux (voiced by Shelley Longworth) – 16-year-old bassist and Kurtz's half-sister. She is often the brains behind the band's schemes against Freefonix.
  • Hitt (voiced by Joseph Fiennes) – 17-year-old drummer and muscle of the band, whose clueless-ness often annoys the other members.

Other

  • Sugar Che (speaking voice by Susan Zelouf, singing voice by Jamelia) – A Sonic Lord who brought Freefonix together and acts as their guide and aid.
  • Vox (voiced by Adam Longworth) – A renegade Sonic Lord who Sugar Che trapped to the Void of Silencia and now seeks freedom through the schemes of Mya and Mantyz.
  • Mya De Zya (voiced by Susan Zelouf) – The vain head of ComaCo, a record label and corporation that produces manufactured prepsi music. She decides to help free Vox after he promises her "untold riches and power".

Recurring

Production

Freefonix, created by Magnus Fiennes, Alex Tate and Simeon Warburton, is produced by Richelle Wilder and Chris Rice for Cinnamon Entertainment with Method Films and Toonz Animation. The series is directed by Jerome France and Pierre Alan Chartier, and features new tracks from Freefonix with some of the world's top record producing talents and features performances from Justin Hawkins (of The Darkness), singer Jamelia, and Joseph Fiennes, actor and brother of Magnus.

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"The Story Begins"Jerome France and Pierre-Alain Chartier Jeff Schechter 4 January 2008 (2008-01-04)
At Sugar Che's behest, Freez tracks down BB to accompany him on a mission to empower the young musical genius Mostart with the mystical power of the Thirteenth Note. Meanwhile, the evil Sonic Lord, Vox, teams up with Mya De Zya, the most powerful person in all of Los Bosmos, in order to break out of his prison, the Void of Silencia, with the help of the rock band Mantyz and their corrupted version of the Thirteenth Note.
2"Risky Music Business"Jerome France and Pierre-Alain ChartierJeff Schechter11 January 2008 (2008-01-11)
When Mo's parents go away for the weekend, they leave Mo in charge of the house. But Mantyz wins the house in a freewave sound battle, and now Freezbone and BB must help Mo win back his house by battling Mantyz again.
Freefonix
Freefonix Album.jpg
Studio album by
Freefonix
Released26 January 2009
Recorded2007–08
Genre
Length44:01
Label
  • Freewave
  • USM JR
Producer

A soundtrack to the series was released on 26 January 2009, marketed as the self-titled debut studio album of Freefonix. The album features a handful of songs played in the series. A second album is said to be produced if there is enough interest.

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Kickin' in the Beat"2:50
2."Frequalize"3:18
3."We Rule the Playground"3:04
4."Livin' It Lovin' It"3:41
5."Born to It"3:14
6."No Place Like Home"2:23
7."Top of the O"3:13
8."Obviously"2:36
9."What is Cool?"3:09
10."Sing"3:02
11."Something in the Music"3:59
12."They'll Make a Monster of You"3:18
13."Best I've Ever Had"2:51
14."Do What Ya Like"2:23

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References

  1. Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 350. ISBN   9781476672939.