Flukey Fred

Icon Animation's Flukey Fred (formerly RIP XL^[1]) is the magical parallel universe of Imira Entertainment's Lucky Fred (the successor), a science fiction.

The Series' Concept[]

Format of 52 x 11' / 26 x 22' (52 episodes of 11 minutes or 26 episodes of 22 minutes).

Icon Animation has more than three wishes for Flukey Fred[]

Spanish hotshop Icon Animation will revisit a classic Arabian tale in its new 52 x 11-minute Flash series Flukey Fred. Aimed at seven- to 11-year-olds, the show stars a witty 10-year-old boy who tries to avoid catastrophe after releasing party-hardy genie Ali Oli from the magic lamp that’s been his home for the last 1,000 years.

Although the genie’s spells are intended to make Fred look like a superhero to his friends, they don’t always hit the mark. In one episode, for example, a pair of magical cleats inadvertently turn Fred into a ballroom dancer, embarrassing him in front of the girl he wanted to impress with his soccer abilities. Another time, an enchanted weather map Ali Oli creates so that Fred can enjoy a sunny day at the beach during the off-season gets into the hands of an unscrupulous businessman, who uses it to sell air conditioners, winter coats and umbrellas. At the end of each ep, Fred reverses the magical SNAFUs on his own, proving that his problem-solving skills are more powerful than the genie’s paranormal tricks.

Icon, currently working on Lola & Virginia for Disney Channel Spain and preschool property Vitaminix with Digital Y Cual, is actively hunting for Flukey Fred co-production partners and presales. The US$5-million series has generated solid co-pro interest from an as-yet-unnamed pay-TV network, and Icon anticipates the production schedule to last a year and a half after the financing falls into place.^[2]

Children Programme[]

An animation series for all ages. Targeted at boys and girls aged 6 to 10 years old.

The Theme[]

A 10 year old boy; a 1000 year old Genie, magical pens, chewing gum capable of making you fly, sweets that enable you to speak in any language, a rubber that erases the past, soaps which make you invisible; an unscrupulous mathematics teacher, a father who is the Weatherman, a superstitious grandmother, a very special bunch of buddies, a town in a muddle… Flukey Fred is a series full of magic, action and lots and lots of humor.

Synopsis[]

Flukey Fred, a sharp, witty modern kid, turns into the hero of his town when he finds a magical lamp with genie included. Fred uses the magic of the genie to satisfy his own wishes and solve the problems of the people around him. This gets him into fun adventures which he always resolves in the most unexpected ways.

Story[]

10 years and 10,000 dreams[]

Like any other 10-year-old kid, Flukey Fred has a never-ending list of dreams to fulfill. Fred would like to be the best football player in school, a great skateboarder, get the best grades without opening a book. He also dreams of winning the local rock festival, dating the unobtainable, exuberant friend of his older sister, and making the bullies in the year above bite the dust…. But Fred is an everyday kid and only a miracle could make all of this come true.

A Miracle, the Magic Lamp[]

The miracle occurs one day, just like any other, on which Fred is bullied by the thugs from the year above and seeks refuge in the old scrap yard. The bullies throw cans, screws and other metal debris at him . Amongst all of this is a Magic Lamp with a Genie included, which had been abandoned in the scrap yard.

Ali Oli - a crazy genie who lives in the fast lane[]

The Genie’s name is Ali Oli. Like any other Genie, he’s been trapped inside the Lamp for 1000 years and needs to show obedience to his liberator. But Ali Oli is a witty dude and a bon vivant, who knows exactly where he is and exactly what rules he has to follow in whatever century he is in. The first rule states that magic officially no longer exists in the twenty-first century. So, confronted with the alternative of being dissected by a bunch of scientists or being locked up in an uncomfortable lamp for another thousand years, Ali Oli chooses to hide his true identity and use trickery while keeping a low profile. Ali Oli establishes himself in town with one sole purpose: To live it up and make up for the 1000 years he has been locked in. That’s why every time Fred looks for him to ask for a wish, Ali Oli is too busy having fun. Sometimes Fred has to find him in the middle of a crazy fancy dress party, or feasting at a countryside picnic, skating, skiing, bowling… Ali Oli is always out having fun and surrounded by people. Fred's appearance is always inopportune and inconvenient.

Ali Oli's Incredible Magical Objects[]

On each occasion, Fred, either because he want something for himself or because someone or some group around him is in trouble, asks Ali Oli to make his wish come true. Ali Oli is desperate to keep his identity a secret, so he never uses magic directly, but rather through perfectly ordinary-looking magical objects. So, for example, if Fred asks the genie for a muscular body that will drive all the girls crazy, Ali presents him with a t-shirt that inflates, instantly giving Fred that spectacular pumped-up look. If Fred doesn't want his enemies to notice him, Ali conjures up soap that makes him invisible. If Fred asks for good grades, Ali simply hands him a pen that automatically fills in exams. If Fred aspires to being the champion of the school tennis league, the genie gives him an incredible racket that always reaches the ball no matter where it goes… Whatever the wish, the genie will always make the appropriate magical object discreetly appear.

Magic Works, Up to a Point[]

In each episode, Fred will receive the magic object with great enthusiasm and, at first at least, the magic of the object will work miracles. But magic will never solve the problems straight away. Sometimes, the object itself, used incorrectly, will be to blame. Other times, it all goes wrong through greed – that of Juan, of someone around him, or some powerful figure who has found out about the magic object and its powers. Or, quite possibly, Fred will put his foot in it to such an extent that not even magic can save him. In short, in the series, as in life, making a single wish come true takes an awful lot of hard work.

In the End Everything turns out right[]

Fred, though a normal kid, to his friends, family and neighbors, is a kind of hero. In the end, no matter how difficult things get, against all odds, Fred manages to solve the problems that really matter. The solution will never be a direct consequence of the Genie’s doings or abilities but because of Fred's determination to help others.

A True Hero[]

Never judge a book by its cover. Fred is not a hero because he has access to an unlimited list of magical objects, but because, despite struggling at times, he is determined to help those in need. Fred is reckless when it comes to helping others, and he blindly trusts in magic. Fred never learns that magical objects don’t always work as expected. His innocence is his greatest defect and his best virtue.

The Villains[]

For every hero there has to be at least one villain and in Fred's neighborhood there are plenty. For starters there's Cat, Fist and Lockbuster, three bullies from the year above who pick on younger kids, breaking swings in the park and vandalising the neighbourhood. Then there's Gilbert, mathematics teacher and Fred's tutor, and his son Gibson, a terrible nosy classmate. Gilbert is prepared to do anything, even play dirty, so his dumb son can beat the rest of the class at every subject. Another hideous villain is the Shopkeeper, the miserable grocery store owner, who thinks nothing of selling out of date sweets just to earn a few more cents. None of these villains compare to Don Angelo, the powerful tycoon, and direct boss of Fred's father. This baddie owns multiple businesses including the TV network: ANGELO'S TV, and is an ambitious, unscrupulous self-idolizing guy who controls life in the city and in the neighborhood. A very nasty piece of work.

A Rather Special Family[]

Fred lives with his family in an old house belonging to his grandmother, a lovely superstitious old lady. His father is a meteorologist, who lives in a world of his own and works as the weatherman for ANGELO'S TV. Fred's mum is a cleaning freak and his adolescent sister is always on the phone.