Studio 100


Studio 100 is a Belgian corporation that produces popular children's television series and owns 7 amusement parks and four musical ensembles.

History

Studio 100 was founded in 1996 by Gert Verhulst, Danny Verbiest, and Hans Bourlon. They came together in 1989, when the programme "Samson en Gert" was first produced.
Studio 100 started in 1996 with one programme, Samson en Gert. They immediately decided to create a new programme to be able to advertise themselves more. They chose Kabouter Plop. It has been broadcast on VTM since 1997.
In 1999, Studio 100 expanded significantly with four new projects, all launched in Flanders: a musical, a film, and two new television programmes. For both the musical and the film, VTM was asked to provide financial support. In October 1999, Studio 100 and the Medialaan, announced that they would incorporate Meli Park.
In 2000, Studio 100 took over the popular girl group K3 from Niels William. They had already been cooperating in merchandising sales before that.
Danny Verbiest announced in 2005 that he would no longer play the role of Samson in Samson en Gert and, shortly after, announced his departure from Studio 100. In the subsequent years, many new programmes were created, such as Piet Piraat, Mega Mindy, Spring and Het Huis Anubis, and several others.
In 2007, Studio 100 started exporting some of its productions. Wir 3,, was introduced in Germany and they charted there, although they have yet to achieve the same level of success as the originals. Fred & Samson, the French-language equivalent to Samson en Gert, was introduced on the French-speaking television network Club RTL in Wallonia and Brussels. Bumba, a programme about a clown intended for toddler audiences, was sold to other several countries, including United Kingdom, Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, Russia, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland and Israel.
In the same year, Studio 100 bought Flying Bark Productions, so they could create Master Raindrop.
In 2008, Studio 100 bought the rights of foreign 1970s TV-hits such as Germany's Die Biene Maja and Sweden's Pippi Longstocking. The next project is a digital radio-station devoted to its own acts. As quoted "Dutch-language children's songs only get so much airplay on regular stations".
Also in 2008, Studio 100 co-produced the educational game show Kerwhizz together with the CBeebies branch of the BBC. They also purchased EM.TV and the children's TV network Junior.
In 2016, Studio 100 established a partnership with Qatari-based beIN Media Group to launch an exclusive children's channel via the latter's beIN Channels Network service in the Middle East and North Africa, and provide the content. beIN's channel, beJunior, features the similar aesthetics and programming to Studio 100's own Junior channel.
In 2017, Studio 100 took a majority stake in German-based m4e, while also acquiring the American production company Little Airplane Productions.
In 2018, Studio 100 opened a feature-film animation studio called Studio Isar Animation in October.

Headquarters

The headquarters of Studio 100 are located in Schelle and Londerzeel. Studio 100 has access to the largest recording studios in all of Belgium. Frequently, big events are hosted there, such as the preselections for the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Dutch department of Studio 100 resides in the Mediapark in Hilversum.

Assets

Studio 100 owns the following companies.

Studio 100 Benelux

Studio 100 Benelux is the company that started Studio 100 in 1996 when it was founded. Studio 100 Benelux produces television series, motion pictures, theater shows, musicals and music groups.
Plopsa is the theme park division of Studio 100 that operates 7 parks, across 4 countries. The company operates theme parks, water parks and a shop.
Belgium

Plopsaland de Panne is a theme park that started the Plopsa group. The park was founded in 1936 as Meli Park and acquired in 1999 to reopen in 2000. Located in the municipality De Panne, Belgium.
Plopsa Indoor Hasselt is the first indoor theme park in Belgium and it opened in 2005 in Hasselt, Belgium
Plopsa Coo is a theme park located near the waterfalls of Coo, Belgium, it was acquired by Plopsa in 2005.
Plopsaqua de Panne is the first waterpark of the Plopsa group, which openend in 2015 in De Panne, Belgium.
Plopsa Station Antwerp is an indoor amusement park located in the central station of Antwerp, Belgium, it was opened in 2017 and the park is known for its Belgian comic characters. the first name of the park is Comics Station, in the end of 2019 Plopsa buy the park and the name has been change in Plopsa Station.
Plopsaqua Hanuiten-Landen is a waterpark which is set to open in 2020.
Plopsa Winkel
The Netherlands
Plopsa Indoor Coevorden is an indoor theme park located in Dalen, The Netherlands, it opened in 2010.
Germany
Holiday Park is a theme park located in Haßloch, Germany. The park opened in 1971 and was acquired by Plopsa in 2010.
Poland
Mayaland Kownaty is an indoor theme park located in Torzym, Poland. The park is a joint-venture between Plopsa and Momentum Capital, a Dutch investment company. Plopsa holds 21% of the shares and Momentum Capitol holds the other 79% of the shares.

Studio 100 Media

Studio 100 Media is an international production and distribution company within the children's and family entertainment sector. In 2008 Studio 100 Media acquired E.M. Entertainment.
Made 4 Entertainment is an international brand management and media company. Studio 100 owns 90% of the company.
Studio 100 operates four animation studios in four countries around the world.
Studio 100 Animation founded in 2007 and is located in Paris.
Flying Bark Productions was acquired in 2007 and is located in Sydney.
Little Airplane Productions was acquired in 2017 and is located in New York City.
Studio Isar Animation was founded in 2018 as a subsidiary of Studio 100 Media in Munich.

List of Studio 100 productions

Television series currently in production

Past productions

Musical ensembles and artists

Movies