Hot Picks: The Ponysitters Club

Canadian producer Brain Power’s five-year slate is primarily family, kids’ and Christmas movies, but it was looking for property to take to series, and its 10,000 sq ft studio and standing sets happened to be situated on a farm.

This became home to the story of 12-year-old Skye, who lives on a ranch for rescue horses and ponies, and her friends Olivia, Trish and Ethan, who come up with a plan to help Skye care for the horses. It is currently in production for Discovery Kids Latin America.

Based on a series of books by Victoria Carson, the drama is also supported by Canadian kids’ investor Shaw Rocket Fund.

With the emphasis on empathy and inclusion – the lead character is dyslexic, while another has cerebral palsy – Brain Power Studio president and founder Beth Stevenson describes it as “a heartfelt piece with a Little House On The Prairie feel to it”.

She adds: “We looked at book properties at an early stage, and this one felt right for us. All of our TV movies have some kind of animal force to them.”