Year 2014. The first journey
Parovoz started the first journey in September, 2014. At that moment the staff included just six people. At the request of VGTRK, the studio simultaneously elaborated the concepts of two animated cartoons, which were «Paper Tales» and «Be−Be−Bears». The first episode of «Paper Tales» was created from scratch per several months. We did it on time despite an extremely tight schedule.
Anton Smetankin
General director of the Parovoz studio
Year 2015. We found friends
The team of Parovoz studio increased up to 100 people. The work on the animated series «Be−Be−Bears» and «Paper Tales» was continued. «Be−Be−Bears» caught the interest of the viewers at once and entered competition with other popular cartoons. The work on another animated series «Magic lantern» was launched, which is an animated adaptation of world literature products. The project started the long-lasting and fruitful cooperation of the studio with Digital Television holding group.
Evgeniy Golovin
Creative director of the Parovoz studio
Year 2016. First awards
Parovoz continued growing. We started to work on the cartoons «Leo and Tig» and «Fantasy Patrol», which were going to be of a great success in the Russian and international markets. Meanwhile, our first animated series «Paper Tales» continued winning the hearts of viewers and captured gold in the category «Best Foreign Animated Series» at the IX International Animation Festival in Xiamen, China; the cartoon was also nominated for «TV Films» category at the International Animated Film Festival in French Annecy. «Be−Be−Bears» was not far behind either. The animated series won the first place at the X Big Festival of Animated Films in Moscow and received a prize for the best series at the XXI Open Russian Festival of Animated Films in Suzdal.Studio pets
At the same time, Parovoz welcomed new passengers. Two out of four foundlings remained in the studio, they were Leo and Chanel. Everyone’s favorites settled down in the recreation area of the studio, from time to time they became the characters of TV stories. The other two kittens left for permanent residence to the apartments of some crew members.Year 2017. Cubed heroes
There were 200 people on board of the Parovoz studio. The portfolio of the studio already included the 2D cartoon «F.A.S.T.», the animated series for the youngest ones «Woodventures», «Cutie Cubies» which was an experimental project in terms of music and artwork, and «Heroes of Envell», which is the animated series about the adventures of some pupils-gamers in a virtual world, the cartoon has an active community of loyal fans on social networks (there are more than 60,000 fans of the cartoon in its VK community). Together with the project «To children about the important» we created «About Dima» social cartoon about a child with special needs, the author and producer of it is Natalia Remish. Besides, we started working on our first animated feature film, in which we want to tell about the youth of Koshchey and his adventures on the way to immortality.
Maria Parfenova
Chief author of the Parovoz studio
Year 2018. Deal with Netflix
The studio team started to work on new cartoons. We began working on the educational animated series «Cathy Quest» and animation project «Moriki Doriki» at the request of L’Estoile cosmetics company, which became a part of the promotional campaign of the namesake cosmetics for children.Netflix purchased the rights to broadcast Russian animated series «Be−Be−Bears» and «Leo and Tig». The deal became one of the most significant events in 2018. The New York Times newspaper wrote about our studio.
License success
Selling of «Fantasy Patrol» brand increased on the Russian toy market. According to NPD Group, it became one of the top ten most popular domestic licenses, overtaking the rest of the brands.Year 2019. The fantasy came to every house
The «Fantasy Patrol» animation brand became the only domestic brand in the top five most popular franchises on the Russian toy market. At the end of 2019, it ranked third in terms of toys sold. Until that moment, just «Masha and the Bear» Russian brand had been in the top five franchises.The Parovoz presented to little viewers a spin-off of the series about the young witches from Myshkin town — «Fantasy Patrol. The Chronicles», the studio also prepared to launch a new animated series «PUPPIES AND KITTENS» for younger children.
A fan meeting with the creators of the animated series «Heroes of Envell» was held at the Moscow ZIL Cultural Center. The event was streamed online.
Year 2020. International routes
Parovoz started its international routes. Out cartoons continued winning hearts of the audience all over the world. Arabic TV channel Spacetoon purchased the rights to air «Be−Be−Bears» and «Leo and Tig» in 19 Middle Eastern countries. Gubbare channel purchased «Leo and Tig» for Indian television. French Canal + purchased it in autumn. Despite the pandemic, we took part in the largest international branch events, such as MIPCOM, Kidscreen, MIFA, TIFF Industry, Asia Television Forum and others.We continued to work on the cartoons which were already known: we released the second seasons of the animated series «Heroes of Envell» and «Cathy Quest», besides the third season of «Leo and Tig». The spin off of «Leo and Tig» appeared, it is the animated series «Leo and Tig. Magic songs!», which is made in the format of music videos about nature, friendship and dreams. Our main premiere of the year was the cartoon for preschoolers «Puppies and Kittens», which was aired in spring. It describes the adventures of some little friends and acquaints young viewers with the peculiarities of parenting profession of those who have restless children.
Year 2021. First Feature Film and New Fields of Work
In 2021, Parovoz produced 1320 minutes of animation, while the major event became the long-awaited premiere of «The Everlasting Story», the first feature film created by the studio. More than 500 specialists worked on the film for about 810 days. In Russia the cartoon was successfully released on October 28, and for the first time since 2015, a Russian animated film was on the top in the film distribution chart. «The Everlasting Story» is also included in the TOP-20 most popular films and series for 2021 on Kinopoisk, taking position 14.Not only Russian but also foreign viewers continued to meet the characters from the cartoons created at the Parovoz studio. Streaming service HBO Max launched broadcasting of «Be-be-bears», «Leo and Tig» and «Cutie Cubes» in Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America.
Meanwhile, Parovoz revealed some new fields of work, including the production of animated videos for the Blast brigadegame by the international brand My.Games and the Allords Team Arcade studio, the first internal pitching of animation projects and the launch of work on three auteur short-length cartoons, granted by the Ministry of Culture.
Year 2022. «Lost Miracle» and new animated series
In 2022, Parovoz released another feature film for the distribution — the cartoon «Lost Miracle». It describes the journey of three modern teenagers to the 14th century, St. Sergius of Radonezh, whom the kids meet on their way, and the transformation that happens to the friends due to the amazing journey into the past. After the film distribution, the television series of the same name was also released. Later, the full-length version of the captivating animated story about time travel was longlisted for the Golden Eagle Award.