Canada/New Zealand Co-Production Be With Zee Gets Greenlight
The Canada/New Zealand co-production Be With Zee gets the greenlight from Television New Zealand (TVNZ) and Canada's TVOKids, TFO, and Knowledge Network. Available at MIPJUNIOR for the first time in October.
Co-production between Canada's Vérité Films and New Zealand's Oddly Quiet Ltd. and Media Tech Productions
Series available for the first time at MIPJUNIOR this October 2025
Toronto, ON. Oct 1, 2025 - Vérité Films (Corner Gas; Jeremy & Jazzy), Oddly Quiet Ltd., and Media Tech Productions (Badjelly) announce today that Television New Zealand (TVNZ) and Canada’s TVOKids, TFO, and Knowledge Network have given the greenlight for the new animated preschool series Be With Zee (52 x 6'). This original format series and brand, with a focus on mindfulness, play, and connection between a parent/caregiver and child, sees Zee, a cuddly forest creature, experience the adventures and emotions of life with the support of narrator Matua, a nurturing parent/caregiver. Created by Matt Haworth, Be With Zee starts production this fall for delivery in fall 2026. Vérité International Distribution, a division of Vérité Films, will bring the series to MIPJUNIOR for the first time this October.
"Be With Zee is a beautiful celebration of all the feelings that make up the human experience, and I'm super excited for our little blue hero to charm the rest of the world," says Matt Haworth, creator, writer, and producer at Oddly Quiet Ltd. "I feel we are making something that is truly needed right now, a show with human-made artistry, positive messaging, and a safe world for kids and parents to spend time in, together."
"With joy, charm, and delight, Be With Zee is an inspired series that meets the needs of today’s kids, parents,and caregivers," says Virginia Thompson, president of Vérité Films and Vérité International Distribution. "We are honoured to work with this truly exceptional creative team from New Zealand and bring this series to the world."
Be With Zee is reminiscent of the warmth of series like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood or Winnie the Pooh. The show is designed to bring happiness, calm, and connection to anxious kids and stressed parents by sharing the small challenges in everyday life. A poetic antidote to the overstimulation of modern kids’ media, Be With Zee embraces a slower, more intentional rhythm, fostering mindfulness, curiosity, and emotional depth through gentle storytelling and rich, hand-crafted visuals.
Each episode follows Zee and Matua on lighthearted forest adventures, from collecting Zee's favourite objects and organizing them by colours to drawing feelings with crayons when feeling overwhelmed. Together they laugh, explore feelings, encourage each other, and overcome challenges, giving kids and parents real-life coping skills in the process.
Be With Zee is created and written by Matt Haworth, a New Zealand writer, art director, and children’s book illustrator. He discovered and uses the techniques of mindfulness to preserve his own health and well-being as a person living with cystic fibrosis.
A Canada-New Zealand co-production, Be With Zee is produced by Matt Haworth, Tim Evans, and Simon Ward of Oddly Quiet Ltd. and Roger Shakes of Media Tech Productions, part of the creative team behind Badjelly (ITV, ABC, TVNZ, & Family Channel). Canadian producers are Virginia Thompson and Robert de Lint of Vérité Films. New Zealand animation veterans Mukpuddy are onboard for production in New Zealand, with additional support from Smiley Guy Studios in Canada. The series is distributed internationally by Vérité International Distribution. Made with the support of New Zealand On Air, the Canada Media Fund, the Shaw Rocket Fund, and the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR), as well as the Ontario and Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credits.
"From its inception, our intention for Be With Zee has been to contribute something quiet and positive into an over-crowded, noisy children's media landscape,” says Simon Ward, executive producer at Oddly Quiet Ltd. “Everyone who has come on board the project completely understands this intention and are all helping to turn this special show into a breath of fresh air for audiences everywhere."
The series is scheduled for delivery fall 2026, in English to TVNZ, TVOKids, and Knowledge Network and in French to TFO. It is being developed in consultation with early childhood education professors from Canada’s Sheridan and Humber Colleges as well as experts in child psychology from York University and l’Université de Montréal with the goal to create a series that helps young viewers build focus, empathy, and imagination in a screen environment that soothes rather than overwhelms.
About Vérité Films / Vérité International Distribution
Vérité Films is a Canadian production company and international distributor dedicated to elevating original voices into iconic brands for national and international screens. Led by Executive Producer Virginia Thompson and founded by Virginia and partner Robert de Lint, Vérité’s content has won or been nominated for over 130 national and international awards, including an International Emmy, the Prix Jeunesse, and many Canadian Screen Awards. Best known as the producers and distributors of Canada's most popular comedy brand of all time, Corner Gas, Vérité has created and/or produced over 400 episodes of award-winning children’s and youth, comedy, drama, performing arts, and animation programming. We are the international distributors of the Corner Gas brand, as well as our animated preschool musical adventure brand, Jeremy and Jazzy, stop-motion pre-school STEAM edutainment series Bumpadoo!, and Be With Zee. The Vérité team takes pride in mentoring and elevating new, diverse and talented voices onto Canadian and world screens.
About Oddly Quiet Ltd
Oddly Quiet Ltd is a creative production company founded by artist and director Matt Haworth, writer/director Tim Evans, and writer/producer Simon Ward; best known for their contributions to Wildbrain’s Badjelly. Their debut series, Be With Zee, marks the first Oddly Quiet project to enter production. Driven by a passion for storytelling that resonates with outsiders and the quiet thinkers in the back row, Oddly Quiet is committed to crafting high-quality New Zealand productions for global audiences. Across all mediums, their work celebrates strong characters, beautiful imagery, and authentic points of view; bringing bold, original narratives to life with heart and imagination.
About Media Tech Productions
Media Tech Productions’ combined global experience to provide a unique consultancy offering in the technology innovation space, where ideas, content and media converge. They work with clients to navigate and exploit the opportunities in this ever evolving ecosystem. Media Tech Productions operate as global advisors & agents for media organisations and creatives, who develop and produce original content for both established & disruptive media channels. They maximise the revenue opportunity for their clients, with commercial deals across Australasia, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Media Tech Productions provide global strategic advice on commercial content deals and broker investment and media production finance where necessary.
About TVO Media Education Group
TVO Media Education Group inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through our brands TVO Today, TVOkids, TVO Learn and TVO ILC, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. Funded primarily by the Province of Ontario, TVO is a registered charity supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Visit TVO.me for more information. Stream TVO on your favourite device.
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For more information, please contact:
Susan Stafford
UNIT PR
susan@unitpr.com
+1.416.456.0798