About US
For over 25 years, SD Entertainment has been the most respected name in children's branded entertainment. We bring an expertise in turning IP into full fledged franchises spanning live experiences, entertainment shows, and publishing along with strong licensing and merchandising experience. SD Entertainment is also a leader in digital distribution.

Jonathan Dern

Jonathan Dern is the Chairman and co-founder of Sabella Dern Entertainment, a property development studio founded in 1999 by Jonathan Dern and Paul Sabella, former co-heads of MGM Animation. SD specializes in creating branded entertainment that connects with audiences and consumers on every screen.

SD has produced award-winning television series and movies with a long list of brand partners, including Hasbro, HIT Entertainment, MGA, Skechers, Hallmark, and Chorion. SD produced “Bob the Builder in 3D/4D” for Legolands worldwide, the PBS series, “Angelina Ballerina”, and multiple features and television series for American Greetings’ re-launch of the Care Bears franchise in 2002, generating over $2 billion in revenue.

Jonathan is also the co-founder of the innovative digital distribution company, The Bigger Picture and its family theatrical matinee program, Kidtoon Films, which was sold to Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp in 2007.

During his tenure as president of Cinedigm’s Entertainment Group, the Event Cinema team released 200+ films, live sports & music events, including the first ever LIVE 3D cinecasts with the BCS College Championship Game and the NBA All Star Saturday Night, the NCAA Men’s Semi-Finals and Finals games, the FIFA World Cup Final, and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Jonathan was the executive in charge of production for the ground-breaking 3D capture of eighty hours from 5 live music festivals (Mile High, All Points West, Lollapallooza, ACL and the Phish Halloween show), culminating in the theatrical release of “Larger Than Life 3D” (Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper and Gogol Bordello) and “Phish 3D” The team also produced and distributed the “Foo Fighters “Wasting Light” LIVE 3D performance from the band’s private recording studio to 3D theatres around the globe.

Jonathan left Cinedigm in 2013 and is currently spearheading the re-launch of The Bigger Picture and Kidtoons. He has multiple brand franchises in pre-production.

Jonathan helped conceive, create and launch the first stereoscopic 3D film program in the United States with UT3D at the University of Texas, Austin, and currently serves on the Advisory Council of the Moody School of Communication at UT.

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Nicholas James

Nicholas James is a senior international intellectual property, media and telecoms executive specializing in growing companies from start up. With SD he has collaborated on “Make Way For Noddy” a children’s T series and related merchandising along with several other properties.

Nicholas was CEO of Chorion plc, a UK based owner and manager of intellectual properties. He took over this poorly performing listed company and increased its property portfolio creating 10x growth that culminated in the successful sale of the company. Properties owned and acquired in this period include the copyrights of Enid Blyton, Mr Men, Agatha Christie and Georges Simenon from which some 3M books were sold per annum and many successful TV series were created in English and other languages.

One of the start-up management team of Star TV, Asia’s first satellite broadcaster, that transformed the media landscape in India, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Star TV’s success led to its purchase by Rupert Murdoch just 3 years after launch for US$750M. Nicholas was charged with encouraging the creation of local language content and, in particular, negotiated the acquisition of a portfolio of Chinese language films to create a “must have” Chinese movie channel. Acquisitions included the film libraries of Golden Harvest and Golden Princess featuring such stars as Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Chow Yun Fat.

Nicholas was a co-founder of the Media Asia Group of companies which remains one of Hong Kong/China’s most active film production and distribution companies.

As Assistant General Manager of TVB, Hong Kong’s leading TV broadcaster that produced some 5000 hours of original TV programming each year, Nicholas assisted in the creation of a significant new Chinese content business worldwide.

Nicholas has also contributed his time to the not-for profit sector throughout his career, with a special emphasis on the arts. In particular, he served as Chairman of UK based Chinese Arts Now transforming it from a small player to the UK’s major contemporary Chinese arts organization, he served on Board of the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Hong Kong Arts Centre for many years and for the Government of Jordan, he oversaw the construction, staff training and management of Jordan’s Royal Cultural Centre.

Cheryl McCarthy

Bringing together Gill's background in movement and learning together with Cheryl's experience in play and storytelling to help parents and teachers understand the importance of all of those wiggles and giggles.

Cheryl has made a career out of her passion for play and storytelling. As Vice President of Intellectual Property Development for Hasbro, Inc., Cheryl developed the storytelling engines for some of the world's most beloved brands including My Little Pony, Candy Land, Mr. Potato Head, Weebles, and Playskool.

Joining Gill as Creative Director for Moving Smart, together they wrote A Moving Child Is a Learning Child and Move, Play & Learn with Smart Steps. And together they have launched lookwhatikandu.com.

Gill Connell

On her first day as a preschool teacher in Christchurch, New Zealand, Gill was amazed by all the wiggly-giggly energy in the room.

But why can't kids sit still and listen?

Turns out, they can't. But more importantly, they SHOULDN'T.

After years of developing her unique, move-to-learn teaching techniques, Gill founded MOVING SMART in 1997 with the goal of helping other teachers leverage movement for learning in the classroom. To date, Gill has influenced the education of young learners in New Zealand for more than a generation.

Today, Gill is recognized around the world as an expert in early childhood development and learning, specializing in the foundations of learning through movement and play. Through her seminars, workshops, conference panels, keynotes, mentoring and speaking engagements, Gill provides developmental expertise and guidance to parents, preschools, primary schools, organizations, corporations, and government agencies in countries all over the world.

Gill is the co-author of A Moving Child Is a Learning Child, Move Play and Learn with Smart Steps, and Moving to Learn.

TV Series

Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps - 40 half hours w/2 11-minute episodes each

Bob the Builder - 40 10-minute episodes

Care Bears: Adventures in Care a Lot - 26 half-hours w/2 11-minute episodes each

Say It With Noddy - 26 2-minute interstitials

Alien Racers - 26 half-hour episodes

Transformers Armada - 52 half-hour episodes

Make Way For Noddy - 100 10-minute episodes

Action Man - 26 half-hour episodes

The Lionhearts - 13 episodes

RoboCop - 52 episodes

All Dogs Go To Heaven: The Series - 130 episodes

The Adventures Of Hyperman (Video Game)

Rainbow fish / Dazzle The Dinosaur – (TV / Video Special)

The Beginners Bible (Video Series) 12

MGM Sing-a-long (Video Series) 4

Pink Panther - 120 episodes

Stunt Dawgs - 40 episodes

The Adventures of Super Mario Brothers 3 – 52 episodes

G.I. Joe - 19 half-hour episodes

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure - 26 episodes

The Legend of Zelda - 20 episodes

Super Mario Brothers SuperShow (TV Series) 110 episodes

 

TV Specials

Voodoo Man

The Ant And The Aardvark

Manly Manly Men

Full-Length Features

Kidtoon Creative Production - wraps 130

Hydee and the Hytops: The Movie (Full Length Feature)

Angelina Ballerina: Angelina’s Camembert Dreams

Phish 3D

Care Bears: The Giving Festival

Angelina Ballerina: Angelina and the Super Shiny Talent Trophy

Dave Mathews – Larger Than Life 3D

Bob the Builder: The Legend of the Golden Hammer

Care Bears: Share Bear Shines

Care Bears to the Rescue

My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure

Care Bears: Ups & Downs

Care Bears: Oopsy Does It!

Care Bears: Grizzle-Ly Adventures

My Little Pony: Greetings from Unicornia

My Little Pony: Friends Are Never Far Away

My Little Pony: The Princess Promenade

Bratz Babyz The Movie

Noddy and the Island Adventure

My Little Pony: The Runaway Rainbow

My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas

Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone

CandyLand: The Great Lollipop Adventure

Tonka Tough Truck Adventure: The Biggest Show on Wheels

Noddy Saves Christmas

My Little Pony: Dancing in the Clouds

Mulan II

Transformers: Go Bots

My Little Pony: Charming Birthday

Major Powers

Tom Sawyer

The Secret Of Nimh 2 - Timmy to the Rescue

Babes In Toyland

An All Dogs Christmas Carol

All Dogs Go To Heaven 2

The Pebble and the Penguin

Driving Mr. Pink (Theatrical Short)