| This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). | 
|
Iginio Straffi (born May 30, 1965 in Gualdo, Italy) is the founder of the Rainbow studio. He co-owned the studio alongside Paramount Global (the American media company that owns Nickelodeon) from 2011 until 2023. He is the creator of the Winx Club series, its spin-offs, and Huntik: Secrets & Seekers, as well as the co-creator of Maya Fox. Straffi is also the producer of Club 57.
Background[]
Life and Career[]
Straffi in a 1999 animation training video.
Straffi was born in Gualdo in the Italian region of Marche. He had an interest in illustrating comic books from a young age, and by age seven, he started drawing his own comic stories. When he was eight years old, Straffi moved to the nearby city of Macerata. In high school, he often drew comic stories in his classmates' notebooks and participated in art competitions, such as one held by the comic magazine Totem. While he continued to develop his art skills, Straffi studied Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Macerata. During his university years, he dated a foreign girl named Antonella who was raised in Italy by foster parents. Antonella told Straffi of her desire to meet her biological parents, which inspired Straffi to create a character with a similar backstory.
Straffi with a cutout of Bloom.
In 1992, Straffi left Sergio Bonelli Editore and moved to France for a storyboarding job at the Telcima animation studio. He was "bewildered" when he was offered the position, but in Straffi's words, it was "the turning point [he] was waiting for." Straffi worked on designs for the pilot episode of Valérian as well as a planned film adaptation of Roman de Renart. After becoming experienced with each stage of the animation production process, Straffi returned to Italy. With the financial assistance of Lamberto Pigini and Giuseppe Casali, Straffi founded the Rainbow studio in 1995 with 10,000 euros. The money was mainly used to purchase computers and software for digital design.
Straffi with the Winx Club logo.
Rainbow initially provided creative services for larger companies. Among the studio's first commissions were three minutes of animation in the film La freccia azzurra and the pilot for Les Armateurs' cartoon Belphégor. Rainbow eventually secured enough funds to produce its first original project, the Tommy & Oscar series of CD-ROMs and animations. In 2004, Straffi's creation Winx Club premiered on Italy's Rai 2 channel. It became one of the network's highest-rated programs, with an average audience share of 17%. Straffi originally wrote the Winx Club plot to last no more than 78 episodes (three seasons). He decided to extend the series for an additional season in 2008, citing the show's increasing popularity.
Working with Viacom[]
Straffi with Nickelodeon stars at the Nick Upfront event.
Around this time, the international success of Winx Club attracted the attention of the American media company Viacom, owner of Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures. In February 2011, Viacom became a co-owner of Rainbow, purchasing 30% of the company and leaving the remaining 70% to Straffi. Viacom's entry into the company followed a "long courtship," and the terms of the US$83 million purchase were decided earlier in 2010. Viacom provided Straffi access to financial and studio resources that, according to L'espresso[1], "ensure the future of the Winx fairies, and of Straffi himself." L'espresso called the transaction "Straffi's most important agreement," as it led to the worldwide distribution of Rainbow's shows through Viacom's network of subsidiaries. Viacom's Nickelodeon studios have co-produced various projects with Rainbow, including additional seasons of Winx Club and Club 57 in 2019.
When asked in a 2011 interview[2] if he was "tired of" working on Winx Club, Straffi responded, "Let's just say I've moved onto other projects." These other projects include Maya Fox, a series of horror comic books and novels co-created and by Straffi. In 2009, another show created, directed, and produced by Straffi premiered: Huntik: Secrets & Seekers. In 2012, Straffi directed and produced the animated film Gladiators of Rome, which opened in Italy in October 2012.
Straffi (left) in 2018 at Viacom's studios.
In 2019, Straffi stated that he intended to shift his focus to live action over animation; he felt "the move into live action completes [his] experience professionally." This followed Straffi's announcement that Winx Club would be adapted into a live-action series (Fate: The Winx Saga) geared towards the show's older fans, while the animated series would be completely redesigned for a much younger audience. As of 2019, Straffi serves as executive producer for Fate and as a producer for Nickelodeon's Club 57. The same year, Straffi commented in an interview[3] on his near-decade of continued work with Nickelodeon, saying that "the know-how of Rainbow and the know-how of Nickelodeon are very complementary; the sensibilities of the Americans, with our European touch."
Starting a Reboot[]
In 2022, Fate: The Winx Saga was cancelled by Netflix after its second season. Iginio Straffi was bothered by how Netflix treated the show, as well as how the showrunner (Brian Young) treated the news. On Instagram, Straffi said, "The news that there will be no season three should not have been delivered in such an abrupt way, disregarding of our involvement and your feelings, by someone who was only part of the Winx Club journey for a few years after being appointed by Netflix."[4] He confirmed in the same announcement that he was working on an animated reboot of Winx Club, unlike on Fate, where his involvement was very limited.
In January 2023, Iginio Straffi regained total ownership over Rainbow after Paramount (Viacom) sold back its 30% stake. While Nickelodeon will continue to be a broadcast partner for the studio, the purchase allows Straffi full control of Rainbow's new projects, including the Winx Club reboot. Straffi said, "We will continue to collaborate, but I see this as a new opportunity...I have always been very proud that Viacom chose us as their partner over ten years ago."
Creations & Works[]
| Tommy & Oscar | Co-Creator/Director/Producer | 2000–2002 |
| Prezzemolo | Director/Producer | 2002–2003 |
| Winx Club | Creator/Director/Producer | 2004–2019 |
| Monster Allergy | Director/Producer | 2005–2009 |
| Tommy & Oscar: The Movie | Co-Creator/Director/Producer | 2007 |
| Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom | Creator/Director/Producer | |
| Maya Fox | Co-Creator/Writer/Designer | 2008–2011 |
| Huntik: Secrets & Seekers | Creator/Director/Producer | 2009–2011 |
| Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure | 2010 | |
| PopPixie | 2010–2011 | |
| Winx Club: The Fate of Bloom | 2011 | |
| Winx Club: Revenge of the Trix | ||
| Winx Club: The Battle for Magix | ||
| Winx Club: The Shadow Phoenix | ||
| The Dark Side of the Sun | Producer | |
| Gladiators of Rome | Creator/Director/Producer | 2012 |
| Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss | 2014 | |
| Regal Academy | 2016–2018 | |
| Maggie & Bianca: Fashion Friends | Creator/Producer | 2016–2017 |
| World of Winx | Creator/Director/Producer | |
| 44 Cats | Co-Creator/Director/Producer | 2018–present |
| Crazy Block | Creator/Director/Producer | 2018 |
| Club 57 | Producer | 2019–present |
| Fate: The Winx Saga | Original Concept | 2021–2022 |
| Mermaid Magic | Co-Creator/Series Director | 2024-present |
| Winx Club (Reboot) | Creator/Director/Producer | 2025 |
Trivia[]
- In an interview, it was mentioned that Straffi's favorite Winx is Flora.[citation needed]
- In a 2021 interview, Straffi mentions his future plans of Winx Club which includes[5]:
- Making a theatrical movie.
- He wants to explore the origins of the Trix.
- He wants the show to be as big in America as it is in Europe, whether it is through the animated series or the live-action one.
- In a July 15, 2023 interview at RiminiComix, he revealed:
- His favorite villains are Valtor and the Trix and would love to do a spin-off story of them, even a live action one.[6]
- The newest member joining the Winx in the reboot is not inspired by any celebrities.[7]
- He would have liked to add a telepathic fairy to the group but Musa is somewhat of that already.[8]
- Regarding if he would change the plot/story line of the show, he said that nothing was needed as it was currently fine but he will be careful with any changes that occur after Season 4.[9]
- Favorite transformation: Enchantix.[10]
- There will be big surprises in the reboot for both new and old fans.[11]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ http://espresso.repubblica.it/visioni/societa/2011/02/24/news/winx-le-fatine-fanno-il-botto-1.29024
- ↑ http://www.cineconomy.com/2014/ita/news.php?news=1814
- ↑ https://issuu.com/worldscreen/docs/tv_kids_licensing_expo__annecy___na/28
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CkfyV7CpL-F/
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/animation-cartoons/22519129/winx-club-creator-interview-netflix
- ↑ File:20230715-QA-Iginio-1.png
- ↑ File:20230715-QA-Iginio-4.png
- ↑ File:20230715-QA-Iginio-5.png
- ↑ File:20230715-QA-Iginio-3.png
- ↑ File:20230715-QA-Iginio-2.png
- ↑ File:20230715-QA-Iginio-6.png
