Animated in Ireland Irish Animation Industry Directory Co-producing with Ireland? Financial Incentives Available Animated in Ireland Irish Animation Industry Directory IRISH TAX INCENTIVE “SECTION 481”
• Applies to animated feature films and television made in Ireland • Currently, projects may derive a benefit of up to 28% of qualifying expenditure • From 2015 and subject to EU approval, projects will be able to derive a benefit of up to 32% of qualifying expenditure • From 2015, this benefit will be based on the cost of all cast and crew (regardless of nationality) working in Ireland, and all spend on local goods and services
For more information or to arrange an introduction to possible co-production partners, please contact: Irish Film Board About the Irish Animation Industry 2 Keg Kartoonz 13 Tel +353 91 561 398 [email protected] Kavaleer Productions 14 www.irishfilmboard.ie A Man & Ink 4 Magpie 6 Media 15
Boulder Media 5 Moetion Films 16 OTHER SOURCES OF FINANCE Brown Bag Films ® 6 Monster Entertainment 17 Barley Films 7 Paper Dreams 18 Irish Film Board Development and production funding for animated features and television series. Caboom 7 Prickly Pear Productions 18 Tel +353 91 561 398 www.irishfilmboard.ie Cartoon Saloon 8 Still Films 19 Dancing Girl Productions 9 Studio POWWOW 20 Broadcasters Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) TG4 TV3/3e Double Z Enterprises 9 Zink Films 20 Tel +353 1 208 3111 Tel +353 91 505050 Tel +353 1 419 3333 Geronimo Productions 10 Telegael 21 www.rte.ie www.tg4.ie www.tv3.ie Giant Animation Studios 11 Treehouse Republic 22 Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Public funding for projects with an Irish broadcaster involved. JAM Media 12 Wiggleywoo 23
Tel +353 1 644 1200 Ink and Light 13 www.bai.ie Irish Directors Directory 24 About the Irish Animation Industry
Ireland has always been a hub of creativity and artistic talent, In recent years Irish animation has been and nowhere is this clearer to see than in the Irish animation nominated for every major international award, industry. This flourishing sector now accounts for one-third including Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Emmys of the country’s audio-visual industry, and production activity and Annies. is increasing every year. Underpinning the sector’s competitiveness in a Irish animation studios are working with some of the global landscape is the Irish tax incentive for film biggest names in global broadcasting—including Disney, and television, Section 481, which was recently Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and the BBC—making improved by the government. (Read more about animated series that are shown to millions of children all over S481 on the inside-front page of this booklet.) the world every week. Award-winning features and shorts, animated programming for adults, apps and games are made Watch our Animated in Ireland trailer at here by our dynamic, technically advanced—and entirely www.animationireland.com indigenous—2D and 3D studios. or www.irishfilmboard.ie
2 www.animationireland.com www.irishfilmboard.ie www.enterprise-ireland.com 3 A Man & Ink A Man & Ink have been working hard for the past ten years producing animation both independently and in collaboration with other companies across shorts, TV series and features. For themselves, they made the shorts Scarecrow, Miss Remarkable & Her Career — with Lisbet Gabrielsson AB (Sweden) and Bullitt Film (Denmark), winner of the Fipresci Award at the Annecy International Animation Festival — and The Neighbours — a co-production Boulder Media with ithinkasia (Cambodia) that is Boulder Media have been making high-end 2D and 3D currently touring festivals — and the animation for international markets at their Dublin studio mini-series The Variety Show. And with since 2000, producing shows like the Emmy award– others: the series Ish’hafan (Freakish Kid, winning Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, El Tigre, and Hungary) and Joe & Jack (Dancing Girl the BAFTA, Annie and Emmy award–winning The Amazing Productions, Ireland); and the feature World of Gumball for Cartoon Network. They have already films The Secret of Kells and Song of the completed season one of Disney XDs flagship show Randy Sea (both with Cartoon Saloon, Ireland). Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja and also produced the first They are also currently working on a feature-length Lalaloopsy DVD for toy manufacturers MGA. short called A Stitch in Time. Jansson on the Train Other high-profile clients include Nickelodeon and ABC. Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja
CURRENT PROJECTS CURRENT PROJECTS • A Stitch in Time: short film • Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja season two: (in production) 48 x 11 minutes (in production) • Jansson on the Train: feature film • Fresh Cut Grass: a 9-minute original short film by (in development) Boulder’s Creative Director, Robert Cullen (in production) • Ethan Darklight: an original boy’s action/comedy series (in development) The Amazing World of Gumball
The Neighbours Fresh Cut Grass
A Man & Ink Jeremy Purcell, Producer Boulder Media Peter Lewis, Anne Tweedy, Producers 4 [email protected] +353 (0)91 501 046 www.amanandink.com [email protected] [email protected] +353 (0)1 677 9775 www.bouldermedia.tv 5 Barley Films Barley Films are passionate about diversity. The company has produced nine animated shorts since 2002 using CGI, cut-out, digital and hand-drawn techniques. Their work has screened at over 300 festivals in 39 countries. The Barley Films crew has always had an international flavour, with artists from Ireland, Canada, the UK, France, Sweden, South Korea, • Little Caribou Lithuania and Italy all working at their Dublin studio. They are also proud that four of their films have been directed by talented women.
Peter Rabbit The company plans to produce a trilogy of animated features in Ireland over the next five years. The first of these is their principal ® CURRENT PROJECTS development project from the last few years, Brown Bag Films • Doc McStuffins: 52 x 11-minute Little Caribou. TV series (season 3 in production) Seven Santas Brown Bag Films® is one of Europe’s most successful creative-led • Peter Rabbit: 52 x 11-minute CURRENT PROJECTS animation studios. Celebrating twenty years in business, their TV series (season 2 in production) Dublin-based headquarters have produced cutting-edge animation • Little Caribou: feature film (pre-production) • Octonauts: 52 x 11-minute Barley Films Barry O’Donoghue, Director for the international market since 1994, bagging numerous awards • Seven Santas: feature film (late development) TV series (season 4 in production) [email protected] +353 (0)1 289 9224 along the way. These include Oscar® nominations for Give Up • Henry Hugglemonster: www.barleyfilms.net Yer Aul Sins (2002) and Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty 52 x 11-minute TV series (2010), three Emmy® awards for Peter Rabbit (2014), and a host (season 2 in production) of Bafta, Emmy®, IFTA and Annie nominations for their hit shows • Bing: 78 x 7-minute TV series Octonauts, Doc McStuffins and Henry Hugglemonster. (in production) Brown Bag Films® are committed to producing the highest • Anya: 5-minute short film quality cross-platform animation with strong stories and engaging (premiered May 2014) Caboom characters. Founded and managed by animators Cathal Gaffney • Ode to Love: 7-minute short film and Darragh O’Connell, Brown Bag Films® is one of Ireland’s (in production, premiering Caboom is a multi-disciplinary business success stories, now employing over 160 full-time staff. July 2014) production company based in Dublin and LA. Working in live-action, puppetry and animation, the company draws on more than 20 years’ experience to produce award-winning content for creatively Special 1 TV ambitious clients. Caboom’s work is broad and varied, from animation series for the web to live-action commercials; animated content for apps and games Octonauts to live-action comedy series. Clients include Disney, TBS, RTÉ, CBBC, BBC, Fox, Warners, American Greetings, Mattel and the Jim Henson Company. The company is best known for its puppet series Special 1 TV, which has aired internationally on TV and online and has earned the company a YouTube Bing Toad Rules partnership for its unique use of social media to build and engage an audience.
Brown Bag Films Cathal Gaffney, CEO Caboom Damien Farrell, Creative Director 6 [email protected] +353 (0)1 872 1608 www.brownbagfilms.com [email protected] www.caboom.ie 7 Dancing Girl Productions Dancing Girl Productions was established by veteran animation and live-action producers Maeve McAdam and Villi Ragnarsson and has offices in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Because of this, the company is in a unique position to source funding. Dancing Girl Productions is focused on developing and producing long-running animation series and live-action projects for the domestic and international film and TV markets.
Joe & Jack Song of the Sea CURRENT PROJECTS • Joe & Jack 2: 78 x 7 minutes. The second season of the internationally Dancing Girl Productions successful animated preschool series Maeve McAdam, Villi Ragnarsson, Producers CURRENT PROJECTS (late development) [email protected] Cartoon Saloon • Song of the Sea: animated feature +353 (0)86 173 8048/+44 (0)2892 290040 The Academy Award® nominated animation studio directed by Tomm Moore Cartoon Saloon was set up in 1999 by Tomm Moore, Paul (release late-2014) Young and Nora Twomey. With award-winning short films • The Prophet: animated feature with such as From Darkness, Cúilín Dualach/Backwards Boy, “chapters” by directors from around Old Fangs and The Ledge End of Phil (from accounting) to the world (in production) Double Z TV series like Skunk Fu! (broadcast in over 120 territories) • Puffin Rock: animated cross-platform and Puffin Rock (due for broadcast with Nick Jr UK in preschool series in partnership with Enterprises 2015), Cartoon Saloon has carved a special place in the Dog Ears and Penguin (in production) international animation industry. • Somewhere Down the Line: short film Double Z Enterprises is a multi-award winning television (in production) production company established in 1987. Double Z has provided The studio is currently in production with the animated • Moone Boy: animated sequences both UK and Irish television with much-loved comedy shows feature film Song of the Sea, the follow-up to The Secret (in production) and puppet characters for adult and children’s programming, of Kells, which was nominated for an Academy Award® • The Breadwinner: feature film, including Zig & Zag, Dustin the Turkey and Podge & Rodge. in 2010. Cartoon Saloon has also created an animated co-production with Aircraft Pictures Double Z Enterprises has produced original comedy-based segment for The Prophet, a feature produced by Salma (in development) Hayek, due for release in 2014. programming for all the major broadcasters in Britain and Ireland, including RTÉ, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and MTV. Along with television production, Double Z have extensive experience in licensing. For over twenty years the company has produced merchandising and marketing campaigns for their characters in Ireland, the UK and Europe.
CURRENT PROJECTS • Zig & Zag – The Animated Series: 26 x 11-minute Zig & Zag – The Animated Series animation for CBBC/RTÉ (in development) The Secret of Kells Puffin Rock The Ledge End of Phil • Historical rom-com screenplay (in development) (from accounting) Double Z Enterprises • Family quiz show (in development) Ronan McCabe, Producer • Puppet-based online internet TV channel (in development) Cartoon Saloon Paul Young, Producer [email protected] +353 (0)1 497 9737 8 [email protected] +353 (0)56 776 4481/+353 (0)56 776 4455 www.cartoonsaloon.ie www.dze.ie 9 Giant Animation Studios Giant Animation Studios is an innovative Dublin-based company that is dedicated to the development and production of premium animated content for all platforms. The studio’s focus is on creating its own properties for the entertainment industry, as well as providing animation and design solutions for some of the leading production Nelly & Nora houses and agencies in Europe. The company has been nominated for an Irish Film and Television CURRENT PROJECTS Award, selected for competition Geronimo Productions • Nelly & Nora: animated in Annecy 2012 and has also won two consecutive Digital Media Geronimo Productions was awarded Producer of the Year at Cartoon TV series, 52 x 7 minutes. Bobby Dazzler Awards for Best Animation, in Forum 2011. The studio offers a full range of animation services from A charming, clever girl 2012 and 2013. development and across full production. In co-production scenarios, and her high-spirited they can raise finance and invest 50 per cent of the budget, depending sister holiday by the sea, on work split. Geronimo can also provide animation services and where they have all- CURRENT PROJECTS contribute to an overall budget by raising finance in Ireland. weather fun, adventures The following are recently completed projects: Roobarb & Custard Too and a lifetime of • Bobby Dazzler: preschool action (39 x 7 minutes), Fluffy Gardens (80 x 7 minutes), Fluffy Gardens Xmas memories show (in development) Special (1 x 20 minutes), Ballybraddan (20 x 13 minutes), Punky (in production) • Creepers: supernatural mystery (40 x 7 minutes) and Planet Cosmo (15 x 13 minutes). TV show (in development) • TED ED: series of short educational films (in production)
Creepers The Duel Punky
Geronimo Productions Limited Gerard O’Rourke, Producer Giant Animation Studios Daniel Spencer, MD 10 [email protected] +353 (0)1 603 4980 www.geronimo.ie [email protected] +353 (0)1 901 3266 www.giant.ie 11 Ink and Light Ink and Light develops and produces original television series and feature films. Established in 2011 by Tamsin Lyons and Leevi Lemmetty, the company has bases in Dublin and Helsinki. They work predominantly with CG animation but love exploring whatever form fits to tell a great story. Ink and Light’s previous work has been screened by RTÉ, MTV, Channel 4 and YLE, and at festivals such as Annecy, Sundance and Toronto. Alongside developing their The Red Herring own material, they are also interested in co-producing feature films and animation series for domestic and international distribution. Roy CURRENT PROJECTS • Papa’s Boy: 26 x 7-minute series (in development) CURRENT PROJECTS • The Red Herring: short film (in production) JAM Media • Roy: live-action/animation hybrid, CBBC Ink and Light Tamsin Lyons, Producer Since JAM Media’s inception in 2002, founders (52 x 28 minutes, in production) • Tilly and Friends: preschool, CBeebies [email protected] John Rice, Alan Shannon and Mark Cumberton Papa’s Boy +353 (0)1 668 9551/+353 (0)86 732 1331 have developed and created a number of award- (52 x 11 minutes, in production) www.ink-and-light.com winning TV series. They continually strive for • Baby Jake: preschool, CBeebies (52 x 11 immersive stories, engaging characters and minutes, in production) quality animations in all of their productions. • Funky Fables: animation/audience participation, The company opened a new office in Belfast in CBBC (26 x 11 minutes, in production) April 2013. • Picme: preschool (104 x 5 minutes, in production) • Little Roy: preschool (52 x 11 minutes, Keg Kartoonz Their CBBC series Roy won the BAFTA for Best in development) Keg Kartoonz is a Dublin-based animation Children’s Drama in 2012, adding to its BAFTA • Early Bird: preschool (52 x 11 minutes, studio run by Michael Algar (producer) nominations for Best Drama and Best Writer in development) and Noel Kelly (creative director). Both in 2010. Roy has also won a Royal Television • Pigsticks and Harold: animation (52 x 11 Michael and Noel have worked in the Society Award and the Trickfilm Festival minutes, in development) animation business since the time when (Stuttgart) award for best animated TV series • Jessy and Nessy: preschool studios used pencils and paper. Over their for kids. JAM Media won Producer of the Year (52 x 11 minutes, in development) careers they’ve each worked for many at the Cartoon Forum in Toulouse in 2012, and • Ivor’s Island: preschool (52 x 11 minutes, different studios around the world, but in April 2014, their series Tilly and Friends in development) nowadays they concentrate on developing picked up an IFTA for best animation. and producing Keg’s own projects. The
most recent project to be completed at Keg Kartoonz is a 90-minute animation/live- action special of comedian Brendan Grace’s Bottler character, Bottler.
CURRENT PROJECTS • Pencil Pilots: 26 x 12 minutes (in development) • Pencil Pilots: gaming app for iPhone, Early Bird Pigsticks and Harold iPad and Android (available summer 2014) Pencil Pilots
JAM Media John Rice, CEO Keg Kartoonz Michael Algar, Producer Noel Kelly, Creative Director 12 [email protected] +353 (0)1 405 3484 www.jammedia.com [email protected] [email protected] +353 (0)1 284 3426 www.kegkartoonz.com 13 Boj
CURRENT PROJECTS Kavaleer Inis Spraoi • Boj: 52 x 11 minutes, preschool (in production) Magpie 6 Productions • Wildernuts: 52 x 7 minutes, preschool (in production) Kavaleer Productions is one of Ireland’s foremost animation • The Draculs: 52 x 11 minutes, Media studios, with a body of work including TV series, commercials, 6–11 year olds app development and games. Throughout its thirteen-year Magpie 6 Media is a Dublin-based studio (late development) history, Kavaleer has not only conceived and produced a set up in 2008 by husband-and-wife team • Tipto: 52 x 11 minutes, number of highly acclaimed shorts but has also co-produced the Clifford Parrott and Christina O’Shea. 6–11 year olds (late development) internationally syndicated series Garth & Bev (26 x 11 minutes), Both worked in animation in Los Angeles • Kira Khan Do!: 52 x 11 minutes, Abadas (52 x 11 minutes) and Lifeboat Luke (52 x 5 minutes). for many years before coming to Ireland. preschool (development) Cliff is an award-winning animator, having Kavaleer are currently in production on Boj, a 52 x 11-minute • Ruby and the Trolls: produced animation for notable clients preschool series from the UK-based Pesky Productions in 52 x 11 minutes, preschool such as Adam Sandler. Magpie 6 Media has association with Welsh-based Bait Studio. They also completed (development) worked on animation projects for Disney The Travels of the Young Marco Polo production on their latest creation, the 26 x 7-minute preschool • Dougie Noir: 52 x 11 minutes, and ESPN, among others, and creates its series Wildernuts, in December 2013 and will begin production 6–9 year olds (development) own in-house animated and live-action on another 26 episodes in spring 2014. properties. In 2013 the studio’s international co-production, The Travels of the Young Marco Polo (26 x 25 minutes), was broadcast in Ireland, Germany and Canada. The studio is currently wrapping production on the animated preschool series Inis Spraoi (26 x 11 minutes), for broadcast on RTÉ this year.
CURRENT PROJECTS
• Inis Spraoi: 26 x 11-minute animated TV series (late production) • Lily & Dandy: 52 x 11-minute animated Early Bird Lily & Dandy The Draculs Wildernuts TV series (early development)
Kavaleer Productions Andrew Kavanagh, CEO Gary Timpson, MD Magpie 6 Media Clifford Parrott, Christina O’Shea, Producers 14 [email protected] [email protected] +353 (0)1 661 8585 www.kavaleer.com [email protected] +353 (0)1 443 3532 www.magpie6media.com 15 Monster Entertainment Monster Entertainment is a brand management company with activities encompassing distribution, finance and production of TV programmes. In business for over fifteen years, Monster has a wide and varied catalogue, sourcing award-winning programming from all over the world and selling into more than 200 countries. Its catalogue includes animation series from preschool up to teens and adults including Oscar-winning, Oscar-nominated and Emmy- winning animation programming. The company now has an in-house animation studio and is currently co-producing the animated series Inis Spraoi/Rockabye Island. It has also completed a four-country co-production of The Travels of the Young Marco Polo with Magpie 6 Media, having The Dinkers recently produced preschool series I’m a Moetion Films Monster and I’m a Creepy Crawly. Moetion Films is a newly formed production company producing and developing Ooops! Noah is Gone… CURRENT PROJECTS animated feature films and TV series for international distribution. Working with a • Fuzzyworld: 52 x 5-minute animated series highly creative network of writers, animators, (in development) actors and directors, the team is a long-time • I’m a Fish: 52 x 2-minute animated series co-producer with companies such as AFilm (in development) Productions, Anima Vitae and Ulysses • Ellabie & Friends: 52 x 11-minute animated Filmproduktion. series (late development) • Danny’s Smelly World: 52 x 11-minute Producer and owner Moe Honan recently animated series (development) co-produced the animated feature films • The Dinkers: 52 x 11-minute animated series Legends of Valhalla – Thor, Niko 2 – Little (late development) Brother Big Trouble and previously Niko • Wulfie: 52 x 11-minute animated series and the Way to the Stars. Other TV credits (late development) include: The Ugly Duckling and Me, Lilly the Witch, The Fairytaler, The World of Tosh and Norman Normal.
CURRENT PROJECTS • Ooops! Noah is Gone…: 3D animated feature (in production). A comedy adventure about the creatures who missed the boat. I’m a Fish Wulfie
Moetion Films Moe Honan, Owner and Producer Monster Entertainment Deirdre Barry, Producer 16 [email protected] +353 (0)91 374 031 www.moetionfilms.com [email protected] +353 (0)1 611 4934 www.monsterentertainment.tv 17 Paper Dreams Paper Dreams is an award-winning Irish production company run by Michael Lennon and Heidi Karin Madsen that develops and produces feature films and animated television series. Paper Dreams’s most recent production was Earthbound, a sci-fi rom-com Still Films feature film written and directed by Alan Brennan. Founded in 2007 by Maya Derrington, Currently Paper Dreams is producing an animated Nicky Gogan and Paul Rowley, Still Films Christmas special called The Overcoat, based on the is a production company based in Dublin The Overcoat short story by Nikolai Gogol and adapted by Hugh and New York that makes feature films, O’Conor. The Overcoat will be a co-production with animations, documentaries, TV, trans-media Slugger Film (Sweden) and A Film (Estonia). Paper productions and artist films. Still Films Dreams is also developing a number of children’s has a collective ethos; the team produce The Chicklings animated television series for both the international and edit one another’s work as well as and domestic markets, and is actively seeking co- supporting a wide group of associated production opportunities. filmmakers. Still Films was given the Michael Dwyer Discovery Award for new CURRENT PROJECTS talent by the Dublin Film Critics Circle. • The Overcoat: animated feature (in production) Still Films projects featuring animation Paper Dreams • The Sandwolf: animated feature (co-production) Michael Lennon, Heidi Karin Madsen, Producers include the experimental film The Rooms; • The H-Files: animated TV series (in development) [email protected] [email protected] feature documentary Build Something • The Chicklings: animated TV series (in development) www.paperdreams.ie Modern; hybrid feature documentary Last Hijack; and short filmsLearning to Fish, Last Hijack Trolley Boy and We, The Masses.
Prickly Pear CURRENT PROJECTS • The Worry Word: animated short (in production) Productions • Where is Eva Hipsey: animated short Prickly Pear Productions is an award- (in production) • The Participants: feature film winning Irish animation studio, with a The Worry Word collective of creatives who provide high- (in production) end animation services including animated commercials, e-learning platforms and web advertising. Prickly Pear Productions was founded by Richard Kelly in 2006. In 2008, they established a creative division that specialises in the production of short films, with the aim to work towards producing their first animated feature film.
CURRENT PROJECTS • Paperboy: animated 3D feature film franchise (late development) • Short films in various stages of development Paperboy Learning to Fish
Pencil Pilots Prickly Pear Productions Richard Kelly, Creative Director [email protected] +353 (0)85 702 9189 Still Films Nicky Gogan, Producer 18 www.pricklypearproductions.ie/www.paperboythemovie.com [email protected] +353 (0)86 025 1117 www.stillfilms.org 19 Telegael Telegael is one of Europe’s leading animation and television production houses. Established in 1988, the multi Emmy and Studio POWWOW IFTA award-winning studio works with Studio POWWOW creates and delivers entertainment international producers, distributors and brands with engaging stories and characters that are knitted broadcasters to develop, co-produce and seamlessly back together on multiple media platforms, by finance animation and live-action content bringing their skill, knowledge and vast experience of award- for the global market. Telegael’s client list winning TV-quality animation, design and storytelling to includes some of the biggest names in global The World of ShipAntics interactive content and games. broadcasting including Disney, Cartoon Network, France Television, Super-RTL, KIKA, BBC, Nickelodeon, PBS Sprout, ITV, CURRENT PROJECTS ZDF and Discovery Kids. Telegael has co- Studio POWWOW • The World of ShipAntics: transmedia comedy adventure, produced more than 700 hours of television. Richard Glynn, CEO ages 6–12 (in development) Its productions have been distributed to over [email protected] • Puzzle adventure game (on iOS/Android summer 2014) 140 territories throughout the world and +353 (0)86 3641 424 Igam Ogam • In development: web and TV series, connected toys translated into more than 40 languages. www.studiopowwow.com
CURRENT PROJECTS
• Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch: Zink Films 26 x 24-minute animated TV series • Igam Ogam, season two: 52 x 10-minute Zink Films are one of the top suppliers of quality stop-motion pre-school TV series animation and CGI content in the country, having • The Skinner Boys: 26 x 24-minute created ads for companies such as Flahavan’s, Yoplait animated TV series and Gateaux and collaborated on CG/live-action mix • Bubble Bath Bay: 52 x 11-minute commercials for such clients as Tayto and Berocca. Zink animated TV series also specialize in animation for the web and have created • Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs: online content for major brands like Coca-Cola, Guinness, 52 x 11-minute animated TV series Carlsberg and Vodafone. They are the top supplier of • Wild Grinders, season two: 52 x 11-minute Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch pre-viz and concept art, with in-depth knowledge of CGI, animated TV series animation, character design/creation and the web.
CURRENT PROJECTS • Love is a Sting: 8-minute short, live-action/CGI mix • Bot Com: 6-minute CGI short • Luka Pooka: 52 x 11-minute TV series, 3–6 year olds (in development) • Bob’s Jobs: 52 x 5-minute TV series, preschool (in development) • Joey O’Toole & Finn McCool: 52 x 11-minute Early Bird Joey O’Toole & Finn McCool TV series, boys action comedy (in development) The Woodlies • Katie Baloney Saves the World: 26 x 26-minute TV series, action adventure (in development) Zink Films Gary O’Neill, Producer [email protected] +353 (0)87 970 6760 Telegael Paul Cummins, CEO 20 www.zinkfilms.com [email protected] +353 (0)91 558 600 www.telegael.com 21 Wiggleywoo Wiggleywoo is a Dublin-based animation company set up in 2012 by Gilly (Creative Director), Susan Broe (Producer) and Alan Foley (CEO). Wiggleywoo’s Dragon Fist objective is to build a portfolio of highly commercial animated projects that have the potential to work cross- platform and to generate licensing, merchandising and other ancillary income. They have a number of CURRENT PROJECTS animated projects in development, including preschool Treehouse Republic • Epic Eric: 52 x 11-minute projects, a feature film, an animated documentary TV series (financing) drama series and numerous apps, and they have Boys of all ages love adventures that lead to laughter and skinned • Dragon Fist: 52 x 11-minute just completed production on an adult animated Tea with the Dead knees! Treehouse Republic creates dangerously funny worlds where TV series (early development) documentary drama series, Tea with the Dead. comedy smashes into action, leaving in its path of destruction • ChainSaw: 6 x 5-minute web exciting and outrageously awesome content. Treating platforms like series (late development) CURRENT PROJECTS windows into worlds, the company produces and develops content • The Simple Life of Dave: for linear and non-linear exploration of universes. Its tight-knit 26 x 11-minute TV series • Tea with the Dead: animated documentary drama family of creatives work together to deliver the highest quality (early development) series (completed) content possible for their most important clients: their audience. • MYA GO: preschool series presented at Cartoon Forum 2012 (in development) • The Day Henry Met?: preschool series presented at Cartoon Forum 2013 (in production September 2014) • You, Me, the Sky and the Sea: animated feature film presented at Cartoon Movie 2014 (in development)
The Simple Life of Dave Epic Eric You, Me, the Sky and the Sea The Day Henry Met?
Treehouse Republic Dale Robinson, Producer Wiggleywoo Susan Broe, Producer 22 [email protected] +353 (0)1 662 9688/+353 (0)1 639 4698 www.treehouserepublic.com [email protected] +353 (0)86 811 8847 www.wiggleywoo.com 23 Irish Directors Directory
Dedication Jimmy T. Murakami 1933–2014 Teemu Auersalo / Louise Bagnall / Paul Bolger Rory Bresnihan / Matthew Darragh / Tony Donoghue / Eoin Duffy / Lorcan Finnegan / Gilly Ben Harper / Andrew Kavanagh / Eoin Kidney Leevi Lemmetty / Cat Little / John McCloskey Alastair McIlwain / Adrien Merigeau / Tomm
Jimmy T. Murakami, the celebrated animation Moore / Darragh O’Connell / Damien O’Connor filmmaker who passed away in February of this year, was resident in Ireland since 1970. In that Bronagh O’Hanlon / Chris O’Hara / David time he established several companies, most notably Murakami Wolf Dublin, which at its peak employed over one hundred artists. In addition to his O’Reilly / Kealan O’Rourke / Nicky Phelan international career, he directed The Story Keepers animation series and numerous shorts here, including Jeremy Purcell / David Quin / Ruairí Robinson Sandpiper and Sparky the Space Dog with the Irish Film Board. He also lectured, tutored and mentored many in the industry, and was a friend to all. He is Paul Ruttledge / Patrick Semple / Alan sadly missed and fondly remembered. Shannon / Joel Simon / James Stacey / Jason The picture above is from the documentary Jimmy Murakami: Non-Alien by Sé Merry Doyle. For more information, see loopline.com/murakami. Tammemägi / Nora Twomey / Steve Woods Tony Donoghue Teemu Auersalo Tony Donoghue’s short film Irish Folk Furniture won Best Teemu is a director, animator and screenwriter. His own Animation at Sundance 2013 and has screened at festivals works include short films Trolley Boy and Learning to worldwide. His previous short, A Film from My Parish – 6 Farms, Fish. Currently Teemu is developing the feature film also screened at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals Jansson on the Train and lecturing in IADT. including Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand and Telluride. [email protected] [email protected] www.teemuauersalo.com +353 (0)87 326 9819
Louise Bagnall Eoin Duffy Eoin Duffy is an award-winning Irish director now living and Louise is a director/animator who has created a number of short working in Vancouver. Eoin has created a body of independent films. Her most recent film, Loose Ends, was released as part of work that has gone on to secure two Oscar-accredited festival wins, the Late Night Work Club group. She is currently developing an a nomination for the European Film Awards and a shortlisting for original television series as well as a new short film. the 86th Academy Awards, among other accolades. [email protected] +353 (0)86 309 9858 [email protected] +1 604 728 2441 www.elbooga.tumblr.com www.eoinduffy.me
Paul Bolger Paul directed the Frameworks short Gardens, Happily N’Ever Lorcan Finnegan After and Hamster Heaven, among others. He is developing Lorcan set up Lovely Productions in 2004. Since then he Brown Bag’s Wooden Sword, the 2D feature Fox on the Run has written and directed several award-winning shorts, and the live-action feature adaptation of Cú Chulainn, Hound. music promos and commercials. His film Foxes won an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Short. [email protected] +353 (0)51 896 874/+353 (0)87 971 6689 [email protected] +353 (0)86 125 9794 www.pillarstoneproductions.com www.lovelyproductions.com
Rory Bresnihan Gilly Rory wrote and directed the award-winning shorts Guy’s Dog, Gilly graduated from IADT Dun Laoghaire in 2004. After Ape, The Butterfly Collector and God’s Early Work. His latest working in post production for five years, Gilly left to start film, The Man Inside, has won numerous awards. Current Wiggleywoo with Susan Broe and Alan Foley. He creates, projects include Slam, Pancake Tuesday and Yeah Bonobo. designs and directs Wiggleywoo’s original content. [email protected] +353 (0)86 609 4117 [email protected] +353 (0)86 811 8847 www.rorybresnihan.com www.wiggleywoo.com
Matthew Darragh New Zealand–born filmmaker Matthew Darragh wrote and Ben Harper Ben Harper is an award winning animation director directed the IFTA-nominated Pilgrim and The Monk and the working for his own company, Giant Animation. Ben is Fly. His new short film, An Ode to Love, will be released later always interested in working on innovative projects and this year. He is currently working as Episodic Director for developing content across multiple platforms. Brown Bag Films® on Disney’s Henry Hugglemonster. [email protected] +353 (0)87 604 5441 [email protected] +353 (0)86 1034651 www.giant.ie vimeo.com/matthewdarragh Andrew Kavanagh Andrew Kavanagh has directed several award-winning Alastair McIlwain films that have been officially selected at over 100 festivals Alastair is a widely experienced designer, animator and worldwide. The Depository and From an Evil Cradling screened director on commercials, features and television series. He at Annecy 2012. He also directed the Kavaleer Productions works freelance on project development, character designs, 26 x 7 series Wildernuts, which will screen at Annecy 2014. storyboards, layout, traditional animation and backgrounds. [email protected] +353 (0)1 661 8585 [email protected] +44 (0)28 9188 3786/+44 (0)7801 233 244 www.kavaleer.com www.ali-mcilwain.com
Eoghan Kidney Tomm Moore Eoghan’s work ranges from pop videos to experimental Tomm co-founded Cartoon Saloon in 1999. Having short films. He has made work for Underworld, Madonna and completed his first feature film, The Secret of Kells, which Caribou, amongst others. He is represented as a director by was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Animated Nice & Polite in London. Feature, he is currently in the final stages of production of his second feature film, Song of the Sea. [email protected] (UK) +44 (0)784 8120 526/(IRE) +353 (0)86 169 2313 [email protected] +353 (0)56 776 4481 eoghankidney.tumblr.com www.cartoonsaloon.ie
Leevi Lemmetty Adrien Merigeau Leevi’s films have screened worldwide at festivals including Adrien is a French filmmaker working in Ireland. He worked on Annecy, Sitges and Toronto. His work has been broadcast on RTÉ, The Secret of Kells, then directed Old Fangs and Cecelia and YLE and MTV and distributed by Nordisk Film and Nintendo Her Selfhood. He currently is working as Art Director on Tomm Video among others. Moore’s upcoming animated feature, Song of the Sea. [email protected] +353 (0)86 213 3624 [email protected] +353 (0) 56 776 4481 www.ink-and-light.com www.adrienmerigeau.com
Cat Little Darragh O’Connell Cat Little has written and directed two Irish Film Board- Darragh has directed numerous animated series including funded shorts, The Parish Letter and Dreamzz. In terms Olivia and Octonauts. He co-founded and is creative director of of TV work, she was creator and director of Wobbly Land, two-time Academy Award® nominated Brown Bag Films®, one animation director on Noddy in Toyland, and assistant of Europe’s leading animation studios. director on Tilly and Friends. [email protected] +353 (0)1 872 1608 [email protected] +353 (0)86 882 5252 www.brownbagfilms.com www.catlittle.com
Damien O’Connor John McCloskey Damien O’Connor has written and directed four John is responsible for the words, drawings and music for The Frameworks-funded films: Mutt, Ledog and the IFTA- Crumblegiant and Guns, Bees and Tadpoles. He is also the nominated Dick Terrapin and After You. He is a professional maker of all the drawings for Midnight Dance. editor (Noddy, Olivia the Pig, Octonauts), storyboard artist and episodic director (Doc McStuffins). [email protected] +44 (0)287 126 0562 www.nerve-centre.org.uk [email protected] 30 +353 (0)86 855 8783 Bronagh O’Hanlon Jeremy Purcell Bronagh has directed numerous commercials and created and Jeremy is currently working with Cartoon Saloon again as directed the series Teenology for RTÉ. She is currently Art and assistant director on their 39 x 7 minute TV series Puffin Rock, as Episodic Director on Disney’s Doc McStuffins. well as working on the short film A Stitch in Time for A Man & Ink. [email protected] +353 (0)86 848 5149 [email protected] www.brownbagfilms.com www.amanandink.com
Kealan O’Rourke Award-winning live-action and animation director. Kealan’s David Quin short film The Boy in the Bubble won an IFTA for Best David Quin has worked since 1984 as an animator and director, Animation. Kealan is currently writing and directing the producing stop-motion and CGI animated series, short films feature animation Bolivar for Warner Bros; writing Emily the and commercials. He has received two Frameworks awards and Strange, which will star Chloe Moretz, for Universal Pictures; produces the internet series Cutbacks. and has written The Houdini Box for 20th Century Fox. [email protected] +353 (0)52 915 4309 [email protected] +353 (0)87 624 1580 www.cutbacks.ie/www.davidquin.ie www.kealanorourke.com/www.theboyinthebubble.net
Chris O’Hara Paul Ruttledge Chris O’Hara is an award-winning animator and director Paul co-directed (with Jack O’Shea) the short film Eat the based in LA. He has produced numerous short films including Danger, which was selected for Annecy 2013. Since then, he has his first self-funded short film A Different Perspective (2012), directed three hand-drawn animated music videos, including one which has been screened at over 70 festivals worldwide. for BP Fallon and the Bandits. [email protected] +353 (0)86 199 3109 [email protected] chrisoharaportfolio.blogspot.com
Ruairí Robinson David O’Reilly Ruairí Robinson is the Academy Award-nominated director of Fifty David O’Reilly is an Irish animator based in Los Angeles. Percent Grey, Blinky™ and Imaginary Forces. His debut feature He has created a wide variety of independent short film, The Last Days on Mars, premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film films and commercial projects. Noted for his disregard Festival. Ruairí worked for many years in professional 3d animation of conventions, his work is viewed as a groundbreaking and post-production before moving into directing commercials, force in contemporary 3D animation. music videos and films. He is based in Ireland and LA. [email protected] [email protected] www.ruairirobinson.com
Nicky Phelan Nicky Phelan joined Brown Bag Films® in 2005. In 2008, Nicky directed the short film Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Patrick Semple Beauty, which went on to collect twenty international awards, Patrick has directed two films, Headspace (Barley Films) and and the second and third seasons of the BAFTA-nominated FlatLand (Ncca). series Octonauts. Nicky is currently directing the TV series Bing, set to premiere on CBeebies this summer. [email protected] +353 (0)85 818 4198 patricksemple.blogspot.com [email protected] +353 (0)1 872 1608 www.brownbagfilms.com Joel Simon Joel Simon established Flickerpix Animation Studios in 2003 and directed animations for Channel 4, BBDO, Sesame Workshop US, CBBC and others. He directed Macropolis and Horn OK Please, which has won 15 international awards. [email protected] +44 (0)2890 397 347 www.flickerpix.com
Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board is the Alan Shannon national development agency for the Irish film industry, Alan is currently directing series three and four of Roy, a 26 x investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. The agency 28-minute live action/animation hybrid show for CBBC. Prior to supports and promotes the Irish animation industry this, he directed a 52 x 11-minute animation series entitled Tilly & www.irishfilmboard.ie and provides development and production funding for Friends for CBeebies. animated features and television series. [email protected] +353 (0)1 405 3484 www.jammedia.ie
James Stacey Enterprise Ireland is the government agency Director of IFTA-nominated short Origin, James is CG Supervisor at supporting Irish companies by providing expertise, Brown Bag Films®. He is currently working on Octonauts for BBC strategic advice, financial support and access to and Henry Hugglemonster and Doc McStuffins for Disney. www.enterprise-ireland.com international markets and funding. With a worldwide [email protected] +353 (0)1 872 1608 office network, Enterprise Ireland invests in the www.brownbagfilms.com development of world-class Irish companies to achieve strong positions in global markets.
Jason Tammemägi Jason is a specialist in preschool content, both on a creative level and in production/management. Forming, leading and guiding projects; consulting, writing, designing and producing. He is the Animation Ireland is an umbrella brand under which creator, writer and director of Fluffy Gardens and Planet Cosmo. the leading animation companies in Ireland work [email protected] +353 (0)86 807 8063 together to market Ireland’s world-class animation www.jasontammemagi.com/www.mooshku.com www.animationireland.com sector internationally. The brand is supported by Enterprise Ireland and is owned by the Irish Animation CEO Forum. Nora Twomey Nora is a director of Cartoon Saloon, which she co-founded in 1999. She is currently developing her feature film directorial debut, an adaptation of the bestselling novel The Breadwinner. She co-directed The Secret of Kells with Tomm Moore, and the award-winning shorts From Darkness and Cúilín Dualach. [email protected] +353 (0)56 776 4481 www.nora-twomey.com For more information on Irish animation directors, please visit the website of the Screen Directors Steve Woods Guild of Ireland, www.sdgi.ie Steve Woods teaches experimental animation in the National Film School IADT. In 2011, he produced and directed Dutch Darkness, a five-minute pixelated film. Steve curated the Irish Watch the latest Animated in Ireland promotional Focus in Annecy 2012. trailer on www.animationireland.com or www.irishfilmboard.ie [email protected] +353(0)86 364 4174 www.stevewoods.ie 35