NEWS YOU CAN USE For Immediate Release International Trade 2014MIT0017-000244 March 1, 2014 Animation mission earns rave reviews in United Kingdom

LONDON ʹA delegation of animation company leaders from completed a three-day trade mission to London and Manchester this week. The mission was widely covered in the United Kingdom and international media as representatives from 10 B.C. animation companies participated in targeted forums to promote co-production activity with U.K. producers and broadcasters.

The trade mission included forums in London on Tuesday and Wednesday and Manchester on Thursday, offering the B.C. delegation an opportunity to meet with U.K. animation companies and commissioners from its television production sector, including BBC, ITV and Channel Five.

The mission was organized and supported by Creative BC, the Canadian Media Production Association, the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia, Vancouver Economic Commission, Western Economic Diversification Canada, and the Province of British Columbia. The participating B.C. companies are Inc., Studios, Bron Animation, DHX Media, Eh-Okay Entertainment (Kickstart), Harbour Block Production Associates, , Rainmaker Entertainment, Inc., and The Sequence Group.

The Ministry of International Trade promoted the mission and the competitive advantages of British Columbia͛s animation sector through its European trade and investment office, based in London, and a dedicated public relations campaign.

British Columbia is a key location for film and TV production in North America and a leading hub for digital animation and visual effects. Earlier this month, Rovio Entertainment announced that its Angry Birds animated movie, due in theatres in 2016, will be created in Vancouver by . This August, Vancouver will host SIGGRAPH 2014, an annual conference for the computer graphics and animation community.

See below for a selection of links to international media coverage of the B.C. animation trade mission.

Learn More:

The Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canadian-animators- broadcasters-visit-uk-682773

Yahoo Finance: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/manchester-vancouver-plot-global-animation- 131900479.html

Toonzone: http://www.toonzone.net/2014/02/canadian-animators-broadcasters-seeking- partners-tax-breaks/

Televisual: http://www.televisual.com/news-detail/British-Columbian-animators-exploring-UK- industry-this-week_nid-3961.html

C21: http://www.c21media.net/canuck-toon-outfits-explore-uk-copros/

Broadcast: http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/international/canadians-eye-uk-kids-co- pros/5068006.article?blocktitle=LATEST-NEWS&contentID=870

ScreenDaily: http://www.screendaily.com/news/canadians-eye-uk-kids-co- pros/5068020.article?blocktitle=HEADLINES&contentID=40295

Television Business International (TBI): http://tbivision.com/news/2014/02/canuck-animation- delegation-seeks-uk-copro-opportunities/234722

The Financial Times: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4eae3a18-9b03-11e3-946b- 00144feab7de.html?siteedition=uk

KFTV: http://www.kftv.com/news/2014/02/27/Canada-and-UK-explore-TV-and-animation-co- productions

The Knowledge: http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/the-knowledge- bulletin/post/2014/02/26/UK-encourages-Canadian-and-US-TV-and-animation-co-prods

Manchester Matters: http://www.manchestermatters.co.uk/httpwwwmanchestermatterscoukprnewswire.html? doc=201402270819PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__enUK201402271613_Public&dir=2

California Chronicle: http://www.californiachronicle.com/prnewswire/default.html? doc=201402270819PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__enUK201402271613_Public&dir=2

Animation: http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/u-k-studios-canadian-companies- explore-co-pros/

Tech City News: http://techcitynews.com/2014/02/24/osbornes-tax-credit-is-a-game-changer- for-animation-industry/#Uwr55stFDqA

OnscreenAsia.com: http://www.onscreenasia.com/prnewswire.asp? doc=201402270819PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__enUK201402271613_Public&dir=2

Global Newsweek: http://globalnewsweek.com/prnewswire/index.html? doc=201402270819PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__enUK201402271613_Public&dir=2

Amiweb: http://amiwebpartners.com/industry-news/? doc=201402270819PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__enUK201402271613_Public&dir=2

Zee News: http://zeenews.india.com/biz/wire.html? doc=201402270819PR_NEWS_EURO_ND__enUK201402271613_Public&dir=2

The Location Guide: http://www.thelocationguide.com/blog/2014/02/ng-filming-on-location- british-columbia-animation-companies-to-visit-uk-for-co-production-talks/ Media Contact: Media Relations Ministry of International Trade 778 977-0298

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect