Irish animation industry enjoys cartoon boom

The Irish animation industry has had a successful year and the most recent success has been the selection of the Irish animated feature film 'The Ugly Duckling and Me', for the prestigious International Toronto Film Festival which takes place next month.
The film will screen as part of the Sprockets Family Zone which is dedicated to featuring films that represent the best in contemporary international children’s cinema.
Produced by Magma Film with funding from the Irish Film Board The Ugly Duckling and Me will also be seen by audiences all over the world when it is released in cinemas later this year. The film has already secured sales in 23 countries in Europe and South America.
However Ugly Duckling and Me is not the only Irish animation that will be seen by international audiences this year.
Brown Bag’s animated TV series 'I'm an Animal' has already sold to 15 international broadcasters including Nickelodeon UK, Asia and Benelux, National Geographic in Latin America and other broadcasters in Canada, Hong Kong, Australia and the Middle East.
Simon Perry, Chief Executive, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ the Irish Film Board commented: "Irish animation is now highly regarded on the international stage for producing award-winning films that are independently financed and made with great innovative skill."
There was also a strong Irish presence at the Cartoon Forum last year. Cartoon Forum is one of the most important markets for the animation industry, where production companies have an opportunity to pitch their projects to over 250 major international financiers. Six major animated Irish TV series were pitched at the forum.
There are more Irish projects lined up for Cartoon Forum this year which takes places next month. Amongst Irish companies attending are Kaveleer Productions who will present 'Garth', an adventure show which features the brother and sister team of Garth and Bev, as a couple of time travelling kids who visit famous historical figures each week.
With more than an estimated 300 full-time and freelance animators currently working in the Irish animation sector, the industry is actually bigger than it was when the Sullivan Bluth US animation studio was based in Ireland during the early 1990’s.
However, now Irish animators are creating their own indigenous projects and raising their own finance from international broadcasters, rather than working on projects created by a US studio.
Cartoon Saloon, the Kilkenny based animation studio are currently employing 250 animators, working on various projects including a major animated feature film 'Brendan and the Secret of Kells' and their TV series 'Skunk Fu'.
(DS)