The Snowman. Courtesy of TVC London.

The distinct, rounded, English animation style of TVC's recent productions, the emphasis on adaptation rather than original works--are both characteristic of the literary tradition. This narrative tradition is itself embedded in the romanticism of the landscape painters, novelists like Scott, poets like Wordsworth and unique English formations like Gothic literature and Victorian architecture. And this list clearly belongs with the other list above. The coming together of the elements of the tradition and the artists who work within it produces an instantly recognizable visual culture of which TVC's work is manifestly a part.

End of an Era
Last year John Coates gathered his small, permanent, production staff together and gave them all two years notice. By June 5, 1997, TVC's 40th birthday, the production side of the company will cease to exist. By then,TVC will have made nearly 1,500 commercials, more than 70 documentaries and over 80 entertainment films--an enviable track record. It's the end of an era. It really is. Maybe the move into Europe, with all its uncertainty, the globalization of communications through the Internet and the leap forward into postmodernism have left TVC (and John and The Old Gang) behind, trapped in nostalgia and a mythical past where chums like Ratty and Mole and the childlike Toad could idle away innocent days together.

John has had enough of the responsibility of keeping a boutique style production company going. There was a moment in the history of British production which favored the small independent producer. Inevitably this moment involved the setting up of Channel 4, the British broadcasting phenomenon which occurred in 1982. Until then there were two broadcasters and only three channels available in the UK: the BBC which was, and still is, responsible for two channels, BBC1, established 1936 and BBC2, established 1962 and ITV, the commercial channel established in 1956, which was, and still is, comprised of different regional ITV franchise holders who together transmit across one national network. All of these broadcasting organizations are produced in house, only rarely going out to independents to make their programmes for them. What makes Channel 4 distinct is that it has no in-house production--all its nonacquired programming is commissioned from independent producers.

Famous Fred. Courtesy of TVC London.

This situation created a boom in the creativeled, independent production sector, which allowed companies like TVC to grow and which lasted until recession hit in 1990. By that time there were too many small companies chasing too few commissions and staying in business became a struggle. During the recession, when John Coates was raising the finance for the Beatrix Potter series, TVC survived an entire year on Snowman revenue. In other words, to stay in business and maintain the confidence which is crucial at that delicate moment in financial negotiations, TVC had to consume its profits.