John read the government White Paper--"the only one I've ever read"--on the setting up of Channel 4, with its promise of support for the independent production community and its commitment to innovation and difference, with great interest. The Snowman had been lying on his desk for nearly a year and his £500 option was running out. He hastily assembled an 8 minute animatic set to a tune composed by Howard Blake and took it to Paul Madden at Channel 4. He raised £100,000 from Paul, £75,000 from the publishers and mortgaged his house. The rest, as they say, is history.

TheYellow Submarine. Courtesy of TVC London.

TVC's new Cardiff-based production, Fred the Cat, is being directed by Joanna Quinn, whose short film credits have included Girls Night Out, Body Beautiful and Britannia. It's Joanna's first time in commercial production and she's finding the demands of a tight schedule hard. The lack of trained animators is an additional problem. But she's supported by John's calm professionalism and his belief that her natural exuberance and tremendous talent will produce work of Oscarwinning quality. It would be a fitting exit for a fine company.

Retirement? Don't Even Think About It!
After TVC closes down its production arm, which will be after the last production has been put to bed, John plans to slip into a new role as consultant to other people's projects, only coming in from the rural idyll of his home in Kent for a civilized schedule of lunchtime meetings. However he murmurs imperceptibly that there may still be one or two projects that he'd like to do. I glance at his desk. There's a battered, schoolboys' copy of Henry V halfhidden in a pile of papers ...

Jill McGreal owns and runs her own Londonbased animation production company, CODENAME The Animation Agency. She produces television series for children and represents many wellknown international directors for commercial work. She continues to write and teach about animation and film in general.