Press Release from Animation Alliance UK

Animation Alliance UK has today written to Lord Chris Smith, Panel chair of the independent review of Government film policy, to raise its concerns about the lack of public policy, strategy and support for independent animation.

The Alliance makes a “straightforward plea” for an acknowledgement of the importance of cultural animation production to the UK, and a recommendation that steps are taken to ensure its continued success.

Animation Alliance UK has a focus on independent animation as cultural cinema and art form. Its membership includes Oscar and BAFTA winners and nominees, and reflects the range of animation practice, across many areas of creative, cultural and commercial activity in the arts and creative industries.

British animated short film has enjoyed amazing success, with British animators winning the Oscar for animated short film eight times, with a further 20 nominations, in the last 25 years.

The letter notes that as support from broadcasters and public funding bodies has diminished, so UK animators are finding financial support from, and relocating to, other countries. It states that the UK Film Council and Arts Council England have failed to work together to provide any strategic leadership:

“Independent animation is a vital part of the UK’s culture and its creative industries. The sums of money that are required to underpin a vibrant independent animation sector are relatively small. But the development of independent animation and the nurturing of its talent base is dependent on its own drive and determination, and this is unsustainable.”

About Animation Alliance UK
The Animation Alliance UK is a new, broad alliance of independent animation professionals - animators, programmers, producers, researchers, critics, academics, studios, festivals – across a wide range of creative and professional practice and engagement.

The Alliance exists:
   1. to act as a network and focus for sharing information and discussion
   2. to advocate for the support of independent animation in the UK
   3. to lobby for investment in production, training, archive

The Alliance is new and establishing itself through a google group. Members include animators, artists and filmmakers, producers, programmers, curators, writers and higher education tutors. Many of members, inevitably, work in both cultural and commercial contexts. However, the focus is on independent practice and cultural film.
Anyone interested in joining should contact animationalliance@me.com stating their professional role and any affiliation (eg production company, university).

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Animation Alliance UK
89 Borough High Street
London SE1 1NL
animationalliance@me.com
www.animationallianceuk.org

Lord Smith of Finsbury
Westminster
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
8 September 2011

Dear Lord Smith

Film Policy Review: independent animation
The Animation Alliance UK is a recently formed group of independent animation professionals. It exists as a network and focus for sharing information and discussion, to advocate for the support of independent animation in the UK, and to lobby for investment in production, training and archive.

We appreciate that the main focus of the Film Review is the commercial feature film industry. There are also many urgent issues facing the wider animation industry in the UK. Many our members work in the industry, and we endorse Animation UK’s Save UK Animation campaign around need for subsidies and tax breaks.

There are many different kinds of filmmaking, and many ways to make films, and to get them seen. Animation Alliance UK’s focus is on independent animation as cultural cinema and art form.

We have taken the liberty of writing, rather than completing the consultation questionnaire, because we simply wish to alert you and the Film Policy Review panel to our specific concerns about independent animation in the UK, and our straightforward plea is for an acknowledgement of the importance of cultural animation production to the UK, and a recommendation that steps are taken to ensure its continued success.

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