The animation industry in Wales will receive a major boost following the announcement that three companies will share S4Cs £500,000 animation development and production fund.
The awards, given as part of a competitive tendering process, are to be split between Calon in Cardiff Bay, Griffilms, with offices in Caernarfon and Cardiff, and a partnership between Caernarfon-based Cwmni Da and Dinamo in Cardiff.
Calon will receive £250,000, while Griffilms receives £150,000. The Cwmni Da/Dinamo partnership will receive £100,000.
Over a two-year period, the three companies will be expected to develop and deliver a number of multi-platform animation projects, from short films ranging between 10 seconds and 10 minutes in length, to promotional material.
Projects will be expected to reflect S4Cs program priorities, targeting family, late-night and childrens audiences in particular.
Production is underway at Calon on S4Cs new pre-school animation, HOLI HANA, a co-production with Five and Germanys ZDF with support from the EUs Media+ program and the National Assembly for Wales.
Griffilms is also working on a 30-minute animated film based on the Welsh legend of Gelert, to be broadcast on S4C during Christmas 2007, while Dinamo is producing a series of 20x5 nursery rhyme animations, CWM TEG, for S4C.
Meirion Davies, S4Cs commissioning editor entertainment, who coordinated the animation tender process, said, S4C is committed to developing a range of creative animation projects across different genres and for multi-platform use, from short promotional trails which can be zapped to mobile phones to prime-time programming. We look forward to working alongside the talented teams at the successful companies.
Calon managing director Robin Lyons said, We see this as a great opportunity to create some really adventurous content for S4C's linear and digital output. It'll give us a chance to introduce all sorts of new ideas and talent to the industry in Wales, and provide a stepping stone to more ambitious and far-reaching work."
Neville Hughes of the Cwmni Da/Dinamo partnership adds, This is a very exciting development for the industry in Wales. Itll be a great opportunity for both companies to explore the wealth of platforms opening up to animation.
Hywel Griffith of Griffilms says, Griffilms is proud to be part of S4Cs long standing commitment to the animation industry in Wales and it is a great opportunity for us to develop and produce new and exciting animation content to entertain audiences here and abroad.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
