Francis Vose has been upped to creative director of Cosgrove Hall Films while Chris Bowden becomes exec producer. Lee Marriott has also accepted the post of financial and commercial director, according to Cosgrove Hall md Anthony Utley.
Utley said, “This is an exciting time for Cosgrove Hall and I look forward to working closely with Franc, Chris and Lee. The new team will formulate and drive all visual and narrative editorial aspects of production and development — further establishing the studios as a key player in the global animation market. They will also be responsible for seeking out new and exciting commercial opportunities whilst increasing the studios output in terms of variety, technique, style and efficiency.”
The new team will make its MIP debut on the new Cosgrove Hall stand (RSV 4.7) at MIP-TV.
Bowden came to Cosgrove Hall in 1995 after several years a director and producer in corporate media production. He has been responsible for various Cosgrove Hall productions, including OAKIE DOKE, NODDY and FETCH THE VET. He worked alongside Gerry Anderson for Cosgrove Hall’s acclaimed production of LAVENDER CASTLE and is exec producer on Chapman Ent.’s FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS and Ent. Right’s POSTMAN PAT.
Vose joined Cosgrove Hall in 1983 as a model animator and, in just six months, became model director working on series such as COCKLESHELL BAY and CREEPY CRAWLIES. Vose directed the BAFTA award-winning THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS and THE FOOL OF THE WORLD AND THE FLYING SHIP, for which he won an International Emmy. After six years of freelance work within the international field, Vose returned to Cosgrove Hall to produce, amongst others, ANIMAL SHELF. Most recently he produced BILL AND BEN for the BBC, as well as developed the multi-award winning international hit, ALBIE. He produced and directed LITTLE ROBOTS for Create Television and is working with Ent. Rights to bring RUPERT AND FRIENDS to the screen. Vose is also responsible for the fresh new designs of ROGER TO THE RESCUE, which is in development and will be showcased at MIP-TV.
Before joining Cosgrove Hall in 1996 as company accountant, Marriott worked as a group accountant in the vehicle engineering, property and hotel industries. At Cosgrove he has led negotiations and closed deals on programs, including BILL AND BEN, ANDY PANDY and LITTLE ROBOTS. Marriott also successfully led the company to secure deals for POSTMAN PAT, FIFI AND THE FLOWERTOTS and LIKEABALLS as well as the deal with Entertainment Rights and the Express Group for RUPERT AND FRIENDS.
Manchester, England-based Cosgrove Hall (
www.chf.co.uk ) is wholly owned by Granada, ITV’s production division. Cosgrove, established in 1976, has built its reputation as the leading animation house over many years of award-winning productions, from classics such as DANGERMOUSE and WIND IN THE WILLOWS, to up to date remakes of ANDY PANDY and BILL AND BEN through to present productions such as ENGIE BENJY, LITTLE ROBOTS and the evergreen POSTMAN PAT. Cosgrove is one of the few animation houses in the world working extensively in all three types of animation – hand-drawn/2D, stop-motion puppet and CGI.
