Flying Bark Productions PTY. Ltd., a 100 percent subsidiary of Munich-based EM.Entertainment GmbH, has extended the contract of Managing Director Michael Hefferon. Originally hired as provisional managing director for a six-month term, Hefferon succeeded in pushing forward both the support of Australian creative talent and the production of Australian programming for both local and international audiences. His responsibilities besides the management of Flying Bark Productions include overseeing all current productions and the restructuring of the production group in respect of EM.Entertainment's strategic positioning.
Hefferon completed his studies at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto, Canada in 1989 as a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Animation. In 1990 he founded the company Phoenix Animation, which was acquired in 1997 by Catalyst Entertainment Inc. Between 1997 and 2000 he was a vice-president at Catalyst Entertainment, responsible for the Animation Development & Production function. Subsequent to this, from 2000 to 2002, he was Head of Animation, Co-Productions & Animation Packaging at UK-based Gullane Entertainment Inc. Finally, Hefferon took over the position of senior vice-president of production at Berlin production company BFC Berliner Film Companie Productions GmbH.
Flying Bark Productions joined forces with A Stark Production to establish Avrill Stark Entertainment in April, 2007. The joint venture is creating and developing independent projects in children's entertainment programming. Avrill Stark, one of Australia's leading producers, serves as managing director and creative director of A Stark Entertainment, as well as creative director at Flying Bark.
