U.K.’s Channel 4 Commits ’1.6 Million to Toons

Britian’s Channel 4 made a lot of animation industry professionals happy yesterday when it announced a further three-year funding commitment to animation commissioning. A total investment of ’1.6 million will be injected into the channel’s three highly respected and innovative animation schemes Mesh, Air and Animate!

“No other television broadcaster has invested so much in developing the raw talent of the UK’s animators and we look forward to seeing more fresh and innovative specials over the next three years,” says Tim Gardam, Channel 4′s director of television.

According to joint MD of Lupus Films Ruth Fielding, the three Channel 4 funded animation schemes produce 13 short films every year. They cover all aspects of animated film-making, and exist to encourage directors to submit challenging scripts and ideas which cut across technologies and techniques. “As well as being shown on C4, they are screened to great acclaim at film festivals around the world and have won numerous internationally prestigious awards,” she notes. “We are immensely proud to be associated with such highly respected work, and look forward to the next batch of completed films.”

Lupus Films is also in production with Wilde Stories, a 3 x 24’ Christmas special animating Oscar Wilde’s best-loved children’s stories. The lavishly animated project is directed by Sarah Cox, Rachel Bevan Baker and Maurice Joyce and will feature a classical music score composed by Debbie Wiseman Pete Postlethwaite, Brendan Gleeson, Anna Chancellor and Jim Carter are among the voice actors.