BAFTA-winning studios Blue Zoo and Plug-In Media are forming a new venture that aims to change the game for the animation industry in the South of England. The studio kicks off with greenlight for two major preschool series and other projects waiting in the pipeline. Through this partnership, the studios will work to strengthen the U.K. animation industry while embracing new working models brought about by the pandemic.
Blue Zoo recently won the Daytime Emmy for The Adventures of Paddington and is currently working on seven productions remotely. Having doubled its staff in the last year, Blue Zoo will continue its expansion onto the south coast with a regional hub in Brighton.
Brighton-based Plug-In Media has long-established expertise in creating multi-platform content across broadcast, interactive and YouTube, as well as being creators of BAFTA-winning original IP, Tee and Mo. The two studios first worked together in 2010 and this new collaboration brings together nearly 40 years of combined experience to continue to produce outstanding animation, as well as innovative new content.
Kicking off the new venture, the studios have won a commission for a 52-episode 2D action-comedy preschool series for a major public broadcaster. Recruitment has started on the show, which goes into production later this summer, creating new jobs and widening the animation talent pool in the South of England. Blue Zoo is bringing its commitment to a new hybrid remote/in-studio working model as it expands from London to offer roles across a regional spread, offering staff flexibility to work in an office where it suits them.
“Blue Zoo has been talking about creating regional hubs for a while. When the opportunity arose to build a studio with our admired friends at Plug-In in Brighton, we leapt on it,” said Adam Shaw, Co-Founder of Blue Zoo and co-director on The Adventures of Paddington. “The next step is to grow the studio, so if you are a talented creative working in either 2D or 3D animation, want to live in the Brighton area and start this incredible journey with us, get in touch.”
“Plug-In Media is thrilled to be working more closely with Blue Zoo as well as to widen opportunities for animation professionals in the South of England,” said Juliet Tzabar, CEO & Owner of Plug-In Media. “The partnership between our companies is founded on shared values, and the opportunity to build on our combined strengths in long-form, short-form and interactive children’s production, is one that we’re super excited about, and which we hope will take the South Coast by storm!”
www.blue-zoo.co.uk | pluginmedia.net
