Kids Animated TV can have a bad rap – a kind of visual pacifier for busy mums, dads and carers. But in reality a lot of work and care goes into creating kids animation, especially when it’s meant to teach kids about the world around them. Animated Education was a growth industry through the lockdown and its range is to be celebrated. Meet some of those involved here.
Chaired by Saint John Walker – Deputy Dean/Director at Escape Studios, the UK’s leading VFX, Games and Animation industry training institution in the heart of London.
Recommended Age: 15+
Panellists:
Chair: Saint John Walker - Deputy Dean/Director at Escape Studios
Saint is the author of the Core Skills of VFX Handbook and has designed and run VFX courses across the UK. He has been LIAF’s industry panel coordinator and chair for several years, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. At Escape he has chaired panel discussions for the annual VFX Festival, and has taken part in many Access:VFX activities online and in person.
Jamie Badminton - Co-founder and Creative Director of Karrot
Jamie is a BAFTA and Emmy-winning Animation Producer. He co-founded Karrot and is Creative Director of their London-based Animation Studio. Jamie produced Karrot’s flagship in-house series Sarah & Duck (120 episodes/ 3 Seasons) for CBeebies and BBC Studios. He also co-directed and co-produced The Snowy Day holiday special for Amazon Prime, adapted from Ezra Jack Keats’ landmark American picture book. He is currently Series Producer for the next 104 episodes of Peppa Pig, which Karrot will be making for eOne (premiering in 2023) , and co-producing CBeebies’ animated series Love Monster (80 episodes) for BBC, BoatRocker and UYoung.
Tom Box - Co-founder and MD of Blue Zoo Animation
Tom is the co-founder and joint managing director of Blue Zoo Animation. Over the last 20 years, the studio has grown to become the biggest dedicated CG animation studio in the UK, picking up a few BAFTAs along the way. Tom has been the driving force behind the studio’s continuous exploration of new technology, experimenting with cutting-edge tools to see how they can improve animation workflows and facilitate artists’ creativity. He is also co-founder of AnimDojo, an online training website whose mission is to give everyone a helping step up the career ladder in the animation industry regardless of age, wealth, location or time-availability.
Andrew Brenner - Freelance Scriptwriter for children’s animation
Andrew has been writing children’s animation since 1995, generating a very large number of short scripts (as well as a few longer ones). Creator of Nick Jr’s Humf, and ITV’s The Caribou Kitchen, he recently worked with adults on the autism spectrum to write Pablo for CBeebies, the first animated series with an autistic central character. Head writer of Thomas and Friends for over seven years, his credits also include Brave Bunnies, Nelly and Nora, The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers, The Koala Brothers, Little Wolf’s Book Of Badness, Maisy and The Cramp Twins.
Rima Sen - Writer, Producer & Director at Saffron Cherry Productions
Rima is a Bafta nominated and RTS award winning producer, writer and director with almost 20 years of working in television, commercials, short film, theatre-to-screen adaptations, single and multi-camera pieces for broadcast and online, Rima’s style is dictated by narrative and a focus on people and relationships, be they comedic or dramatic. Her most recent work has been on live events for Manchester International Festival, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker, and output for BBC learning.
An attention to detail and ability to then step back and see the bigger picture are her strengths, as well as getting the best out of the cast and crew. Rima doesn’t do horror films so line producing The World According to Grandpa whilst working with a puppet rabbit really took the edge off the global pandemic! The World According to Grandpa led to producing The Wonton Warrior and series producing Series 2 which begins filming next year.
Jo Redfern – Global Brand Director at Sutikki
Jo is currently Global Brand Director at Sutikki and has many years experience in developing marketing and content strategies for children’s IP with education and entertainment at their core.
Whilst at BBC Children’s and Education Jo worked across the CBeebies portfolio managing the branded extensions into magazines, consumer products and attractions including the award-winning CBeebiesLand theme park and Hotel at Alton Towers Resort named Tripadvisor’s Best Of The Best in 2020. Her passion is developing content brands that are at the same time entertaining, educational and commercially successful.
Kids Animated TV can have a bad rap – a kind of visual pacifier for busy mums, dads and carers. But in reality a lot of work and care goes into creating kids animation, especially when it’s meant to teach kids about the world around them. Animated Education was a growth industry through the lockdown and its range is to be celebrated. Meet some of those involved here.
Chaired by Saint John Walker – Deputy Dean/Director at Escape Studios, the UK’s leading VFX, Games and Animation industry training institution in the heart of London.
Recommended Age: 15+
Panellists:
Chair: Saint John Walker - Deputy Dean/Director at Escape Studios
Saint is the author of the Core Skills of VFX Handbook and has designed and run VFX courses across the UK. He has been LIAF’s industry panel coordinator and chair for several years, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. At Escape he has chaired panel discussions for the annual VFX Festival, and has taken part in many Access:VFX activities online and in person.
Jamie Badminton - Co-founder and Creative Director of Karrot
Jamie is a BAFTA and Emmy-winning Animation Producer. He co-founded Karrot and is Creative Director of their London-based Animation Studio. Jamie produced Karrot’s flagship in-house series Sarah & Duck (120 episodes/ 3 Seasons) for CBeebies and BBC Studios. He also co-directed and co-produced The Snowy Day holiday special for Amazon Prime, adapted from Ezra Jack Keats’ landmark American picture book. He is currently Series Producer for the next 104 episodes of Peppa Pig, which Karrot will be making for eOne (premiering in 2023) , and co-producing CBeebies’ animated series Love Monster (80 episodes) for BBC, BoatRocker and UYoung.
Tom Box - Co-founder and MD of Blue Zoo Animation
Tom is the co-founder and joint managing director of Blue Zoo Animation. Over the last 20 years, the studio has grown to become the biggest dedicated CG animation studio in the UK, picking up a few BAFTAs along the way. Tom has been the driving force behind the studio’s continuous exploration of new technology, experimenting with cutting-edge tools to see how they can improve animation workflows and facilitate artists’ creativity. He is also co-founder of AnimDojo, an online training website whose mission is to give everyone a helping step up the career ladder in the animation industry regardless of age, wealth, location or time-availability.
Andrew Brenner - Freelance Scriptwriter for children’s animation
Andrew has been writing children’s animation since 1995, generating a very large number of short scripts (as well as a few longer ones). Creator of Nick Jr’s Humf, and ITV’s The Caribou Kitchen, he recently worked with adults on the autism spectrum to write Pablo for CBeebies, the first animated series with an autistic central character. Head writer of Thomas and Friends for over seven years, his credits also include Brave Bunnies, Nelly and Nora, The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers, The Koala Brothers, Little Wolf’s Book Of Badness, Maisy and The Cramp Twins.
Rima Sen - Writer, Producer & Director at Saffron Cherry Productions
Rima is a Bafta nominated and RTS award winning producer, writer and director with almost 20 years of working in television, commercials, short film, theatre-to-screen adaptations, single and multi-camera pieces for broadcast and online, Rima’s style is dictated by narrative and a focus on people and relationships, be they comedic or dramatic. Her most recent work has been on live events for Manchester International Festival, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker, and output for BBC learning.
An attention to detail and ability to then step back and see the bigger picture are her strengths, as well as getting the best out of the cast and crew. Rima doesn’t do horror films so line producing The World According to Grandpa whilst working with a puppet rabbit really took the edge off the global pandemic! The World According to Grandpa led to producing The Wonton Warrior and series producing Series 2 which begins filming next year.
Jo Redfern – Global Brand Director at Sutikki
Jo is currently Global Brand Director at Sutikki and has many years experience in developing marketing and content strategies for children’s IP with education and entertainment at their core.
Whilst at BBC Children’s and Education Jo worked across the CBeebies portfolio managing the branded extensions into magazines, consumer products and attractions including the award-winning CBeebiesLand theme park and Hotel at Alton Towers Resort named Tripadvisor’s Best Of The Best in 2020. Her passion is developing content brands that are at the same time entertaining, educational and commercially successful.