Working across traditional 2D animation, shadow puppetry, 3D and digital techniques and an ink-on-paper approach inspired by Chinese calligraphy, the artists’ work highlights the breadth of talent, technique and storytelling ambition to be found across the UK. The selected artists are:

• Ann Dinh
• Cole Morris
• Titash Sen
• Hannah Wu

Clockwise from top left to bottom right:
Ann Dinh, courtship.com (2025)
Hannah Wu, 走 (zǒu) (2025)
Titash Sen, An Archaeology of Hope (2026)
Cole Morris, My Shoes for the Blacks (2026)

As well as £3,500 in production funding, each artist will receive a carefully-tailored package of support, mentoring and guidance worth an estimated £20,000 as they work towards creating a new three-minute animation. Previous FLAMIN Animations have screened at film festivals around the world, including Annecy International Animation Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, DOK Leipzig, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Fest Anča, Animator Poznan and the London International Animation Festival.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London, said:

We received more applications than ever for the fifth edition of FLAMIN Animations, and the calibre of the submissions really does showcase the startling power and imagination of the UK’s artist animators.
The selected artists’ work is fresh, exciting and thought-provoking, and we can’t wait to see where they take these new commissions.

FLAMIN Animations is run in partnership with Blinkink and Major Tom and supported by Arts Council England. The programme comes as part of Film London’s ongoing commitment to respond to the underrepresentation of Global Majority artists within the art, film, and animation industries.

*Global Majority refers to people of African, Asian, indigenous, Latin American, or mixed-heritage backgrounds

Clockwise from top left to bottom right:
Ann Dinh, Titash Sen, Hannah Wu, Cole Morris (Images courtesy of Film London)

About this year’s FLAMIN Animations cohort

Ann Dinh

Ann Dinh is a Vietnamese British illustrator and animator, currently based near London. She graduated from Manchester School of Art in 2025.

She’s drawn to stories about people and emotional pain, working through a watercolour-to-digital process that emphasises texture and atmosphere. Her practice finds the humorous and offbeat in environments, characters and their relationships, twisting the everyday into something slightly surreal.

Ann’s graduation film courtship.com (2025) has been screened internationally across festivals such as Annecy International Animation Festival, Fest Anča and the North Western Royal Television Society.

Ann’s FLAMIN Animations commission Waterproof focuses on two young Vietnamese women whose relationship becomes intimate at a swimming pool. Rather than a film about swimming, the animation explores youth, sexuality and first heartbreaks, using water and the swimming pool as motifs to navigate the emotional lives of the gay protagonists.

Cole Morris

Cole Morris is a 25-year-old neuro-diverse multi-media artist of Caribbean and British descent living in Sheffield. He uses shadow puppetry, film, illustration, sound, photography and animation to explore the black British experience through myth, histories and archive materials. Cole creates otherworldly stories from the familiar materials of paper, found objects, sound, and photography. His creative practice is rooted in experimentation and pushing the limits of these materials, driven by a fascination with early pioneers of cinema.

Cole’s recent three-channel video installation My Shoes for the Blacks (2026) was commissioned by Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham. His film Hunter 77: The Joe Phillips Story (2025) received the Director’s Award, Liverpool Migration Matters Festival, following its presentation at the Dig Where You Stand Biennial 2024 in Sheffield.

Cole’s FLAMIN Animations commission We meet duppies down there is based on his Jamaican grandmother’s childhood encounter with The Rolling Calf, a shapeshifting spirit that takes the form of a monstrous, chain-covered bull with fire for eyes. The film will explore the idea of hauntings as a manifestation of the collective inherited memory of the trauma of Jamaica’s violent past. Cole will create “lost” archival footage and use real first-person accounts alongside experimental shadow puppetry.

Titash Sen

Titash Sen is a multidisciplinary artist and animator with a background in journalism. Her practice is research-led, examining historical, colonial, algorithmic, or environmental systems and their effect on individual lived experiences and realities. She enjoys combining analogue with digital processes and allowing the medium to become a metaphor.

She created the visuals and animated The Big Up (2023-2025), an short film series that recovered the stories of global majority figures forgotten in British history, produced by The Big House Theatre Company. The series won two Lovie Awards for Best Film & Video (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) in 2024. Titash was a Venice Biennale Fellow in 2022.

Titash’s FLAMIN Animations commission Breather is an animated documentary about the alarmingly toxic levels of smog in Delhi every winter and the colossal failure of governance that perpetuates this crisis year after year. Illustrating a day in the life of daily wage workers, the film will present the persistence of life in unliveable conditions, as particulate matter in the city rises beyond measurable limits.

Hannah Wu

Hannah Wu is an artist and animator from London. Her work explores the cross-cultural possibilities of animation, investigating ideas around language and identity through tactile analogue processes. She is drawn to materials like ink that resist control, inviting experimentation and imperfection, whilst engaging with East Asian art traditions.

She holds an MA in Animation from the Royal College of Art. Her graduate film 走 (zǒu) has screened at festivals including Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Anibar International Animation Festival and Tricky Women / Tricky Realities. In March 2026, she was awarded an artist residency at MuseumsQuartier, Vienna.

For her FLAMIN Animations commission, Hannah draws on the process of writing out and learning Chinese characters to explore the role of repetition, memory and transformation across animation and language learning, working with ink on paper and analogue film.

The post Four global majority artists selected for FLAMIN Animations 2026 appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Film London

Helena continues to oversee film and TV inward investment into London, running landmark projects like the Production Finance Market (PFM) and overseeing the provision of locations and logistical support to major film and high-end TV projects filming in the capital.

Helena’s new role brings Film London’s talent development work within her remit, including short film and early feature development (under the BFI NETWORK aegis, which is made possible through National Lottery funding), the organisation’s series of filmmaker-focused Labs and the ongoing development of Film London’s innovative IP showcase, Upstream. This year, for the first time, PFM attendees will have full access to Upstream, offering a unique opportunity to connect with creators across film, TV, games, theatre, podcasting and publishing.

Rose will lead the Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN) team, overseeing a wide range of initiatives that identify, support and raise the profile of the UK’s most exciting and innovative artist filmmakers. Her remit includes major funding and development schemes such as FLAMIN Productions, FLAMIN Animations and the FLAMIN Fellowship, as well as the annual Jarman Award – an important fixture in the contemporary art calendar. The nominees for the 2026 edition were recently announced, with Sadia Pineda Hameed, Ilona Sagar, Rhea Storr and Alia Syed all in the running for the prestigious £10,000 prize.

Maggie Ellis, the former head of FLAMIN and a Film London staffer of more than 20 years, will continue to work with Film London in a part-time, freelance capacity, providing her expertise to our various schemes. Similarly, Jordan McGarry, Film London’s former Head of Talent Development and Production for almost a decade, is now serving as Senior Creative Advisor for PFM New Talent & Upstream.

While the worlds in which they operate are admittedly very different, both Helena and Rose provide similarly vital support to their respective sectors: whether they’re working with producers on big-budget projects or helping artists develop their creative practice their expertise hinges on identifying, supporting and platforming people with great ideas who are looking to get them onto screen, and helping them overcome the challenges they meet along the way.

As well as congratulating Helena and Rose, I’d like to thank Jordan McGarry and Maggie Ellis for their hard work and dedication over the years. As the outgoing heads of Talent Development and Production and FLAMIN, Jordan and Maggie have a achieved a tremendous amount over the years, and I’m delighted that they will remain within Film London orbit on a consultancy basis.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London

The post Film London Announces Senior Leadership Changes appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Stills via Film London

FLAMIN Animations is a commissioning programme for early-career Black and global majority* artists working with animation, organised by Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN). Now in its fifth year, the programme aims to support artists as they take their first steps into a career working with the moving image, with development support and funding for a new work.

The selected FLAMIN Animators 2025-26 are:

• David Adeyemi
• Jasmine Hewitt
• Brandon Saunders
• Lysander Wong

FLAMIN Animations is run by Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN), which supports artist animators as they develop a career working with the moving image. The programme responds to the underrepresentation of global majority artists within the art, film, and animation industries, and is part of Film London’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

Clockwise from top left: Lysander Wong, David Adeyemi, Jasmine Hewitt Brandon Saunders (Images via Film London)

Blinkink is an award-winning production studio which creates shortform video content with partners in the advertising, music, gaming, fashion, and broadcast industries. Alongside the FLAMIN team, the studio will provide focused support to the selected animators through the development and production process, equipping them with the skills to develop a career in the industry.

Previous FLAMIN Animations have shown at festivals including Annecy International Animation Festival, DOK Leipzig, Edinburgh International Film Festival, London International Animation Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, and work has also been showcased at venues including BFI Southbank, South London Gallery, FORMA, and Humber Street Gallery. Alumni from the scheme have received accolades including the prestigious Margaret Tait Commission from LUX Scotland, and had work showcased as part of the CIRCA Prize on public screens around the world. Each year, the new commissions have been showcased in London in partnership with The New Black Film Collective at TNB XPO, an event celebrating Black excellence in the screen industries.

Faye Craig, FLAMIN Animator 2024, said:

FLAMIN Animations has been a wonderful opportunity for me to enhance my practice. From the animation workshops facilitated by industry professionals to the weekly development meetings, the scheme has been nothing but supportive. It’s because of FLAMIN that I now have a mentor, connections to many studio professionals and an enriched portfolio. I’m so grateful for the guidance and direction I’ve received over the past year.

Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume, FLAMIN Animator 2023, said:

Being part of FLAMIN Animations gave me the incredible opportunity to create Dédé (Ancestor), a short experimental animated film exploring my Bété ancestry and diasporic female identity. The programme allowed me to experiment and push creative boundaries, resulting in a film that has screened at festivals around the world. This program not only facilitated the creation of this work but also affirmed the importance of supporting underrepresented voices in the animation industry. It has been instrumental in my growth as an artist and in bringing my cultural narratives to the forefront of contemporary animation.

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London, said:

We’re delighted to announce the artists selected for this year’s FLAMIN Animations. Now in its fifth year, the programme continues to champion exciting new animators, with alumni receiving accolades and screening work at festivals and events in London and beyond. We’re pleased to continue our partnership with Blinkink, supporting emerging Black and global majority artists to build a foundation for a career in the industry, and I look forward to seeing this year’s commissions develop.

To find out more about FLAMIN Animations, visit filmlondon.org.uk

The post Artist Animators Announced for FLAMIN Animations 2025-2026 Programme appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Image via Film London

FLAMIN Animations is a commissioning programme for early-career Black and global majority* artists working with animation, organised by Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN). Now in its fifth year, the programme aims to support artists as they take their first steps into a career working with the moving image, with development support and funding for a new work.

FLAMIN Animations is presented in partnership with the award winning London-based animation studio Blinkink, who will be providing focused support to the selected animators throughout the development and production process alongside the FLAMIN team.

The programme offers each artist animator:

• £3,500 to create a new 3 minute animation (includes £500 fee for additional support with animation, e.g. colour, compositing etc.)
• Development and production support and advice from the FLAMIN team
• Dedicated one-to-one mentorship from Blinkink’s roster of animation directors
• Masterclasses with animation professionals and artists organised by FLAMIN and Blinkink
• Guidance on distribution of the completed work and ongoing support as FLAMIN alumni

Previous FLAMIN Animations have been selected for festivals including London International Animation Festival, Annecy International Animation Festival, and Edinburgh International Film Festival, and work has also showcased at venues including BFI Southbank, South London Gallery, FORMA, and Humber Street Gallery. The new commissions have been showcased in partnership with The New Black Film Collective at TNB XPO, an event celebrating Black excellence in the screen industries.

The programme responds to the underrepresentation of global majority artists within the art, film, and animation industries, and is part of Film London’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

More info is available at filmlondon.org.uk/ (deadline 27 May)

*people of African, Asian, indigenous, Latin American, or mixed-heritage backgrounds

The post FLAMIN Animations | Open Call appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

L to R 1st row: Caroline James, Aliyah Harfoot, 2nd row: Jess Stephens, Faye Craig (Image: Film London)

The selected FLAMIN Animators 2024-25 are:

• Faye Craig
• Aliyah Harfoot
• Caroline James
• Jess Stephens

FLAMIN Animations is run by Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN), which supports artist animators as they develop a career working with the moving image. The programme responds to the underrepresentation of Black artists within the art, film, and animation industries, and is part of Film London’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

Blinkink is an award-winning production studio that creates short-form video content for the advertising, music, gaming, and fashion industries. They have worked with some of the world’s biggest commercial brands, including Loewe, Nike, Amazon Music, and Spotify, as well as musical artists like Elton John, Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Drake, and Iron Maiden. Their long-form division has also produced content for major platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. Alongside the FLAMIN team, the studio will provide focused support to selected animators through the development and production process, equipping them with the skills to develop a career in the industry.

Previous FLAMIN Animators have shown work at festivals including London International Animation Festival, B3 Biennial of the Moving Image (Frankfurt), and Edinburgh International Film Festival. Alumni from the scheme have received accolades including the prestigious Margaret Tait Commission from LUX Scotland, and had work showcased as part of the CIRCA Prize on public screens around the world. Each year, the new commissions have been showcased in London in partnership with The New Black Film Collective at TNB XPO, an event celebrating Black excellence in the screen industries.

Gisela Mulindwa, FLAMIN Animator 2023, said:

FLAMIN Animations has enabled me to deeply explore themes that are important to me without judgement. I was free to experiment while refining the techniques that excite me in animation, and support from FLAMIN gave me the opportunity to work with archives, which was a really interesting new experience for me. Having the space to discuss my ideas with the FLAMIN team helped me to push the film further and develop my practice – I am excited to see where I can take it next!

As well as receiving £3,000 to create a new 2-3 minute animation, each artist will participate in a bespoke workshop programme with Film London’s FLAMIN Team, Blinkink and animation professionals in the art and film industries.

Adrian Wootton, OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said:

We’re thrilled to announce the artists selected for this year’s FLAMIN Animations programme. The scheme is continuing to champion underrepresented talent with an exciting new group of animators, who this year will receive the inspirational support of Blinkink to realise their creative visions and build the foundations for a career in the industry. We’re more excited than ever to see this year’s commissions develop, and hope that FLAMIN Animations will continue to support a network of emerging Black artists in the animation sector.

Josef Byrne, Executive Producer, Blinkink, said:

We’re incredibly proud of the opportunity to contribute to FLAMIN Animations, an outstanding Film London initiative that champions diversity and equity within the animation industry. We can’t wait to see the finished films from this year’s cohort.

To find out more about FLAMIN Animations, visit filmlondon.org.uk

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L-R: Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume, Gisela Mulindwa, Folake Fadojutimi, Duncan Senkumba (Image courtesy of Film London)

The selected FLAMIN Animators 2023-24 are:

Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume

Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume is a freelance animator based in London, currently working as a producer at an independent animation studio. Her animation work is typically a blend of digitally drawn 2D animation, traditional paper animation and analogue techniques, and draws thematic and aesthetic influences principally from her West African (Ivorian) heritage. African wood carvings, bronze sculptures and ceremonial relics, the textures and colours of textiles and traditional dress are all foundational sources that have informed the evolving direction of her practice.

Djedje-Fisher-Azoume recently developed a short animated film as part of RAFTS (2023), a collaboration with the Turner Prize shortlisted artist Rory Pilgrim. In 2021, she was commissioned by the V&A to produce a new animation as part of the Alice: Curioser and Curioser exhibition.

Inspired by research on my work ‘Untitled’ my project will explore themes of femininity in Ivorian tribal fertility carvings and sculptures. Reinterpreted through both modern and traditional methods, I would like to use a range of approaches, including charcoal, screen printing and linocut. The work will incorporate references to traditional bronze statues by drawing and scratching into copper sheets.

Folake Fadojutimi

Folake Fadojutimi is an artist and animator based in East London, who creates meticulously hand-drawn digital worlds that explore urgent issues around the effect of media and technology on our contemporary world. During her Master’s degree in Digital Media Image Making at Goldsmiths University of London, she explored the cultural history of ‘rubber-hose’ animation and its entanglement with the exploitation and misrepresentation of the Black body.

This research informed her short film Paper Boat on the Orchestra’s Plight (2022). Her most recent work, Hive Mentality (2022), is a dystopian exploration of the ways by which social media has constricted the possibility of independent thought.

Entitled Feed me and I will be the better you, this animation will explore AI and the fear of its potential, the fear of not knowing and yet wanting to know more of what AI is capable of. Despite all, the progression of development into AI continues.

Gisela Mulindwa

Gisela Mulindwa is an experimental animator and visual artist based in London. A graduate in Animation from Edinburgh College of Art, her practice takes an experimental mixed media approach to animation, working between stop motion, collage, paint and analogue film to create dense and complex textures. She challenges social expectations around identity to unravel the relationship between self, other and the unconscious, revealing a world shaped by magical realism.

Mulindwa’s work has screened at festivals including the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Tricky Women Animation Festival, and she was commissioned to produce animations for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing in 2021 and 2022. Committed to challenging audience expectations of what animation can be, her work as an animator has led to theatre commissions, developing moving image alongside theatre design in projects at Theatre Peckham and Vault Festival.

Using real conversation taken from interviews with local people, this experimental animated documentary will explore how everyday spaces affect our subconscious. Growing up and living in South London, I have seen upsetting and fast changes. The people who built these communities have been pushed out and ignored. Working experimentally, I would like to use animation as a way to create a constantly changing space, while we go on a journey through these different stories.

Duncan Senkumba

Duncan Senkumba is inspired by the African art he grew up with in the urban environment of Kampala. His work is characterised by fluid motion, with silhouettes that morph and shift through colourful landscapes. His work documents what he describes as ‘the African experience’ to explore identity, family and cultural taboos. Since graduating with an MA in Animation from the Royal College of Art, his work has been shown at festivals including the London International Animation Festival, the Africa International Film Festival (Lagos) and Encounters Festival (Bristol), and he has received commercial commissions from clients including the BBC and the University of California Press.

This short film dives into what it means to be part of a diaspora. It will explore the conflicting feelings of peace and disconnect when you visit your homeland; not knowing your own language; and the experience of being caught between two cultures.

FLAMIN Animations is run by Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network (FLAMIN), which supports artist animators as they develop a career working with the moving image. The programme responds to the underrepresentation of Black artists within the art, film, and animation industries, and is part of Film London’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

Previous FLAMIN Animators have gone on to showcase their work on the Piccadilly Lights as part of the CIRCA x Dazed Class of 2022, in Frankfurt at the B3 Biennial of the Moving Image, at the London International Animation Festival and at London’s Picturehouse Central and Rich Mix as part of the New Black Film Collective’s TNB XPO.

Lamide Olusegun, FLAMIN Animator 2022, said:

Being on the FLAMIN Animations programme helped me push myself to produce my most ambitious film to date, encouraging me to experiment with my animation style and push my work to the next level. It was also fantastic to be able to network with other creatives/animators who took an interest in my work. The experience has helped me to forge new connections and find work in Film and TV.

As well as receiving £3,000 to create a new 2-3 minute animation, each artist will be offered bespoke mentoring and development support from Film London’s FLAMIN Team and animation professionals in the art and film industries.

Adrian Wootton, OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said:

We’re thrilled to announce the animators selected for this year’s FLAMIN Animations programme. Chosen from a high calibre of applications, each artist has a distinctive approach to the medium, including digital drawing, stop motion, and hand painted frame-by-frame animation. We’re excited to see this year’s commissions come to life and hope that FLAMIN Animations will continue to support Black practitioners within the art, film and animation industries by creating a network of emerging artists and professionals.’

*Artists and Creatives of African or Caribbean Descent, Black African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx and African-American heritage, including those of mixed-Black heritage who identify as such.

To find out more about FLAMIN Animations, visit filmlondon.org.uk/flamin/flamin-animations

The post Artist animators announced for Flamin Animations 2023-2024 programme appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Following our recent review and interview with the project’s directors Emma De Swaef, Marc James Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr and Paloma Baeza, Skwigly were privileged to learn more about the inception and development of The House from Nexus Studios co-founder, CEO and Producer Charlotte Bavasso. Having been involved with the studio since its beginnings, Charlotte has played a pivotal role across much of its reputed output, including such projects as This Way Up (dir. Smith & Foulkes), Chipotle: Back to the Start (dir. Johnny Kelly), JazzDuck (dir. Tom Jobbins/Mark Perrett), To Build a Fire (dir. FX Goby) and Wednesday with Goddard (dir. Nicolas Ménard, co-director of The House‘s title sequence) to name a few – as well as actively participating in industry mentoring schemes and Women in Animation. Charlotte spoke with Skwigly about the early years of Nexus, the challenging production circumstances of The House and its subsequent reception as well as what the future may hold.

You’ve been part of Nexus since the very beginning, right?

I actually co-founded Nexus with Chris O’Reilly, who is the other named producer on The House. This was a long time ago, probably 20 odd years ago. We shared a love for animation, obviously, but also talent, so what we set out to do at the time was give platforms for talent. Animation in the late 90s in the UK – and elsewhere – was very much confined to either children’s TV or anime, effectively, but there wasn’t really anything that was outside of these remits. So we started in advertising back then, working for brands, because it was an area where high craft and animation that was more for adults. That’s kind of how we started – now at Nexus we still have a really strong division doing that, working with brands, and in addition to that we also have the technology side, so we work on all sorts of different formats from VR and AR, which we really find interesting, that sort of nexus – literally – between technology and craft. So for us it’s never technology for the sake of technology, but that sort of marriage with high-end craft and talent is always super attractive to us. And because we’re talent-led, the directors at Nexus are the people really leading the projects and the inception of the ideas, which means that we work in all sorts of different techniques – so 2D, 3D, stop-motion, live action, mixed media. When we set out to start working in film and episodic, longer-form a few years back, it naturally evolved into being exactly that; on the long-form slate that we have The House, which is completely stop-motion, but we’re also developing a 2D series and we’ve got a film in development that’s CG with 2D textures. We’ve got another one that’s, again, stop-motion, but a series, so it’s just whatever the idea commands for the technique, not vice-versa. So the original content team now is growing, which is brilliant, and as much as we’re also working with different talent and different techniques, we also work with very different formats. You know, The House was an anthology, but now we’ve got also TV series, adult shows, family shows, features and all sorts. The diversity of it all is attractive to us.

When you first started it up, then, did you have much by way of an animation background yourself or an interest in animation, specifically?

I had a huge interest in animation, but I haven’t studied it or anything like that. I studied law and literature, so clearly different things. Chris was also at Oxford doing English Lit so nothing to do with animation, and I guess we started the animation division, working for a company that was doing live-action, and it very quickly grew. As you know, animation requires very different things in-studio that live-action doesn’t, so we branched out and set up our own thing at that point. Chris had lived in Japan for quite a while, so we started working with Japanese animators, like the Ghost in the Shell and Akira crew, all of these amazing people. And so we brought this talent effectively to the animation industry here in the UK, and worked on a few projects with them. Then we started working with Smith & Foulkes who were coming out of the Royal College, and it grew from there.

I remember, back when I was studying, This Way Up being probably the Nexus project that really kind of grabbed my attention. Was that a major project to sort of thrust Nexus forward or were there like other projects before that were kind of crucial to your reputation?

It was a big moment, This Way Up, because we’d done short films, and we’d worked on series, we did about three series of Monkey Dust where we did tonnes of different sketches for it. So we’d done things in the past, but I think This Way Up was really a deliberate way for us – and Smith & Foulkes – to tell a story. We really worked on the narrative, we sort of elevated the look, and of course it just went on to a really crazy festival run and was nominated for an Oscar, so at that point we really started to talk to all the key people in entertainment, I guess. Then right at the beginning, it must have been 2004, we worked with Spielberg on Catch Me If You Can. I don’t know if you remember the titles for that, they were in a Saul Bass kind of style, 2D. So we worked with Kuntzel + Deygas on that. Then we worked with Paramount on Lemony Snicket, we did an animated sequence. So we’ve always done these things. but about four or five years ago we decided that it was time for us to seriously get into film and episodic a bit more systematically. So we’ve got a really good team with development producers, one who’s really focused on the writing side, because we felt that that’s naturally something that we didn’t have enough knowledge of. So yeah, just making sure that one’s doing writing, the other one’s more focused on talent. Then that team started developing a few things including The House, which we started thinking about three years ago, and it just got released so that was quite a quick turnaround.

When it comes to developing an original project, what would you say is the general approach with Nexus?

It’s combination of things. It could be that a creator comes to us and says, “I’ve got this idea, would you be interested in taking it on and developing it with me?” It can be directors that we already work with at Nexus on the branded content side that come with an idea, and then we develop it with them. But we also really actively look for books and graphic novels and things out there ourselves, so that we all originate these ideas – The House was one of them. So there’s no one way that projects come into development with us. We’re open to different ways of working.

So when it comes to getting a project like The House going, and I gather from talking to the directors that you were the main driving force behind that, did you come into it with a sense of what the story concept might be? Or was it more just the idea of it being something long-form and collaborative?

Probably the latter in the sense that we’d worked Nikki and Marc and Emma for quite a long time, so we knew them really well as people. Then Paloma, we’ve been developing a stop-motion series based on her short Poles Apart, so we’ve been working with her for about a year, trying to flesh out what that longer form could be. What I could see was that they not only shared that passion for stop-motion but, more importantly, they had exactly the same way of approaching quite serious, important subjects, all with that sort of caustic humour, that sort of cynical approach sometimes. Literally my starting point was I just wanted to see what would come from a room with these guys. And I shared quite a lot of the literary references that we talked about in the first brainstorm meeting, so that was my hope, obviously, but it went even more organically than I thought it would, it was incredible. So from that brainstorm, which was going in all sorts of directions with all the references that we talked about, we started to narrow it down. There were big areas that they were interested in, we talked about how humans approach the question of spirituality in different ways. So from that base, they went away and thought about a story that they felt could potentially fit all the criteria that we had narrowed it down to, and came back with ideas.

From the very start, even though I wanted them to have complete freedom in telling the stories in their style, what was really important for me was to constantly keep an eye on the anthology, so it wouldn’t be just three shorts. I think that comes across, you and other reviewers have obviously picked up on it, so what was really great for me to see when it got released was the understanding that they’re not narratively linked, they’re completely different styles, yet there is some sort of an arc. It looks like it just happened, but actually every single aspect of the production was really thought through. That was really my role, to try and keep that in mind throughout. So we did that with various means – obviously, the writing to start with, I’d say, it always had to be one writer who also has the House character in his head throughout, even though he’s going to write three completely different stories with three different sets of directors, the collaboration is going to be different between one team to the other, but when we started talking about the project Enda (Walsh) totally got it straight away. Gustavo (Santaolalla), for the music, one composer throughout, which is tricky, right? Because each director had completely different ideas on how the soundscape for the film would work, but somehow we all eventually rallied into around Gustavo, again, was one of the talents that completely got that overarching thing I was trying to achieve. Then it went down to the production team, so the line producer, Angela (Poschet) working across all three, our production manager, we had DOPs that were doing at least two (they couldn’t do all three, because they were running pretty much in parallel) and they were constantly talking to each other, down to the animators and crew. So the hope at the end was that, even though they were each adding ingredients, the way I see it is that each film is incredibly solid and amazing, but the sum of all three for me is even greater, I guess. 

The House directors (L-R): Emma De Swaef, Marc James Roels (Chapter 1), Paloma Baeza (Chapter 3) and Niki Lindroth von Bahr (Chapter 2). Image courtesy of Nexus Studios

On that note, then was it always kind of envisioned as an anthology feature? Or was it any point at going to be separate episodes?

I always envisaged it as an anthology feature. I think there was discussions at Netflix in terms of what’s best for the audience, but definitely, from a conceptual point of view, I always saw that because, again, I felt the sum of it would be a really interesting thing to watch.

And then once they came aboard, did Netflix have any creative involvement?

They came on board quite early. We effectively had an outline for each of the stories but hadn’t written the scripts yet, so they gave us the greenlight early, which was fantastic. We were very lucky to work with them –  they’re all incredibly creative, but at the same time left us a lot of freedom. They’d review everything, we’d send all the updates, but very rarely did we have anything other than suggestions. We didn’t get huge sets of notes or anything, it was always a conversation and yeah, it was good. They were incredibly collaborative, which was one of the elements that was just made it all such a pleasure to work on as well.

Charlotte Bavasso (image courtesy of Nexus Studios)

Were other platforms or distribution options considered or approached beforehand? Or was it always developed with Netflix in mind?

It wasn’t so much that it was developed with them in mind, but they were definitely the first people we showed it to, and they took it straight away. So we never showed it to anyone else. And I think they were perfect. It just felt right. I think at the time they were really pioneering new adult animation as far as we saw it, so it made sense.

Is there potentially scope for a theatrical run? It’s probably been complicated with the general world situation but every once in a while with a Netflix project they will pop it in cinemas for a bit…

I doubt that’s the intention, usually they might do a two-week window in theatres, and then it goes on Netflix, but at the moment I don’t think that’s on the cards. But it will be entered in awards, obviously, so that would be an opportunity to see it on the big screen.

I wonder, as far as you being at the helm of a project like this, how does your role break down? Does what’s required of you change quite a bit as the production goes on?

It was a perfect team from a production point of view. So I was kind of a creative producer, I was also the link with Netflix, on that front. And then Angela was doing all the line production, so really organising the shoot and finding the right team. She’s worked on incredible stop-motion projects before, so she had a lot more knowledge of long-form stop-motion than I do. It was a really good tandem, in that respect. The other person to mention as far as making sure there was that glue between the three chapters is our production designer, Alexandra Walker. She built a house that has exactly the same proportions between the three stories; the decoration is completely different, there’s no objects that are the same, but you’ve got to be in that house and know you’ve been there before. And that’s purely created by the volumes and the staircase that was there, the cupola, all these elements to get a sense that, even though you can’t quite pinpoint why that is, you’ve been in that house before. She was a really big element in making sure that was also tying those stories together. So my role was creative from start to finish all the creative calls with the directors, Netflix, all the heads of departments, I was heavily involved with the music, writing, all of that. It’s been fantastic.

When it comes to the non-animation creative talent, like Enda and Gustavo, were you the one to source them out?

Yes, I’m quite keen on that. Gustavo has worked with animation, Enda hadn’t but it never felt like it was an issue. Whenever we find a writer who’s actually writing gags in, it never quite works for the directors, so we were keen to have a real-life story that, reading the script, could have been shot in live-action. But giving that animated twist is really what it was all about. That was part of the initial brief to the writer, we say “Look, forget that it’s animated. Write a story that could be shot in live-action”. And then for us it’s that weird contrast between these stories, and how they are actually being told, by tiny little fluffy puppets. I think that’s really part of the caustic humour that comes out of the film.

I think of all the projects that we’ve put a focus on in recent memory, this one has definitely received the most social media enthusiasm in response to stuff that we’ve been putting up. I feel like that’s a good sign that people are really into these more conceptually adventurous approaches to adult animation.

I couldn’t agree more. I was so surprised. I thought this project would be a lot more Marmite than it is, some people would hate it, some people would love it. And we are generally very surprised – and Netflix are over the moon, obviously. We’ve got fan art with the hashtag #TheHouse, we’ve got people drawing these characters, doing new edits of the film, cutting trailers, cutting visuals over the lyrics of Jarvis Cocker and Gustavo’s end credits song. It’s fantastic, I love it – and 96% [now 97%] fresh certified on Rotten Tomatoes is quite incredible. I think it’s going to do a lot of good for the animation industry. For me, that’s the biggest success with this, obviously what we’ve managed to achieve, but also to have given directors who, although within the animation industry have had incredible results and prizes, to give them access to such a broader audience that Netflix offers is, for me, incredible. And also to give them a bit more production values and for them to be able to work with a team, some of the best in the industry in that respect. It’s just so good. That’s why I do my job.

Should it come along, would you be receptive to the idea of doing projects in a similar vein?

Oh, definitely. We’re already developing some that are. It’s got all the ingredients that we love here at Nexus, the top talent across the board, the directors, the music, the cast that we managed to get was incredible. That level of craft is just incredible, and whether it’s stop motion, or CG or 2D, it’s exactly the same thing that we’re after.

So looking back through your filmography, are there any projects that were especially like notable, as far as presenting unique challenges or strengthening your own processes? Or maybe just being particularly gratifying to work on (I would assume that The House would probably be among them)?

I guess you learn something different on each project. Also, because we’re involved in so many different formats, I loved working with Google Spotlight Stories – we did this homage film on Méliès, that was incredible, working with new technology but trying to put craft with technology, as I said before, all the questions from a story point of how you tell a story in VR is naturally entirely different than you how you tell a narrative, continuous story; how do you actually make sure that people look in the right direction to not miss a critical story point? So I think each of the projects we work on have very different, key aspects that I love. We’ve just finished a concert film for Disney Plus, a Billie Eilish concept where she was performing her new album effectively, but couldn’t do it on stage. So we created this animated character that looks like her and she’s interacting with it – that’s, again, completely different, but it’s so fascinating at the same time. So yeah, as long as the ingredients I mentioned earlier are there, that’s really what motivates us.

I saw that you’re involved in organisations like Women in Animation and various mentoring schemes, and I’d be interested in some of the more important and appealing aspects of that work to you.

We’re doing a lot of efforts on that front. I mean, obviously, I’m a woman and I’ve got children, and I’ve gone through that whole conundrum of how to reconcile everything. I’ve always been really present for young women or students who are coming to me and saying “How do you do it? Because I’m struggling”. So I’ve always mentored in that respect, and Women in Animation has been absolutely incredible, they’ve got a really strong mentoring programme. And one of the silver linings to COVID is that they’ve made it international as well. So a couple of years ago I mentored ten women coming from all places, and it really makes a difference when you’re younger and starting out in a profession. And the whole of Nexus is teaming up with schools; the school diversity debate is really interesting, because our industry is not diverse enough. We all know that. We’re trying to think about ways of making sure that it evolves, and I think it has, quite rapidly, in the last couple of years, but it’s never enough. I think it’s ultimately a question of access, so we want to work really early with schools and young people and mentor them, show them that these professions are perfectly adequate, that we have role models within the companies that they can aspire to be. Sadiq Khan came to the studio because Film London have just won a funding scheme with the mayor, it’s a really interesting thing they’re doing that’s all about training people back into into work, showing people that actually their skills are transferable to the animation or film industry in general. But also making sure that we’re giving access early to young learners, internships, mentorships, all of these things. So we’re doing a lot along those lines. Every person working at Nexus is given a number of hours that they dedicate to diversity and equality and inclusion. And we’ve identified a number of partners – Women in Animation, the London Screen Academy, the Hackney 100 scheme – that they can choose who they prefer getting involved with. We’re just trying to make this a continued effort, because a little burst last summer that most people have done is just not going to make a difference. So yeah, I’m super passionate about this other stuff, and I love mentoring.

The House is out now on Netflix. For more on the work of Nexus Studios visit nexusstudios.com

The post Producing Animation: Charlotte Bavasso appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Film London’s animation strategy draws on a study of all London based animation studios and producers in the third quarter of 2020 which sought to understand the shape of the sector in London ahead of and during the global pandemic. The research identified six consistent areas of concern from the industry:

• Tax credits
• Funding of production and IP development
• Training, skills and diversity
• Infrastructure
• Animation as a separate commercial sector
• Celebration of London’s animation success

Film London’s animation strategy sets out key themes and actions to support the industry, from training and inclusion to funding of productions and IP development. Examples include:

• This year saw the launch of FLAMIN Animations – a new programme of commissions for four early-career black-identifying artist animators living in the UK. The first of many planned collaborations with the screen agency’s networks of equal access, artists’ moving image, new talent, games and archive film.

• A twice-a-year, New Entrant IP session will be established, allowing new talent, not usually able to access top line studios and producers, to be introduced. A speed-dating model will be utilised where new talent will have a fixed time to pitch their ideas to several studios in one session, and several key studios have already signed up to the venture.

• A programme of panels and seminars by leading animation talent will be curated to encourage school-age children from diverse backgrounds to explore career opportunities and inspire graduates to follow a career in animation. Film London will also continue to work in matching the needs and skills gaps within the industry with the higher education curriculum, working with the GLA and Adult Education organisations.

Global demand for screen content, including animation, has never been greater. The UK has an absolutely golden opportunity – one which London is seizing – to ensure our capital and other regional animation hubs can harness this. We have world leading animation creatives, producers and facilities in London. Our strategy is as much about supporting the next generation of talent to continue that, as it is about bringing in ever increasing inward investment. We want London to remain at the very forefront of global animation for years to come.

-Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission

During the global coronavirus pandemic, animation fared far better than many screen industries. Recent months have been an excellent time to take stock of the animation sector in London, to ask key stakeholders where the challenges lie and to develop a strategy outlining how Film London can best support animation, now and in the future. We’re delighted to launch our new strategy today, addressing the challenges and attracting further growth for our world-class animation sector.

-Julian Scott, BAFTA nominated Executive Producer and Film London Consultant for Animation and Kids TV

Film London is also releasing a specially-commissioned Animation showreel to coincide with the Animation Strategy launch.

Film London announced the Animation Strategy at a panel discussion at Annecy International Film Festival called Animating Our World: A UK Perspective. Festivalgoers can check out the presentation here.

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