Gambol down memory lane with 28+ hours of Skwigly’s holiday animation podcasts from the past decade and change! Along the way we meet the talents who’ve brought the world such holly’n’jolly seasonal animation as:

• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham and Ben Whitehead, Aardman)
• The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland (Peter Baynton and Ruth Fielding, Lupus Films)
• That Christmas (Simon Otto, Nicole P. Hearon and Richard Curtis, Locksmith)
• Tiddler (Barney Goodland, Magic Light Pictures)
• Mog’s Christmas (Robin Shaw and Ruth Fielding, Lupus Films)
• The Abominable Snow Baby (Massimo Fenati, Eagle Eye Drama)
• Frozen (Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Disney)
• The Highway Rat (Jeroen Jaspaert, Magic Light Pictures)
• Klaus (Sergio Pablos, The SPA Studios/Netflix)
• Lynx & Birds (Tom Box, Simone Giampaolo and Francesco Mazza, Blue Zoo)
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (Caroline Thompson)
• Revolting Rhymes (Michael Rose, Magic Light Pictures)
• Robin Robin (Mikey Please and Dan Ojari, Aardman)
• Room on the Broom (Michael Rose, Magic Light Pictures)
• Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamas (Jay Grace, Aardman)
• The Snowman and the Snowdog (Robin Shaw and Hilary Audus, Lupus Films)
• The Snowy Day (Jamie Badminton, Karrot Animation)
• Superworm (Jac Hamman and Sarah Scrimgeour, Magic Light Pictures)
• Stickman (Michael Rose, Magic Light Pictures)
• The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Robin Shaw, Lupus Films)
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw, Lupus Films)

Also included are four episodes of our lockdown series Skwigly Film Club in which the Skwigly team (plus special guests) watch through the feature films Tokyo Godfathers, Dot and Santa Claus, Arthur Christmas and The Nightmare Before Christmas!

Listen over on our Soundcloud page or stream below:

The post ❄️Skwigly’s Seasonal Playlist❄️ appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Tabby McTat (BBC/Magic Light Pictures)

The film, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, is adapted from the hugely successful picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It marks the 11^th animated special of their work produced by Magic Light Pictures for the BBC.

Jodie Whittaker, the narrator of this year’s adaptation, reflects on what it means to her to be involved, how the story resonates with her own childhood, and of course, on being a cat lover!

Tabby McTat is such a beautiful story about embracing change and the transitions in life as well – from childhood to adulthood and people going on journeys. There is so much warmth and celebration of family and community, but then there’s also, the moments of fear and loss that is often a gain.

We had cats when we were growing up. My cat gave birth under my bed, and it was magical. But then as a child you realise your parents don’t let you keep them all. ‘What? I thought we were going to have five kittens forever,’ but I was lucky, and I did get to keep one of them. Its name was phenomenal – Wicket W. Warrick – named after an Ewok, and it had an older brother called Teebo, another Ewok! And my cat was beautiful, very beautiful with long brown hair and looked like an Ewok and with a personality very similar to mine – needy and a bit feral!

-Jodie Whittaker

The story is very special to me because as well as having been a busker myself, I’m also a great cat lover. At the time I wrote it we had cats, but they were very old and alas, are no more. But now we have two Tabby cats and they’re called Tabitha and McTat.

-Julia Donaldson

Tabby McTat stars Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey) as Fred, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísú (Gangs of London) as Tabby, Cariad Lloyd (Peep Show) as Prunella, Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of It) as Pat, Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) as the narrator, and Susan Wokoma (Enola Holmes) as Sock. Animation services are provided by Red Star Studio.

Tabby McTat is directed by Sarah Scrimgeour (Superworm) and Jac Hamman (Superworm); written by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang; and produced by Barney Goodland and Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures. The film was acquired by Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer and Nawfal Faizullah, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor.

The post First look at BBC and Magic Light’s ‘Tabby McTat’ unveiled appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

The film is adapted from the hugely successful picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, and marks the 11^th animated special of their work produced by Magic Light Pictures for the BBC.

Image via Faber & Bishopp

The film stars Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey) as Fred, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísú (Gangs of London) as Tabby, Cariad Lloyd(Peep Show) as Prunella, Joanna Scanlan (The Thick of It) as Pat, Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) as the narrator, and Susan Wokoma (Enola Holmes) as Sock. Animation services are provided by Red Star Studio.

The film follows Fred, a busker, and his cat Tabby McTat who enjoy a contented life singing on the streets of London to delighted audiences. One day when chasing a thief, Fred falls and breaks his leg and is whisked away in an ambulance.  What will become of the busker’s cat left alone on the city streets?

This is a special year for Julia and Axel. 2023 marks the 30^th year of their creative partnership.

Author, Julia Donaldson commented:

I used to love busking with my husband Malcolm when we were living in Bristol, and also in Paris. We also both love cats – in fact – we’ve just acquired two new kittens named Tabitha and McTat. So, this story is really close to my heart and combines two of my passions: singing, and cats!

Producer, Barney Goodland said:

Julia and Axel’s book is a beautiful, heart-warming story that we’re delighted to be adapting for BBC viewers this Christmas. The friendship between Fred and Tabby is a truly special one and the film explores how their relationship changes unexpectedly as their lives move forward, and ultimately, how they learn to embrace that change.

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama said:

Magic Light’s hugely entertaining adaptations of Julia and Axel’s works have been delighting families and viewers of all ages for over a decade now. I know that Tabby is a character loved by many, so I could not be happier that he’ll be brought to life this Christmas on BBC One and iPlayer.

Tabby McTat is directed by Sarah Scrimgeour and Jac Hamman (Superworm); written by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang; and produced by Barney Goodland and Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures. The film was acquired by Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer and Nawfal Faizullah, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor.

The post Magic Light and the BBC announce Tabby McTat, a star-studded animation by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffer appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Gambol down memory lane with 21+ hours of Skwigly’s holiday animation podcasts from the past decade! Along the way we meet the talents who’ve brought the world such holly’n’jolly seasonal animation as:

• The Abominable Snow Baby (Massimo Fenati, Eagle Eye Drama)
• Frozen (Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Disney)
• The Highway Rat (Jeroen Jaspaert, Magic Light Pictures)
• Klaus (Sergio Pablos, The SPA Studios/Netflix)
• Lynx & Birds (Tom Box, Simone Giampaolo and Francesco Mazza, Blue Zoo)
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (Caroline Thompson)
• Revolting Rhymes (Michael Rose, Magic Light Pictures)
• Robin Robin (Mikey Please and Dan Ojari, Aardman)
• Room on the Broom (Michael Rose, Magic Light Pictures)
• Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamas (Jay Grace, Aardman)
• The Snowman and the Snowdog (Robin Shaw and Hilary Audus, Lupus Films)
• The Snowy Day (Jamie Badminton, Karrot Animation)
• Superworm (Jac Hamman and Sarah Scrimgeour, Magic Light Pictures)
• Stickman (Michael Rose, Magic Light Pictures)
• The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Robin Shaw, Lupus Films)
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw, Lupus Films)

Also included are four episodes of our lockdown series Skwigly Film Club in which the Skwigly team (plus special guests) watch through the feature films Tokyo Godfathers, Dot and Santa Claus, Arthur Christmas and The Nightmare Before Christmas!

Listen over on our Soundcloud page or stream below:

The post ❄️Skwigly’s Seasonal Playlist❄️ appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.

Skwigly’s Martyn Warren speaks with Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith, the directors of Disney’s Encanto out in cinemas now and coming to Disney+ on December 24th, as well as the film’s producer Clark Spencer. We also welcome directors Jac Hamman and Sarah Scrimgeour, the directors of Magic Light‘s latest Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler adaptation Superworm which airs 2:30pm Xmas day on BBC1.

The post Podcast: ‘Encanto’, ‘Superworm’ & ‘The Abominable Snow Baby’ appeared first on Skwigly Animation Magazine.