Canuck animation delegation seeks UK copro opportunities

A delegation of Canadian animators and broadcasters is in the UK this week seeking to forge relationships with the local industry and capitalise on the country’s toon tax credit system.

The British Columbia delegation will spend two days networking in London before travelling to Manchester for meetings with MediaCityUK-based BBC Children’s and local toon firm Studio Liddell.

Among the group are DHX Media, Big Bad Boo, Atomic Cartoons, Harbour Block, Eh-Okay Entertainment, Nerd Corps, Rainmaker, The Sequence Group and Surprise Bag.

UK firms set to be in attendance include broadcasters BBC, Channel 5, ITV, Disney, Nickelodeon and Turner Broadcasting and toon houses Cake Entertainment, Dot to Dot Productions, Hoho Entertainment and Novel Entertainment.

UK producers body Pact is co-funding the forum, alongside the Canadian Media Production Association-BC and funding agency Creative BC.

This comes after a UK tax credit system to encourage local animation production came into effect last April.

Robert Wong, VP, Creative BC, said: “We are visiting the UK to explore the options for world-beating coproductions – tapping the skills and creativity of animators on both sides of the Atlantic. The favourable tax regime in the UK through the animation tax credit has made collaboration a real possibility for the first time in several years.”

John McVay, CEO, Pact, added: “The tax credit was a gamechanger for the UK animation industry. Even more international companies are reaching out to work with the notorious talent we have in the UK.”