Filmmakers Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon are no strangers to the world of adapting the vividly illustrated children’s books of Julia Donaldson for animation. They’ve adapted “Room on the Broom,” “The Gruffalo” and “Stick Man,” and this time they’re vying for Oscar short animated film and Annie Awards consideration with another beloved story, “The Snail and the Whale.”
Produced in a stop-motion/CG hybrid style, the story is a simple one — a snail yearns to see the world, so it catches a ride on the back of a whale.
In one sequence, the snail is looking up at the night sky filled with stars. Lang says, “This shot pretty much sums up for me what our film is about: confronting the vastness of the universe and our feelings of insignificance, with a little help from our friends.”
Snaddon adds that the idea behind the shot was to...
Produced in a stop-motion/CG hybrid style, the story is a simple one — a snail yearns to see the world, so it catches a ride on the back of a whale.
In one sequence, the snail is looking up at the night sky filled with stars. Lang says, “This shot pretty much sums up for me what our film is about: confronting the vastness of the universe and our feelings of insignificance, with a little help from our friends.”
Snaddon adds that the idea behind the shot was to...
- 3/8/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
The classic children’s tale The Velveteen Rabbit is getting a new TV adaptation that will feature a mix of live-action and animation.
The series is being developed by Tom Bidwell, who recently worked on the series adaptation of Watership Down for BBC and Netflix. He’s also teamed up with Magic Light Pictures, who has worked on animated specials that include adaptations of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and several of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, including The Gruffalo, Stick Man, and Zog.
The Velveteen Rabbit was written by Margery Williams , and the classic 1922 story centers on a boy and his beloved toy rabbit.
At first a brand-new toy, now a threadbare and discarded nursery relic, the velveteen rabbit is saved from peril by a magic fairy who whisks him away to the idyllic world of Rabbitland. There, he becomes "Real," a cherished childhood companion who will be loved for eternity.
The series is being developed by Tom Bidwell, who recently worked on the series adaptation of Watership Down for BBC and Netflix. He’s also teamed up with Magic Light Pictures, who has worked on animated specials that include adaptations of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and several of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, including The Gruffalo, Stick Man, and Zog.
The Velveteen Rabbit was written by Margery Williams , and the classic 1922 story centers on a boy and his beloved toy rabbit.
At first a brand-new toy, now a threadbare and discarded nursery relic, the velveteen rabbit is saved from peril by a magic fairy who whisks him away to the idyllic world of Rabbitland. There, he becomes "Real," a cherished childhood companion who will be loved for eternity.
- 12/14/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The writer of upcoming BBC and Netflix series “Watership Down” and the producers behind hit animated specials including “The Gruffalo” are adapting the classic children’s tale “The Velveteen Rabbit” for TV. Magic Light Pictures and Tom Bidwell are in development on the project and already talking to broadcasters.
For U.K.-based Magic Light, it will mark a move into a hybrid style of live-action and animation. Its previous animated specials include popular adaptations of Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes” and several of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, including “The Gruffalo,” “Stick Man,” and “Zog,” which will be a highlight of the BBC’s 2018 Christmas schedule in the U.K.
Bidwell is the creator of the BAFTA- and International Emmy-nominated “My Mad Fat Diary” and the Oscar-nominated short “Wish 143.” He comes to “The Velveteen Rabbit” project off the back of a BAFTA win for his work on Cbbc series “Katy.
For U.K.-based Magic Light, it will mark a move into a hybrid style of live-action and animation. Its previous animated specials include popular adaptations of Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes” and several of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, including “The Gruffalo,” “Stick Man,” and “Zog,” which will be a highlight of the BBC’s 2018 Christmas schedule in the U.K.
Bidwell is the creator of the BAFTA- and International Emmy-nominated “My Mad Fat Diary” and the Oscar-nominated short “Wish 143.” He comes to “The Velveteen Rabbit” project off the back of a BAFTA win for his work on Cbbc series “Katy.
- 12/13/2018
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is to lend his voice for a forthcoming adaptation of kids’ book Zog from the team behind The Gruffalo.
The British actor will voice the character of Sir Gadabout in the one-off animated special, which will air on BBC One at Christmas. He is joined by Sir Lenny Henry, who narrates, Tracey Ullman, who voices Madame Dragon, W1A’s Hugh Skinner as Zog and Jamestown’s Patsy Ferran as Princess Pearl.
The special is based on the character written by The Gruffalo creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and will be produced by Magic Light Pictures, which adapted that into a BBC hit.
Zog is a keen but accident-prone dragon who gets himself into mischief whilst learning how to fly, roar, breathe fire and fight knights in his first four years at dragon school. Each year he meets a kindly young girl who...
The British actor will voice the character of Sir Gadabout in the one-off animated special, which will air on BBC One at Christmas. He is joined by Sir Lenny Henry, who narrates, Tracey Ullman, who voices Madame Dragon, W1A’s Hugh Skinner as Zog and Jamestown’s Patsy Ferran as Princess Pearl.
The special is based on the character written by The Gruffalo creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and will be produced by Magic Light Pictures, which adapted that into a BBC hit.
Zog is a keen but accident-prone dragon who gets himself into mischief whilst learning how to fly, roar, breathe fire and fight knights in his first four years at dragon school. Each year he meets a kindly young girl who...
- 10/10/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Louisa Mellor Dec 13, 2017
We’ve taken a highlighter to this year’s Christmas and New Year TV schedules and circled what we’ll be watching this festive season…
Amid the cosy repeats and cranberry-stuffed cookery shows on TV over the next few weeks are a few gems. There’s no Sherlock or Charlie Brooker’s TV Wipe this year, but there are plenty of treats, not least the return of The League Of Gentlemen for a three-part anniversary series and Peter Capaldi’s last hurrah in the Tardis in the Doctor Who Christmas episode.
See related 26 new TV shows to watch in 2017
Over on Netflix, six new episodes of Black Mirror are coming to usher in the New Year, two days into which we welcome the return of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s genius anthology Inside No. 9.
Not to gloss over a spooky M.R. James night on BBC Four,...
We’ve taken a highlighter to this year’s Christmas and New Year TV schedules and circled what we’ll be watching this festive season…
Amid the cosy repeats and cranberry-stuffed cookery shows on TV over the next few weeks are a few gems. There’s no Sherlock or Charlie Brooker’s TV Wipe this year, but there are plenty of treats, not least the return of The League Of Gentlemen for a three-part anniversary series and Peter Capaldi’s last hurrah in the Tardis in the Doctor Who Christmas episode.
See related 26 new TV shows to watch in 2017
Over on Netflix, six new episodes of Black Mirror are coming to usher in the New Year, two days into which we welcome the return of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s genius anthology Inside No. 9.
Not to gloss over a spooky M.R. James night on BBC Four,...
- 12/12/2017
- Den of Geek
Louisa Mellor Dec 12, 2016
We’ve taken a pen to the UK Christmas TV and radio schedules and circled the shows we’re looking forward to. Add yours below!
Amid the cosy repeats, big movies and inescapable cranberry-stuffed cookery shows on TV this month are a few original gems. Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Inside No. 9 festive special The Devil Of Christmas (Tuesday the 27th of December, 10pm, BBC Two) is top of our must-watch list. Hot on its heels is Yonderland’s family friendly Yonder Yuletide (Saturday the 24th of December, 6.30pm, Sky One). Another for families on Sky is the Christmas Day Jasper Fforde adaptation The Last Dragonslayer, while Channel 4 has the non-festive-but-essential-for-fans-of smart-sci-fi Humans series two finale (Sunday the 18th of December, 9pm).
See related James Cameron's Avatar: five years on Avatar review
Not to forget, of course, the Doctor Who Christmas Special, a brand-new series of Sherlock,...
We’ve taken a pen to the UK Christmas TV and radio schedules and circled the shows we’re looking forward to. Add yours below!
Amid the cosy repeats, big movies and inescapable cranberry-stuffed cookery shows on TV this month are a few original gems. Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Inside No. 9 festive special The Devil Of Christmas (Tuesday the 27th of December, 10pm, BBC Two) is top of our must-watch list. Hot on its heels is Yonderland’s family friendly Yonder Yuletide (Saturday the 24th of December, 6.30pm, Sky One). Another for families on Sky is the Christmas Day Jasper Fforde adaptation The Last Dragonslayer, while Channel 4 has the non-festive-but-essential-for-fans-of smart-sci-fi Humans series two finale (Sunday the 18th of December, 9pm).
See related James Cameron's Avatar: five years on Avatar review
Not to forget, of course, the Doctor Who Christmas Special, a brand-new series of Sherlock,...
- 12/9/2016
- Den of Geek
The CW has put in development Stick Man, a supernatural drama from Heroes writer-executive producer Tim Kring and Helix creator Cameron Prosandeh. Written and executive produced by Porsandeh, Stick Man centers on an amateur documentarian who returns to her hometown to chronicle the events of her brother's murder and the ensuing trial (a la true crime docuseries in the vein of Making a Murderer). While there, she finds herself increasingly sympathetic to the convicted…...
- 9/20/2016
- Deadline TV
Mark Harrison Dec 24, 2016
A Christmas treat from 1995: but does anyone else remember The Forgotten Toys?
Over the years, British animation has given us a few good television specials in the Christmas season, including classic cartoons like The Snowman, stop-motion treats like Wallace & Gromit and more recent CG-animated Julia Donaldson adaptations like The Gruffalo and the upcoming Stick Man.
See related Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch plays down talk of show ending Sherlock series 3: 111 things we learned from the special edition DVDs Sherlock: The Abominable Bride review
A lot of these specials enjoy annual exposure in the Christmas telly schedules, winning over different generations of viewers. Ironically, a less remembered special is The Forgotten Toys, which first aired on Children's ITV on Boxing Day in 1995. Directed by Graham Ralph, the original half-hour special is adapted from James Stevenson's The Night After Christmas, starting with two toys waking up...
A Christmas treat from 1995: but does anyone else remember The Forgotten Toys?
Over the years, British animation has given us a few good television specials in the Christmas season, including classic cartoons like The Snowman, stop-motion treats like Wallace & Gromit and more recent CG-animated Julia Donaldson adaptations like The Gruffalo and the upcoming Stick Man.
See related Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch plays down talk of show ending Sherlock series 3: 111 things we learned from the special edition DVDs Sherlock: The Abominable Bride review
A lot of these specials enjoy annual exposure in the Christmas telly schedules, winning over different generations of viewers. Ironically, a less remembered special is The Forgotten Toys, which first aired on Children's ITV on Boxing Day in 1995. Directed by Graham Ralph, the original half-hour special is adapted from James Stevenson's The Night After Christmas, starting with two toys waking up...
- 12/9/2015
- Den of Geek
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