RTÉ boosts animation investment

Irish public broadcaster RTÉ is increasing its investment in animation commissions to more than €550,000 (US$629,000) per annum over the next three years.

Sheila de Courcy

The news comes as the broadcast group launched a new autumn schedule for RTEjr, its TV, radio and online service for kids up to seven years old.

The schedule will include programming covering education, wildlife, history and culture. The commissions include new animation series Havananimal and RTÉ’s first radio arts series for young children, Cake.

Meanwhile, a new Animated Shorts for TV Scheme has been established, seeking up to five original shorts for TV broadcast. The initiative is aimed at supporting the development of new ideas for broadcast.

RTÉ has also unveiled a scheme to support Irish animation companies to develop international coproduction partnerships with a dedicated yearly fund of €100,000.

In addition, the company will hunt for at least one opportunity a year over the next three years to support an Irish animation company collaborating on an international coproduction.

Speaking at the launch today, Sheila de Courcy, controller of RTÉjr and cross-divisional head of children’s content, said: “There is a wealth of talent in Ireland’s animation industry. Over the past 10 years RTÉ has worked with approximately 15 Irish animation companies on 34 original series.

“We have watched and supported Irish companies to go out into the global market with their ideas and have seen how their creative and business talents are respected internationally.

“The new schemes announced today further underline RTÉ’s commitment to support the growth and development of the Irish animation sector, from emerging talent in our new TV shorts scheme, to a focus on international coproduction, to increased investment in the commissioning of animation programming.”