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Everything and anything we want to tell you about new projects, our press, publications, interviews, talks, awards, and other stuff.
40 Years of RCA Animation
15.11.2024
We were delighted to support the 40 Years of RCA Animation: Networks & Communities, Collections & Archives symposium, celebrating the remarkable legacy of innovation and experimentation in the Royal College of Art's MA Animation programme. Held at the RCA White City Campus, the event highlighted four decades of groundbreaking animated image-making, featuring alumni and industry leaders. With themes of community, archiving, and materiality, the symposium reflected the RCA’s enduring spirit of creativity and exploration. Studio AKA’s Philip Hunt (MA RCA) was invited to contribute to this milestone event, which fostered dialogue and celebrated the artistry that defines RCA Animation.
Ren Pesci has left the building!
27.06.2024
This week, we bid a fond farewell to Ren, our much-loved and long-serving production coordinator, who has now retired.Ren has worked with countless artists over the years at Studio AKA, serving as a friend, educator, and sage advisor to everyone in the studio. He will be greatly missed, but he promises to visit us regularly. We all want to express our immense gratitude for his dedication and contributions to the studio over the years, and we wish him all the best in his next chapter.
Dispatches from Toronto
18.06.2024
Described as the "Glastonbury for geeks," Web Summit Collision is the world’s largest technology conference, connecting a global ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors, media outlets, startups, and developers to discuss evolving industry trends and innovations. This year's focus was on generative AI's impact on creative industries. Speaking with podcaster Chris Hill, AKA’s Philip Hunt argued for closed-loop creativity, where tools are trained on designated input rather than using generic, swiped content from the internet. Hunt’s message resonated: "AI art driven this way is not art; it is contraband. In the AI revolution, we must consider the world we are recreating. Tools should empower, and human creativity does not need to be replaced, so why are we even trying? (Photos by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Collision via Sportsfile).
BAFTA Nomination!
20.03.2024
Fantastic news yesterday … AKA Director Manddy Wykens’ gorgeous title sequence for Queen Charlotte has been nominated in the Titles and Graphic Identity Category at the 2024 Television and Craft Baftas!
BAFTA 2024 Television nominations and winners
Congratulations to Manddy and the studio team for an outstanding production.
If you haven’t seen the sequence, you can view it HERE.
EMMY Triumph for "A TRIP TO INFINITY"
29.09.2023
At the 44th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards, Studio AKA's Netflix project "A TRIP TO INFINITY" clinched the Emmy for Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction! Teaming with producers MakeMake and Room 608, and directed by Jonathan Halperin & Drew Takahashi, our sequence - among a brace of exceptional animation from talented teams from across the globe - was Devised and directed by GERGELY WOOTSCH, and paints a stark portrayal of the end of all life. Not a piece for those light of existential heart, but undeniably thought-provoking and profound.
You can read some more HERE and HERE
Margherita Premuroso
01.09.2023
We are excited to introduce Margherita Premuroso, the latest addition to our creative team of directors. With a commanding presence in the global sphere of animation, art direction, character design, and visual storytelling, Margherita is the epitome of artistic excellence and creativity. Margherita has contributed immensely to the spheres of film, video games, commercials, and print media. We are immensely proud to represent Margherita Premuroso worldwide in directing and Art direction capacities. Meanwhile, for our friends in the USA, Margherita is represented by the exceptional team at Elastic TV.
More information HERE
Playgrounds In Motion
20.07.2023
Playgrounds In Motion - London, will be held on 8+9 September in the Outernet District in London and will showcase the latest developments in animation & motion design with some fantastic guest speakers. Studio AKA partners and creative directors Marc Craste and Philip Hunt will be there, providing a captivating perspective on recent notable works and offering a tantalising glimpse into an exciting new project currently underway at AKA.
Curious about it all? Get your Super Early Bird tickets HERE
On The Big Screen
10.06.2023
We had a fun morning attending the Birmingham Design Festival to screen ‘HERE WE ARE: Notes For Living On Planet Earth’ at the Millennium Point (IMAX) - along with a Q&A with author Oliver Jeffers and Director Philip Hunt - hosted by Jenny Moore from the How Brave Is The Wren travelling Children's bookshop.
The fans have spoken!
10.05.2023
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is Writer-producer Shonda Rhimes's spin-off to her hit Bridgerton series, which tells the story of young Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and her enduring love story with King George.
The show has finally landed on Netflix, but it sounds like some fans couldn't even make it past the opening titles without shedding a few tears!
Read more HERE
Watch the Titles HERE
Olivier Award!
03.04.2023
The Hey Duggee Live theatre show won Best Family Show at the 2023 LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARDS!
It's a brilliant achievement for the live show's amazing directors, Matthew Xia and Vikki Stone, the wonderful cast and crew, and the production team at Kenny Wax Productions & Live Nation.
What is illustration?
22.03.2023
The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is converting a derelict heritage site in Clerkenwell into the UK’s national centre for illustration.
To celebrate this important moment, QBCI collaborated with Studio AKA Director Marcus Armitage to create a 90-second short film celebrating the history and impact that illustration has had throughout history. Rather than focusing on specific illustrators or illustrations, Marcus wove together a storyline showcasing how humans have employed illustration to communicate and shape our lives across time.
It's Showtime!
17.12.2022
Duggee is LIVE! and having an incredibly successful performance run at The Royal Festival Hall.
Congratulations to Sue Goffe, Grant Orchard, Sander Jones, Lindsey Fraine, Janine Voong and our Duggee Crew, the wonderful cast and crew at @heyduggeelive, our team and friends at BBC Studios, the live show's amazing directors Matthew Xia and Vikki Stone, and the wonderful production team at Kenny Wax Productions & team at Live Nation.
The show is on at the RFH until 8th Jan - then touring the UK!
Booking Details HERE
Show Trailer HERE
Space Duggee
01.12.2022
The @heyduggee Transforming Duggee Rocket Toy has been sent beyond the Earth's atmosphere into space! The toy earned its Space Badge as it travelled into space attached to a stratospheric balloon powered by Hydrogen gas - a sustainable alternative to Helium. HOW COOL IS THAT!?
Take a look at the mission HERE
BAFTA Win for Chris O'Dowd
27.11.2022
Chris O'Dowd's wonderfully funny and touching performance in our Emmy-awarded film for Apple TV: HERE WE ARE: Notes For Living On Planet Earth, has been awarded a BAFTA Children & Young People Award 2022! It feels like a lifetime since we delivered our adaptation of Oliver Jeffers's magnificent book just as the world went into lockdown, so we are immensely pleased that Chris has been recognised in the performer category with this nomination — and to see the BAFTA children's awards return after such a long hiatus.
Congratulations, Chris!
Bafta Children & Young People Awards 2022
BAFTA Win for Duggee!
27.11.2022
Congratulations to Grant Orchard, Sander Jones, Janine Voong and the entire Studio AKA team behind HEY DUGGEE, for their BAFTA win in the Pre-School - Animation Category of the BAFTA Children & Young People Awards 2022. This marks the FOURTH time that Duggee has won this award, and is a mark of both the brilliance of the show - and the consistency of its quality.
Bafta Children & Young People Awards 2022
The Show WILL go on!
05.11.2022
Read The Guardian interview with Matthew Xia, Director & Co-Adapter of HEY DUGGEE - The LIVE Show, adapted from Studio AKA & BBC Studios' BAFTA & Emmy-winning animation hit. With a nine-month UK tour throughout 2023, Matthew says, "we'll give the audience just enough to help them suspend their disbelief" and promises "the world's most adorable puppets" with no hiding the actors giving them life. Matthew adds: "If this is the one piece of theatre someone has seen, I want them to want more, right down to the programme where every kid will have a sticker sheet of badges to earn along with the squirrels". Produced by Cuffe & Taylor and Kenny Wax Family Entertainment, Hey Duggee: The Live Theatre Show tours the UK and Ireland until August 2023.
What to wear?
31.10.2022
Not sure how to head out on Halloween this year? Fear not. We’ve got you covered with a little something cooked up by director Steve Small with sound design by Nic Gill. Turn up the sound and catch it HERE
Our Place In Space
28.06.2022
Major names from the fields of science, film, music, and the arts participated in a week-long festival in Belfast held in June and July, as part of the Our Place In Space Festival. Producer Sue Goffe and Director Philip Hunt grabbed some popcorn and joined Author Oliver Jeffers for a special screening of 'HERE WE ARE Notes for Living On Planet Earth' at The Strand, a beautiful independent cinema. Oliver and Philip were also invited to engage with the audience in a discussion about the making of the film for Apple TV.
ACE Producers Dublin
31.05.2022
The ACE Animation Special was held in Dublin between 30 May and 4 June. Organised in close collaboration with Screen Skills Irelan, Screen Ireland, Animation Skillnet, and Animation Ireland, The workshop was aimed at experienced producers and focused primarily on the creative and financial aspects of feature and long-form animation production. With sessions on story development, production workflows, creative dynamics, financing strategies and distribution, the event also featured a talk by AKA's Sue Goffe, who spoke about 'Bringing Talent Together for Successful Development'.
More HERE
Remembering Sharon Titmarsh
06.03.2022
Our wonderful and beloved friend and colleague Sharon Titmarsh passed away on Sunday, 6th March. A vibrant member of our studio family, Sharon was a brilliant producer and a joy to work with, bringing laughter and fun to everything she did. This world has lost a wonderful woman. Our thoughts remain with her family, friends, and all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.
Discover history from a new perspective
28.02.2022
Studio AKA Directors Steve Small, Marcus Armitage and Gergely Wootsch have collaborated to create 20 minutes of animated inserts, plus the Main Title, for LINCOLN'S DILEMMA, a four-part historical documentary series centred around Abraham Lincoln. Produced by Kunhardt Films for Apple TV+, each episode includes reflective moments of the presidency that depict this tumultuous period in American history. The documentary covers the subject of slavery and emancipation, seen through the lens of race and the Presidential campaign, and gives a fascinating and illuminating insight into Lincoln’s life. Foremost in the challenges that the project presented was the complexity, emotion, and sometimes pure brutality of what needed to be portrayed while staying true to the myriad of historical details that were carefully curated and advised by the Kunhardts; and guided by the series directors Barak Goodman and Jacqueline Olive. We will be sharing more of the project shortly.
More HERE
Apple TV+ Series HERE
Apple TV+ Trailer HERE
Making Plans For Wellington
19.01.2022
AKA Director Steve Small has a new solo book on the way! 'Wellington’s Big Day Out' is a story about family and growing up, featuring an elephant called Wellington, who has big plans but whose birthday present leaves him feeling a little … small. It’s Steve's second solo book working with the talented team at @simonkidsuk once again. On UK release, in your favourite local bookstore, from April 2022.
100 Objects that made the BBC
13.01.2022
Throughout 2022 the BBC will celebrate 100 years of the organisation through familiar and not so familiar objects used in BBC programmes and content. By the end of 2022, the 100th object will be revealed, and the myriad of amazing objects include the badge from our hit CBeebies show, Hey Duggee! In 2020 we created a special virtual badge, not for children, but for parents and older family members to celebrate what they have done to encourage children during the challenging times of the pandemic. take a look at all the objects:
When Duggee Met Sir David
10.01.2022
Sir David Attenborough has narrated a special episode of Hey Duggee to share the wonder of plants and The Green Planet. The show's regular narrator Alexander Armstrong is joined by Sir David, who helps Duggee and Squirrels to understand that plants, including trees, are some of the most important living things on Earth – in a special guest appearance.
Watch it now on BBC iPlayer
Duggee On Wax
21.11.2021
Those clever folks at @demonmusicgroup have made the first-ever release of Hey Duggee on vinyl! Highlights from the album include fan favourite 'Stick Song', which has been viewed over 10.3 million times on YouTube, 'A Cappella', 'Raindance', 'Toothbrushing Song', and the brand new track 'Step By Step.'The album is pressed on a double-sided picture disc and presented in a die-cut sleeve with Duggee's face on the cover. Side B is specially designed to create a zoetrope effect! (requires third-party stroboscope app). Hey, Duggee is the multiple BAFTA and Emmy award-winning preschool series devised by Studio AKA, and was the most-watched kids' show of the year on BBC iPlayer in 2020with over 192 million requests. Ah-Woof!
CPIFF Award
03.10.2021
Congratulations to AKA Director Steve small and the BLACK EARTH RISING team for picking up the award for Best Animation at CPIFF over the weekend! AKA's Marcus Armitage donned his tux to collect the award on behalf of the entire production team and express our gratitude. The Crystal Palace International Film Festival presents a diverse programme of the very best Independent films from all over the world, and is known as 'London's coolest film festival'. In point of fact, The Simpsons writer, Mike Reiss, described the festival as: "the very best festival we've ever been to – and we've been to a lot! This is as good as it gets!" Find out more about Black Earth Rising HERE
Joe Wicks Workout Badge
22.09.2021
The nation’s favourite exercise coach, Joe Wicks, joins forces with the nation’s most lovable pup, Duggee, to lead a series of short, energetic workouts for pre-schoolers: “The Workout Badges”. The new fitness series – aimed at pre-schoolers – combine the live-action of “The Body Coach” Joe Wicks with the educational animated Cbeebies series Hey Duggee. There’s lots to explore and learn along the way as the squirrels and children get their hearts pumping and their energy flowing in the hope of earning a coveted Workout Badge. Watch the free-to-stream series exclusively on “The Body Coach TV” YouTube channel and on the YouTube Kids app.
Watch HERE
I'm Sticking With You Too
15.09.2021
They’re back! Bear and Squirrel are a perfect pair, but what happens when Chicken wants to make friends too?
SMRITI HALL has penned another great story about the ups and downs of friendship, and STEVE SMALL had great fun catching up with Bear and Squirrel again. Chicken is quite a character and Smriti’s story, following this plucky bird’s hilarious rite of passage, is a touching reflection of what happens when we meet someone new. Published by SIMON & SCHUSTER, ‘I’m Sticking With You Too’ is out in the UK on October 14th and over the next few weeks, Steve is posting sketches and illustrations HERE
A Drink with STUDIO AKA ...
07.09.2021
See No Evil is London’s brilliant bi-monthly motion and animation event. In the Pandemic, they started a new show format called A Drink with... It is a Livestream chat with artists and studios around the globe. It happens every Tuesday 8 pm UK Time (GMT+1) on their YouTube Channel. Watch, Share and subscribe..
Watch HERE
Two EMMYs for Here We Are!
17.07.2021
We are delighted to have been honoured by the Television Academy with TWO EMMY® AWARDs for HERE WE ARE: Notes For Living On Planet Earth! The film picked up the OUTSTANDING SPECIAL CLASS DAYTIME ANIMATED PROGRAM award, whilst Anne Moth was awarded for her INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN CHARACTER ANIMATION! Heartfelt thanks to all of the incredible artists and animators at STUDIO AKA - and our wonderful cast - who created such a beautiful story, and especially to APPLE TV, who made this film happen.
Project Page HERE
Raised By Wolves - Emmy Nom
14.07.2021
Congratulations to director Steve Small, Ridely Scott Creative Group and the artists at Studio AKA for their Emmy nomination for HBO’s RAISED BY WOLVES - in the category of Outstanding Main Title design at the 73rd Emmy Awards.
“An elegiac opener full of grief, longing, and death, the title sequence provides the emotional underpinnings of the series while serving up backstory and a reminder that the characters are refugees fleeing devastation.” —Art Of The Title HERE
Project page HERE
Space Song
02.07.2021
We have lift off! Marking the launch of the 2nd single SPACE SONG, from the upcoming album @heyduggee GREATEST HITS - WOOF WOOF! The Space Song is available to download and stream on all music platforms now!
Stick Song!
11.06.2021
ARE YOU READY TO RAVE!? The Stick Song is now available to download and stream!
You. Have. Been. Warned.
FMX 2021: Making Here We Are
04.05.2021
STUDIO AKA are speakers at FMX 2021, talking through the making of ‘HERE WE ARE: Notes For Living On Planet Earth’; a 36min animated adaptation of the NY Times number one picture book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers. In this talk, Director Philip Hunt walks through the creative process that brought this unique film to life for Apple TV+, in celebration of Earth Day. A poignant love letter to our planet, this is a witty, thought-provoking and entirely optimistic young person's guide to the world, one thing at a time. FMX LINK
The Duck Who Didn't Like Water
14.04.2021
AKA's STEVE SMALL has published his first solo book, ‘The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water’ Published by SIMON & SCHUSTER in the UK, US, France, Holland, Germany to name but a few. Duck is not like other ducks. Duck doesn’t like water and is perfectly fine alone, thank you very much. But then, one dark and stormy night, an outgoing, water-loving, and very lost Frog turns up at Duck’s door. Can this odd couple find Frog’s home? And will they find friendship along the way? This endearing, gorgeously illustrated tale marks the author-illustrator debut for Steve, illustrator of the highly acclaimed, I’m Sticking with You by Smriti Halls. You can find more about Steve's books HERE
Bath Song
25.03.2021
You DO have authority here Mrs Weaver! — Join Mrs Weaver for a brand new bath time song! Feat. @anelisavontease Head to the @heyduggee YouTube Channel for the full video ...
Kidscreen Awards 2021
10.02.2021
The 2021 Kidscreen Awards, which received a record number of entries, celebrated the year’s best work in children’s television and digital media. Assessed by two panels of highly respected industry judges, we are delighted that HERE WE ARE: Notes For Living On Planet Earth was awarded ‘Best One-Off Special or TV movie'!
Congratulations to our amazing team!
Project page HERE
ComArts Magazine Award
06.02.2021
Studio AKA Director Manddy Wyckens has been recognised by the Communication Arts Annual, for her stunning new PSA work for Bellefaire JCB, as 'an example of the best illustration work in the animation category'. To garner recognition at this level is outstanding. Out of 4,000+ submissions, only 128 projects were selected. Kudos to Manddy and the team!
CICFF Stem Award
23.11.2020
Thank you to The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival for giving the 2020 STEM AWARD to HERE WE ARE: Notes For Living On Planet Earth. The award is given in recognition of a production which inspires children in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math!
'Deeply Anarchic' Duggee?
28.08.2020
HEY DUGGEE recently featured in 5th August's Guardian. 'Its fans include Orbital and Evan Davies, and it has won awards galore. Now the CBeebies show Hey Duggee is the smash hit of lockdown.' In case you missed it, Tim Jonze's lovely piece is HERE
An ode to living on Earth.
12.05.2020
Visual artist OLIVER JEFFERS offers observations of the "beautiful, fragile drama of human civilization" in this poetic TED talk paired with his original illustrations and animations - brought to life by Studio AKA director KRISTIAN ANDREWS working in conjunction with NORTH HARBOUR PRODUCTIONS.
More HERE
I’m Sticking with You
04.05.2020
Written by SMRITI HALL and illustrated by AKA Director Steve Small, I'M STICKING WITH YOU is a gorgeously warm, funny book about everything a friendship can be – for anyone who's ever had a friend. Published by SIMON & SCHUSTER, I'M STICKING WITH YOU was Shortlisted for Oscar's Book Prize 2021 and for Children's Illustrated Book of the Year at the British Book Awards 2021. More HERE
We Are Playgrounds Online 2020
16.04.2020
We were excited to be part of WE ARE PLAYGROUNDs first online festival! We showcased a bunch of projects over a live-stream and took a Q&A. The event describes us as - ahem - 'exhilarating, inspirational and mind blowing" - and we won't argue. In regular times around 4.000 filmmakers, concept artists and other creatives would visit the event, but the two two online editions in 2020 connected around the globe! to reach Ca. 60.000 (!) unique viewers who joined for the talks, demos and panels etc. What larks! More info HERE
Four Kidscreen Awards!
27.02.2020
Happy days at the @heyduggee HQ! Look how 𝚜̶𝚝̶𝚞̶𝚏̶𝚏̶𝚎̶𝚍̶ chuffed Duggee looks with his four @kidscreen awards!
The Art Department 2019
04.10.2019
AKA director MANDDY WYKENS took to the stage at PLAYGROUNDS: THE ART DEPARTMENT, in Eindhoven 2019. The biggest event on concept art & design for film, animation and games in Europe. The world’s leading and inspirational artists and designers meet up to show and tell, and Manddy spoke about her work with Disney, Chromosphere, Dreamworks, The Line, Cartoon Network ( & Studio AKA!). A formidable talent, the festival notes describe her thus: “she has done it all! not only an incredible promoter of female artistry, but also of the beauty in female figures. Full of grace and elegance, her character designs are the epiphany of fluidity and lightness.” More info HERE
Duggee Mug etc.
30.08.2019
If you go down to the Design Museum, you're in for a big surprise. The recent special exhibition 'Designing Hey Duggee' - which celebrates the creativity behind our award-winning series - meant we had an opportunity to exit through the gift shop; where you can find a some lovely Duggee Swag!
Designing Duggee.
28.08.2019
BBC Studios partnered with @designmuseum to celebrate the creativity behind our award-winning series @heyduggee with a special exhibition 'Designing Hey Duggee' in October 2019. The show dived into the colourful world of Hey Duggee from never-before-seen early sketches to an exclusive look inside the design, animation and production process of the series creator, Studio AKA and its Creative Director, Grant Orchard. Explore the eye-catching graphics, bright colours, composition and typography. Discover how characters are made to be easily distinguishable and adaptable to different narratives and what makes each episode interesting and appealing to all its audiences. Plus we had our very own adventure room! Keep your eyes peeled for its return.
NYC Public Library Insta Novels
09.04.2019
Mother NYC commissioned STUDIO AKA, through Psyop, to animate a 15” Instagram Story for the New York Public Library initiative that brings classic works of literature to the public. For Halloween, the eponymous The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe is re-envisaged by Director Marcus Armitage within a stark landscape where the differing perspectives of both the Raven and Poe’s protagonist steadily converge, until there is “darkness there and nothing more...” #instanovels
Duggee Triple Bafta Win!
24.11.2018
Congratulations to all the @HEYDUGGEE team for their amazing triple BAFTA win at the 2018 Children’s BAFTA's— winning in the Pre-School Animation, Director and Digital categories. This is the third pre-school animation BAFTA win for Hey Duggee. Hey Duggee’s creator and director Grant Orchard also picked up the Director award. The educational app, Hey Duggee: The Counting Badge, was awarded the Digital Award. The app was created by digital agency Scary Beasties, in association with BBC Studios and Studio AKA. Triple A-WOOF-WOOF-WOOFS! BAFTA LINK / Series INFO / Duggee APPS
Ib Antoni Posters
24.11.2018
40 years after his death, the Antoni family and Gallerist Mikael Hauberg are reintroducing the gems from the Ib Antoni Archives to the world. They have partnered with Studio AKA to create two animated gifs directed by Steve Small, bringing to life the two Ib Antoni Illustrations Tivoli and Concierge. Play the Posters HERE
Wyckens On Form
15.06.2018
DigitalArts Online speaks to Artist and animator Manddy Wyckens on re-appropriating the female form in a beautiful, elegant way.
“Manddy's style is infused with timelessness, harking back to an era before the advance of anything digital. It's also chock-full of emotion, a subtle kind where her characters are either deep in thought or lost in movement; figures are either adrift in water, or falling through air, seemingly entranced.”
Read HERE
The Art Department 2017
06.10.2017
AKA were delighted to be back at PLAYGROUNDS: THE ART DEPARTMENT in Eindhoven introduce new work. The Art Department 'focuses on concept art and design for film, animation and games, diving into the process of creating and putting a spotlight on the artists that are responsible of designing worlds, characters and stories for an incredible away of productions'. More info HERE
Tech-entrepreneur badge?
05.08.2017
HEY DUGGEE is featured in @WIREDUK magazine’s annual list of summer picks that they just can’t live without. A-WOOF!... "Meet Duggee, the titular character of award-winning TV show @heyduggee. The more eagle-eyed among you will notice that Duggee is channelling Steve Jobs here while surrounded by his tech-enthusiast pals from the Squirrel Club. We included the show, which is created by the UK-based @studioaka (who also created this illustration) in our annual list of summer picks that we just can’t live without. You can see what else we chose in the current issue of @wireduk." Instagram Link DUGGE-GRAM
ITFS/SPOTLIGHT Animated Com Award
07.05.2017
AKA director KRISTIAN ANDREWS Picked up a Gold Award for our Johnnie Walker spot 'Keep Walking at the ITFS/SPOTLIGHT Animated Com Award International Gala Awards 2017 in Stuttgart. Hurrah! BBH London came to Studio AKA looking for a unique, abstract and sophisticated piece to tell the 200 year history of Johnnie Walker. With one uninterrupted camera move, we see an unbroken path - a relay race of wisdom - following the footsteps of each mentor and mentee as knowledge of the Johnnie Walker craft is passed between the generations from Scotland to Shanghai...and beyond.
An EMMY for DUGGEE...
05.04.2017
HEY DUGGEE won the INTERNATIONAL EMMY® KIDS AWARD for Kids Pre-School at the @MIPTV in Cannes ... Hurrah! we will sit it next to Duggee's BAFTA! Devised & Directed by AKA's GRANT ORCHARD, Hey Duggee is based around 'The Squirrel Club'; run by a big friendly dog called Duggee. It's a place where kids take part in all kinds of activities, have adventures and earn activity badges along the way. Duggee teaches the kids about being responsible, working as a team, and taking acceptable risks. Exec Producer. SUE GOFFE & Series Producer. JANINE VOONG pick up the Award: HERE FIND OUT MORE ON THE PROJECT PAGE
An Unconventional Preschool Show
28.02.2017
INTERVIEW: ‘Hey Duggee’ Creator Grant Orchard On Creating An Unconventional Preschool Show. After 20 years in the industry, Oscar-nominated short filmmaker and commercial director Grant Orchard discovered that tv series production has its own unique challenges. Grant Talks to Trude Vollenbroek in this interview for Cartoon Brew. Link HERE
Question Time.
25.01.2017
Chris Robinson, writer, author & curator, and the artistic director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival asked a few questions of AKA's Philip Hunt. Read HERE
Musing with Alpha Kilo
20.01.2017
Alpha Kilo is a cultural communications agency and strategic consultancy that works internationally across the art, design, entertainment, fashion, luxury, travel, and technology sectors. Muses is the interview series with people around the world 'who support, challenge, and inspire us every day'. Find photographers, writers, curators, and other creatives here – with a bit of Proust mixed in. READ
Dance yourself dizzy! ...
02.11.2016
Dance-along with Duggee and the Squirrels to the NEW Hey Duggee album. Featuring 19 woof-tactic songs including ‘Snowman’, ‘Raindance’ and ‘Making Music’. Available to pre-order now from: iTunes Amazon Google Play
AKA in MEXICO CITY…
24.09.2016
The Berlin based Pictoplasma Academy recently decamped to Mexico City and invited a selected group of participants for a unique 1-week CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT COURSE, supervised by tutors Rilla Alexander and Nathan Jurevicius. STUDIO AKA's Philip Hunt ran a course on character driven storytelling, as part of a program challenging participants to explore specific personal projects or their general style right across the media spectrum – from drawing and illustration to sculpture and visual storytelling – to find the right path for their further development. PICTOPLASMA ACADEMY MEXICO
OFFICIAL APP!
03.08.2015
The first game app for Hey Duggee is NOW LIVE! Join Duggee and the Squirrels as they work hard to earn their six club badges. Fun missions include styling Duggee's hair, making your very own funny-faced Totem Pole, baking cakes for the Squirrels, hunting down Duggee’s leaf collection, colouring in your favourite characters, and even dressing up each of the Squirrels in their heroic Super Squirrel costume. Completing each activity wins you a badge and a Duggee Hug! HEY DUGGEE APP APP STORE AMAZON GOOGLE PLAY More About HEY DUGGEE
The Story...
20.02.2015
Studio AKA’s Philip Hunt was honoured to be a guest speaker at 'THE STORY 2015', a one-day conference about stories and story-telling. The day is an eclectic celebration of everything that is wonderful, inspiring and awesome about stories, in whatever medium possible - written, spoken, played, described, enacted, whispered, projected, orchestrated, performed, printed – whatever form stories come in. THE STORY 2015
FAUX IMAGES XIV...
02.12.2014
SUDIO AKA was delighted to be a guest speaker at FAUX IMAGES on December 16th in Berlin. FAUX IMAGES is a quarterly meeting for local and international filmmakers, designers and artists from related disciplines, who are invited to present their work through lectures and screenings. FAUX IMAGES is organized by Mate Steinforth in cooperation with LEAP (Lab for Electronic Arts and Performance). MORE
A Southbank Show...
01.11.2014
STUDIO AKA's BAFTA-winning, animated adaptation of Oliver Jeffers’ much loved picture book, LOST AND FOUND was screened to a packed house in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the 1st November as part of a weekend of events celebrating 10 years since 'The Boy' first appeared in Oliver's 'How To Catch A Star'. This was followed by a Q&A with Oliver Jeffers & Director Philip Hunt who adapted the book for the screen ... Missed the screening? Fear not, it's but a click away ... PAL DVD NTSC DVD About The Film
Mucho Mincho...
01.09.2014
Issue 02 of MINCHO - The Illustration & Graphic Arts magazine - has a feature on STUDIO AKA (and as a bonus there's a piece on Chris Haughton too!) READ
Moving Stories…
03.04.2014
The National Media Museum & Seven Stories (the National Centre for Children's Books) are again staging an exciting exhibition showcasing innovative & influential film and television adaptations, inspired by children's books. Featuring manuscripts, illustrations, storyboards, costumes and film footage from some of your favourite authors, including Roald Dahl, Lewis Carroll and Julia Donaldson, as well as AKA's telling of Oliver Jeffers LOST AND FOUND … 05/04/2014 - 27/04/2015 Seven Stories, Newcastle upon Tyne. ABOUT SEVEN STORIES NMM
A Morning Stroll - Vimeo On Demand
29.07.2013
A MORNING STROLL was awarded the Short Film Animation BAFTA at the 2012 Orange British Academy Film Awards and was nominated for an OSCAR the same year. You can now download it via Vimeo-On-Demand & iTunes.
VIEMO-ON-DEMAND ITUNES UK ITUNES USA
Varmints: Vimeo On Demand
29.07.2013
After 123 Film Festival appearances and 27 Awards - including both BAFTA Nomination & OSCAR shortlist commendation - VARMINTS is now on both VIMEO-ON-DEMAND & iTunes.
VIMEO-ON-DEMAND iTUNES UK iTUNES USA
Directors Notes...
03.06.2013
Directors Notes invited AKA's Kristian Andrews to become the latest filmmaker featured in their 'They Are Animators' series. READ
Dpi Magazine…
05.05.2013
Taiwan’s Dpi Magazine ‘The Variation of Comic Art and Animation’ - A collection featuring dozens of Eastern and Western artists and a selection of their work organized into the subcategories of "Sheer Vision", "Tangible Illusion", and "Satiny Boundary". Oh, and us...
BOOK: Animation In Process
05.05.2013
From Hollywood blockbuster to striving independent filmmaker, from mobile phone games to characters advertising products on television, from pseudo live action through to virtual environments, animation is able to transcend boundaries to reach new audiences. This book (featuring AKA's LOVESPORT by Grant Orchard) shows how artists, designers, filmmakers, programmers, directors, writers, and producers have seized the chance to entertain using a versatile and compelling medium.
Library book: ANIMATION...
05.05.2013
From scriptwriting through to production, Andrew Selby's introduction to animation for students surveys key technical processes and examines a variety of stylistic approaches. The book includes visual examples from key animators (ahem, including AKA) and illustrated features on how to create exciting animation for a variety of audiences .
Watch Jo Jo In The Stars - For free!
05.03.2013
After 86 Film Festival appearances & winning both the 2004 Short animation BAFTA and the 2005 CARTOON D'OR, JO JO IN THE STARS is FREE to watch on VIMEO and available to keep on iTunes. The debut film from Studio aka Director Marc Craste, 'JO JO IN THE STARS' was independently funded & produced by Studio AKA and plays out the heart wrenching tale of two unlikely lovers; Jo Jo, a silver-plated trapeze artist and the nameless hero who worships her. Together they make a desperate stand in the face of murderous jealousy within a beautifully bleak and brutal world.
VIMEO iTUNES UK iTUNES USA SHORT OF THE WEEK PROJECT PAGE
Kristian Andrews Interview
03.03.2013
The Animation Research Centre visited AKA to talk to Kristian about his practice as an animator. He talked about his influences and inspiration and showed his fantastic collection of sketchbooks. Conducted as part of 'Oral Histories and Visible Witness' - an exploratory project into the documentation of the creative practice of current UK animators. WATCH MORE INFORMATION www.kristian-andrews.com
The Book Of Varmints...
20.02.2013
The most overlooked threat in the world is the loss of peace and quiet… Marc Craste & Helen Ward's beautiful book - Winner of the English Association's 4-11 Book Awards 2008 / Judge’s Top Choice for the Fiction and Poetry Ages 5-7 - Scholastic Best Books 2008 / Shortlisted for the British Book Design and Production Awards 2008. / Shortlisted for the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. / Green Earth Book Award, Picture Book Category. ABOUT THE BOOK
Directors Notes...
03.12.2012
Directors Notes invited AKA's Eamonn O'Neill to feature in their 'They Are Animators' series ... READ
A morning Stroll to the BAFTAs and OSCARs
12.03.2012
Sue Goffe & Grant Orchard chat about their BAFTA win for our short animation, A Morning Stroll, and their trip to the Oscars...READ
A Morning Stroll Soundtrack
24.02.2012
For those of you who've been asking about the availability of Composer NIC GILL's aeon-spanning soundtrack to the BAFTA Winning & OSCAR Nominated short: A MORNING STROLL… you can now listen to it & also purchase it as a download via Bandcamp and iTunes. BANDCAMP ITUNES
IDN - The joy of conferences
06.12.2011
The unexpected change in direction forced by technical difficulties or spontaneous audience participation is always fun. Let’s be honest though, the most fun thing is just ‘showing off’ isn’t it? READ
The Creative Path...
15.11.2011
An interview with AKA's Philip Hunt about the Studio and it's Directors, and the relationship between The Creativity Monster© and Dreams & Goals™
Singing Heads...
16.05.2011
DIGITAL ARTS asked us a few questions about Sing Up - a government-funded music education organisation which aims to get primary school children to realise that singing is an infectious and liberating experience that has the power to build confidence and self-esteem and to assist learning. Sing Up delivers training and tools to teachers and works to inspire children all over the country to find their voice. A
Digital Arts Link HERE
Project page HERE
Varmints Soundtrack
11.12.2009
"AND IN THE ENDLESS PAUSE THERE CAME THE SOUND OF BEES …" Composer Jóhann Jóhannsson draws the title of his latest album from the original VARMINTS book written by Helen Ward and illustrated by Marc Craste. The album is based on the music he composed for the 24-minute film version of Varmints Directed by Marc Craste at STUDIO AKA.
A BAFTA for LOST AND FOUND
27.10.2009
LOST AND FOUND was awarded the BAFTA for CHILDREN'S ANIMATION at the 2009 British Academy Children's Awards.
Studio AKA Producer SUE GOFFE & Director PHILIP HUNT accepted the award (from Mr Johnny Vegas no less...). This recognition from the British academy adds to the coveted Annecy Crystal given to the film - along with an amazing 62 International film festival Awards in total.
Orchard on Brew…
07.02.2007
Cartoon Brew takes a closer look at Studio AKA’s A Morning Stroll with its writer/director Grant Orchard ... CARTOON BREW
A BAFTA for JO JO
15.02.2004
JO JO IN THE STARS, a 12-minute story of love, self-sacrifice, and jealousy played out against a black and white world that is both nightmarish and hauntingly beautiful. Independently funded & produced by Studio AKA, the film was written and directed by AKA's MARC CRASTE, and produced by AKA's SUE GOFFE. Jo Jo went on to appear at 86 Film Festival appearances and won both the 2004 Short animation BAFTA and the 2005 CARTOON D'OR. JO JO IN THE STARS is FREE to watch on VIMEO and available to keep on iTunes.