Animation body criticises RTÉ

THE IRISH animation sector has accused RTÉ of failing to support an industry that has secured two nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

The Animation CEO Forum, which represents most of the leading companies in the business, says RTÉ is allocating less than 1 per cent of its budget for independent commissioned programmes on animation.

“RTÉ has spent just €300,000 a year for the past three years on animated programmes,” the industry group said in a statement.

At the time the Oscar nominations were announced, RTÉ noted it had financially supported the three Irish nominated films.

However, executives of Irish animation studios were quick to say the Oscar nominations had come “despite the lack of funding to the sector from RTÉ”.

“Without much domestic support, Irish animation studios successfully export their work internationally and the irony is that animated programmes created in Ireland are broadcast on almost every children’s channel around the world,” the industry group said.

RTÉ broadcast Brown Bag’s Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty – nominated in the best short animated film category – at the end of last year. It intends to show The Secret of Kells, nominated in the best animated film category and produced by Cartoon Saloon, later this year.

Damian Farrell, chairman of the industry body, said animation was the largest full-time employer in the Irish film and television sector, while Cathal Gaffney, managing director of Brown Bag Films, called for a change of policy on funding at RTÉ.

Brown Bag is one of the largest Irish animation studios. It recently recorded a profit with with Companies Office on ordinary activities after tax of €764,830 in the year to the end of April 2009.