Dublin studio's cartoon wins two Baftas

AN IRISH-PRODUCED animation series has won two prestigious children’s Baftas in London.

Boulder Media, based on Hawkins Street, Dublin 2, won best animation and best script for their series The Amazing World of Gumball.

The company was co-producer on the series, which received its international debut in May, and was the first full-length animated series to emerge from Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe.

Gumballis a truly international effort, developed by Cartoon Network with co-production in London and featuring American voices.

Gumballis a 12-year-old trouble-making cat. His school friends include a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a cheerleading peanut and a banana.

The series features different types of animation – some scenes are set against real-life backdrops.

A team of 53 working out of the studios in Dublin did almost all of the animation and final compositing for the 36 11-minute episodes.

Boulder Media is no longer working on the second series, because it has been commissioned to animate a full-length DVD feature based on Lalaloopsy, a “magical ragdoll” that comes to life.

The team at Boulder are so busy finishing the series they could not attend the awards ceremony in London.

“We watched it on Twitter,” said Boulder’s creative director Robert Cullen, who founded the company in 2000.

“We’re thrilled with this recognition of the fantastic work done by our team.

“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the creative and artistic challenge of working on this international production.”

It is yet more recognition of the burgeoning animation scene in Ireland.

However, Octonautsby Brown Bag, another animation studio based in Dublin, lost out in the fiercely competitive award for best animation for pre-school to the juggernaut that is Peppa Pig.