Last month the London International Animation Festival presented the 2022 UK Animation Industry Event series – seven panels giving insider access to some of the hottest animation topics of the year.

Animation doesn’t stand still; and debates and discussions with animators and creative experts are the best way to get in touch with what’s happening. From music videos in the 2020’s, the career paths of women in the industry over the last decades, to where AI Generated Imagery might be going and beyond, the series covered a variety of themes.

Film London were delighted to take part in Is Animation a Business? We talked to experts in the animation industry who have done just that to hear what they did right and wrong in order to achieve creative and commercial success alongside funders who support the animation business, rather than projects.

Watch the panel again here:

The session was moderated by Film London’s Julian Scott, a BAFTA-nominated Executive Producer. He has been developing, financing and co-producing feature films and television in the international arena for over 25 years. As animation consultant for Film London, his focus is on generating inward investment for London’s animation studios, by finding partners outside the UK seeking creative and financial soulmates and advising on the UK animation tax credits. Other areas of his work include tackling skills and creative gaps in the animation industry and lobbying to get proper recognition for animation in the UK creative sector and advising studios on business and creative development.

Julian was joined by Phil Dobree. Phil founded Jellyfish Pictures in 2001 overseeing its growth to become one of the world’s most respected VFX and Animation studios. Jellyfish recent credits include Bobba Fett, How to Train your Dragon, Stranger Things and Spirit Untamed.

Bringing an insight into funding was Denitsa Yordanova. Denitsa was appointed Head of BFI's UK Global Screen Fund, a £7 million p.a. initiative of the UK government and the British Film Institute, in June 2021 and has over ten years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, across strategy, corporate development and investments.

Nick Cavander, Investment Manager at Creative UK also joined the panel, bringing a deep and first-hand knowledge of TV and Film production that helps support screen investment clients with industry insight as well as financial acumen.

For more information about LIAF, visit http://www.liaf.org.uk/