A London company that turns Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler picture books such as The Gruffalo and Zog into half-hour animated films for the BBC and families around the world.
Magic Light Pictures makes animated films from much-loved children's books. It is best known for adapting the picture books of author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. The list runs from The Gruffalo in 2009 through The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Zog, The Snail and the Whale, Superworm, Tabby McTat and Tiddler. It also made Revolting Rhymes, Pip and Posy and The Velveteen Rabbit. Many of these were half-hour specials that appear on the BBC at Christmas, and they are shown in many countries.
Founders Michael Rose and Martin Pope were reading The Gruffalo to their own children in the mid-2000s and spent about four years pitching an adaptation. Wikipedia says the company was founded in 2003 under the earlier name Orange Eyes. The founders have said they chose the half-hour special because it was the best way to carry the values of a book. Mr Pope has said "if we stay true to what we want to do, quality will out", and Mr Rose has said every decision was meant to keep the characters relevant in 50 years or more. We found no formal mission statement, so those quotes are the nearest thing.
Magic Light is described as a London animation studio. Wikipedia also lists Stirling Animation Studio in Scotland as a subsidiary, though we did not read a first-party page confirming how it works now. The company works with co-producers across Europe, including Blue Zoo Animation Studio in London, and with partners such as the BBC and ZDF in Germany. It also runs its own international distribution team and has worked with partners on products, books, trails in Forestry England woodlands and live experiences.
The founders have described Magic Light as a boutique company, meaning small and carefully run. They say they keep creative control and talk to the authors at key moments while keeping the freedom to make the films their way. In one interview they explained that they raised money privately for The Gruffalo so they could keep that control. Company materials say its films have won more than 40 awards, including BAFTAs, International Emmys and Oscar nominations. Those are the company's and its sources' claims, not our own checks.
Roles in a company like this include producers, who plan and finance each film, development executives who find and shape stories, directors and writers, and artists, animators and composers, mostly hired by co-producing studios. Magic Light also needs distribution, licensing and finance people, and it has an in-house team that sells its films abroad. If you love picture books, illustration, drawing and storytelling, it shows how a single book can become a film, then merchandise and trails.
Website: www.magiclightpictures.com
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