Wildseed Studios Unveil New Content
Wildseed Studios’ ambition to become the home of British animation for grown-ups and female character comedy took a step closer today as they unveiled the first episodes from two brand new shows on their YouTube channel.
The next-generation content and talent incubator, co-founded by Miles Bullough, former Head of Broadcast at Aardman Animations and former BBC creative executive Jesse Cleverly, promises a constant flow of new content on their YouTube channel with new episodes released every week and a new project every month.
The first project to go live is an adult animation based on the comic strips of Ralph Kidson who has been drawing and contributing to underground comics as long as he can remember. “It was Ralph’s writing and irreverent, dry social commentary as much as his comic-man-ship that stood out.” said Cleverly. Wildseed Studios is making animations based on three of Ralph’s strips: Animal Job Centre, which features an unemployed squirrel trying to navigate the job market, God and Jesus where God explains his plans to Jesus for his latest miracle, and Battle at Serengeti where punchy and loutish animals launch into foul-mouthed tirades against each other at the slightest provocation.
Battle at Serengeti full episode
Following Ralph Kidson’s cartoons will be pilots for new animated series for grown-ups from recent Wildseed signings The Spin Kick Brothers, Nicholas Bowe, Joel Veitch & David Shute and a comic book from cult comic artist and illustrator Jack Teagle.
Miles Bullough said “It is telling that there is no category for Adult Animation at the British Animation Awards this year. There is also a misconception in the British broadcasting community that British adult animation ‘doesn’t work’. Wildseed Studios is here to demonstrate that there is a new generation of UK talent ready to discredit this idea!”
Speaking about Wildseed Studios’ new shows co-founder Jesse Cleverly said: “We want our YouTube channel to be known as the destination for fearless, experimental, raw, exciting and original British comedy and animation that we hope will be an antidote to the light-enertainment-isation of comedy that we see everywhere. With comedians selling out the O2 and dodging their taxes it feels like that moment in the 70’s when the ubiquity of the so-called super-groups spawned the birth of punk. There is a lot of anger and frustration amongst the new generation of creators graduating from school and university with limited prospects for meaningful employment – we want help that generation vent that anger through our investment in their work”.
Speaking of Wildseed Studios’ ambition, Jesse Cleverly said: “with over 500 ideas submitted and 14 pilots already in the works – we look forward to 2014 in the certain knowledge that Wildseed Studios has only just begun the work of empowering the next generation of creators to make great work. “
Bullough summarised Wildseed’s strategy: “Wildseed Studios is not interested in being perfect first-time; we are interested in empowering talent and engaging with communities of fans to better understand what works most. We believe that in the on-demand media age, the current diet of marketing-driven broadcasting will be replaced by extraordinary, original content, which is driven by word of mouth on social media networks. Wildseed Studios intends to be a pathfinder for this movement”.
Wildseed Studios is looking for creators to submit their original ideas in four genres: Genre Fiction (Sci-Fi/horror/fantasy), Animation for adults, Character Comedy and Kids 6-11. Creatives can submit their idea here http://wildseedstudios.com/sending-ideas-to-wildseed
Jake is a Researcher and Interactive developer at Wonky Films and the face behind all of Show Me The Animation’s online platforms and website. So if it breaks he’s probably to blame! Aside from running the SMTA online, Jake make’s interactive things for Wonky Films.
