Frank Cottrell-Boyce returns to the Children’s Media Conference 2025 to deliver Opening Keynote

The Children’s Laureate will open the conference on Tuesday 8 July.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, screenwriter for film and TV, award-winning novelist and the current Children’s Laureate returns to The Children’s Media Conference (CMC) to deliver the Opening Keynote on 8 July 2025. Frank is the first keynote speaker to return to CMC, having spoken brilliantly in 2013 about his unique role as writer on the London Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. 

CMC has invited Frank in recognition of his unique contribution to the lives of children and young people, his passionate support of the people who make content for them and his razor-sharp observations on creativity, culture, content and the young. Exactly one year into his Laureateship, Frank will reflect on the troubling times we live in and how the children’s media community can step up to the challenges and still shake things up for kids.

Greg Childs OBE, Editorial Director at CMC expressed his particular enthusiasm for Frank Cottrell-Boyce opening the Children’s Media Conference in 2025.

In times like these, when the children’s media business is full of uncertainties, and the world itself seems a colder, darker place, Frank’s clear-sighted humanity and passion for bringing the best to young people is what we need to inspire us to shake off the blues and keep going. Because the kids need us to.

Greg Childs OBE, Editorial Director at The Children’s Media Conference

Award-winning author and screenwriter, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, is the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-2026. He is the author of ‘Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth’, ‘The Astounding Broccoli Boy’, ‘Cosmic’, ‘Framed’, and ‘Millions’, the last of which was a New York Times bestseller and was made into a movie by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle. His books have won, or been nominated for, numerous awards including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, and the Whitbread Children’s Book Award. Frank is also a screenwriter, having penned the scripts for a number of feature films including ’24 Hour Party People’ and ‘Millions’ as well as the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

CMC’s 2025 event will include a packed schedule of masterclasses and panels tackling the urgent issues facing the children’s media industry and young audiences. The conference’s sessions and networking events will take place at the Showroom Cinema, the City Hall and other venues in Sheffield.

After the conference delegates will have access to the entire event on video with complete coverage of all the topics explored in Sheffield, including research insights in “Understanding Kids”, the ever-popular practical strand “The Art of…”, “Inclusivity Now” panels which offer deep understanding of the routes to diversity and inclusion, and a new strand “Digital Discussions” with insights into how to work with the platforms where kids are consuming their content. Once again the range of speakers will be enhanced by a new influx of international guests including broadcasters, producers and distributors from Europe, Canada and the USA, who will also attend the CMC International Exchange one-day market on Tuesday 8 July – live again in Sheffield Town Hall.

Tickets for CMC 2025 are now on sale, with the Early Bird discount open to all until 6 May. Details on registration and delegate pass rates are available at: www.thechildrensmediaconference.com

Urgent action needed to protect distinctly British content as MPs call on Government to ramp up support across film and high-end TV industry

The Culture, Media & Sport Committee has published the British film and high-end television report.

• Report outlines steps to maintain overseas investment while safeguarding culturally distinct British productions.
• Independent Film Tax Credit a game-changer but not a silver bullet for all the problems facing independent British film.
• Committee makes recommendations on tax incentives, supporting workforce, independent cinemas and meeting challenges posed by AI.

Tax breaks and a streamer levy should be on the table as part of an urgent package of support for the UK’s crisis-hit high quality drama sector, MPs say today, in a wide-ranging report which urges the Government to step up the assistance it provides for all elements of British film and high-end television.

Today’s report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee welcomes the Government’s stated ambition to make the UK the best place to make film and high-end television, but warns that there must be no complacency over its status as a global production hub and calls for a regular assessment of tax incentives to maintain investment from overseas.

At the same time, the report recommends a series of measures to halt the decline of domestic production of culturally distinct British film and programmes, which has failed to keep pace with the headline-grabbing growth of big box office productions financed and controlled from outside the UK.

While the introduction last year of the Independent Film Tax Credit – as called for by the previous committee in the last Parliament – was a welcome first step for the film industry, the report says the Government should go further, or producers will continue to struggle to develop and raise finance for films, and those that are made will not be seen by audiences. The Committee calls for a tax credit to support the distribution of lower-budget films, among other measures to support independent film.

The Committee further warns that without urgent intervention, the problems seen in independent film will extend to the domestic high-end TV sector, where competition from high-budget overseas production is driving up costs, revenue models are changing due to the terms offered by streamers and commissioning budgets of public service broadcasters are being squeezed by a fall in the licence fee and drop in advertising revenue.

The report outlines evidence that this has put distinctly British content, which is vital to the UK’s identity, national conversations and talent pipeline, under threat.

Evidence to the inquiry from ‘Wolf Hall’ director Peter Kosminsky warned that recent hit ‘The Mirror and the Light’ would not have been made today due to funding challenges, while ‘Black Doves’ and ‘Kaos’ producer Jane Featherstone told the Committee that the business models of streamers dictate that shows need to have global appeal to be made.

The Committee’s report therefore calls for enhanced tax incentives for domestic high-end TV, and for streamers, such as Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+ and Disney+, which benefit from the creativity of British producers, to put their money where their mouth is by committing to pay 5% of their UK subscriber revenue into a cultural fund to help finance drama with a specific interest to British audiences.

The report also makes a range of recommendations on how to bolster skills and worker rights in the industry, citing the many hardworking and talented people who work in the sector as a key reason for its success. It reinforces the recommendation of the last committee for the Government to appoint a Freelancers’ Commissioner.

On support for cinemas, the Committee says the Government should introduce a core funding model for culturally significant independent cinemas to mitigate the cost pressures, changing audience behaviours and under-investment in people and infrastructure that have threatened many communities’ cinemas.

The report also says that the Government should require licensing of creative works in all cases where they are used to train AI models.

Big box-office blockbusters made in Britain have showcased the UK’s world-class film and high-end television industry like never before. But the boom in inward investment of recent years now risks crowding out our many talented independent British producers. While streamers like Netflix and Amazon have proved a valuable addition for the industry and economy, unless the Government urgently intervenes to rebalance the playing field, for every ‘Adolescence’ adding to the national conversation, there will be countless distinctly British stories that never make it to our screens.

From independent production through to cinemas, all parts of our film and high-end TV sector, and the talented people that make it such a success, are going through a turbulent time. To neglect just one part puts the entire ecosystem at risk, so it’s therefore vital that the Government goes further and faster across the board to support an industry that is so important to both our economy and our soft power overseas.

Today’s report sets out a way forward for the Government to put the name of the UK film and television industry up in lights around the world as the very best place to do business and to work, by offering the right tax incentives, tackling skills shortages, improving worker rights and making sure the rise of AI is a positive force, not a disincentive to investment.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee

The report’s key findings and recommendations

The future of British film – page 7

• The Independent Film Tax Credit is a gamechanger for domestic production and a welcome sign of continued Government commitment to the sector. But it is not a silver bullet for all the problems facing independent British film. Without further intervention, producers will still struggle to develop and raise finance for films, and the films that are made will not be seen by audiences.

• On tax changes, the report makes recommendations on amending the definition of R&D for tax relief purposes for the creative industries and introducing tax relief for the print and advertising costs of films to support distribution and exhibition.
• On funding, there should also be a review of the impact of changes to the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and an increase in the budget for the UK Global Screen Fund, with the UK looking to rejoin Creative Europe as an associate member.

The crisis in domestic high-end television – page 17

• Domestic HETV needs to be supported through enhanced tax incentives just as independent film has been. The BFI should urgently conduct analysis on the potential design and return on investment of a targeted uplift to HETV AVEC for domestic productions with budgets of £1 million to £3 million per hour. The Government should commit to introducing the measure at the next fiscal event if the projected return on investment and impact on domestic production is found to be positive.

• The dynamic between independent producers and streamers is not sustainable, and successful production companies are being gutted by deals that deny them the ability to fully monetise their intellectual property. The Government should consider ways that British producers can retain a greater share of IP rights when working with streaming platforms.

• Streamers laud the UK’s mixed production ecology, with public service broadcasters and independent producers at its heart, but their business practices are putting that at risk. They need to step up their support for the making of culturally British content, and not just reap the cultural and training benefits it provides. All streaming platforms that operate in the UK should pay a 5% levy on their UK subscriber revenue into a cultural fund administered by the BFI to support domestic production. If the industry does not voluntarily establish the fund within a year, the Government should introduce a statutory levy.

Incentivising inward investment – page 28

• Twice a year, the Government should compare the UK’s film and HETV tax incentives with those of other countries. Where the UK’s offer is found to be less competitive, the Government should bring forward any changes to maintain overall competitiveness.

Supporting the workforce – page 39

• From our world-class actors, writers, composers and directors to our highly skilled VFX artists and dedicated, hair and make-up professionals, costume designers and technical crew members, the people that make, distribute and exhibit British films and HETV programmes are a key reason the industry is a global success story.

• The Committee is not convinced ScreenSkills is up to the challenge of delivering meaningful action on skills and training and the Government should link any future public funding to specific, measurable outcomes based on it publishing and meeting ambitious and robust performance indicators.

• The Committee is surprised that major streamers and studios could not give a straight answer on how much they spend on training. There should be a statutory requirement for the entire film and HETV production industry to report their spending on skills and training as a percentage of their production budgets every financial year.
• The range of roles required to make film and HETV means entire cohorts of sixth- form students could find jobs in the industry that fit their skills and interests. The Government and BFI should launch a national awareness campaign highlighting the employment opportunities offered by film and HETV, and the range of skills the industry requires.

• The British film and HETV industry benefits hugely from the flexibility afforded by a predominantly freelance workforce, but in return both it and the Government need to do more to support freelancers when they are out of work. The Government should set out specific measures to address pay precarity and the Committee repeats the call of the predecessor committee for the appointment of a Freelancers’ Commissioner.

• It is in the film and HETV industry’s interests to tackle bullying and harassment through effective self-regulation. All parts of the creative industries under the remit of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) should commit to unconditional, long-term funding within six months. In the meantime, the Government should explore all options for funding CIISA in case the industry does not deliver a voluntary solution.

Cinema exhibition – page 63

• The Government should review the impact of a permanent cut to VAT on entry to cultural events, including cinema tickets, to identify whether it would support the growth of the creative industries.
• The Government should fund the BFI’s proposals to deliver core funding, similar to Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation model, for independent cinemas. This should include a capital funding pot to upgrade cinemas’ infrastructure and improve their energy efficiency.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence – page 73

• Industry guidelines based around protecting human creativity in the use of generative AI are welcome, but the film and TV sectors are calling out for help to embrace the growth potential of generative AI in a way that is fair, responsible and legally compliant. At the Spending Review, the Government should fund the BFI’s development of an AI observatory and tech demonstrator hub.

• Getting the balance between AI development and copyright wrong will undermine the growth of our film and HETV sectors, and wider creative industries. Proceeding with an ‘opt-out’ regime stands to damage the UK’s reputation among inward investors for our previously gold-standard copyright and IP framework.

The work of the BFI – page 83

• Too often the BFI’s responsibilities have been expanded by the Government without a commensurate, long-term increase in the grant-in-aid support available to it. That has put the UK’s reputation with inward investors at risk and could undermine the growth of the vital sectors under its remit.

• The Government should review how National Lottery returns for good causes are allocated between distributing bodies by the end of the 2025-26 financial year.
• To safeguard our national collection of film and TV, and increase public access to it, the Government should introduce and resource a statutory deposit scheme for the moving image, as a first step conducting and publishing research into how it would operate.

Read the full British film and high-end television report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee here.

All Spring Media launches Talent Pool to connect crew with industry opportunities

All Spring Media launched its Talent Pool on 19 February at the Film and TV Charity in Soho, with the aim of bridging the gap between skilled professionals and the ever-evolving screen industry, providing learners with direct pathways to employment and career growth.

The launch event brought together learners, trainers, and industry partners, all eager to learn more about the Talent Pool and the opportunities it offers.

Marcus Ryder MBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Film and TV Charity, delivered the welcome words, highlighting the importance of focusing on the wellbeing of crew members in the film industry. He emphasised that 30% of those working in the industry suffer from loneliness, a striking contrast to the national average of 8% among adults in England. His remarks underscored the need for greater support for mental health and wellbeing. The Film and TV Charity opens its doors to support everyone behind the scenes in film and TV, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to improving the lives of those who often go unseen in the industry.

Beyond the informative sessions, the event was a fantastic opportunity for networking and fostering meaningful connections among professionals at different stages of their careers. Learners engaged with industry experts, exchanged experiences, and built relationships that will be instrumental in their professional journeys.

We are incredibly excited to officially launch our Talent Pool to support our learners in securing meaningful roles within the industry. By working closely with our industry partners, we are creating real opportunities for skilled professionals to take the next step in their careers. Our mission is clear: ‘Empowering Talent, Inspiring Growth, Building Futures within the Screen Industry’.

Martina Porter, Managing Director of All Spring Media

The All Spring Media Talent Pool will continue to grow and evolve, ensuring it remains a key resource for both talented crew and employers looking for qualified professionals.

For more information about the Talent Pool and how to get involved, visit https://allspringmedia.co.uk/

Kidscreen Awards 2025: Winners announced

At a high-profile Kidscreen Awards ceremony hosted by comedian and television personality Jessi Cruickshank, the year’s best work in children’s television and digital media was announced and celebrated at Kidscreen Summit 2025 in San Diego.

Determined by two panels of esteemed industry judges, awards in the programming categories were given to the following entries:

PROGRAMMING – PRESCHOOL

Best Animated Series

Hey Duggee

BBC Studios Kids & Family, Studio AKA

Best Live-Action Series

Saïd & Anna

Phanta Basta!, INDI Film

Best Mixed-Media Series

Beep & Mort (season 2)

Windmill Pictures, ABC Australia

Best New Series

Silly Sundays

Cartoon Saloon

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie

Bluey: The Sign

BBC Studios Kids & Family, Ludo Studio, ABC Australia

Best Holiday or Special Episode

“Mickey and Friends Trick or Treats” (Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures)

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, Disney Branded Television

Best Inclusivity

Let’s Go, Bananas!

9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films

Best Podcast

The Cat in the Hat Cast

Wondery, Story Pirates, Dr. Seuss Enterprises

Best in Class

Gabby’s Dollhouse

DreamWorks Animation, Netflix

---

PROGRAMMING – KIDS

Best Animated Series

LEGO Pixar

LEGO Entertainment, Atomic Cartoons

Best Live-Action Series The Really Loud House Nickelodeon

Best Mixed-Media Series

Ahlan Simsim

Sesame Workshop, Jordan Pioneers

Best New Series

Max & the Midknights

Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie

Orion and the Dark

DreamWorks Animation, Netflix

Best Holiday or Special Episode

“‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas” (The Loud House)

Nickelodeon Animation Studios

Best Inclusivity

Choir

Disney Branded Television, Imagine Documentaries, Blumhouse Entertainment

Best Podcast

Disney Frozen: Forces of Nature

Disney Publishing, ABC Audio

Best in Class

Orion and the Dark

DreamWorks Animation, Netflix

---

PROGRAMMING – TWEENS/TEENS

Best Animated Series

Bob’s Burgers

20th Television Animation

Best Live-Action Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender Netflix, Nickelodeon

Best New Series

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

20th Television, Disney Branded Television

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie

Super Bowl LVIII: Live from Bikini Bottom Nickelodeon

Best Inclusivity

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Netflix, Nickelodeon

Best Podcast

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Nickelodeon Podcasts, Nickelodeon Digital Studios, Gideon Media

Best in Class

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Netflix, Nickelodeon

---

There is also a set of Kidscreen Awards categories designed to spotlight the best efforts made by broadcasters to build stronger connections with kids and family audiences around the world. These winners were decided through an online vote by Kidscreen magazine and Kidscreen Daily subscribers that took place in December.

BROADCASTING

Channel of the Year

PBS KIDS

Best Kids-Only Streaming Service

TVOKids

---

And rounding out the Kidscreen Awards program is a set of digital categories for preschool (ages zero to five) and kids (ages six and up). Here are the winners:

DIGITAL – PRESCHOOL

Best Website

PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS

Best Web/App Series—Original

Zip and the Tiny Sprouts

Tiny Souls, K Love U Bye

Best Web/App Series—Branded

Bluey Book Reads

BBC Studios Digital Brands, Ludo Studio

Best Learning App—Original

Funexpected Math Funexpected

Best Learning App—Branded

PAW Patrol Academy

Spin Master

Best Game App—Branded

PBS KIDS Games

PBS KIDS

Best YouTube Channel

Bluey

BBC Studios, Ludo Studio

Best Alternative Game

Donkey Hodie: Cousin Hodie Playdate

Fred Rogers Productions, Curious Media

---

DIGITAL – KIDS

Best Website

CBC Kids News CBC Kids

Best Web/App Series—Original

Tiny Time Travel

Easy As Pie Productions, Marobru Productions

Best Web/App Series—Branded (TIE)

How NOT to Draw

Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television

LEGO City: No Limits

LEGO Entertainment, Blue Zoo

Best Learning App—Branded

The Angry Birds Collection

Rovio Entertainment, Legends of Learning

Best Game App—Branded

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2

Paramount Games, GameMill

Best YouTube Channel

SpongeBob SquarePants

Nickelodeon

Best Alternative Game

Toca Boca World

Spin Master

---

For more details, visit awards.kidscreen.com.

MOVE Summit 2025 programme revealed

MOVE Summit, Scotland’s animation and VFX gathering, returns this year to the historic Pleasance Courtyard from 19 to 21 February 2025.

The conference brings local industry leaders, international creatives, students, and educators to Edinburgh to celebrate industry successes and inspire the next generation of artists.

MOVE Summit boasts three days of talks, workshops, creative reviews, screenings, recruitment, networking, and business development. The Emerging Talent Day (Wednesday 19th February) is dedicated to students, with a programme focused on industry-ready skill development. MOVE’s Industry Days (Thursday 20th and Friday 21st February) bring together practitioners from all over the UK and beyond, highlighting Scotland’s work to a global audience.

This year’s industry schedule features keynote presentations from:

• Chris McDonald (Visualisation Supervisor, Framestore), delving into the craft of previs, techvis and postvis and demonstrating how these techniques were instrumental in developing iconic scenes from Jon M. Chu’s critically acclaimed film Wicked.
• Director Mike Mitchell, taking the audience on a journey through his illustrious career, including his work on many major IP’s including Shrek, Madagascar, Lego, Spongebob Squarepants, and many more.
• Renfrewshire-born James Hodgart (Environmental Model Supervisor, Walt Disney Animation Studios), will speak about his work in 3D environments over the last decade, including recent projects Moana 2 and Disney+’s upcoming Tiana series.
• Maurissa Horwitz (Lead Editor, Pixar) will take delegates behind the scenes of Inside Out 2, sharing how the iconic alarm scene came to life and which new emotions were left on the cutting room floor.

Other notable highlights from the programme include a talk from Blinkink’s Bart Yates on the company’s journey from a boutique production company into an original development studio, creating unique IPs for film, TV and games, while Stephen McNally will take attendees through the adventure of creating HBO mixed media special Peter & the Wolf.

Kate O’Connor (Executive Chair, Animation UK) will join the conference to outline the Animation Blueprint for Growth – a strategic roadmap designed to drive both local and UK-wide growth of the animation industry, inviting delegates to take part in the debate on shaping the future of UK animation.

From Nexus Studios, Hannah Lau-Walker will explore the intersection of her personal and commissioned work, while Deborah Casswell will lead delegates on an enlightening journey into the development and creation of the immersive mindfulness experience Headspace XR.

Ben Krolick (Head of Animation, MPC) will host an exclusive look into MPC’s work in high-end visual effects and animation, including behind-the-scenes glimpses at Mufasa: The Lion King and insights into the cutting-edge techniques shaping the future of animation.

Victor Paredes (Animator & Product Manager, Moho Animation) will demonstrate how to create 2D animation in new non-traditional ways, using examples from Scavenger’s Reign, My Father’s Dragon and Wolfwalkers. Delegates can also trial the software for themselves and gain first-hand guidance from Victor in a special workshop hosted during the conference.

Sam Taylor and Abe Coyne (REALTIME) will walk delegates through a full rigging walkthrough with KineFX and APEX in Houdini, as well as leading a deep-dive into the world of character cloth simulation in a workshop perfect for CFX artists, technical animators, and anyone refining their cloth sim skills.

Meanwhile, Dane Winn (Blue Zoo Animation) will provide an up-close look at an exciting inhouse R&D project to create a one-click facial rig that can accommodate a vast array of animation styles.

Creative Sprouts’ Marion Edwards and Chris Rose will lead a deep-dive into the kids’ animation landscape in 2025, providing insights and tips to help stand out from the crowd, while My SMASH Media’s Christine Hartland and Fiona Gillies will guide delegates through the process of pitching a project confidently and successfully in an informative workshop.

MOVE attendees can also enroll in ‘Networking for the Anxious’, a relaxed roundtable-style workshop led by screenwriter. playwright and author Ross Mackay and psychologist and hypnotherapist Alan Freeburn.

Navigating the funding landscape can be extremely challenging, and MOVE aims to demystify the process with panel discussions covering both traditional and non-traditional founding routes for animated projects. Delegates can hear about the BFI’s UK Global Screen Fund with first-hand case studies from companies who’ve been supported, plus representatives from the BFI, Screen Scotland, UKRI and the Edge competition will provide the lowdown on their available opportunities.

1:1 meeting opportunities continue to be an important part of the MOVE experience, and the conference has introduced Pitch Prep 1:1s to the Business@MOVE strand this year. Attendees will have the opportunity to test their show pitches on a selection of industry experts in an intimate 10-minute 1-to-1 format, receiving vital feedback and top tips on how to improve.

Returning for 2025 is also MOVE’s live pitching showcase, where a selected shortlist of creatives pitch their show concepts in front of a panel of industry experts and commissioners – as well as a live audience! Participants will receive invaluable feedback on their pitches and concepts as well as the chance to win a cash prize.

MOVE’s 2025 short films in competition programme include work from Duncan Rudd, Will Anderson, Sarah Beeby and Sammi Duong to name just a few, and there’ll be a chance to hear from several of the selected filmmakers themselves during a Skwigly Animation Podcast event taking place at the conference. Attendees will also be treated to an early preview screening of Gints Zilbalodis’ animated feature Flow, which has received multiple nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

As always, MOVE’s Emerging Talent Day on Wednesday 19th February provides a unique opportunity for the UK’s animation students to learn from international industry professionals. This year’s Emerging Talent Day speakers include Maurissa Horwitz (Pixar), Bart Yates (Blinkink), plus representatives from Scottish studio Wild Child Animation. Students will also be treated to a live demonstration with acclaimed 2D animator and animation director Peter Dodd, and Cécile Blondel (GOBELINS) will draw on 35 years of experience in teaching and programme development to explore the critical intersection of education and industry.

Plus, students will have the exciting opportunity to take part in MOVE’s annual Creative Challenge which this year will be set by director Mike Mitchell and feature mentors from animation studios such as Wild Child, Eyebolls and Cahoots.

MOVE Summit 2025 is made possible thanks to the generous support of the event’s funders and partners, who include Screen Scotland, Rockstar Games, Wild Child Animation, SideFX, Wacom and Moho Animation.

The full conference agenda is expected to be released within the coming days. Visit https://movesummit.co.uk for more information.

Scotland leads the way in animated film this February with wave of festivals

In Scotland, Manipulate Festival, MOVE SUMMIT, Glasgow Film Theatre and Glasgow Film Festival will take place across the month.

As Scotland’s international reputation as a leader in cinema goes from strength to strength, this February will see a great month for animated film take shape across the country, with exciting projects taking place at the anticipated Manipulate Festival (12 – 15 February, Edinburgh), MOVE SUMMIT (19 – 21 February, Edinburgh), Glasgow Film Theatre and Glasgow Film Festival (26 February – 9 March, Glasgow) – in addition to further events at Dundee Contemporary Arts and Skye Community Cinema.

Manipulate Festival

Embarking on its 18th festival edition, Manipulate Festival (Scotland’s annual celebration of international and UK animated film, puppetry, and visual theatre) will return to Edinburgh for a lively four-day programme including 3 short film programmes, 2 feature films, 2 Open Studios, 15 live works and installations, and 6 workshops, running Wednesday 12 – Saturday 15 February 2025 across some of the city’s most cherished arts venues.

In animation highlights, Manipulate Festival will screen the first ever stop-motion title to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival (2009) A Town Called Panic (Panique Au Village), in addition to three curated international shorts programmes – From ‘La Fantasmagorie’ to the Future, a retrospective of French and Francophone animated cinema from the first animated cartoon in 1908 through to the present day; On the Edge, a programme of animated shorts from the circumpolar north, highlighting the relationship of communities in the very north of our planet to a changing climate, co-curated with Take One Action Festivals; and Queer Stories, a showcase of the very best LGBTQAI+ animated stories from around the world, curated in partnership with Sanctuary Queer Arts.

The festival-favourite travelling cinema for one – ‘One Bum Cinema Club’ – will also return this year, showcasing a selection of acclaimed international family-friendly shorts in an 8-week tour of Edinburgh libraries from 30 January.

MOVE Summit

Also coming to Edinburgh is MOVE Summit 2025, taking place 19 – 21 February 2025 at The Pleasance.

MOVE brings together all sectors of the UK animation/CGI industry, from 2D & 3D animation to VFX and AR / VR, covering all media including film, TV, advertising, and games. The annual conference will showcase some of the best current work across the industry, offering a place for industry leaders, practitioners, and technology providers to connect, be inspired, and learn in the heart of Edinburgh’s creative capital.

Spanning 3 days, MOVE Summit 2025 will host a series of keynote talks, workshops, creative reviews, screenings, demos, networking, and parties – all to celebrate the joy of ‘making things move’. This year’s keynote speakers include Framestore Visualisation Supervisor Chris McDonald, who’ll discuss his work on Jon M. Chu’s critically acclaimed Wicked; and Pixar Lead Editor Maurissa Horwitz, who will offer a peek behind-the-scenes of Inside Out 2. Delegates will also be treated to ‘The Animated Life of Mike Mitchell’, with the man himself talking us through his incredible career working on some of the biggest films in the world; and Renfrewshire-born James Hodgart (Walt Disney Animation Studios) will speak about his journey in 3D environments, including his recent work on Moana 2.

The full conference programme is expected to be revealed within the coming week, with details on currently confirmed guest speakers already available on the MOVE Summit website.

Glasgow Film Theatre

Glasgow’s iconic home for independent cinema, Glasgow Film Theatre will also show two animated films by Oscar-winning animation writer and director Adam Elliot from 14 February – 20 February.

Winner of the Best Film award at last year’s BFI London Film Festival, and nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, Memoir of a Snail is a poignant, heartfelt, hilarious chronicle of the life of an outsider finding her confidence and silver linings amongst the clutter of everyday life. A love letter to misfits everywhere, the film boasts an all-star cast including Sarah Snook (Succession), Kodi Smit-Mcphee (The Power of the Dog), Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) and a memorable guest appearance by Nick Cave.

To celebrate this new release, Glasgow Film Theatre will also screen Elliot’s captivating first feature film, Mary and Max. A story spanning 20 years and two continents, Adam Elliot’s debut explores the unlikely pen-pal relationship between two very different people: Mary Dinkle (Toni Collette), a chubby, lonely 8-year-old living in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia; and Max Horovitz (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a severely obese, 44-year-old Jewish man with Asperger’s Syndrome, living in the chaos of New York City.

Glasgow Film Festival

Running 26 February – 9 March, the Glasgow Film Festival will bring their talent development scheme ‘Animatic’ to the capital – a major industry initiative that supports Scotland-based creatives and studios in developing their animated feature film, series, or short film ideas for an international audience. Nine projects from Scotland-based creatives will take part in a six-month training programme including workshops, one-to-one meetings, and pitching training delivered by executives from leading animation and screen organisations, such as Aardman, Netflix, BBC, Paramount – Nickelodeon & Milkshake!, Mackinnon & Saunders, Annecy Festival’s MIFA Talent, Jellyfish Pictures, Sky Kids, Blink Industries, Screen Scotland, Warner Bros Discovery, Bang 2 Write, Wild Child Animation and My SMASH Media.

Participating in ‘Animatic’ this year are British Animation Award-winning animator Iain Gardner, whose film A Bear Named Wojtek was shortlisted for the 2025 Academy Awards for Animated Short Film, who will be developing his family-friendly sitcom, Badger Beats, starring gay badgers Mustard & Ketchup; and BAFTA and BIFA-nominated screenwriter Hannah Kelso, who will be developing her adult animated comedy series Overlords, which follows a family of shapeshifting reptilians on a secret mission to enslave the human race.

Dundee Contemporary Arts

In Dundee, DCA’s February cinema programme will welcome a series of award-winning animation. Family audiences will be able to enjoy The Red Turtle and The Wild Robot – both with their own special ticket offers – whilst older animated film fans can explore Ghost Cat Anzu and the Oscar nominated Memoir of a Snail.

Skye Community Cinema

On the Isle of Skye, Friday 7 February, Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail will also be shown in the Skye Community Cinema as part of their February programme, and will be accompanied by a short film by Scottish animator Cat Bruce and a post-show discussion.

Get Animated 25 announces Day Two Keynote

Get Animated Conference has announced the moderator and speakers for the Associations Keynote on Day Two, which includes Animation UK.

Get Animated Business of Animation 2025 Conference will take place on the 1-2 April at the Millennium Point Conference Centre in Birmingham.

The Day Two Keynote will be made up of animation associations, and moderated by Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children’s and Education at BBC Studios. Ronan McCabe, CEO of Animation Ireland, Philippe Alessandri, Chair of Animation in Europe, and Kate O’Connor, Executive Chair of Animation UK, will take to the stage to talk about market conditions and future planning for the animation industry.

Get Animated 25 is a two-day business conference with a new international market place for the global animation industry, and a diverse range of business seminars and panels planned, with a wealth of experience from international panellists.

I am not sure if I have seen a panel of just heads of associations, so I am delighted we have Europe, Ireland and the UK all taking part, this should be an informative keynote panel and will be beneficial to the audience to hear what is happening in Europe, Ireland and the UK.

Ryan Beaird, Event Director at Get Animated

Industry Early bird tickets will end on 31 January. There is also a few student tickets available. For tickets and registration, see their website: www.GetAnimated.uk

Escape Studios announces Escapeverse Live

A new era for The VFX Festival, Escapeverse Live showcases the best of the screen industries, from visual effects through to animation and games.

Escape Studios, one of the UK’s leading animation, games and VFX schools, has announced a new virtual event, Escapeverse Live. Taking place online between 24^th and 27^th February 2025, Escapeverse Live is a fresh chapter in the legacy of The VFX Festival, offering a virtual gateway to valuable insights, careers advice and industry knowledge.

Hosted by Escape Studios, and with a new online format spanning across four days, Escapeverse Live will bring together audiences from around the world, giving them unparalleled access to top industry leaders and engaging panels, alongside unique networking opportunities for new graduates and young professionals.

Attendees will gain insider perspectives on award-winning productions and groundbreaking projects from industry experts, including:

• Debbie Ross, Executive Producer, Producer and Co-Founder of Hydra Studios
• Roberto Geroli, Core Technology Director of Creative Assembly
• Kiril Jakimov, Real-time VFX Artist at Playground Games
• Noélie Prost, Senior Game Designer at Creative Assembly
• Hayden Jones, Visual Effects Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic
• David Dunn, VFX Supervisor, and Sam Dubery, VFX Producer at BlueBolt
• Amy Ash, Freelance Character Supervisor, Art Director and Vis Dev Concept Sculptor (Love, Death and Robots, Tales of Runeterra, Diablo Immortal)
• Adam Dewhirst, Freelance Lead Modeller (Tenet, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, The Dark Knight, World War Z, Guardians of the Galaxy)  

The VFX Festival has always been a cornerstone of our calendar. As Escape Studios has grown from being a specialist in VFX to an international hub for animation, games, immersive experiences and creative technology, it was time for the festival to evolve. Escapeverse Live marks a new chapter that celebrates creativity, innovation and collaboration on a global scale.”=

Professor Ian Palmer, Principal of Escape Studios

Escapeverse Live is free to attend and will be held entirely online between 24^th and 27^th February 2025, making it accessible to aspiring and established creatives worldwide. Further details, including the full agenda and ticket registration, are available here.

Registration opens for largest edition of the Media Production and Technology Show

The UK’s authoritative event for the broadcast media, production and technology industry returns in 2025 with an expanded programme of content, an interactive exhibition showcasing the hottest industry products and exclusive networking opportunities.

MPTS (Media Production & Technology Show) has announced that registration is now live for the 2025 show, which returns to Olympia London from 14-15 May bigger and better than ever. Now taking place across two levels within the Grand Hall, the UK’s premier event for the broadcast media, production and technology industry introduces an exciting new AI Media Zone, an all-new Broadcast Sport Zone and additional space to network with colleagues and peers, alongside another packed seminar programme supported by SMPTE, BAFTA albert and the cream of creative talent.

Following a record-breaking year in 2024, MPTS 2025 is set to host 300 exhibitors and sponsors, 100 live sessions and 12,000 attendees from 52 different countries. MPTS invites professionals from across Europe and around the world to discover, inform and engage with the hottest trends and up-to-the-moment technologies in production, audio, post, sports broadcasting and virtual filmmaking, while connecting with some of the most inspiring practitioners in the business.

Visitor registration is now open for MPTS 2025 at: https://www.mediaproductionshow.com/registration 

Visitors will find an expanded gallery level offers additional networking areas and more space for The Media Technology Conference, which returns for the second year running, in partnership with SMPTE. Debuting for 2025 is a Broadcast Sport Zone featuring exhibitors and networking dedicated to live sports. There will also be sessions focused on sports content production running throughout the seminar programme. Also new this year is an AI Media Zone featuring a dedicated theatre, exhibition area with stands and demo pods and a sponsor lounge for networking, ensuring attendees have the insights and contacts they need to stay ahead of this rapidly evolving technology. 

We can’t wait to bring the industry the event this year, which with the many new features we’re bringing to the show floor will be bigger and better than ever! MPTS is the authoritative destination for creatives and technologists to unite and share in the future of the UK’s media and entertainment industry, accessible to all as registration and our leading content programme remain free. Not only can we deliver more vital content that digs under the headlines this year but we have more space for meetings, discussions and chance creative connections which, for all the AI in the world, is what the industry thrives on.

Charlotte Wheeler, Director of MPTS

MPTS will also host many new exhibitors for 2025 including Dizplai, Lenovo, RED, Telos Alliance and Yamaha. Making a return to the show floor, MPTS is pleased to welcome back Blackmagic Design, Editshare, HP, Iron Mountain Media & Archive Services, LucidLink, Nikon, Scan, Shure and Videndum, to name just a few.

Alongside the interactive exhibition, visitors can access over 100+ hours of exclusive and free-to-attend sessions across eight themed theatres including Keynote, Production, Broadcast Technology, Post Production, Virtual Production, Audio, AI and the Media Technology Conference. This year, the Media Technology Conference will be open to all attendees to cultivate conversation and cross industry cooperation among M&E’s technology community. BAFTA albert also returns to the show floor to highlight the vital importance of sustainability including dedicated sessions throughout the programme.

Further details about MPTS 2025 will be revealed in the coming weeks and all information can be found at www.mediaproductionshow.com.   

UK visual effects tax relief uplift comes into effect on New Year’s Day

From today (1 January 2025), an increased rate of tax relief is now available for visual effects expenditure in the UK.

UK Screen Alliance have long campaigned for a significant improvement in the screen sector incentives to allow the UK’s visual effects (VFX) sector to flourish and achieve its full potential for growth. VFX spending in the UK now attracts a net rebate of 29.25%, and is exempt from the overall 80% cap on spending eligible for the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) – the current tax system for film, high-end TV, children’s TV and animation.

Prior to this change, productions that chose to shoot in the UK would very often cap-out of available rebate, leading to VFX being taken to other territories where there were further incentives available. With the new uplift, productions are now incentivised to both shoot and perform their VFX in the UK. As a result, it is estimated that the UK is set to attract an additional £175 million per year of spending on VFX for film and TV, an increase of over 45%, which will create 2,000 new jobs directly and 800 indirectly. This is effectively free growth for the UK, as the tax receipts from the additional economic activity created will cover the cost of providing the incentive.

Today opens a new chapter in the history of VFX in the UK. We already had a reputation for high quality, innovation and creativity. Now, productions will be incentivised to place many more millions of dollars of inward investment work with our award-winning VFX community, creating jobs and considerable value for the UK economy.

Neil Hatton MBE, CEO of UK Screen Alliance

To be eligible for the VFX uplift and cap exemption, productions must first meet the qualification requirements of the AVEC. There is no specific minimum UK spending requirement for VFX, but productions must exceed the overall minimum UK expenditure requirement of 10% of total budget, and the project must qualify as British, via the Cultural Test or be an official co-production. It is not necessary to perform all production activity in the UK, and tax relief may be claimed for VFX, even if no principal photography occurs in the UK.

The uplift and cap exemption announcement means that productions could receive 25.5% relief on filming and other non-VFX costs in the UK (up to 80% of total budget), and still receive a 29.25% rebate on their VFX spend, regardless of whether that spend takes their total UK spend above the 80% cap on eligibility for relief.

Any VFX activity claimed must occur in the UK. From 1^st January 2025, this activity is eligible for the uplift, and the rebate can be claimed for completed projects from 1^st April 2025.

Last year, Enhanced AVEC for limited budget films (aka the Independent Film Tax Credit or IFTC) was introduced for films with budgets under £23.5 million, allowing them to claim a rebate of 39.75% net on UK eligible expenditure of up to 80% of the total budget, subject to a maximum net rebate cap of £4.77 million. The VFX uplift cannot be combined with the IFTC, meaning the VFX spend is not exempt from the 80% cap on total eligible expenditure. However, VFX and post production are eligible costs within the IFTC, and could receive a net rebate of up to 39.75%, depending on whether the 80% cap on total eligible UK expenditure or the overall £4.77 million IFTC cap are exceeded. If the budget is between £18 million and £23.5 million, it may be worth transferring to the AVEC if there is significant VFX expenditure, as the uplift can then be claimed on this spend, which will then be exempt from the 80% cap, meaning the overall UK net rebate may be higher.

For details on how to apply the UK tax incentives to VFX and post production, see our page here. For general information on the UK’s film and TV tax incentives, see our page here.