Positions at Brown Bag Films

Brown Bag Films is looking for new talent!

Two time Academy Award™ nominated animation studio Brown Bag Films is recruiting talented animation and production professionals to work with us on a range of high profile computer animation television series.

If you would like to join the team behind shows like Olivia, Noddy and The Octonauts at our Dublin based studio, please check out the positions listed below.

If you are interested in applying for any of these roles please submit your CV and the relevant application form to jobs@brownbagfilms.com , clearly specifying which position you are applying for.

Current Positions:

 

In addition, we we are always looking for Story Board Artists and 2D Set Designers. Please submit your CV and showreel to jobs@brownbagfilms.com

Please note that every completed application form submitted will receive a response via email within 1-2weeks

Some application forms are in PDF format only. If you require a Word version, please request one from jobs@brownbagfilms.com

Positions at Brown Bag Films
23 June 2011

By Deirdre Rudden
Posted in Jobs, News
Comments (32)

Bird Food – Making of Questions?

I have a few posts in the pipeline that will be posted in the coming weeks but I thought to myself…

…Is there anything in particular that people really want to know about when making a short film?

If you do have any questions please post them in the comments below and hopefully I can either answer them with either a quick response or it could also inspire a new post to discuss the issue in greater depth.

Bird Food - Making of Questions?
3 February 2012

By Richard Keane
Posted in Animators
Comments (0)

Doc McStuffins premieres on March 23 2012

The Disney Junior 24/7 cable channel launches on March 23rd and will premiere our brand new show, Doc McStuffins!

Disney Junior was introduced as a programming block on Disney Channel last February to excellent ratings, and now the new channel will provide 24 hour programming for kids aged 2 to 7. Doc McStuffins is the first brand new series to premiere on the channel.

Doc McStuffins and her Disney pals

Doc McStuffins and her Disney pals

From Disney’s press release:

“Doc McStuffins” – an animated series about a six-year-old girl who communicates with and heals stuffed animals and toys in her backyard clinic. Under the consultancy of the Hollywood Health & Society division of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, the series will highlight the importance of taking care of oneself and others, while showcasing the hallmarks of great Disney storytelling – fantasy and wish fulfillment.

Emmy Award-winning writer/producer Chris Nee (”Little Bill” and “Deadliest Catch: Crab Fishing in Alaska”) is the creator and executive producer, and Emmy Award-winning Norton Virgien (”Rugrats”) is the director. “Doc McStuffins” is a production of the Dublin, Ireland-based Brown Bag Films (two time Academy Award nominee for “Granny O’Grimm” and “Give Up Yer Aul Sins”).

DisneyJunior.com will debut a “Doc McStuffins” supersite featuring an interactive clinic where kids can assist Doc in nurturing toys back to health.

We can’t wait to share the show with you and see what you think!

Doc McStuffins premieres on March 23 2012
10 January 2012

By Jennie Stacey
Posted in News
Comments (0)

BIRD FOOD – MAKING OF, PART 3

CHARACTER DESIGN  -  RATS OF THE SKY!

The Pigeon designs for ‘Bird Food’ were always going to be difficult.

We wanted to create something that stood out as being original, but as there have been so many animated version of our feathered friends it was always going to be a challenge.

The first thing that you should always look at when designing a character that is based on an existing creature is to research how it is in the real form.

By studying the mechanics and its mannerisms you will be able to get a better understanding of how it works and what are the most important things that define it.

Once all of this information is taken on board and preliminary sketches are made then it’s time to look at the script again and see if it can be improved by any of your discoveries.

Here are some exploratory designs Andrew Crotty did…

pond scene 01pond scene 02 more »

BIRD FOOD - MAKING OF, PART 3
4 January 2012

By Richard Keane
Posted in Animators
Comments (7)

The Happy Hugglemonsters

BROWN BAG FILMS BEGIN PRODUCTION ON THE NEW ANIMATED SERIES ‘THE HAPPY HUGGLEMONSTERS’ FOR DISNEY JUNIOR!

“The Happy Hugglemonsters” is a brand new CG animated series for pre-schoolers about five year old Henry Hugglemonster and his loving and rambunctious monster family.  Brown Bag Films developed the series from the book “I’m A Happy Hugglewug” created by award-winning Irish author and illustrator Niamh Sharkey, published by Walker Books.hugglemonsters family

It is the latest series to be developed and produced by Disney’s London based production hub, and will premiere on Disney Junior blocks from Autumn 2012, airing in over 150 countries worldwide. The 52 x 11 minute series will be produced in Brown Bag Films’ Dublin-based studio.

Cathal Gaffney, co-founder and CEO of Brown Bag Films said, “We are delighted to announce the production of this series, it is great to work with home grown talent like Niamh Sharkey and to bring an original idea like this to a global Disney Junior audience is hugely satisfying for all involved.”

Beth Gardiner, Vice President, Production & Development, Disney Junior EMEA added, “We are thrilled to welcome The Happy Hugglemonsters to the Disney Junior fold. Seen through our five year old hero Henry Hugglemonster’s eyes, the series delivers comedic and emotional storytelling with a monstery twist that pre-schoolers can really relate to; perfect for Disney Junior.”

Henry, the star of “The Happy Hugglemonsters”, is a young monster growing up in a bustling house with three siblings; older brother Cobby, slightly older sister Summer, and baby brother Ivor. ­ Henry knows a lot about the emotional ups and downs that preschoolers face in their daily lives, and in “The Happy Hugglemonsters” he is your guide to preschool life, monster-style.

Author Niamh Sharkey, whose illustrated picturebook ‘I’m A Happy Hugglewug’ was published in 2006, says, “I am thrilled to be working with Brown Bag Films to bring my characters to life; the creativity, enthusiasm and care they bring to the project is mind blowing. Making this show for Disney Channel is a dream come true, and to be able to create this show in Ireland together is the icing on the cake. I know my monster family is in safe hands!”

“The Happy Hugglemonsters” was developed with support from the Irish Film Board/Bórd Scannán na hEireann

To download the full press release from The Walt Disney Company, including press contact information, please click here.

The Happy Hugglemonsters
20 December 2011

By Jennie Stacey
Posted in News
Comments (8)

Bird food – Making of, Part 2

CHARACTER DESIGN  -  THE CREATION OF MAN!

Apologies for the lack of making-of posts recently but as you will read we have been very busy and lots of things have been checked off our extensive to-do list…

In the last post we saw how the Man’s design was being redesigned for the better by Nicky Phelan. Well now we can reveal the final version of the man!

Here he is in lovely 2D…

BFD_C_Man_2D

Oh but wait that’s not all!

You also have the privilege to be the first to see him in glorious 3D! more »

Bird food - Making of, Part 2
15 December 2011

By Richard Keane
Posted in Animators
Comments (8)

Brown Bag Films develop ‘Dream Factory’

BROWN BAG FILMS & STICKY PICTURES MAKING DREAMS WITH “DREAM FACTORY”

Sticky Pictures, Kyla May Productions and Brown Bag Films have today announced they will co-develop and co-produce the animated tween comedy series Dream Factory (52 x 12’).

Dream Factory is a comedy series that follows the adventures of apprentice-dream maker Tommy Winks in the Dream Factory, a magical dream-making studio in the clouds. As an apprentice to the mythical Sandman, Tommy is learning to master the art of dream making. It’s not just about extraordinary ingredients and getting the recipe right; every night Tommy has to put on a showstopper that puts his audience to sleep – and keeps the Bogeyman at bay.

Dream Factory

Dream Factory is designed and created by prolific creative director, brand creator and designer Kyla May (Smirk, Flea-Bitten, Kyla May Missbehaves, SheZow). It will be produced by Australia’s Sticky Pictures (Me & My Monsters, Pearlie, Dennis & Gnasher) and award-winning Irish animation studio Brown Bag Films (The Octonauts, Olivia, Noddy in Toyland)

Donna Andrews, CEO & Executive Producer, Sticky Pictures said: “Sticky is thrilled to be working with Brown Bag Films on Dream Factory. The concept has a delicious mix of mischief-making, magic and mayhem. Combined with Brown Bag’s impressive track record in stunning design and production, Dream Factory will be a visual feast and wonderfully entertaining.”

Jennie Stacey, Development Executive, Brown Bag Films added: “We were instantly drawn to the fantastical comedy setting of Dream Factory and are very excited about working with Sticky Pictures to bring these great characters and magical stories to life onscreen.”

The Dream Factory has been developed with the assistance of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

Click here for more press information about Brown Bag Films, Sticky Pictures and Kyla May Productions.

Brown Bag Films develop 'Dream Factory'
5 December 2011

By Jennie Stacey
Posted in News
Comments (3)

Happy Halloween from Brown Bag Films!

Brown Bag Halloween

Happy Halloween from Brown Bag Films!
31 October 2011

By Jennie Stacey
Posted in News
Comments (2)

The Octonauts nominated for a BAFTA!

The Children’s BAFTA nominations were announced this morning, and The Octonauts are nominated in the Best Pre-School Animation category!The Octonauts
The other nominees in our category are Rastamouse, Peppa Pig and Little Princess. The Children’s BAFTAs take place in London on Saturday November 27th.

Octonauts, let’s do this!

The Octonauts nominated for a BAFTA!
24 October 2011

By Jennie Stacey
Posted in News
Comments (7)

Brown Bag Films Appoints New Chairman

Brown Bag Films are delighted to appoint Dr Jim Mountjoy as non-executive chairman of Brown Bag Films. Commenting on the appointment Cathal Gaffney, CEO of Brown Bag Films, said “We are delighted to have someone of Jim’s experience and background join the board of Brown Bag Films as we embark on the next phase of growth in the company.”

Dr Jim Mountjoy

Jim is currently involved in a non-executive capacity with a number of technology companies and is a Board member of the Abbey Theatre and of the children’s’ charity Barnardos, a Director of the Science Foundation of Ireland and was previously the chairman of computer games company Havok. He founded Euristix which became a market leader in advanced network management software and was sold to Fore Systems for US $80 million in February 1999, a value that increased to US$175 million in two months when Fore Systems was acquired by Marconi. Dr Mountjoy brings over 30 years of business and commercial experience in the Telecom software industry and acts as Non-executive Director in a number of companies in the technology sector

Established in 1994 Brown Bag Films® is an award-winning animation studio, producing high quality computer animation with offices in Dublin and Los Angeles. The twice Oscar® nominated studio have worked with the world’s biggest entertainment brands to produce high profile international television series. Recent productions include Chorion’s ‘Olivia’ for Nickelodeon US, Enid Blyton’s ‘Noddy in Toyland’ for Chorion/FIVE UK and ‘The Octonauts’ for CBeebies. Current productions include ‘Doc McStuffins’ for Disney Junior.

Brown Bag Films Appoints New Chairman
12 October 2011

By Caoimhe
Posted in News
Comments (1)

Bird Food – Making Of, Part 1

CHARACTER DESIGN  -  THE EVOLUTION OF MAN!

Just like a script is never complete on the first draft, the same goes for the character designs. To get to the final version you will always do designs and redesigns until you are happy with them.

The starting point of designing the character is always to read the script. This will give you all of the clues you need to start going about creating a character. The design needs to match the descriptions of the character in the script but also take note of the actions they are doing, as it will inform you how they will need to move etc.

The main character of “Bird Food” is described in the script as:

“A BUSINESS MAN with his sleeves rolled up and his briefcase in hand, walks along a path under trees whistling with the birds. He is a tall, skinny man in his early thirties with 50’s styled brown hair. His tie is slightly undone and he walks with a swagger, happy to be in the sun.”

These lines give us a lot of information about how the character looks and also it starts to give an idea on how the character will move.

Once the script was completed I gave it to several artists to explore possible designs. more »

Bird Food - Making Of, Part 1
3 October 2011

By Richard Keane
Posted in Animators
Comments (5)