Aardman Warns U. K. Animation Will 'Go Off the Edge Of A Cliff' Without Government Assistance

Sean Clarke, Aardman's managing director, also lamented the poor quality of animation education in the U. K. He said that graduates who enter the workforce do not have the necessary skills to be "production-ready".

What was he saying and why? Clarke stated that children's television is in serious trouble and that the country's television productions will soon be at the edge of collapse unless something is done. Although the ideas will be created here, they will be made elsewhere.

Clarke's concerns were reported to The Guardian. Meanwhile, the U. K. government is holding hearings on tax reliefs for audiovisuals. The consultation is expected to conclude on February 9. Experts from all sectors of the screen industry will be participating in the discussion.

What are his main concerns? Clarke is concerned about the lack of qualified artists from British animation schools, and the tax relief program that is not competitive with other territories.

These issues:Clarke says that the U. K.'s decision not to join the European Union impacted the audiovisual industry. U. K. and European citizens lost their ability to move around for work after Brexit. This has impacted and homogenized the U. K. animation workforce. He also stated that British companies are no longer eligible for important European media funding, and that the local government has not taken up the loss of aid. The U. K. has ended its Young Audiences Content Fund which was crucial in the launch of local original productions.

Is it not more important for the U. K. to fund movies and tv programs? It would be easy to hand out donations if this was the issue. Clarke explained that the industry members and Clarke are asking for investments. Clarke said that the investment has a "clear and tangible return on it."