Netflix's forthcoming My Father's Dragon was made by Kilkenny animation studio Cartoon Saloon. Screen Ireland has awarded funds to Irish animators to help them develop extended reality and immersive projects. Photograph: NetflixA total of 10 Irish animation and interactive content companies will share a €350,000 fund distributed by State development agency Screen Ireland in partnership with trade association Animation Ireland.
The successful projects and concepts selected for the Animation Innovation and Immersive Development Fund 2022 include an immersive experience from the studio Algorithm that follows storms across the Atlantic Ocean, an educational app introducing younger children to the periodic table and science concepts from Turnip + Duck and a virtual reality project from EZ Films that tells the history of Dublin’s demolished Theatre Royal.
The other recipients are Out Left Productions, Little Moon Animation, Emily Aoibheann/1iing heaney, Emagine, Calico Media, AdventurVerse Studios and the studio And Maps and Plans. Screen Ireland said the fund, which is also supported by Immersive Technologies Skillnet, was part of its ambition to highlight Ireland as a centre of excellence in animation. It is designed to help Irish animators explore the opportunities offered by emerging technologies and support the development of intellectual property .