Clockwork Zoo

{{Infobox company

| logo = Clockwork Zoo Logo.png

| logo_caption = Logo used from 2010 to 2011

| logo_size = 250px

| name = Clockwork Zoo

| type = Private

| foundation = {{Start date|2005}}

| defunct = 2011

| fate = Closed

| location = Cape Town, South Africa

| industry = Animation
Live action

| products = Television shows

}}

Clockwork Zoo (formerly Octagon CSI), based in Cape Town, South Africa, was South Africa's largest animation studio from 2005 until its closure in 2011.{{cite news |title=Don't feed the animators |url =http://www.designindaba.com/article/dont-feed-animators |work=Lauren Beukes |publisher=Design Indaba Magazine |accessdate=25 October 2010 | date=1 February 2008}}{{cite news |title=26 episode Canadian-South African animation co-production gets the go-ahead |url =http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/broadcast/issue-no50/content/26-episode-canadian-south-african-animation-co-production-gets-the |work=Filmmaker South Africa |publisher=Balancing Act |accessdate=25 October 2010 | date=19 March 2009}}

After creating the local action-adventure teen show Urbo: The Adventures of Pax Afrika, the company produced the animation for several international television series, including the fifth season of Caillou co-produced with Loogaroo Animation Studio, and the Cookie Jar Group,{{cite news |title=Clockwork Zoo begins key animation on Caillou |url=http://www.animationsa.org/community/press-releases/clockwork-zoo/clockwork-zoo-begins-key-animation-caillou |publisher=AnimationSA |accessdate=25 August 2009 |date=25 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122212054/http://www.animationsa.org/community/press-releases/clockwork-zoo/clockwork-zoo-begins-key-animation-caillou |archive-date=22 January 2010 |url-status=dead }} Mr. Baby for Xilam, and the Playhouse Disney series Florrie's Dragons, co-produced by Wish Films.{{cite news |title=Clockwork Zoo begins key animation on Florrie's Dragons |url=http://www.screenafrica.com/news/television/437624.htm |publisher=Screen Africa |accessdate=10 March 2010 |date=10 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716025211/http://www.screenafrica.com/news/television/437624.htm |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}

History

=2005-2010: Early career=

Clockwork Zoo is Africa's largest animation studio and home to several of South Africa's most prolific storytellers and content creators. Starting in 2005 with URBO: The Adventures of Pax Afrika, the young animation division quickly grew to 30 people, producing 104 half-hour episodes. After a move from local to more international work and a change from Flash to Toon Boom as preferred medium, the studio worked on Mr Bebe (Xilam, France), Happy Valley (Dinamo, Wales) and storyboards for Wibbly Pig (Wish Films, UK).

=2010-2011: Later career=

In 2010, Clockwork Zoo co-produced 26 half-hour episodes for the 5th season of Caillou with Cookie Jar Entertainment (Canada), and Loogaroo Animation Studio (Canada) significantly raising the bar on previous seasons. The Caillou franchise has sold in every continent and made $40 million in sales so far.

In 2010, the company co-produced Florrie's Dragons with Wish Films (UK) for initial broadcast on the Disney Channel UK. The 52 x 10 min series about a princess and her 6 pet dragons has gained a great deal of attention, and Playhouse Disney were "thrilled" with the result. Clockwork Zoo provided development, design, script, storyboard, build, background, animatics, layout, animation and HD video post on Florrie's Dragons.

The company closed in 2011 and many of the employees formed Sea Monster Entertainment.

Awards

The company won the prestigious 2010 Cape Film Commission Imbongi trophies in both Training & Development and Animation.

References

External links

Clockwork Zoo [https://web.archive.org/web/20120210012214/http://www.condorpostcapetown.com/ Official Website]
Clockwork Zoo on [https://www.imdb.com/company/co0243165/ IMDb]
Clockwork Zoo on [https://web.archive.org/web/20101116050217/http://www.animationsa.org/users/clockwork-zoo AnimationSA]

Category:Companies based in Cape Town

Category:South African animation studios