Magic Light Pictures

Since 2009, Magic Light Pictures has produced twelve half-hour animated specials based on the best-selling children's story books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: The Gruffalo (2009), The Gruffalo's Child (2011), Room on the Broom (2012), Stick Man (2015), The Highway Rat (2017), Zog (2018), The Snail and the Whale (2019), Zog and the Flying Doctors (2020), Superworm (2021), The Smeds and The Smoos (2022), Tabby McTat (2023), and Tiddler (2024). Overall, their productions have won more than 40 awards, including two Children's BAFTAs{{Cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2013/childrens|title=Children's in 2013 BAFTA Awards|website=awards.bafta.org|access-date=14 April 2016}} and the Prix Jeunesse,{{Cite web|url=http://www.prixjeunesse.de/index.php/festival-2016/2014-3|title=2010|website=prixjeunesse.de|access-date=14 April 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.awn.com/news/gruffalo-wins-special-prix-jeunesse-international-award|title='The Gruffalo' Wins Special Prix Jeunesse International Award|website=Animation World Network|access-date=14 April 2016}} and have been nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Short Animation. Their most recent production, Tiddler, premiered at approximately 2:35pm on BBC One during Christmas Day 2024, and was watched by more than 7.3 million viewers. They are currently producing an adaptation of Julia Donaldson's and Axel Scheffler's The Scarecrow's Wedding, due for broadcast on BBC One over Christmas 2025.

Their other productions include the Oscar-nominated{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43273576|title=Revolting Rhymes heads to the Oscars|date=2018-03-03|access-date=2019-02-15|language=en-GB}} Revolting Rhymes (2016), a live-action/animated short based on The Velveteen Rabbit (2023), a preschool animated TV series called Pip and Posy (2021), and feature films including the Oscar-nominated{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2012|title=The 84th Academy Awards {{!}} 2012|website=Oscars.org {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|date=7 October 2014 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-15}} Spanish-language animated feature Chico & Rita (2010), a comedy thriller starring Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt called Wild Target (2010), the British English version of a Danish-language animated feature called Terkel in Trouble (2006), and a romantic comedy feature starring Shaun Evans and Stockard Channing called Sparkle (2007).

Magic Light Pictures runs a licensing programme and carries ranges in Sainsbury's, Debenhams, John Lewis, Waterstones, and M&S, among others.{{Cite web|url=https://www.licensing.biz/entertainment/magic-light-pictures-on-15-years-of-the-gruffalo|title=Magic Light Pictures on 15 years of The Gruffalo|last=Langsworthy|first=Billy|website=Licensing.biz|language=en-us|access-date=2019-02-15}} Launched in 2009, the programme has markets in Germany, Australia, Scandinavia, New Zealand and the USA. Products available in The Gruffalo brand include plush, stationery, homewares, games, toys and apparel.{{Cite web|url=https://gruffaloshop.com/|title=Official Gruffalo Shop|website=Gruffalo|access-date=2019-02-15}}

Magic Light has won five Licensing Awards{{Cite web|url=http://www.thelicensingawards.co.uk/pastwinners/2011.html|title=2011 Winners {{!}} The Licensing Awards|website=www.thelicensingawards.co.uk|access-date=2019-02-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thelicensingawards.co.uk/pastwinners/2015.html|title=2013 Winners {{!}} The Licensing Awards|website=www.thelicensingawards.co.uk|access-date=2019-02-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.licensing.biz/media-amp-pr/licensingbiz-people-awards-2017-winners-revealed|title=Licensing.biz People Awards 2017: Winners revealed|last=Burke|first=Jade|website=Licensing.biz|language=en-us|access-date=2019-02-15}} for their branded apparel, furniture and Forestry Commission trails.

Magic Light Pictures has several award-winning brand partnerships with organisations including Chessington World of Adventures Resort,{{Cite web|url=https://www.chessington.com/gruffalo/|title=The Gruffalo at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in 2017|website=Chessington World of Adventures Resort|language=en|access-date=2019-02-15}} Forestry Commission England{{Cite web|url=https://www.forestryengland.uk/gruffalo|title=Gruffalo|website=Forestry Commission England|language=en|access-date=2019-02-15}} and Arla milk.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/brands/arlabigmilk/gruffalo/|title=Arla BIG Milk Gruffalo|website=www.arlafoods.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-02-15}}

The Chessington World of Adventures Resort currently hosts the Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, themed hotel rooms, an arena dedicated to the films and characters, and a food outlet. In March 2019 Chessington launched a Room on the Broom attraction with specifically themed hotel rooms.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chessington.com/room-on-the-broom/|title=Room on the Broom - A Magical Journey - new for 2019 at Chessington World of Adventures Resort|website=Chessington World of Adventures Resort|language=en|access-date=2019-02-15}}

Since the year 2014, The Forestry Commission has worked with Magic Light on providing free, self-lead trails based on the Gruffalo brand family on over 20 sites around the UK, as well as offering Gruffalo orienteering, Gruffalo sculptures in several forests, and an augmented reality app, The Gruffalo Spotter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/webnewsreleases/63c5fedf04409cc5802580c0002f160b|title=Forestry Commission|website=www.forestry.gov.uk|access-date=2019-02-18}}

2019 marked the 20th anniversary of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's Gruffalo book and 10 years since the premiere of the animated special on BBC One. As part of the celebration, Magic Light partnered with the Royal Mint to release a set of commemorative silver and gold fifty pence collectors' coins, and with the Royal Mail to release a set of bespoke Gruffalo stamps.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/gruffalo-50p-coin-launch-goes-13999094|title=Gruffalo 50p coin to launch - when it goes sale and how much it will be worth|last=Andrews|first=James|date=2019-02-14|website=mirror|access-date=2019-02-15}}

Since 2013, Magic Light Pictures has developed a range of mini-game and augmented reality apps based around the Gruffalo brand family.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/28/the-gruffalo-games-app-julia-donaldson-ios|title=Oh help! Oh no! It's a Gruffalo Games app for children|last=Dredge|first=Stuart|date=28 August 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077|access-date=14 April 2016}} Room on the Broom: Games and Gruffalo: Games were both nominated for a Children's BAFTA in the Interactive Adapted category in 2014 and 2015 respectively.{{Cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2014/childrens/interactive-adapted|title=2014 Children's Interactive: Adapted {{!}} BAFTA Awards|website=awards.bafta.org|access-date=2019-02-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2015/childrens/interactive-adapted|title=2015 Children's Interactive: Adapted {{!}} BAFTA Awards|website=awards.bafta.org|access-date=2019-02-15}}

The Gruffalo Spotter app, launched in early 2017, is an augmented reality app that works alongside the Forestry Commission trails, where users can follow a set of clues and signs to locate animated characters from the book and take photos with them. The app was nominated at the 2017 BAFTA awards in the Interactive category.{{Cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2017/childrens/interactive|title=2017 Children's Interactive {{!}} BAFTA Awards|website=awards.bafta.org|access-date=2019-02-15}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.imdb.com/company/co0184003/ IMDB Magic Light Pictures]
• [http://www.magiclightpictures.com Magic Light Pictures]

{{Animation industry in the United Kingdom|state=expanded}}

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Category:2003 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:British animation studios

Category:Children's television

Category:Entertainment companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Film production companies of the United Kingdom