Cartoon Saloon
Irish animation studio
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Cartoon Saloon is an Irish animation studio based in Kilkenny which provides film TV and short film services. The studio is best known for its animated feature films The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner and Wolfwalkers. Their works have received five Academy Award nominations, their first four feature length works all received nominations for Best Animated Feature[2][3][4][5] and one for Best Animated Short Film (Late Afternoon).[6][7] The company also developed the cartoon series Skunk Fu!, Puffin Rock, Dorg Van Dango and Vikingskool. As of 2020, the studio employs 300 animators.
Logo used since 2018 | |
 Cartoon Saloon building in Kilkenny | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | |
| Headquarters | , Ireland |
| Products |
|
Number of employees | 300 (2020)[1] |
| Divisions | Lighthouse Studios (50% with Mercury Filmworks) |
| Website | www |
History
Cartoon Saloon was established in Kilkenny during 1999 by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey,[8] and Paul Young.[9] The three were all alumni of the Ballyfermot College of Further Education’s animation degree course.[10] Cartoon Saloon began working on a trailer for its first feature film, The Secret of Kells, that same year.[11] However, the film did not enter full production until 2005; the company animated corporate work such as advertisements as they searched for funding.[11] Meanwhile the studio of 12 animators relied on commercial and corporate work including web-site design and CD ROM production with Paul Young focusing on illustration whilst Tomm Moore undertook the animation.[12]
Both The Secret of Kells and the studio’s second feature Song of the Sea were inspired by The Thief and the Cobbler and Mulan while the founders were in university.[13] Tomm Moore, the director of both films, said "Some friends in college and I were inspired by Richard Williams' unfinished masterpiece The Thief and the Cobbler and the Disney movie Mulan, which took indigenous traditional art as the starting point for a beautiful style of 2D animation. I felt that something similar could be done with Irish art."[14] A 2001 meeting with Les Armateurs proved instrumental in the effort to secure funding for The Secret of Kells, and the company helped in the production of the final film.[15]
The success and Oscar nomination of the film in 2009 led to major offers for Cartoon Saloon, but the studio chose to remain independent.[16] This led to a difficult time financially for the company for a few years with the partners having to take out personal loans to keep the studio afloat.[17]
As of 2021, Cartoon Saloon is in production of its TV series, Vikingskool and Nora Twomey's second feature for Netflix, My Father's Dragon.[18]
Services
The studio provides animation, illustration and design services for clients ranging from Disney to BBC to Cartoon Network.[19]
Cartoon Saloon also provided the graphics for the successful Emperor of the Irish exhibition at Trinity College Dublin, in 2014.[20]
Filmography
Feature films
Released
| Title | Release date | Budget | Gross | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Secret of Kells[a] | 3 March 2009 19 March 2010 (US) |
$8 million[21] | $3.5 million[21] | 90%[22] | 81[23] |
| Song of the Sea[a] | 19 December 2014 (US) 10 July 2015 (UK & Ireland) |
$7.5 million | $4.4 million[24] | 99%[25] | 85[26] |
| The Breadwinner[a] | 17 November 2017 (US) 25 May 2018 (UK & Ireland) |
$1 million[citation needed] | $4.4 million[27] | 95%[28] | 78[29] |
| Wolfwalkers[a][30][31][32] | 30 October 2020 (UK Limited) 13 November 2020 (US Limited) 4 December 2020 (Ireland Limited) 11 December 2020 (Apple TV+)[33] |
€10 million[34] | $1.3 million[35] | 99%[36] | 87[37] |
| My Father's Dragon | 4 November 2022 (UK US and Ireland Limited) 11 November 2022 (Netflix) [38] |
TBA | TBA | 87%[39] | 74[40] |
| Puffin Rock and the New Friends | 14 July 2023 (Ireland Limited) 11 August 2023 (UK Limited) 16 April 2024 |
TBA | $51K[41] | 100%[42] | TBA |
Upcoming
Cancelled
Short films
| # | Title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | From Darkness [48] | 13 July 2002 |
| 2 | Cúilín Dualach[49] | 16 October 2004 |
| 3 | Old Fangs[50] | 1 July 2009 |
| 4 | Somewhere Down the Line[51] | 12 July 2014 |
| 5 | The Ledge End of Phil: From Accounting | 15 November 2014 |
| 6 | Late Afternoon[a][52] | 2018 |
| 7 | There's a Monster In My Kitchen[53] | 22 October 2020 |
| 8 | Star Wars: Visions: Screecher's Reach | 4 May 2023 |
| 9 | Éiru[54] | 2025 |
Television series
Produced
| # | Title | Premiere date | End date | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skunk Fu! | 2007 | 2008 | CBBC |
| 2 | Anam an Amhráin | 2009 | 2010 | TG4 |
| 3 | Puffin Rock | 2015[55] | present[56] | RTÉjr/Nick Jr./CBeebies |
| 4 | Cúl an Tí | 2018 | 2018 | TG4 |
| 5 | Dorg Van Dango[57][58][59] | 2020 | 2021 | RTÉ/Nickelodeon/Family Channel, co-produced with WildBrain |
| 6 | Vikingskool[60] | 2022 | 2022 | Disney EMEA (Disney+), France Televisions, NRK, RTÉ |
| 7 | Silly Sundays | 2023 | present | RTÉjr/Cartoon Network |
Upcoming
Rejected
| Title | Note |
|---|---|
| Eddie of the Realms Eternal[64] | Pitched to Amazon |
| The World According to Winnie the Pooh[65] |
|
Cooperative works
Lighthouse Studios
Lighthouse Studios was founded in 2017 by the studio and Mercury Filmworks.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–2021 | If You Give a Mouse a Cookie | Co-production | With Kuboaa! and Amazon Studios |
| 2017–2019 | Pete the Cat | Co-production | With Amazon Studios, Alcon Television Group, Appian Way Productions and Surfer Jack Studios |
| 2019–2020 | The Bug Diaries[66] | Co-production | |
| 2021 | Little Ellen | Co-production | With Ellen Digital Ventures, Telepictures and Warner Bros. Animation |
| 2022 | The Cuphead Show! | Co-production | With Netflix Animation, King Features Syndicate and Studio MDHR |
| 2022 | The Bob's Burgers Movie | Co-production | With Bento Box, Golden Wolf, and Tonic DNA, among others |
| 2022 | El Deafo[67] | Co-production | |
| 2023 | Rick and Morty (season 7)[68] | Co-production | For 5 episodes, with Williams Street and Justin Roiland's Solo Vanity Card Productions!, among others |
Other
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Santa's Apprentice[69] | Co-production | Animation production by Gaumont Alphanim |
| 2011 | Top Cat: The Movie[70] | Co-production | Animation production by Ánima Estudios, as well as Illusion Studios |
| 2012 | Moon Man[71][72] | Co-production | Animation production by Schesch Filmkreation |
| 2014 | The Prophet | Segment (On Love) | Animation production by Ventanarosa |
| 2021 | Belle[73][74] | Background work | Animation production by Studio Chizu |
Awards and nominations
The Secret of Kells
- Wins
- 2008: Directors Finders Award at the Directors Finders Series in Ireland
- 2009: Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival
- 2009: Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
- 2009: Roy E. Disney Award at Seattle's 2D Or Not 2D Film Festival
- 2009: Grand Prize at the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival[75]
- 2009: Audience Award at the 9th Kecskemét Animation Film Festival; Kecskemét City Prize at the 6th Festival of European Animated Feature Films and TV Specials[76]
- 2010: Nominated for Best Animation award at the 7th Irish Film and Television Awards[77]
- 2010: European Animated Feature Award at the British Animation Awards[78]
- Nominations
- 2009: Grand Prix Award for Best Film in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival
- 2009: Best Animated Film at the 22nd European Film Awards
- 2009: Best Animated Feature at the 37th Annie Awards
- 2010: Best Film at the 7th Irish Film and Television Awards
- 2010: Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards
Song of the Sea
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Festival International des Voix du Cinéma d'Animation (Port Leucate, France)[79] | Prix Spécial du Jury | Song of the Sea | Won |
| 2015 | 42nd Annual Annie Awards[80] | Best Animated Feature | Tomm Moore, Paul Young | Nominated |
| Character Design in an Animated Feature Production | Tomm Moore, Marie Thorhauge, Sandra Anderson, Rosa Ballester Cabo | Nominated | ||
| Directing in an Animated Feature Production | Tomm Moore | Nominated | ||
| Music in a Feature Production | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | Nominated | ||
| Production Design in an Animated Feature Production | Adrien Merigeau | Nominated | ||
| Writing in an Animated Feature Production | Will Collins | Nominated | ||
| Editorial in an Animated Feature Production | Darragh Byrne | Nominated | ||
| 19th Satellite Awards[81] | Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature | Song of the Sea | Won | |
| 40th César Awards[82] | Best Animated Feature Film | Song of the Sea | Nominated | |
| 87th Academy Awards[83] | Best Animated Feature | Tomm Moore and Paul Young | Nominated[3] | |
| 12th Irish Film & Television Awards[84] | Best Film | Song of the Sea | Won | |
| Best Film Script | Will Collins | Nominated | ||
| 28th European Film Awards[85] | Best Animated Feature Film | Song of the Sea | Won | |
| 2016 | 6th Magritte Awards[86] | Best Foreign Film in Coproduction | Song of the Sea | Nominated |
| 21st Empire Awards[87][88] | Best Animated Film | Song of the Sea | Nominated | |
| 2017 | 2nd Irish Animation Awards[89] | Best Irish Feature Film or Special | Song of the Sea | Won |
The Breadwinner
Wolfwalkers
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | 25 April 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants | Nominated | [100][101] |
| AFI Fest | 23 October 2020 | Narrative Feature | Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart | Won | [102] |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | 4 January 2021 | Best Animated Feature Film | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [103] |
| Best Animated Female | Eva Whittaker | Nominated | |||
| Honor Kneafsey | Nominated | ||||
| American Cinema Editors Awards | 17 April 2021 | Best Edited Animated Feature Film | Darragh Byrne, Richie Cody, Darren Holmes, ACE | Nominated | [104] |
| Annie Awards | 16 April 2021 | Best Animated Feature – Independent | Wolfwalkers | Won | [105] |
| Best FX for Feature | Kim Kelly, Leena Lecklin, Frédéric Plumey, Almu Redondo and Nicole Storck | Nominated | |||
| Best Character Animation - Feature | Emmanuel Asquier-Brassart | Nominated | |||
| Best Character Design - Feature | Federico Pirovano | Won | |||
| Best Direction - Feature | Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart | Won | |||
| Best Music - Feature | Bruno Coulais and Kíla | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design - Feature | María Pareja, Ross Stewart and Tomm Moore | Won | |||
| Best Storyboarding - Feature | Guillaume Lorin | Nominated | |||
| Best Voice Acting - Feature | Eva Whittaker | Won | |||
| Best Writing - Feature | Will Collins | Nominated | |||
| Art Directors Guild Awards | 10 April 2021 | Excellence in Production Design for an Animated Film | Ross Stewart, Tomm Moore and Maria Pareja | Nominated | [106] |
| Austin Film Critics Association Awards | 19 March 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [107] |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | 13 December 2020 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Runner-up | [108] |
| BAFTA's Children & Young People Awards | 27 November 2022 | Best Feature Film | Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart and Paul Young | Won | [109] |
| British Academy Film Awards | 11 April 2021 | Best Animated Film | Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart and Paul Young | Nominated | [110] |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | 21 December 2020 | Best Animated Film | Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Nora Twomey and Paul Young | Won | [111] |
| Critics' Choice Super Awards | 10 January 2021 | Best Animated Movie | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [112] |
| Best Voice Actress in an Animated Movie | Honor Kneafsey | Nominated | |||
| Eva Whittaker | Nominated | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | 10 February 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Runner-up | [113] |
| Detroit Film Critics Society Awards | 8 March 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [114] |
| Dorian Awards | 18 April 2021 | Most Visually Striking Film | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [115] |
| Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards | 18 December 2020 | Best Irish Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [116] |
| European Film Awards | 1 December 2021 | Young Audience Award | Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart | Nominated | [117] |
| Best Animated Feature Film | Nominated | [118] | |||
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | 21 December 2020 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Runner-up | [119] |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | 12 March 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [120] |
| Golden Globe Awards | 28 February 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [121] |
| Golden Rooster Awards | 30 December 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [122] |
| Gotham Awards | 11 January 2021 | Audience Award | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [123] |
| Best International Feature | Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young, Nora Twomey and Stéphan Roelants | Nominated | |||
| Hollywood Critics Association Awards | 5 March 2021 | Best Animated or VFX Performance | Honor Kneafsey | Nominated | [124] |
| Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | |||
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | 27 January 2021 | Best Original Score in an Animated Film | Bruno Coulais | Nominated | [125] |
| Houston Film Critics Society Awards | 18 January 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [126] |
| IndieWire Critics Poll | 14 December 2020 | Best International Feature | Wolfwalkers | 7th place | [127] |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | 20 February 2021 | Best Animated Film | Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart | Nominated | [128] |
| International Film Music Critics Association Awards | 18 February 2021 | Best Original Score for an Animated Film | Bruno Coulais | Won | [129] |
| Irish Animation Awards | 21 May 2021 | Best Animation Sequence | Wolfwalkers | Won | [130] |
| Best Art Direction and Design | Wolfwalkers | Won | |||
| Best Editing | Wolfwalkers | Won | |||
| Best Irish Feature or Special | Wolfwalkers | Won | |||
| Best Music | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound Design | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | |||
| Best Storyboarding | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | |||
| Irish Film & Television Awards | 4 July 2021 | Best Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [131] |
| Best Film Director | Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Script | Will Collins | Nominated | |||
| London Critics Circle Film Awards | 7 February 2021 | Technical Achievement Award | Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart | Nominated | [132] |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | 20 December 2020 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [133] |
| Motion Picture Sound Editors Awards | 16 April 2021 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Animation | Sebastien Marquilly, Bruno Seznec, Christian Seznec, Baptiste Bouche, Felix Davin, Alexandre Fleurant, Axel Steichen, Stéphane Werner, Anne-Lyse Haddak and Florian Fabre | Nominated | [134] |
| National Board of Review | 26 January 2021 | Top 10 Independent Films | Wolfwalkers | Won | [135] |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | 18 December 2020 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [136] |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | 25 January 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [137] |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | 24 March 2021 | Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures | Paul Young, Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore, and Stéphan Roelants | Nominated | [138] |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | 11 January 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [139] |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards | 18 January 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [140] |
| Satellite Awards | 15 February 2021 | Best Animated or Mixed Media Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [141] |
| Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | 15 February 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Wolfwalkers | Won | [142] |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | 17 January 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [143] |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | 7 February 2021 | Best Animated Film | Wolfwalkers | Won | [144] |
| Ursa Major Awards | 2 May 2021 | Best Motion Picture | Wolfwalkers | Won | [145] |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | 8 February 2021 | Best Animated Feature | Wolfwalkers | Nominated | [146] |
| Best Voice Performance | Honor Kneafsey | Nominated | |||
| Women Film Critics Circle Awards | 7 March 2021 | Best Animated Female | Eva Whittaker | Runner-up | [147] |
| Honor Kneafsey | Nominated |
My Father's Dragon
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animation is Film Festival | 22 October 2022 | Special Jury Prize Award | My Father's Dragon | Won | [148][149] |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | 16 November 2022 | Best Original Song in an Animated Film | Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna, Frank Danna, Nora Twomey, Meg LeFauve ("Lift Your Wings") | Nominated | [150] |
| Annie Awards | 25 February 2023 | Best Animated Feature – Independent | My Father's Dragon | Nominated | [151] |
| Outstanding Achievement for Directing in a Feature Production | Nora Twomey | Nominated |
Late Afternoon
- Nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film[52][152]
- IFTA Award for Best Animated Short Film[153]
- Best Animated Short Film, Baku International Animation Festival[154]
Puffin Rock
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kidscreen Awards | 9 February 2016 | Best New Series, preschool | Won | [155][156] | |
| Best Animated Series, preschool | Won | ||||
| Annie Awards | 4 February 2017 | Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children | Puffin Rock - The First Snow - Episode: 59 | Nominated | [157] |
| Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production | Lily Bernard for The First Snow - Episode: 59 | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production | Davey Moore for The First Snow - Episode: 59 | Nominated | |||
| International Emmy Kids Awards | 10 April 2018 | Best preschool program | Nominated | [158][159] |
See also
Notes
- Oscar nominee
