New MD at Studio 100 Animation Studio

SYDNEY: Former Disney and Nickelodeon producer Jim Ballantine has been named managing director of Flying Bark Studio, the Australian animation studio of Studio 100.

He succeeds Eric Claeys, who left to carry out a one-year reorganization assignment. Ballantine previously held management positions at Disney and Nickelodeon. For Disney, he was producer for Bambi 2 and Brother Bear 2. For Nickelodeon, he produced The Ren & Simpy Show. For the past two years he has been a creative producer at Animation Lab in Israel.

Flying Bark is currently finishing up Enyo, a 26-episode animated series done in partnership with Funkhauser Films of Denmark. The second season of Dily Olly Dive!, a co-production with Mike Young Productions, is also nearing completion. The studio is also working on a full-length feature film in co-production with Alphanim, Santa’s Apprentice, due for release Christmas 2010. Further projects from Flying Bark include The Woodlies, commissioned by ZDF; new episodes of Zigby, which airs on the BBC, among other channels; and the relaunch of Blinky Bill, with a feature-length film and 26-episode series planned.