Chapman Entertainment Launches Production Studio

LONDON, June 5: Chapman
Entertainment, behind the preschool stop-frame animation series Fifi and the
Flowertots and Roary the Racing
Car, is setting up its own
production studio, which will become fully operational in July.

The studio will be based
in Altrincham, Cheshire, in the U.K., and will initially employ a total of 20
staff members; it will be used to service Chapman’s future production needs,
including all forms of animation and live action. The first project will be the
production of the second season of Roary the Racing Car, which is slated to air on Five’s Milkshake! block and on Nick Jr. next year.

Managed by the Chapman
Entertainment production team in London, Roary the Racing Car will continue to be directed in Altrincham by Tim
Harper and will be senior-produced by Phil Chalk.

Chapman’s managing
director and executive producer, Greg Lynn, said: “Setting up our own studio
was the next logical move in our development and is a hugely exciting step in
the company’s expansion. We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank
Cosgrove Hall for the tremendous work and dedication they put into both series
of Fifi and the first series of
Roary.”

For the new studio,
Chapman Entertainment has promoted two members of its production team, with
Emily Whinnett becoming the director of production and Nadia Harti taking on
the position of head of production.

—By Irene Lew