Creative Wales Introduces Mini Buds

Creative Wales has unveiled the new series Mini Buds/Egin Bach, produced by Bumpybox, which will be available in Welsh on S4C and in English on ITV.

Across 26 five-minute episodes, six tiny, budding explorers navigate the wilderness of a small back garden, learning about flowers and seeds, the insects and creatures that live there and the importance of rain and sunshine.

Mini Buds/Egin Bach expanded Bumpybox’s team from four to 12, securing jobs for 12 months. The series has improved the company’s sustainability. Previously, Bumpybox created over 75 episodes of My Petsaurus for CBeebies. It was also an animation partner on Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom, featuring Cillian Murphy and Sally Hawkins.

“We’ve been working on developing Mini Buds/Egin Bach for a long time,” said Sam Wright, producer and director at Bumpybox. “It actually started out as an idea we had while still studying at the University of South Wales over 13 years ago. It’s amazing that with the help of Creative Wales, we’ll be able to finally bring this to audiences.”

Wright continued, “The production means a lot to our company, as it will allow us to expand our staff, offer training for new animators, work with new broadcast partners and sell overseas greatly increasing the outlook of our business. We’re very grateful to all the assistance we’ve received in getting to this stage.”

“The animation industry is a key priority for Creative Wales, and I’m delighted that we have been able to support this exciting new development from the team at Bumpybox,” added Sarah Murphy, Minister for Creative Industries. “It’s fantastic news that this funding has allowed a home-grown company to build its workforce for such larger scale projects. This growth will also provide excellent opportunities for new graduates to stay in Wales and find work closer to home in this exciting sector.”