Puffin Rock is set to be huge.
Chris O’Dowd
A Derry-made animation series featuring local children looks set to be a huge hit.
Puffin Rock, an animated pre-school series narrated by Irish actor Chris O’Dowd, was launched today on RTEjr and will air daily on the channel.
The programme was partially made by Derry children’s media company Dog Ears.
It also features the voices of many young Derry children who are set to become stars in their own right!
Puffin Rock follows a family of lovable puffins living on a wild and beautiful Irish island. Young puffling, Oona, and her little brother, Baba, explore the island with their friends, and their stories are filled with laughter and adventure. Puffin Rock has a gently educational tone, appealing to 2-6 year olds and their parents. As narrator, Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, Moone Boy and The IT Crowd) adds an extra twinkle of comedy by mixing amusing observations with interesting facts about the wildlife on the island.
The co-producers of Puffin Rock – Oscar-nominated Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, global publisher Penguin, and Derry-based children’s media company, Dog Ears – are also delighted to announce that a second series of Puffin Rock has been confirmed. Production has already commenced on the new series of 39 x 7-minute episodes, which will be animated in Derry and Kilkenny.
The episodes will also be available to view on the RTÉjr app and the RTÉjr website: www.rte.ie/rtejr.
The co-producers of Puffin Rock gratefully acknowledge the continued funding support of Northern Ireland Screen and Irish Film Board in the production of Puffin Rock.
Pauline Macnamara, RTÉ Executive Producer said: ‘Puffin Rock is a gorgeous addition to the RTÉjr schedule and will delight our under 7s audience. We’re particularly pleased to be bringing stories of Irish coastal wildlife to young Irish children through the world of Oona and Baba and friends. It’s a rich and magical series which will capture the imaginations of children everywhere.’
Fionnuala Deane, Managing Director, Dog Ears Ltd which is based in The Diamond, said: ‘After a year of animation production with our co-producers Cartoon Saloon and Penguin Books, we are incredibly proud and excited to see Puffin Rock on TV for the first time. The fact that we have been able to start production on a second series, immediately on completion of series one, is testimony to the quality of the characters, storytelling and the creative team behind the show. We hope that the RTÉjr audience will enjoy Puffin Rock as much as we have enjoyed producing the show.
Paul Young, CEO, Cartoon Saloon said: ‘I can hardly wait to see our Puffins on TV for Irish children, with their lovely Derry accents joined by the ever-dulcet tones of Chris O’Dowd. Sheila De Courcy and Pauline McNamara deserve a big thank you for their support in getting Puffin Rock to Irish screens along with Irish Film Board for their support right through Development and Production.’
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