Raphaela Faetkenheuer joins the company from Studio 100 Media GmbH, Munich, Germany where she was employed as Marketing and Brand Manager.  She will report into Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine.

In her role at Flying Bark Productions, Raphaela Faetkenheuer will be responsible for the company’s marketing, public relations, brand development, distribution and related projects both within Australia and internationally.

Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine said “I welcome Raphaela Faetkenheuer to our local team in the role of Marketing Manager.  Coming from Studio 100 Media in Germany, Raphaela Faetkenheuer brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge on key brands including Maya the Bee and Vic the Viking.  Raphaela Faetkenheuer will be an invaluable asset to our team as we move forward in our business with a strong focus on the marketing, licensing and merchandising of our key properties”.

Prior to two years with Studio 100 Media GmbH, Munich, Germany, Raphaela Faetkenheuer was a Junior Brand and Marketing Coordinator with Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, Munich, Germany.

She is a graduate of the Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen in Germany.

With an extensive and distinguished legacy as one of Australia’s leading entertainment producers, Flying Bark Productions is at the forefront of the animation industry, creating film and television content that delights and captivates pre-school, young adult and family audiences worldwide.

Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine has announced the Director, Producer and Line Producer for the first ever animated theatrical release of Maya the Bee.

Alexs Stadermann has been confirmed as Director, Barbara Stephen will be the movie’s Producer and Alexia Gates-Foale will be Line Producer on the 3D stereoscopic production.

With internationally celebrated productions among their individual credits, the dream-team trio previously worked together on the The Woodlies and The Woodlies Movie which were both produced with the assistance of Flying Bark Productions.

Alexs Stadermann has worked for many of the major international studios including Walt Disney Studios in Sydney.  During his time with Walt Disney Studios, Alexs was the Unit Director of Bambi II and Tarzan II and Supervising Animator on Lion King 1 ½.

Barbara Stephen has worked as a producer for the last 10 years. She first joined the children’s television industry in 2007 working as the producer on the hit series, Erky Perky. Barbara also worked on the award-winning series, The Adventures of Figaro Pho before joining Flying Bark Productions as Creative Producer.

Alexia Gates-Foale commenced her career in animation in 2007 and was the Production Supervisor on The Adventures of Figaro Pho. Alexia was also Production Manager on several Flying Bark Productions projects including The Woodlies.

“Alexs Stadermann, Barbara Stephen and Alexia Gates-Foale have an enviable work chemistry and energy.  Their collaboration on The Woodlies is testament to their creativity.  In addition to their powerhouse dynamic, they will bring their own individual career experience and passion to Maya the Bee ensuring this movie will be a local and global success” said Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine.

Combining exquisite environments with natural landscapes, Maya the Bee will follow the lovable character’s desire to escape her heavily regimented existence in the hive and experience freedom to explore at her own will.

The Woodlies are mega excited to be involved in a series of workshops as part of the upcoming Cockatoo Island Film Festival!

The inaugural Festival’s first day (Wed Oct 24) features hands on workshops, special movie screenings and seminars where Sydney’s youngsters will go behind the scenes and to the heart of creativity.

A highlight of the festival will be a series of interactive workshops with the key creative team behind The Woodlies, seen every Saturday at 10.00am on the Seven Network.

The Woodlies’ Series Director, Alexs Stadermann and Art Director, Brad Greenwood will be joined by the series Producer, Barbara Stephen and Assistant Animation Director, Cameron Ralph to show students how everyone’s favourite cookie-munching creatures come to life. Kids will get to create their own little characters, art direct their own scene and even make an animation flipbook!

The Cockatoo Island Film Festival (Oct 24 – 28) is serving up a comprehensive and engaging education program targeting future film makers – from toddlers, to tweens and tertiary students. For more info, visit their website here.

The 78 x 11 minute series Vicky The Viking, an Australian/French co-production between ASE Studios Pty Limited and Studio 100 Animation in association with Flying Bark Productions, will have its Australian premiere on Network Ten in early 2013.

Aimed at 5-11 year olds, the action comedy series is currently in production and follows Vicky, an ingenious little viking, who has developed a remarkable sense of astuteness in order to solve problems his clan encounters as based on Runer Jonsson’s globally recognised books.

“We are thrilled to announce Network Ten will have the Australian premiere of Vicky The Viking.  A fun action comedy series adapted from internationally renowned Runer Jonsson’s books, Vicky The Viking will undoubtedly resonate with Australian audiences with its high-quality animation, witty storylines and relatable themes.  Rich in Australian voice-talent and creative talent, 26 episodes of the series will be directed by Australia’s very own Marc Wasik with the other 52 directed by our French co-production partners.  Marc Wasik will be joined by our very own Jacqui O’Loughlin as one of the talented producers on Vicky The Viking” said Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director, Jim Ballantine.

Network Ten Head of Children’s Programming, Cherrie Bottger said, “Network Ten is excited to bring Vicky the Viking to Australian audiences and we are thrilled to be in partnership with an outstanding group of production partners”.

Vicky the Viking is a show for every child who’s ever dreamt of adventure.  Vicky teaches us that everyone can be a Viking, no matter how big and no matter how small!

We’re super chuffed to announce that The Woodlies is a finalist in this year’s Australian Effects and Animation Festival awards in the TV Series category. Recognising the very best in Australian visual effects and animation, the winners in each category will be announced on Tuesday July 24 2012.

Flying Bark Productions’ Managing Director Jim Ballantine  is ” extremely pleased The Woodlies has been recognised in this year’s Australian Effects and Animation Festival awards.  Based on the popular novel ‘No Cookies for Trolls’ by international author Cornelia Funke who also wrote the famous Inkheart trilogy, The Woodlies is an innovative 2D/3D style animation that has been very well received by kids locally and internationally.”

The 26 x 24 minute series for 6-11 year olds currently airs on Australia’s Seven Network every Saturday at 10.00am.

Congrats to everyone involved! YEAH!

For more info on the finalists, click here.

Zigby the Zebra trots in and out of trouble, always making life on a tropical island fun and interesting for his friends Bertie and McMeer!

Fans of Zigby can watch him get up to all sorts of shenanigans from 24th March – 16th May daily at 5pm on ABC4Kids.

Check out some fun activities on Zigby’s page on the ABC4Kids website!

They’re yet to scamp onto Australian television screens, but the Woodlies are creating quite the commotion on the festival circuit.

The Woodlies will be competing in the ‘Tricks for Kids’ category of this year’s 19^th Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film.

Mega congrats to the entire Woodlies team who put so much time and effort into making the show entertaining and unique!

Legend of Enyo, the 26 x 30minute animated series for children produced by Avrill Stark Entertainment with the assistance of Flying Bark Productions, has been nominated for Best Overseas Animated TV Series in the International “Gold Panda” Awards for Animation 2011 at the 11^th Sichuan TV Festival.

The awards, set to take place from November 11 – 13 this year, will be held in Chengdu, China and is hosted by the State Administration of Radio, Film & Television and Sichuan Provincial People’s Government.

“We are thrilled Legend of Enyo has been nominated for this prestigious award.   The series has been ground-breaking for children’s animation – it is really more like 26 half hour movies!  The adventure is of an epic nature and this nomination is a credit to a fantastic creative team who really took on an amazing challenge to bring the series to the screen – a challenge that brought with it incredible rewards” said Producer, Avrill Stark.

The Legend of Enyo was the 2010 winner of the AEAF award for Best Animation and FX in a TV series.  It was also nominated for a 2010 AFI award for Best Children’s Animation.

Both Germany’s ZDF and Channel 7 in Australia (currently airing every Saturday at 11.30am) are the primary broadcasters of Legend of Enyo with the series also picked up by over 20 international broadcasters.

Nerf Mania has well and truly hit Flying Bark. How did a seemingly harmless group of directors, producers, animators and coordinators become fully-fledged Commandos? With the aid of some Non-Expanding Recreational Foam and childlike mischief, that’s how.

As sure as the sky is blue and the grass is green, truly, it’s Nerf or nothin’.

Everyone at Flying Bark is mega chuffed to announce that Santa’s Apprentice has won the special UNICEF award at the Annecy International Animation Festival in France. This prestigious award recognises the best animation which highlights the goals of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

“Santa’s Apprentice truly is a delight for children of all ages.  I fell in love with the story immediately as it’s uniquely a Christmas tale set in Australia.  We had a fantastically talented Australian team working on the key animation of the film headed up by Ian Harrowell and a wonderful composer in Nerida Tyson-Chew whose music, with a 50 piece orchestra, brought the emotion of the story to life.  It is a true honour for all involved for Santa’s Apprentice to win the UNICEF Award at this year’s Annecy festival” said Creative Producer, Avrill Stark.   

Go team!