Up to 60 jobs have been created at Irish animation company Jam Media after the BBC re-commissioned a third series of children’s programme ‘Roy’.
The show - filmed as a fly on the wall “mockumentary” - follows Roy, an 11-year-old cartoon boy living in Ballyfermot with his real family and plays with his real friends. He is like any other real kid his age, only he is a cartoon.
The re-commissioning of the twice Bafta-nominated series was announced at MIPCOM in Cannes yesterday.
The investment is worth €8.85 million with the 60 jobs coming on top of the 48 posts already at the Dublin-based production house.
Jam Media are now also planning to expand into the UK with the launch of a new company, Jammy, early next year.
Yesterday, John Rice, CEO at Jam Media said he was “absolutely delighted” that the BBC had re-commissioned a double series of ‘Roy’.
He added: “The series and the character of Roy really seems to resonate with viewers in the UK, Ireland and beyond.
“One of the reasons for this is that we’re able to have so much fun with his physicality and really exaggerate his reactions and expressions. Roy is a true fish out of water but he doesn't see himself that way.”
Simon Delaney will return for the lead role as Roy’s taxi-driver dad. The Irish actor recently landed a high-profile role in the major Hollywood movie ‘Starbuck’ alongside Vince Vaughn.
He will join the original Irish cast for filming in early January 2013, which includes Cathy Belton (The Clinic), Martha Byrne, Scott Graham (The Pentecost) and Mark Lambert. ‘Roy’ receives support under section 481.
The move is further good news for Jam Media who last month scooped the producer of the year award at the Cartoon Tribute Awards.
The company is now planning to expand into the UK to create new IP and produce more live-action content. The new company Jammy will launch in Belfast in January next year.
According to Rice, Jammy will be run separately to Jam Media and will develop and produce its own and third-party content in genres and demographics different to Jam, which will continue to produce animation.
He said: “Because of ‘Roy’, we’ve developed an appetite for live-action dramas. So we would like to see more of that content coming out of Belfast in the future.”
Rice added that Jammy is likely to have its own chairman and executive board members, details of which are still in negotiation.
