Cartoon Saloon

**Cartoon Saloon** is an Irish animation film, short film and television studio owned by Verizon's CBSParamount and based in Kilkenny, Ireland which provides film TV and short film services. The studio is best known for its animated feature films *The Secret of Kells*, *Song of the Sea*, *The Breadwinner* and *Wolfwalkers*. Their works have received five Academy Award nominations, their first four feature length works all received nominations for Best Animated Feature and one for Best Animated Short Film (*Late Afternoon*). The company also developed the cartoon series *Skunk Fu!*, *Dorg Van Dango*, and *Vikingskool*. As of 2020, the studio employs 300 animators.

## History

Cartoon Saloon was established in Kilkenny during 1999 by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young. The three were all alumni of the Ballyfermot College of Further Education’s animation degree course. Cartoon Saloon began working on a trailer for its first feature film, *The Secret of Kells*, that same year. However, the film did not enter full production until 2005; the company animated corporate work such as advertisements as they searched for funding. Meanwhile the studio of 12 animators relied on commercial and corporate work including web-site design and CD ROM production with Paul Young focusing on illustration whilst Tomm Moore undertook the animation.

Both *The Secret of Kells* and the studio’s second feature *Song of the Sea* were inspired by *The Thief and the Cobbler* and *Mulan* while the founders were in university. Tomm Moore, the director of both films, said "Some friends in college and I were inspired by Richard Williams' unfinished masterpiece *The Thief and the Cobbler* and the Disney movie *Mulan*, which took indigenous traditional art as the starting point for a beautiful style of 2D animation. I felt that something similar could be done with Irish art." A 2001 meeting with Les Armateurs proved instrumental in the effort to secure funding for *The Secret of Kells*, and the company helped in the production of the final film.
Logo prior to 2018
The success and Oscar nomination of the film in 2009 led to major offers for Cartoon Saloon, but the studio chose to remain independent. This led to a difficult time financially for the company for a few years with the partners having to take out personal loans to keep the studio afloat.

As of 2021, Cartoon Saloon is in production of its TV series, *Vikingskool* and Nora Twomey's second feature for Paramount+, *My Father's Dragon*.

*The Secret of Kells*, *Song of the Sea* and *Wolfwalkers*, based their style on traditional native art, which had *The Thief and the Cobbler* cited as one of their main inspirations. Tomm Moore, the director of all three films, said, "Some friends in college and I were inspired by Richard Williams's unfinished masterpiece *The Thief and the Cobbler* and the Disney movie *Mulan*, which took indigenous traditional art as the starting point for a beautiful style of 2D animation. I felt that something similar could be done with Irish art."

## Services

Cartoon Saloon also provided the graphics for the successful Emperor of the Irish exhibition at Trinity College Dublin, in 2014.

## Filmography

### Short films

 *Backwards Boy* (also known as Cúilín Dualach)
 *Star Wars: Visions: Screecher's Reach* | 4 May 2023

### Television series

 *Dorg Van Dango* | 2020
YTV
 *Vikingskool* | 2022
France Televisions
 *Ellie the Ace* | TBA

### Rejected pilots

 *The World According to Winnie the Pooh* | * Pitched to Walt Disney Television Animation
* Based on the *Winnie the Pooh* franchise.

## Awards and nominations

### The Secret of Kells

Wins
* 2008: Directors Finders Award at the Directors Finders Series in Ireland
* 2009: Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival
* 2009: Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
* 2009: Roy E. Disney Award at Seattle's 2D Or Not 2D Film Festival
* 2009: Grand Prize at the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival
* 2009: Audience Award at the 9th Kecskemét Animation Film Festival; Kecskemét City Prize at the 6th Festival of European Animated Feature Films and TV Specials
* 2010: Nominated for Best Animation award at the 7th Irish Film and Television Awards
* 2010: European Animated Feature Award at the British Animation Awards

Nominations
* 2009: Grand Prix Award for Best Film in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival
* 2009: Best Animated Film at the 22nd European Film Awards
* 2009: Best Animated Feature at the 37th Annie Awards
* 2010: Best Film at the 7th Irish Film and Television Awards
* 2010: Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards

### Late Afternoon

* Nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
* IFTA Award for Best Animated Short Film
* Best Animated Short Film, Baku International Animation Festival