WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT NETS INAUGURAL CAMEO AWARD FOR BEST BOOK TO TV ADAPTATION
Skwigly
Lupus Films and Walker Productions’ enchanting hand-drawn animated adaptation of Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s classic picture book We’re Going on A Bear Hunt has seen off stiff competition from The Night Manager and Mog’s Christmas Calamity to win the Book to TV category of the inaugural Creativity Across Media: Entertainment & Originality (CAMEO) Awards.
Announced last night at a special ceremony at Soho House, London, the CAMEOS are a collaboration between London Book and Screen Week and the Publishers Association to recognise the integral role books play within the creative industries as an inspiration for plays, film, TV and games. The award was presented by David Nicholls, the award-winning author of One Day and Starter For Ten.
Picking up the award on behalf of Lupus Films, producer Ruth Fielding said: “We are thrilled that We’re Going on a Bear Hunt has won this prestigious new award. The film was a labour of love for the production team that brought Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s wonderful work to life and this is a tribute to their hard work and talent”.
Walker Productions’ Julia Posen said: “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt only aired for the first time at Christmas and yet in that short space of time has gained a legion of fans and had so much positive feedback from children, parents and critics alike. We are all incredibly proud to receive this award, a wonderful acknowledgement of a much-loved picture-book story brought beautifully to life on a new creative platform.”
Featuring the voices of Olivia Colman, Pam Ferris and Mark Williams, and introducing an original song by George Ezra, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt was transmitted on Channel 4 over the Christmas period. Watched by over 8m viewers, it was Channel 4’s highest rated programme of 2016 – across all genres. Made in the traditional hand-drawn animation style the film featured 100,364 drawings and 288 hand-painted backgrounds. It was co-directed by Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw, with a script written by Joanna Harrison.
We’re Going On a Bear Hunt is a Lupus Films Production in association with Bear Hunt Films, Walker Productions and Herrick Entertainment for Channel 4 Television Corporation. With the support of Creative Europe – Media Programme of the European Union.
Listen to directors Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw on the Skwigly Animation Podcast below.