Oli Hyatt, Co-founder Of Blue-Zoo, Awarded An MBE For Services To Animation
Skwigly
- The award recognizes his contribution to the conception and implementation of the animation tax relief scheme
- Oli established Animation UK, a lobby group to provide a collective voice for the animation industry
- Oli continues to work towards addressing issues impacting the animation industry
Blue-Zoo Animation today announces that its Co-Founder & Creative Director, Oli Hyatt, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s honors list. Oli was awarded the MBE for his services to the animation industry.
Oli’s passion to create positive change within the industry came from a growing concern about the lack of voice and representation amongst the animation industry and the increasing amount of work commissioned overseas. Following a significant period researching the industry and the incentives available in the world market he created a report entitled “Saving UK Animation”. This report led Oli to work with key figures within Government. He also went on to create a lobby group, Animation UK, which was established to lobby and work alongside Government to achieve an animation tax relief scheme.
Animation UK supported by key figures within Government convinced the Treasury to implement an animation relief scheme in 2012. At the launch of the tax credits at BAFTA in 2012, George Osborne spoke of Oli’s passion and commitment that had inspired him to launch the tax scheme. Since then, Oli has helped with both the implementation of the credit and the promotion of it around the world.
The animation industry has since doubled in size in the U.K. with London seeing 300% growth (ref: Bob Thompson, FILM London). Oli was recently listed amongst the most powerful people in London in the Evening Standards Power 1000.
Oli Hyatt comments; “It’s a great honor to awarded an MBE, but in reality its an award for the whole industry, everyone that helped the campaign, and all the hard working industry professionals who have collectively contributed to this positive development within the industry. We made a convincing case for intervention, but it took support from inside government to push this through, MP Mark Fielding and MP Ed Vaisy in particular supported us right through the process.”
Oli’s passion to create positive change within the industry continues. He is supporting a campaign to extend the tax cuts to children’s live action programming as well as calling on the BBC to review their financial commitment to children’s programming.
Oli Hyatt comments; “I am concerned about the constant reduction in budget and marginalization of children’s programming on the BBC to the extent that it doesn’t properly represent the needs of those most culturally, developmentally and socially malleable in our society. A tax break to encourage more investment in to this sector as well as a rethinking of the importance placed on children’s programming by the BBC and the BBC Trust, could have game changing effect not only for the people producing children’s content, but for children for generations to come.”