Altrincham animation studio Factory is expanding its digital division, creating 25 new jobs.
The move follows a major new commission – a feature length 2D animation based on a book by former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo (War Horse, When the Whales Came) with a score from Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman (Emma, Chocolat, The Cider House Rules), which will be co-produced by Leopard Pictures.
Among the 25 new roles will be Layout Artists, Lead 2D Animators, 2D Animators, 2D FX Animators, 2D Character Riggers, Mid and Senior Compositors, plus Project Manager and Production Co-ordinator roles.
MD Phil Chalk said: “We are delighted to be growing the team here at Factory once again; the 25 new roles will take our head count to 130, a growth we’re incredibly proud of achieving over the past nine years. We strive to produce high quality, distinctive shows and look forward to welcoming new team members to our incredibly talented crew.”
The new digital expansion will be headed up by Factory’s Head of CGI, Pauline Edwards, who started at Factory seven years ago as a 3D Artist on Strange Hill High and who has been head of its digital division since 2014.
She said: “This is such an exciting time to work at Factory; the work the studio is producing is exceptional and the expansion will add to our super talented team. Having been part of Factory’s journey over the past seven years I am excited to be a part of such a great team as we move into this new phase for the studio.”
Factory is a multi-genre, full-service studio with shows airing on CBBC, CBeebies, ITV, Disney and Nickelodeon. The production company has produced more than 80 hours of animated content since it launched in 2010, including Clangers, Scream Street, Off The Leash, Strange Hill High, Newzoids, and three specials for Disney and Club Penguin.
The Factory studios occupy 35,000 square feet of bespoke studio and office space in Altrincham, with more than 100 staff, and has up to five series in production simultaneously.
