The animated ident celebrates the 40th anniversary of the much-loved animation’s debut on Channel 4.
Channel 4 has commissioned award-winning production company Lupus Films (The Tiger Who Came to Tea, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt) to produce a snowy seasonal ident featuring the beloved characters from The World of The Snowman (part of Penguin Random House Children’s), created in collaboration with Channel 4’s in-house creative agency, 4creative. The 20-second film has been made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the very first transmission of The Snowman film adaption on Channel 4 and pays tribute to both the original animation and to the magical sequel, The Snowman and The Snowdog, which was first broadcast in 2012.
The latest in a long line of iconic Channel 4 idents, the film transports the Channel 4 logo to a wintry setting where it oversees the Snowman, the Snowdog and James, the boy from the first The Snowman film, playing in the snow. The ident marks the very first time that all three characters will be seen on screen together. It premiered on the channel before Jamie’s Easy Christmas on Tuesday, 6th of December, and will be shown regularly over the festive period.
The 4creative team comprises of Executive Producer Lynsey Atkin, Creative Director Dan Chase, Producer Alison Laing, Head of Marketing Laura Ward-Smith, Marketing Lead Laura Bedford and Marketing Executive Victoria Cheng.
The Snowman has been a part of Christmas for four decades, so what better way to mark the 40th birthday of both Channel 4 and the animated adaptation of Raymond Briggs’s beloved character than with a set of hand-crafted idents featuring James and the Snowman. It may or may not snow this month, but it is guaranteed to be a white Christmas on Channel 4.
Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer at Channel 4
The ident has been produced by Lupus Films – the producers of The Snowman and The Snowdog – and directed by Robin Shaw who was responsible for the iconic flying sequence in that film. The beautiful animation, in Lupus Films’ trademark hand-drawn style, has been lovingly hand-crafted by Robin Shaw and a small team of top animators using traditional 2D techniques in animation programme TVPaint.
We are really honoured to have been asked to bring The Snowman back to life for Channel 4 for the 40th anniversary of this very special animated Christmas classic. It’s particularly poignant for us at the time of the tenth anniversary of The Snowman and The Snowdog and after the death earlier this year of our long-time friend and collaborator, the inimitable Raymond Briggs.
Camilla Deakin, Co-Founder of Lupus Films
The Snowman has been an enduring part of Christmas television for over 40 years and we are thrilled that Channel 4 has commissioned a wonderful piece of animation that celebrates Raymond’s original creation and sees the world of the Snowman beautifully realised, once again, by Lupus Films and Robin Shaw in this brand new ident.
Thomas Merrington, Creative Director of Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House Children’s)
Adapted from the iconic picture book by the late author and illustrator, Raymond Briggs and published by Puffin (part of Penguin Random House Children’s), the timeless story of The Snowman was adapted and first shown on the newly-launched Channel 4 on Boxing Day in 1982 and has been repeated on the channel every Christmas since. Audiences around the world were entranced by the magical adventures of James and the Snowman and the 26-minute film went on to win a BAFTA and be nominated for an Oscar. In 1984, music legend David Bowie put on a Christmas jumper to record a special introduction to the film for Channel 4.
Created with Raymond Briggs’ blessing, The Snowman and The Snowdog is the animated sequel to The Snowman, which premiered on Channel 4 in 2012 on Christmas Eve and was directed by Hilary Audus and Joanna Harrison. The sequel tells the story of Billy, who moves into the house featured in the original story of The Snowman and discovers a snowman-making kit under the floorboard of his bedroom, thereby launching a brand-new magical adventure. The film has won several awards – including five Kidscreen awards – and was featured on the front cover of the Radio Times’ prestigious Christmas issue in both 2012 and 2013.
The Snowman, The Snowman and The Snowdog and Lupus Films’ other festive animated specials We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Tiger Who Came to Tea are all transmitting on Channel 4 over the festive period.
