Irish animation firm Boulder Media picked up the Kids Animation Award at the inaugural International Emmy Kids Awards in New York at the weekend for its cartoon The Amazing World of Gumball.
The Dublin company, set up in 2000, was co-producer on the series, which received its international debut in May 2011, and was the first full-length animated series to emerge from Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe.
Boulder Media was part of the team that won the award for its work on Gumball, along with Ben Bocquelet, Mic Graves and Joanna Beresford of Cartoon Network Europe, in association with Dandelion Studios and Studio Soi/Cartoon Network UK.
“We’re over the moon with the Emmy and are very proud to be part of such a great show. We’re very lucky to have such a talented and hardworking crew at Boulder so it’s wonderful to see their work being recognised with such a prestigious award,” said Boulder’s creative director, Emmy-nominated Robert Cullen, who founded the company in 2000.
“This means so much for the industry here. For such a small country, Irish animation has achieved so much internationally which is something for everyone to be proud of,” Cullen added.
Inside the World of Gumball
Since The Amazing World of Gumball aired in 2011, the show has been a hit with viewers and critics. Brian Lowry of industry bible Variety said it “qualifies as first-rate silliness”.
The Amazing World of Gumball combines 2D and 3D animation in a live-action setting, and follows the misadventures of 12-year-old Gumball and his family in the weird and wonderful little town of Elmore. Featuring a stellar cast of characters, Gumball’s school friends include a tyrannosaurus rex, a cheerleading peanut, and a banana.
The Amazing World of Gumball series also scooped awards for Best Animation (2011 and 2012) and Writing (2011) at the British Academy Children’s Awards.
