IRELAND’S FIRST ANIMATED SITCOM NEWSBAG LAUNCHES ON 3e
The first production from animation studio Icehouse premieres on 3e on Saturday 12 October at 22:00
Dublin, 09 October 2013 – Animation studio Icehouse’s first series, Newsbag, is an animated sitcom created by Gerard Barrett (Pilgrim Hill) produced in Dublin featuring an all-Irish voice cast. The 10 x 22 min series will air in a prime time slot on Saturday nights on 3e.
Newsbag follows the adventures of Lenny, Gig and Moss; three Irish lads who work for a dysfunctional online news website in Dublin run by a wealthy megalomaniac named Dundee. Together the trio pursue hot news trends such as the wave of Twitter-addiction spreading across the country, a spud shortage that brings Ireland closer to another famine, and a presidential visit to Ireland that goes drastically wrong.
Creator Gerard Barrett said, “Setting the series around three friends working in an online news website in Dublin had great potential for storylines set around all types of news stories.â€
Icehouse is a new prime time animation studio that discovers and supports new and emerging writers, directors and artists. With headquarters in Dublin and Los Angeles, Icehouse encourages creative experimentation in the production of animated comedy and action.
Newsbag is a first for Irish television, where adult audiences are more used to animated sitcoms imported from America. The series is a homegrown production written by a team of Irish writers led by Gerard Barrett, directed by Maurice Joyce and animated in Dublin.
TV3 Director of Content, Jeff Ford, said: “We are excited to be teaming up with Icehouse Media to bring 3e viewers Ireland’s first animated adult comedy series. This unique animation is a fantastic addition to the many home-grown programming and talent that TV3 Group supports. It also highlights the importance of the BAI fund which contributes to the continuous relationship between TV3 and the independent sector.†Read More:
The cast, which includes Aoibheann O’Hara, Kevin McCormack and Love/Hate’s Peter Coonan in a cameo role, also features non-professional actors in the lead roles.
According to Barrett, “There is something about listening to natural voices speaking the dialogue that gives it an energy and realness. It gave me the opportunity to make the characters grounded so they would become relatable to the audience when watching the show.
The way they talk is like anyone would talk with their friends in Irelandâ€.
Newsbag was commissioned by TV3 and produced with support from the Irish Film Board and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
ABOUT ICEHOUSE®:
Icehouse is a prime-time entertainment brand dedicated to creating, producing and distributing “Entertainment for Grownupsâ€.
Icehouse discovers and supports new and emerging talent. We encourage creator-driven experimentation and support directors, writers and art directors in finding their creative voice through the production of animated comedy and action content.
Icehouse is structured as a cross platform production house and has an ‘any device, any time’ content distribution policy.
Headquartered in Los Angeles and Dublin, we deliver comedy, character and action at a price that lets us keep control, take risks and involve YOU, our audience.
For more information visit www.icehousestudio.tv or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/icehousestudio and Twitter at www.twitter.com/weloveicehouse
ABOUT GERARD BARRETT, Creator, Head Writer & Executive Producer
Gerard’s debut Feature Film Pilgrim Hill won at 2012’s Galway Film Fleadh and went on to have its North American Premiere at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival where it received rave reviews and won him the Great Expectation Award. Pilgrim Hill premiered in the UK at the London BFI in October 2012 where he received the Rising Star accolade and then went on to win the IFTA Rising Star Award in 2013 at the Irish Film & Television Awards. Pilgrim Hill went on release in April 2013 and remained in Irish cinemas for sixteen weeks. it became one of the highest grossing Irish film in 2012/13. Barrett signed with WME Talent Agency Los Angeles in 2012 where and is represented by Chris Donnelly, whose clients include Martin Scorsese. He is represented by Michael Fassbender’s agents in London, Conor McCaughan and Sam Fox at Troika Talent.
ABOUT MAURICE JOYCE, Director
Maurice Joyce was born in Dublin and began his career in animation as a layout artist. At Murakami Wolf Studios in Dublin he worked on projects such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, James Bond Jr., and Speed Racer. After four years at the studio Maurice worked on animated series at studios in Germany and Korea before moving to New York in 1996 to work on the feature Beavis and Butthead Do America. This was followed by work on the animated sitcom King Of The Hill and Disney’s Doug in New York and Los Angeles. In 2000 Maurice returned to
Ireland to work with TerraGlyph Productions on a number of series and features. He has since worked as a Director and Storyboard Artist on high profile animated series for companies such as Brown Bag Films and Cartoon Saloon.
http://www.icehousestudio.tv/
