Andy Frain
Andy Frain (born 2 November 1959) is an animation producer and the founder and managing director of Touchwood Animation Ltd.[1]
Biography
Frain's career began in the music industry, working for Hannibal Records, Making Waves, and CBS Records. In 1987, Frain left CBS to become general manager (and later managing director) of Island Records' subsidiary, Island Visual Arts.
At Island Visual Arts, Frain produced and distributed numerous long-form music videos and concerts, including those by U2, Bob Marley, Free, Grace Jones, Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood, Womack & Womack, and Anthrax.[citation needed] He was the executive producer of the award-winning nature documentary LifePulse,[citation needed] directed by Keenan Smart and featuring music by The Started Insects. The film has been broadcast several times by the BBC in the UK, The Disney Channel in the US, and in over 30 countries worldwide.[citation needed]
Following the sale of the Island Music Group to PolyGram, Frain joined the Island World Film Group and founded a home video division, Island World Communications. After the success of several Japanese animation titles, including Akira, the company's name was changed to Manga Entertainment, and its primary activities became the production and distribution of Japanese animation. Over the next few years, Manga Entertainment popularised Japanese animation in Western markets, and Frain's relationships with Japanese animation directors, producers, studios, distributors, and publishers led to the first ever animated feature co-production between Japanese and Western companies. The film Ghost in the Shell (on which Frain also acted as executive producer)[2] has become one of the most successful films in the "anime" medium.[citation needed] During Frain's tenure as CEO of Manga Entertainment, he established a US distribution division (Manga Entertainment Inc), a comic book division (Manga Publishing), and a CGI animation studio (Manga Studios). During that time, the company also developed and produced other animated features and television series, including Dave Borthwick's award-winning film The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb and Cobra, directed by Japanese comic book artist Buichi Terasawa. At the end of 1995, Frain left Manga Entertainment to start his own animation production company, Touchwood Animation. Some claim he was dismissed[citation needed] for the significant investment in Ghost in the Shell, (which was sometimes referred to as Frain's Folly) but it ultimately proved to be one of the most successful films in the company's history.[citation needed] Following his departure from Manga Entertainment, Frain retained a minority share in the company, which he later sold back to Blackwell prior to the sale to IDT/Starz Media.
Since 1996, Andy Frain has been involved in the development and production of several animated television series, including Backpackers, an adult animation series for Tinopolis, Yazzoo Wazzoo, a pre-school series for Granada, Spheriks, a 26 x ½-hour CGI television series for FIFA, Tractor Tom, a 52 x 11-minute pre-school series for Contender & CITV, and Free Jimmy, a CGI feature film for Sarah Radclyffe Productions. His company also produced the animation for Brush Head, a series of short films made for The Disney Channel & Dandy Productions, which won the BAFTA Animation Award in 2004.[3] The company has also produced commercials and a short film for Nestlé's Munch Bunch brand (via HRA and Ogilvy & Mather) and a series of animated shorts based on the BBC's popular comedy series Little Britain.
References
- ↑ "Company Info". Touchwood Animation. Archived from the original on 10 October 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Special Edition "Ghost in the Shell"". Anime News Network. December 2, 2004. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
- ↑ "Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards". BAFTA. Archived from the original on 15 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
External links
- Manga Entertainment: About Us Retrieved 5 September 2010
- Touchwood Animation Retrieved 5 September 2010
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