Michael Rose | 'The Gruffalo' and Adapting with Integrity

In episode 6 of All Lit Up! we're talking to MICHAEL ROSE, cofounder of Magic Light Pictures. the studio behind THE GRUFFALO and CHICO AND RITA.Join Michael and Gilly as they discuss finding the perfect IP to adapt and how to go about securing the rights. Plus, hear Michael and Gilly discuss the Nick Park Oscar winning short, Creature Comforts.Creature ComfortsNick Park's 1989 Academy Award® winning short film, Creature Comforts features a series of interviews with the animals in an English zoo. Used to open spaces and sunnier climates, they comment on accommodation, diet and of course – the English weather! The short film premiered in 1989 on Channel Four as part of a series called Lip Synch. The series was ground-breaking, using real recorded voices with animated characters.Later Creature Comforts also went across the pond to the USA where the unique format was used once again to tell real-life stories from people in America.Watch Creature Comforts here!MICHAEL ROSEMichael Rose is joint CEO and co-founder of Magic Light Pictures.Michael began his career programming and running independent cinemas in Plymouth and Bristol before moving into television, where he spent four years at Channel Four as a buyer of international programming.In the mid-1990s, Michael joined the renowned Aardman Animations as Head of Development. There, he played a key role in growing the studio, launching its feature film division and serving as Executive Producer on hit films Chicken Run and the Oscar-winning Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, both produced with DreamWorks.Earlier in his Aardman career, he produced Nick Park’s Oscar-winning A Close Shave, as well as two other Oscar-nominated shorts, Humdrum and Wat’s Pig. His television credits there include Rex the Runt and the pioneering web series Angry Kid. He has won two individual BAFTA awards for his producing work.In 2003, Michael founded Magic Light Pictures with fellow producer Martin Pope. Since then, the company has built a worldwide reputation for creating distinctive, high-quality entertainment for children and families. Michael has produced a string of successful productions including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Zog, Revolting Rhymes, The Snail and the Whale, Chico and Rita, Pip and Posy, and most recently Tabby McTat. The company oversees not only production, but licensing, global distribution and marketing. Its work has been nominated for four Oscars, and won five Baftas, five International Emmys and two Children’s and Family Emmys.Beyond animation, Michael’s producing credits include feature films Wild Target, starring Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt; Sparkle starring Stockard Channing, Bob Hoskins and Shaun Evans; and wildlife documentary One Life, narrated by Daniel Craig.In 2024 Michael was awarded the OBE for services to animation.All Lit Up! is a Lighthouse Studios production.Follow the studio on social media to stay up to date with all news and the latest episodes.Instagram: @lighthousestudiosireLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighthousestudios