Welsh co-producer discusses BAFTA nomination for Kensuke’s Kingdom

Directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, Kensuke’s Kingdom is based on the best-selling novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted for screen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. It features the epic adventure of Michael, a young boy shipwrecked on a remote island, who discovers he’s not alone when he encounters a hostile old Japanese soldier who retreated there after World War Two. The illustrious voice cast includes Sally Hawkins, Cillian Murphy, Raffey Cassidy, Aaron MacGregor and Ken Watanabe.

The film was co-produced by Cardiff animation company Bumpybox, and to celebrate the BAFTA award nomination, we caught up with producer Sam Wright to chat about his career, the creative industries in Wales and the magic of animated storytelling.

Hi Sam, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I'm the producer at Bumpybox. Previously, I worked as a CG artist at various animation studios. Before that, I studied at the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales). I grew up in North Devon, moved to South Wales for university, and have been here ever since.

How did Bumpybox start?
Leon Dexter, Toke Jepsen, and I registered the company while studying together at university in 2011. After completing our MA in Animation, we spent a lot of time creating and pitching to various companies and broadcasters in an effort to get our own projects off the ground. In addition, we collaborated extensively with other animation studios on their projects. During the production of Ethel and Ernest (a 2D feature film co-produced in Wales), we met Neil Martin. He later joined Bumpybox as our lead compositor on our first BBC production, My Petsaurus, and eventually led us to Kensuke’s Kingdom.

What drew you to animation as a medium for storytelling?
I've always been drawn to animation because it is primarily a visual medium, and I've always had a passion for art. Animation has the power to create a compelling story with minimal sound and dialogue. Kensuke’s Kingdom itself is told with very little dialogue, which is why it works so well as an animated film. Unlike live action, animation offers complete creative freedom to bring worlds and characters to life in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible - the only real limits are imagination and budget!

Congratulations on the BAFTA nomination for Kensuke’s Kingdom! How did you get involved with the film?
Thank you! We’re really pleased with the nomination. We were originally approached by Lupus Films in 2019 to handle the Welsh side of the production. Lupus was receiving funding from Ffilm Cymru and Creative Wales to bring elements of the film to Wales, and at the time, we were working closely with Neil Martin, who was the lead compositor on Ethel and Ernest, another Lupus Films feature. Neil had also previously worked on We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and began his career on Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist, becoming something of a specialist in compositing for traditional 2D animation. Everything just fell into place from there, and Neil has been a key part of our team ever since.

What was it like to work on your first feature length film as a company?
It’s really exciting - not just seeing your finished work on the big screen, but also having the opportunity to put more time and care into each shot. Feature films allow for a more bespoke approach, whereas television series often require a quick turnaround and a more structured workflow

Kensuke’s Kingdom has screened at film festivals and cinemas around the world; has the film helped you forge any international connections? 
Yes, the film originally premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, one of the world's largest animation festivals. Some of our team attended and enjoyed sharing the film with the international community there. We’re in talks with a few companies that we met there about co-producing their films in Wales too.

Did you work with any trainees during the production?
Yes, we had many graduates join the production straight from university - quite a few from the local universities in south Wales, as well as others from across the country who moved to Cardiff for the project. We often provide on-the-job training, as transitioning from university to the industry can be a big shift - especially when a feature film is your first production. There’s a lot of talent coming out of universities here, so it’s exciting to give people their first production credit on such a major project.

What makes Wales such a successful place for the film and creative sectors?
I think the quality of life in Wales is a big draw for all creative sectors. It’s an inspiring place to live - you can visit a historic castle, explore the Welsh valleys, and take a train to the seaside all in a single day. The animation scene here is also incredibly vibrant, with events like Cardiff Animation Festival and Cardiff Animation Nights bringing the community together.

What would you like to see more of in the Welsh film industry?
It’s the answer producers always give, but more local funding would truly benefit the industry. Creative Wales and Ffilm Cymru Wales do a great job supporting animation, and we’re really grateful to have helped bring such a major, prestigious project to Cardiff. Whenever a big animation production happens here, there’s always a lot of excitement.

However, to really grow the industry, we need more funding to bridge the gaps between projects and retain talent in the area. Ideally, I’d love to see the animation industry in Cardiff thrive as much as the high-end TV sector does - where multiple productions are in progress, and our talented crews can seamlessly move from one project to the next.

What do you have planned next?
We’re currently wrapping up another one of our own television productions, Egin Bach / Tiny Buds, for S4C and ITV. We’re hoping it will be on screens later this year.