Channel 4 has commissioned Lupus Films to produce a snowy seasonal ident featuring the beloved characters from The World of The Snowman, created in collaboration with Channel 4’s in-house creative agency, 4creative. The 20-second film has been made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the very first transmission of The Snowman film adaption on Channel 4 and pays tribute to both the original animation and to the magical sequel, The Snowman and The Snowdog which was first broadcast in 2012.
The latest in a long line of iconic Channel 4 idents, the film transports the Channel 4 logo to a wintry setting where it oversees The Snowman, The Snowdog and James, the boy from the first The Snowman film, playing in the snow. The ident marks the very first time that all three characters will be seen on screen together. It premiered on the channel on the 6th December 2022 and will be shown regularly over the festive period.
The beautiful animation, in Lupus Films’ trademark hand-drawn style, has been lovingly hand-crafted by Robin Shaw and a small team of top animators using traditional 2D techniques in animation programme TVPaint.
Co-founder of Lupus Films Camilla Deakin said: “We are really honoured to have been asked to bring The Snowman back to life for Channel 4 for the 40th anniversary of this very special animated Christmas classic. It’s particularly poignant for us at the time of the tenth anniversary of The Snowman and The Snowdog and after the death earlier this year of our long-time friend and collaborator, the inimitable Raymond Briggs.”
Adapted from the iconic picture book by the late author and illustrator, Raymond Briggs, and published by Puffin, the timeless story of The Snowman was adapted and first shown on the newly-launched Channel 4 on Boxing Day 1982 and has been repeated on the channel every Christmas since. The Snowman and The Snowdog, the animated sequel to The Snowman, premiered on Channel 4 ten years ago in 2012 on Christmas Eve and was directed by Hilary Audus and Joanna Harrison. The film has won several awards – including five Kidscreen awards – and featured on the front cover of the Radio Times’ prestigious Christmas issue in both 2012 and 2013.