An animation studio start-up that is poised to release its first feature-length film has secured a financing and distribution deal with 21st Century Fox, writes Dalya Alberge.
Producer Julie Lockhart and writer-director Sarah Smith established Locksmith Animation four years ago.
They had both previously worked with Aardman Animations, the Oscar-winning creators of Wallace & Gromit. Smith also directed and co-wrote Arthur Christmas, becoming the only British woman to direct a film with a budget exceeding $100m (£70.6m).
The deal with Fox will see the Hollywood studio finance new productions, and market the finished products.
Lockhart said: “We’re not just taking the budgets and a fee. We will be co-financiers on the whole thing.”
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Locksmith’s first film, Ron's Gone Wrong — a story about a faulty robot befriended by an 11-year-old boy — will soon be released. It has two other films in production. It has started to poach creative talent from established animation titans such as Pixar and DreamWorks as part of its expansion plan.
Fox is co-chaired by Rupert Murdoch, who is also chairman of News Corp, owner of The Sunday Times.
Locksmith has also struck a strategic partnership with Double Negative, the award-winning visual effects specialists whose films include Dunkirk, also Oscar-nominated last week.