Indigenous Animation: Lí Ban 2 & Spritelites

TIME & LOCATION

Wednesday 11 November, 12:30 pm

End Time: 1:30 pm

The Factory

About

A panel discussion exploring the stories and innovation behind some of the north’s most ambitious animation projects and the importance of indigenous language/ culture within these productions. We will be joined by the artists and writers behind Lí Ban season 2 and the newly commissioned, trilingual children’s series, Spritelites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chair

Kathryn Mullan

SPONSOR

Panel

Craig Fish

Animation Director at Paper Owl (Lí Ban, Spritelites)
Over the last 20 years Craig Fish has worked for studios in Dublin, Belfast, Kilkenny, Washington D.C. and Studio City in L.A. He is experienced in almost every stage of the animation production pipeline, from Conceptual Art to final Animation on over 13+ animated series, 1 feature film, countless shorts and 10 illustrated books. Craig is the Animation Director for Paper Owl films and was lucky enough to work on Pablo: Next Level and Lí Ban series 1 & 2.

Máire Zepf 

Children’s Author and Screen Writer (Co-Creator of Lí Ban)
Máire Zepf is an award-winning children’s author and screen-writer. She has written 18 books for children, from picture books to YA verse novels. Her books appear in 10 languages worldwide. Her ‘Rita’ series of picture books with illustrator Mr. Ando has been adapted for television. For TV, she has written, translated, presented and voice-directed. She is writer and co-creator of ‘Lí Ban’ with Paper Owl. Máire was the first Children’s Writing Fellow for Northern Ireland, based at the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at QUB.

Suzanne Waring 

Author / Language Advisor (Irish language Writer for Spritelites)
Suzanne Waring is a versatile professional with experience in theatre and education, particularly focused on children's productions and the promotion of the Irish language. She is the founder and director of Smidiríní Theatre Company, which creates educational theatre in both English and Irish. As a writer, Suzanne has written a children's picture book for publication, penned touring children's plays like Na Féileacáin Fheargacha and recently wrote the short film An Sreang Briste as part of the Spreag initiative. Her diverse acting career includes roles in feature films, animation, and radio dramas. Suzanne’s experience in children’s television ranges from live action to animation where she has credits as an actor, voice director and as an Irish language advisor. Additionally, Suzanne has a strong background in education, having taught drama and performing arts through Irish for 20 years and serving as Head of Drama at Coláiste Feirste. Suzanne is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, UU and Queen’s University Belfast.

Kathryn Mullan (Chair)

Broadcaster
Kathryn Mullan is a broadcaster and singer from Carn Tóchair. She’s a presenter on the children’s series 'Cúrsaí an Chontae' on TG4 Foghlaim, has been a reporter and presenter on Nuacht Cúla4, and is the voice of 'Daisy' in the series 'Daisy and Ollie' on Cúla4. On top of that, Kathryn also works with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and BBC Gaeilge, and she writes for the Irish News.

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Charlotte McKenna 

Animator / Director (Lí Ban, Sol, Pablo)
Charlotte McKenna has been working at Paper Owl Films for nearly 10 years and is currently the Series Director on Lí Ban Series 2. She worked as Animation Director on Cbeebies’ Nikhil and Jay before that, leading a team of animators to produce high quality children’s pre-school animation. Since joining Paper Owl Films, Charlotte has worked as an Animator, Designer and Animation Director on various projects including Sol, Ladybird and Bee, Happy the Hoglet and two series of Pablo, giving her a unique insight to all aspects of the Animation pipeline. Charlotte has since progressed to Director on short form Series, Ladybird and Bee and is continuing on that Director path with Series 2 of Lí Ban.

Gráinne McGuinness 

Director of Paper Owl Films (Co-Creator of Lí Ban)
Gráinne Mc Guinness is an award-winning creator of standout stories for that encourage younger audiences to see the world in different ways. A co-founder and Creative Director of Paper Owl Films, Gráinne leads the development of ambitious content for international audiences. Gráinne is Creator of ‘Pablo Next Level’ (CBBC, RTÉJr, Crayola Studios, CAKE), a spin-off of the original ‘Pablo’ preschool series and co creator of Lí Ban ( TG4, S4C, Aardman) following the quest of a young girl in a world changed forever, S3 of which is in development. Currently projects also include ‘Ladybird & Bee’ and Spritelites: an animated Shared Stories series for preschoolers.

Anne McMaster

Poet / Writer (Ulster Scotts writer for Spritelites)
Anne McMaster lives on an old farm in mid-Ulster. Her Pushcart-nominated poetry is published internationally and has been used by the BBC, British-Irish Secretariat, Ulster Orchestra and Live Music Now (NI). She appears regularly on BBC TV and radio and is now writing for the screen. Two new collections of her Ulster Scots work will be published in autumn 2026 and a new collection of poetry in English in early 2027.