Atkinson Film-Arts
IndustryAnimation
Founded1974
FounderVic Atkinson, Jonathan Finkelstein
Defunct1989
FateBankruptcy
HeadquartersOttawa, Ontario, Canada
ProductsTelevision specials
Television series
Direct-to-video films
Feature films

Atkinson Film-Arts was an animation studio based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The company is best known for producing the first two Care Bears television specialsThe Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings and The Care Bears Battle the Freeze Machine – and the four syndicated specials that inspired The Raccoons (as well as first-season episodes of the show itself). Atkinson also produced the Christmas specials The Little Brown Burro, Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas and The Trolls and the Christmas Express and the 1986–87 series The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin (with DIC Entertainment).[1][2][3]

They also worked on the 1981 science fiction anthology movie Heavy Metal and The Body Electric, an animated movie featuring music composed by the Canadian rock band Rush.[4]

History

Vic Atkinson founded the company.[5]

Atkinson was hospitalized after overseeing the production of two segments for Heavy Metal. He recovered and oversaw The Christmas Raccoons before leaving the company and selling his share to Bill Stevens. Atkinson did not like the direction the company was heading in and stated that "I won't produce garbage" while Stevens says he left over disagreements regarding growth and financial risk.[5] The Christmas Raccoons cost $700,000, The Raccoons on Ice cost $850,000 and the episodes of The Raccoons cost up to $415,000.[6]

F. R. Crawley, who was $1.2 million in debt, sold his company to Stevens for $1.[7]

Merilyn Read acquired the rights for Babar the Elephant and discussed creating a special with Atkinson-Crawley. Babar and Father Christmas was the one of the most expensive specials at the time, with a budget of $600,000.[8]

Sheldon Wiseman and Kevin Gillis formed Hinton Animation Studios, which recruited from Atkinson-Crawley's employment. In 1987, Stevens attempted to aid the financial ailing company by raising $6 million through a public offering under the name The Crawley Group, but the stock market crashed three days before his presentation. The company had $4 million in debt by 1988, and owed a large amount of unpaid wages causing more employees to join Hinton Animation.[9]

Filmography

Television specials

Year Title
1978The Little Brown Burro
1979The New Misadventures of Ichabod Crane
1979Tukiki and His Search for a Merry Christmas
1980The Christmas Raccoons
1981The Trolls and the Christmas Express
1981The Raccoons on Ice
1983The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings
1983The Legend of Hiawatha
1983The Raccoons and the Lost Star
1984The Care Bears Battle the Freeze Machine
1985The Body Electric
1985Rumpelstiltskin
1985The Velveteen Rabbit
1985For Better or For Worse: The Bestest Present
1986The Tin Soldier
1986Babar and Father Christmas
1987The Nightingale

Television series

Year Title Notes
1985–86The RaccoonsSeason 1 (11 episodes)
1985–86OWL/TVanimation
1986–87The Adventures of Teddy RuxpinSeasons 1–2 (65 episodes)
1988Dennis the MenaceSeason 2 (13 episodes)
1988COPSSeason 1 (11 episodes)

Direct-to-video films

Year Title Distributor
1984The Raccoons: Let's Dance!Embassy Home Entertainment
1987MeerkatsAmmex Productions

Feature films

Year Title Distributor Notes
1981Heavy MetalColumbia Pictures"Harry Canyon" and "B-17" segments

Short films

Year Title Co-production with
1974Santa
1974Yesterday's FarmHolt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada
1975Camp RooflessDepartment of National Defence
1975AmenitaPyramid Films
1976Let's Talk BusinessDepartment of Regional Economic Expansion
1976Propst[r]ikeTransport Canada
1977Post and Beam Construction (slide film)Canadian Wood Council
Eastern Forest Products Laboratory
1980Wood Construction (slide film)Canadian Wood Council
Eastern Forest Products Laboratory
1980sThings That Go Bump: Client/Counselor Relationship and Other Things That Go BumpCanadian Employment and Immigration Commission
1981Groups That Work: Part OneCanadian Employment and Immigration Commission
Telescene Productions
1981Groups That Work: Part TwoCanadian Employment and Immigration Commission
Telescene Productions
1983A Piece of SunshineOntario Hydro

See also

References

  1. "Atkinson Film Arts [ca]". imdb.com. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  2. "Atkinson Film-Arts Studio Directory Cartoon Series:". bcdb.com. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  3. "The First Care Bear Film, 'The Land Without Feelings'". home.att.ne.jp. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  4. "heavy metal film 1981". avaxsearch.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  5. 1 2 Mazurkewich 1999, p. 116.
  6. Mazurkewich 1999, p. 118.
  7. Mazurkewich 1999, p. 116-117.
  8. Mazurkewich 1999, p. 117.
  9. Mazurkewich 1999, p. 118-120.

Works cited

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