Deadcreative

• Our aim
• Background
• The facts
• Current direction
• The team

Our aim

In today’s information age education and entertainment are available easily at the push of a button. Children have access to games, television, DVD’s, mobile phones, mp3 players, the Internet and more, but how much of this information is useable for deaf children? Technology is only serving to widen the gap between the resources available to deaf and hearing children. Deaf schools are closing down and teachers at hearing schools do not have the skills needed to educate these children; there are no television programmes suitable for deaf children not yet old enough to read, and deaf children are isolated from their peers at hearing schools. The deaf are becoming increasingly disenfranchised and this why Deadcreative exists. It is our mission to reverse this trend and bring about equality for the deaf in education and entertainment technology.

Background

The company was founded by its visionary director Finn, who was born deaf and has a background in design, animation and film. Finn was inspired to use his own talent to help improve education for deaf children through his experience whilst working on a project in his final year of film school. Finn was filming in a village primary school when he noticed an unusually large child in amongst a class of four-year-olds. At first Finn assumed the boy was a prefect but to his horror he later discovered that the boy was, in fact, an eight-year-old deaf child who had been held back because his teachers were unable to cope with his educational needs. This was shocking, not only because of how far he had fallen behind, but in how he was expected to mix with children half his age; something certainly not conducive to healthy social development.

The facts

A high percentage of deaf children develop mental health problems due to a lack of deaf identity while at hearing schools. These children are often alienated and operate in a world of their own creation, trying to develop an identity for themselves. It is essential that the use of sign language is actively promoted as it’s a fundamental part of deaf culture and essential for deaf children learning social and communication skills. The fact that deaf children have difficulty communicating with hearing children makes it even more essential that they develop their sign language skills, so that they get an invaluable opportunity for communication when they come into contact with other members of the deaf community. Sign language helps to build these children’s confidence, making them feel a more useful part of society.

Current direction

Although there are a handful of other companies across the world producing this kind of material for deaf children: there are not enough. Also, none use the sophisticated motion capture technology of Deadcreative that allows us to bring an unprecedented level of realism and emotion to animation. Meaning deaf children can make a connection with our characters that hadn’t been possible until now. We’re proud that our work will finally give deaf children a learning experience on a par with that which hearing children are able to receive.

The team

John Finn - Founding Director, Visionary and Driving Force behind Deadcreative

John Finn was born profoundly deaf and was taught at two different schools for the deaf. He discovered he had artistic flair when his art teacher secretly submitted his artwork to a competition, which he won – much to his surprise. That event significantly changed his career path, moving his focus away from physics and towards the arts. Having achieved an HND in Graphic Design, John realised that his full potential would not be achieved in this area alone, so decided that training as a filmmaker could widen his horizons and career options.

John studied filmmaking at the London International Film School in Soho for two years where he learned about all aspects of filmmaking. It was there that he learnt how to communicate through the medium of film generally, extending into animation. He needed to identify a niche and it arrived in an area he knew very well from personal and observed experience. Around the end of the 1980’s the law was changed and deaf children were encouraged to attend mainstream schools to meet all their educational needs. The special schools for the deaf that John had once attended became surplus to requirements and were closed down. At the same time, video games hit the market and became an instant success. Combining these two factors, John realised that if the thinking behind the closure of special schools was to achieve ‘inclusion’, the privilege ought to be extended to deaf children to enhance their ability to enjoy leisure pursuits.

Having identified educational games for deaf children as an untapped niche market, Finn then considered just how few high quality programmes were being made for deaf children. He studied for a Masters degree in 3D Animation at the University of Teesside where he wrote a final thesis on motion capture; the ‘Holy Grail’ as far as solving the problem with sign language is concerned.

He then attended a business course: ‘Creative Pioneers’ run by NESTA, which lead to the creation of Deadcreative Limited.

Clive Juster - Director

Clive studied architecture at Kingston-upon-Thames School of Art before changing direction and studying filmmaking, first at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art and then at the Film School of The Royal College of Art.

While working at the BBC as a Film Editor, Clive met children’s author/illustrator David McKee and worked with him on the cult children’s TV series – ‘Mr Benn’. In 1979 the pair set up King Rollo Films Ltd. together to produce animated programmes for children’s TV including ‘King Rollo’, ‘The Adventures of Spot’ (BAFTA nomination), ‘Maisy’ for Universal Studios (British Animation Award and BAFTA) and PAZ for Discovery Networks (3 Emmy nominations).

In 2004, having been the Managing Director of King Rollo Films for 25 years, Clive left the studio and took over Rollo Rights Ltd., the company that owns the portfolio of intellectual properties created by the studio. Alongside his work at the animation company, Clive was a governor at The Arts Institute at Bournemouth for 8 years from 1994 until 2002 when he received an honorary fellowship.

Mike Robinson – Director, Mike Robinson Consultancy

Mike Robinson graduated from Lancaster University in 1969 and went to work in British Repertory Theatre as Stage Manager and for 8 years as Production Manager at the Manchester Library Theatre Company.

In 1979, he joined Cosgrove Hall Productions as Studio Manager and – for 9 years as General Manager – the company produced classics such as ‘Danger Mouse’, ‘Count Duckula’ and ‘The Wind in the Willows’, and won many international awards.

In 1992, Mike set up is own animation consultancy specialising in project management and co-production. He has worked with broadcasters, distributors, production companies and investors including the BBC, Granada, Carlton, Create TV and Film, Film Finances, Hit Entertainment, Tiger Aspect, Varga, Ravensburger, France Animation, GrandSlamm Children's Films, Honeycombe Animation and was consultant to Novel Entertainment on their series of ‘Horrid Henry’, as well as to Abbey Home Media – responsible for Production and International Sales.

In addition to project management, Mike is asked to prepare reports on animation issues as well as advising clients on production budgets, schedules, control facilities, business plans and finance/rights strategies.

Mike was one of the founder members of The British Animation Training Scheme (BATS); he is a moderator for both Cartoon Forum and Cartoon Movie; he chairs and participates in the various Cartoon Masters; is invited to conduct animation seminars on many business aspects of animation production (S4C, Celador, Pro-Seiben, Polygram) and is a member of the animation committee of PACT.

Clive Booth - Director

Clive has spent the last 30 years in and around the UK software industry.

He has run a number of significant companies including Computer Land UK and Pegasus Software. Latterly he has spent his time helping start-up companies to write business plans and raise finance.

Clive is currently a Director of a number of companies involved in software, strategic business planning, and mergers & acquisitions.

Hugh Thomas - Director

Hugh Thomas has over 40 years of sales, marketing, fundraising and general management experience gained in senior high profile organisations in the advertising, consumer goods, travel and leisure and charity sectors.

Hugh was responsible for the worldwide launch of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the re-launch of the five-star St Andrews Old Course Hotel, and construction and launch of the hotel’s own ‘Duke’s Course’, as well as the launch of Birmingham European Airways.

Following an 8 year period of working for three very different charities – Guide Dogs for the Blind, The Elizabeth Finn Trust and the veterinary charity PDSA, Hugh launched his own consultancy, CharityView in 2004, with the specific purpose of providing smaller charities with marketing and fundraising support. In addition to undertaking a wide range of projects, ranging from urgent fundraising initiatives to long-term strategic reviews, he has also participated in the development of marketing and business plans for a number of start-up businesses.

The development and implementation of policies and procedures for large organisations has enabled Hugh to recommend effective plans for smaller charities and start up businesses. In general, there has been a need to minimise administrative detail whilst maximising the ability of small numbers of staff to deliver the products or services required.

Nigel Todd - Director

Nigel is a commercially focused business advisor who has many years of business experience gained within blue chip finance and service organisations (KPMG – 7 years, followed by HSBC – 18 years until 2000). He has held various senior roles across an extensive range of business disciplines ranging from finance and IT through to sales, marketing and new product development.

Since setting up on his own in early 2000, he has transposed these skills directly into other markets working with small and medium enterprises (SME’s) and also public sector (including Advantage West Midlands & Government Office of the West Midlands) and charity/voluntary organisations. In each of these sectors Nigel has promoted innovative thinking and creativity with businesses, individuals and management teams across a wide range of business disciplines as a business consultant including strategic planning, marketing, extensive market research and the raising of finance.

He has mentored around 200 start-up businesses located across the West Midlands, helping to turn their ideas into reality on Coventry University’s Vision Works new business start-up programme. This work has also involved high levels of research and networking, particularly across the West Midlands with a wide spectrum of commercial and public sector agencies. He has also been a Governor of the West Midlands Innovation School.

He has worked on many European funded business development programmes, commercialising ideas and encouraging, in particular, crossover between the private and public sectors; making the most of the strengths that exist on both sides.

Nigel is a Chartered Accountant and a Director/Part Owner/Consultant for several businesses involved in such diverse areas as business consultancy, education, animation, manufacturing software development, outplacement for Senior Executives and musical accessories.

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