Studio Solas, a TV AND FILM studio based in the Connemara Gaeltacht, was the location for a new childrens TV series that will begin broadcasting this week on children’s ITV (11th April).
Annabels Kitchen is a 30 part entertainment series about cooking with children and is presented by Annabel Karmel, the internationally renowned expert and bestselling author on childrens food and nutrition. Endeavouring to address the issues that children have regarding food, Annabel and a pair of puppets teaches children about food and what goes on in the kitchen. THE SERIES WAS A CO-PRODUCTION BETWEEN TELEGAEL, FUTURE FILMS (UK) AND BAKER COOGAN PRODUCTIONS (UK).
The programme is set in Annabels stylish loft kitchen, which was specially constructed in Studio Solas, a facility which provides concept development, production and post-production services to film and television projects. The tv series, which contains 30 x 11 minute episodes, went into production in January and was filmed over a 5 week period with a total crew of 55 people.
John Brady, CEO of Studio Solas said “We were delighted when we were approached by Telegael and Future Films to produce this series. Studio Solas in conjunction with Telegael offers a one-stop-shop to film and television projects from concept to post-production stage. Annabels Kitchen adds compliments our list of international and national productions, which include award-winning drama, live action documentaries and feature films, produced from our studio here in the West of Ireland. We firmly believe that projects like this will open the door for other similar productions to come and shoot in Connemara”.
The Galway Gaeltacht is now the largest TV production base outside of Dublin. John Lowery, CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta who supported the development of the sector in Connemara said, “The Gaeltacht-based audio-visual and TV production sector is increasingly contributing to the Irish economy, providing ideal opportunities for growth in export markets, and is an important employer providing over 350 full time jobs in the Gaeltacht. The level of development and the high standard of skills and experience gained in this sector in Connemara, which grew initially as a result of the establishment of TG4, has assisted these companies in positioning themselves and competing effectively on the global media production marketplace”.