Mackinnon and Saunders
Animation Production
Ian Mackinnon and Peter Saunders are Creative Directors / Executive Producers and co-founders of UK-based Mackinnon & Saunders Ltd., a full-service animation studio and the world’s leading specialist in character development and the design and build of stop-motion puppets.
With over 30 years of experience, Ian and Peter’s talented team have brought some of the world’s best known animated characters to life – including TV’s Postman Pat, Bob the Builder, Pingu, Koala Brothers, Rastamouse, Roary the Racing Car and Strange Hill High, as well as in features films such as Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar® winning Pinocchio (Netflix), Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr Fox (Fox Studios), Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Warner Bros) and Frankenweenie (Disney). The studio has also been called upon to handle support build services to US-based Laika Studios on feature films Coraline, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls as well as providing selected sets, props and puppets for Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs.
Mackinnon Saunders’ television work includes the creation of puppets and full production of many series, including, The Mixmups, The Twirlywoos, Postman Pat SDS™, Raa Raa the Noisy Lion, Toby’s Travelling Circus, Moon & Me, the critically acclaimed Netflix anthology film, The House and the multi award winning Sound Collector. The studio has also branched out into live action with the popular BAFTA nominated, Sky Kids hybrid show, Boosnoo. The company’s 2D animation studio, Mackinnon and Saunders Digital which has produced the popular Wanda and the Alien series for Milkshake/Nick Jnr and Stan Can for IGen Studios and BBC Studios also provided 2D characters for the aforementioned, Mixmups.
With a deliberately diverse approach the company also works seamlessly across the commercials sector producing and shooting the Puffs Tissues for Publicis NY 2000 – 2011, Glenn and the Magic Taco for Taco Bell/Deutsch LA in 2017 and the UK’s Red Tractor Campaign in 2018 and 2021, and the Numan: Inertia Man ads in 2022 amongst many others. Sandwiched in between has been puppet building for projects such as Sainsburys ‘The Greatest Gift’ 2016 Christmas campaign and the multi-award winning BBC 2017 Christmas film, The Supporting Act.
In the last two year the studio also produced stop motion inserted for Tim Burton’s highly successful sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Netflix’s most viewed English language show, Wednesday.
The company is also highly active in developing programmes and brands for all audiences, including the award-winning BBC TV series Frankenstein’s Cat and Raa Raa the Noisy Lion. Presently the studio has several long and shortform projects in active development and is engaged in production on two yet to be disclosed projects which will once again push the boundaries of puppets and stop animation production.
Primary Activity: Animation Production
