Burbank Animation Studios
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation |
| Predecessor | Burbank Films Australia |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Fate | Defunct (2008) |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Key people | David Field (managing director and executive producer), Roz Phillips (producer) |
| Products | Animated film adaptations of literary classics |
Burbank Animation Studios was an Australian company specializing in animated film production, initially operating under the name Burbank Films Australia.
History
Established in 1982, the studio launched its operations by creating animated versions of Charles Dickens novels, distinguished by their somber atmosphere and minimalistic musical accompaniment, exemplified by Oliver Twist. Within a span of two years, eight adaptations of Dickens' works were completed.
In 1983, the studio broadened its scope to include adaptations of Sherlock Holmes tales authored by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. From 1983 through 1988, Burbank produced animations derived from literary classics such as Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote, J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan, Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers.
By 1987, all animation production activities were relocated to the Philippines under the subsidiary Burbank Animation Incorporated based in Manila.
The company underwent rebranding in 1991 as Burbank Animation Studios and maintained its specialization in "animated classics" through collaborations with Anchor Bay Entertainment and Bridgestar Entertainment. David Field took on the roles of managing director and executive producer, while Roz Phillips assumed the position of producer.
Between 1991 and 1994, production was carried out at Unlimited Energee studio in Sydney, employing a hybrid technique that combined traditional hand-drawn animation with digital inking, painting, and compositing onto Betamax and Ampex equipment. This approach allowed for intricate backgrounds and occasional digital effects despite limited budgets. In 1994, production operations shifted to Colorland Studios located in China.
TV series
- The Wizard's Tales (1991–2001)
Copyright status
Contrary to common misconceptions, all films produced by Burbank Animation Studios maintain active copyright protection within the United States and are neither public domain nor orphan works. Their collection represents budget-conscious copyrighted material frequently licensed to various home video distributors.
Following the insolvency of Burbank’s parent company Film Funding & Management, distribution rights for the "Animated Classics" series were transferred first to ABR Entertainment and subsequently to Omnivision. Presently, these rights belong to Pulse Distribution and Entertainment and are overseen by NuTech Digital, a digital rights management company. In the US market, titles are released under NuTech's DVD Ltd. label and licensed to Genius Entertainment.
Some budget editions have been issued by Digiview Entertainment; however, the legal standing of these releases remains unclear.
Distribution rights for "The Dickens Collection," "The Sherlock Holmes Collection," along with titles such as Black Tulip and The Corsican Brothers, were assigned to Rikini (later International Family Classics), which then sold them to H.S. Holding Corporation—the current rights holder. H.S. Holding also acquired rights to Alice Through the Looking Glass. In the United States, these titles are distributed by Liberty International Publishing through Liberation Entertainment and Genius Entertainment.
As with the "Animated Classics," budget versions from Digiview have appeared but lack verified legal authorization.
Australian distributor Payless Entertainment commenced reissuing Burbank’s catalogue starting in 2008.
Credit listings differ among distributors; while some preserve complete original credits, others restrict acknowledgment to principal figures such as animation director, lead producer, and administrative personnel.
See also
External links
- Film Catalogue (official site, post-1991)
- Burbank Animation Studios on IMDb