Private Project

EVEN WILDER IDEAS ABOUT FLOODING

Charming set of animated films with a lively animal cast teaches viewers about the importance of flood prevention and its role in protecting homes, farms, and businesses, all while nurturing wildlife.
Led by Twiggy the Red Squirrel, Milligan the Hedgehog, Pat the Cow, and salmon siblings Gill and Isla, the series explores natural flood management techniques like improving soil absorption and removing old dams. With detailed animation and endearing characters brought to life as lifesize, anatomically precise puppet and 2D elements based on vintage naturalist field sketches as a nod to Cumbrian greats such as Beatrix Potter and Wainwright —this project is a heartwarming fusion of wildlife passion and expert research.

  • Cadi Catlow
    Director
    ead Animator TV: Rastamouse (CBBC), Raa Raa the Noisy Lion (CBeebies), Ooglies (CBBC), Kit & Pup (CBeebies), The Blue Dragon (ZDF) Commercials: HSBC, Samsung, , Motorola, Velvet Tissue, Hubba Bubba, Nationwide, McCain Oven Chips, The Sun, Heinz Soup, John Lewis Music videos: Cat Stevens, Father John Misty, Run the Jewels, Avenged Sevenfold, London Grammar, Professor Green Director Commercials: Colorado Lotto, Dulux Paint, ITV Sport, European Greens Director and Producer Endanged language educational project: Talking Planet Aniamatronic and Creature Effects department Children of Men, Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix
  • David Kennedy
    Writer
    Wild Ideas About Flooding: Flooding Effects Everyone: For Peats Sake: Flood, Plain and Simple: Water We Going to Do
  • David Kennedy
    Producer
    Wild Ideas About Flooding: Flooding Effects Everyone: For Peats Sake: Flood, Plain and Simple: Water We Going to Do
  • Annabel Rushton
    Key Cast
    "Twiggy the Squirrel"
    RSPB People and Partnerships Manager
  • David Kennedy
    Key Cast
    "Gregory the Woodpecker"
    Cumbria Innovative Flood Resilience Senior Advisor - Enviromental Agency
  • Catherine Evans
    Key Cast
    "Gill the large Salmon"
    Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
  • Rachel Oakley
    Key Cast
    "Milligan the Hedgehog"
    Team member at Wild Ennerdale
  • Adam Briggs
    Key Cast
    "Pat the Cow"
    National Farmers Union Comms
  • David Kennedy
    Key Cast
    "Russel the Sheep Dog"
    Cumbria Innovative Flood Resilience Senior Advisor - Enviromental Agency
  • Neve Southgate
    Key Cast
    "Isla the Salmon"
    Young enviromental advocate
  • John Gorst
    Key Cast
    "Peat the Frog"
    Landscape restoration expert, United Utilities
  • Carolyn Otley
    Key Cast
    "Doug the Mole"
    Community resilience leader for Cumbria
  • Abigail Kennedy
    Key Cast
    "Brook the Otter"
    Cumbria-based teacher and wild swimming enthusiast
  • Project Type:
    Animation
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 28, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RAW Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Cadi Catlow

Cadi started her career in a haybarn on the edge of the Cumbrian Pennines as a teenager with her sisters Bryony and Linnhe, shooting commercials for major brands until she moved to London in 2004 to work on Harry Potter and Children of Men. Since then she has worked as an animator all over Europe and the UK, working on much-loved children's TV shows, commercials and music videos. In 2021 she moved to Nova Scotia to establish the first indigenous film studio in Atlantic Canada, and is now busy making animated resources for endangered language revitalisation. She is currently based in South Wales and Donegal. This is the first project made with her two sisters since 2004!

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Director Statement

Making this film was an absolute joy for me because it combined two of my personal passions - wildlife and research! The models were built as a lifesize, anatomically correct puppets with a huge amount of attention to detail. The design for the 2D elements was based on vintage naturalist field sketches, partly as a nod to Cumbrian greats such as Beatrix Potter and Wainwright, but also to give a human warmth to the information we needed to deliver. I didn’t want the messaging to be cold, flat and impersonal.

These four films were shot on Bristol harbourside, using a small crew of fabulous people, all committed to sharing the important information around flooding, climate and protecting our natural habitats for future generations. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it!