FOR THE LOVE OF CHILDREN'S ANIMATION, FAMILY FILMS and books
I love to write!
Current projects bubbling away include:
- A big-hearted friendship story is at the centre of my original comedy action adventure screenplay that brings inspirational messages and a feel-good factor to a global, cross-generational, family audience (PG). I'm super excited that this project, that I pitched at Cartoon Movie, is in development with Cantilever Media.
- Creating original story concepts and writing both TV and interactive audio episodes for award-winning, global kids’ series Masha and the Bear.
- Creative consultancy for animation feature, series and gaming projects. I have worked with award-winning UK and international companies, including a leading gaming company in France. I help create original concepts or progress current storylines with a focus on deep characterisation and emotional arcs. I love joining writers' rooms and recently helped start adapting an award-winning game to a long-form animation series.
- Concept development of an original creature themed, comedy animation series for a family audience. Pitching in Progress!
- Sketching out ideas for children's picture books.
As both a writer and a mum, I feel a strong social responsibility to use storytelling to inspire and educate children - but in a super fun and relatable way. Success for me is creating inspiring stories that families - across the generations - laugh out loud to and love to read or watch together, over and over again.
2025 - I'm going fishing...
I'm excited to cast my latest spec material - family animation feature scripts, TV series and book ideas - into the industry pond at:
- The London Book Fair
- Annecy International Animated Film Festival
- The Children's Media Conference
I'm also on the look out for more script writing collaborations and/or creative consulting commissions. I very much hope to explore and progress more inspiring, vibrant projects with current lovely teams and new contacts in 2024.
Ideas, ideas and more ideas!
New ideas often pop up that I sketch out in notebooks dotted around the house and stacked in my car glove compartment.
Themes for my original material in development include a creature animation series and a film adaptation of a classic storybook (along the lines of The Faraway Tree). Amongst a bank of many, many others.
To keep my ear to the industry ground, I regularly touch base with the teams at; Animated Women UK, Raindance, ScreenSkills and Women In Animation and love attending their inspirational events.
If you work in children’s media and are interested to find out more about my original projects or freelance work, please do drop me a line at melissa@melissa-bennett.com or fill in the contact form below.