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Animation company under union alert

A production company developing a children's animation for TEN is under MEAA watch with staff members said to be owed monies.

lill2A production company developing an animation series for Network TEN came under the scrutiny of the Media Arts & Entertainment Alliance last week after the union advised its members some voice over artists were owed money and animators had been stood down without pay.

Melbourne based Ettamogah Films, developing Lil’ Larrakins for TEN, faces outstanding payments dating back several months for voice over artists, according to the MEAA.  The company has also stood down many of its animators without pay, some of whom are owed up to three weeks pay.

Eleisha Mullane from the Victorian branch of the MEAA told industry newsletter Screen Hub that at its peak, Ettamogah employed between 100 and 120 people, however on or about the 21st of October, between forty and fifty were stood down, and told they may not be put back on for between two to eight weeks.

Some writers are also understood to be owed monies.

A number of staff members also checked realised their superannuation had not been paid for several months, Mullane said.

Cherrie Bottger, Head of Children’s Television at TEN, said that Ettamogah had adhered to its expected deadlines for the scripts, and that nothing untoward was apparent.

Ettamogah Entertainment has previously delivered the children’s animation Wakkaville for Nine, though a Nine spokesperson told TV Tonight it was yet to air.

Lil’ Larrakins, due to air on TEN in 2010 as part of its content requirements, follows the adventures of 10-year-old Amy, Trev, Jimmy, Bub, and their pet animals Maddie the Koala, Bob the Dog, Tucka the Rabbit and Roo the Kangaroo.

Ettamogah Productions did not respond to enquiries from TV Tonight.

Source: Screen Hub, MEAA

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