BVIFF 2026 | Animation Day | Panel Discussion
Join us for a panel discussion on the animation industry, featuring Louise Bagnall, Jess Patterson, Ian Hamilton, Paul O'Flanagan and hosted by Steve Woods.
Louise Bagnall
Louise Bagnall is a director and animator from Ireland. Bagnall recently premiered her debut feature film Julián at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It’s the story of a boy who spends a magical summer of discovery with his grandmother in Brooklyn. Bagnall also wrote and directed the universally successful short Late Afternoon at Cartoon Saloon, which was nominated for Best Animated Short at the Academy Award® in 2019. She has worked in various roles across her career, including as a character designer on The Breadwinner, a storyboard artist on Wolfwalkers and an assistant director on Nora Twomey’s feature film My Father’s Dragon.
Jess Patterson
Jess is an Irish director from Dublin based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, who has directed, animated and storyboarded on children’s television productions for Amazon, BBC, PBS America and RTÉ, and is currently the episodic director on a new 60-episode animated series for Nickelodeon/Milkshake; ‘Tim Rex in Space.’
Alongside her time in TV production Jess has directed a number of award-winning short films; twice-receiving the Oscar-qualifying James Horgan Award at Galway Film Fleadh for ‘The Wiremen’ (2018) and ‘Worry World’ (2023).
Her film ‘The Voyage’ (2020) for RTÉ Does Comic Relief would receive an IFTA-nomination and go on to win Best Animation at the RTS Awards in both Ireland and Northern Ireland, leading Jess into directing animated segments for BBC’s Red Nose Day campaign with Mo Farah and a series of seven music videos combining live-action and animation for CBBC.
Ian Hamilton - Elk Studios
Ian Hamilton has been in the Irish industry for 20 years - having graduated from the National Film School of Ireland, IADT Dun Laoghaire. He has worked his way through the Animation Pipeline - from Digital Artist to Producing. He has produced over 30 hours of content for broadcast and managed a further 43 hours of content.
Ian set up Elk Studios both Ireland and the UK - 8 years ago, a production company that works from initial Design right through every aspect of production including Scripting, Casting, Music, Production and Post. Leading in Innovation and is open to utilising all new technologies. Currently employing over 60 people at its Dundalk studio and producing longform animation series (48x11), “Gangsta Granny” for CBBC and WDR.
Steve Woods
Steve Woods is an award-winning filmmaker, animator and educator whose work spans animation, documentaries and dance films. A co-founder of the Galway Film Fleadh in 1989, he has taught experimental animation at Ireland’s National Film School in Dún Laoghaire since 1994. Steve has curated animation programmes for festivals in Ireland and internationally, including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. His experimental film Dutch Darkness was screened at the Louvre in Paris, and he continues to write, lecture and create innovative work across film and animation.
Paul O’Flanagan
Paul O’Flanagan is an award-winning director and one of the founding fathers of Boulder Media, having joined as its first animator in 2000.
In the years since, Paul has acted as animation director and director for many high-profile shows such as ‘Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends’, ‘The Amazing World of Gumball’, ‘Danger Mouse’, ‘My Little Pony’ and ‘Transformers: Botbots’ for broadcasters such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, BBC, Disney and Netflix. Paul has made several short films throughout the years. His most recent, ‘Memento Mori’ finished its festival run recently, gathering many festival appearances and awards, including being long listed for the Academy Awards ‘best animated short’. Paul currently serves as one of the Creative Directors in Boulder Media.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Boyne Valley, the Boyne Valley International Film Festival (BVIFF) returns from the 7-9 August for its fifth year in partnership with LOVE Drogheda BIDS. Creating an environment for filmmakers and audiences to connect and celebrate film in the historical medieval town of Drogheda, located in the heart of the Boyne Valley Region.
Funded by The Arts Council, Louth County Council Festival Fund, Love Drogheda BIDS, Meath County Council and The National Talent Academy for Animation. With sponsorship from Tom Clinch and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, KMN Ltd, Scotch Hall, and support from Boann Distillery, Anglo Printers, Scholars and The Marcy Hotel.
The Arc Cinema
West St
Drogheda
Co. Louth
A92 XY48.