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The internationally recognised film animation company Huhu Studios, based in Snells Beach, has been placed into liquidation by the High Court.
Director Trevor Yaxley says the fact that Covid has lasted as long as it has, has taken a toll.
“We thought we could mothball the company until it was over, but that just hasn’t happened,” he says.
In January 2020, Huhu was in China for the launch of New Zealand’s first 3D animated feature film, called Mosley. The $30 million film, which took four years to produce, was a co-production with China Film Animation, one of China’s largest media companies.
“We held the premiere in Beijing and it was amazing. We were all ready to go with a release in cinemas right across the whole of China on February 7 when Covid struck and all the movie theatres closed.”
The launch was rescheduled for 18 months later but again, Covid returned and the launch was again cancelled.
“We realised then that Huhu couldn’t survive. The big film companies can ride this sort of thing out, but it’s very different for small independent film makers.”
Huhu specialised in family friendly media, with Christian themes.
Yaxley says they had many successful productions including Buzz and Poppy, Veggie Tales, Turbo Dogs and The Pond. Many went on to be distributed worldwide and he estimates more than 100 million children in 68 countries have seen programmes produced in Snells Beach.
Mosley was meant to be the first of three films made with China Film, with a further five in the pipeline.
“It represented another 15 to 20 years of work.
“The most heart-wrenching part has been letting staff go,” Yaxley says. “Some had been with us from day one. Thankfully, there is a lot of demand for digital artists both here and in Australia.”
Huhu was founded in 1996 by Trevor and Jan Yaxley and, at its height, the company was employing around 100 staff.
