Mackinnon & Saunders | Crafting by Hand & Working with Tim Burton

On this episode of All Lit Up! Deborah Thorpe joins host Claire Finn to trace an unlikely path; from co-founding the global fashion online retailer, ASOS to falling in love with a kids book called Isadora Moon and turning it into the hit TV series we know and love. Deborah shares why she believes a story of self-acceptance resonated so deeply with audiences at the time, what the word 'brand' actually means in the kids space and the joy she feels for animation as a medium with limitless possibilities. Along the way, she reflects candidly on a tough market and the discipline of self belief before sharing her favourite short film, one she turns to when she's feeling low and needs to bound, bound and rebound! This one's full of heart, empathy, and wisdom - enjoy! ____ All Lit Up! is a Lighthouse Studios production. Visit lighthousestudios.ie or follow the studio on social media to stay up to date with all news and the latest episodes. Instagram: @lighthousestudiosire LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighthousestudios

In this episode of All Lit Up, host Gilly Fogg sits down with the talented Joe Kady (a.k.a. Mummy Joe) the self-taught online creator behind the wildly popular Kid Vampire series. Joe studied computer science, then went to Maine to build wooden sailboats before boredom and isolation sparked a whole new creative life. He tells Gilly how he makes his content with just an iPad, microphone, and Premiere, and why he was determined to end Kid Vampire cleanly rather than exploit its success. You'll hear how a silly voice became something deeply personal, drawn from his experience as a first-generation American, and why he trusts his own instincts when it comes to fan suggestions. Joe's short film pick is Kid Vampire itself — the full movie. Settle in and get all lit up!

This week on All Lit Up, Managing Director Claire Finn steps in as host to welcome writer, comedian, TV host and activist, Martin 'Beanz' Warde to the Lighthouse Library. Martin unpacks what it meant to grow up a gay Traveller in a small Irish town, how creative storytelling is in both his blood and his name, and how he considers which projects to work on next. He shares how his play (soon-to-be short film) The Dead House, was inspired by the sight of men laughing at a funeral and why he thinks comedy is the best way into hard subjects. Plus, hear an exclusive scoop on a new project Martin is working on with Lighthouse Studios... In a conversation that ranges from the nomadic history of Irish Travellers through how the nickname 'Beanz' came about to the sound of rain on a tin roof, Martin closes with a reading of an original piece written to a 1963 photograph of his grandparents' wagon, Home. ____ Martin Beanz Warde is a multi-disciplinary artist and a prominent voice in today’s Irish media. As Ireland's first gay Traveller comedian, he uses his platform to advocate for human rights, most recently as the TV presenter of RTÉ’s sustainability docuseries The End of the World with Beanz (2024-). As a comedian, he’s worked with Des Bishop on Joy in the Hood (2005) and toured Ireland with his stand-up show Gomey Feen (2019). As an award-winning journalist and photojournalist, he writes for The Irish Times and the Examiner and has opened two exhibitions on Traveller identity and experiences - Through Our Eyes at Photo Museum Ireland and The Mincéirí Archives with the National Museum. As a writer and performer, he sold out his one-man show The Dead House (2023) at its opening run in Dublin Theatre Festival, and has just wrapped production on the short film adaptation. With a BA in Sociology and Politics from NUI and an MA in Journalism from University of Limerick, Martin is also highly-sought-after TV and radio guest. ____ All Lit Up! is a Lighthouse Studios production. Visit lighthousestudios.ie or follow the studio on social media to stay up to date with all news and the latest episodes. Instagram: @lighthousestudiosire LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighthousestudios

Emmy winning Foley artist Ellen Heuer talks performance, animation, and the emotional cost of a career spent making movies sound real. Ever wondered who makes the sound of a kiss, a footstep, or a spaceship snack floating in zero gravity? On this episode of All Lit Up, host Gilly Fogg is joined by Ellen Heuer, an award-winning Foley artist with over 45 years of experience bringing Hollywood's biggest films to life through sound. From her home in LA, Ellen takes you from her surprise start as a dancer-turned-Foley-artist to unforgettable stories from working with David Lynch, Pixar, and the team behind Apollo 13. You'll hear how she built sounds for Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and Cars, and get an honest look at the physical and emotional toll of decades spent performing for the screen. Ellen also shares two short film recommendations; including the sound-driven animated short (and 2026 Oscar Nominee) Butterfly. Settle in and press play.

In S2 E01 of the All Lit Up! podcast, we're chatting to animation legend, Tom Bancroft, about how challenges can lead to opportunities; the importance of self assessment; and his drive to make sure "young Tommy" gets his hopes and dreams met. Tom lays out how frustrations can drive growth and fuel passion projects - though not always without a cost. Gilly and Tom also discuss how breaking into the animation industry differs now vs then and how to balance nostalgia with modern advances. In this not-to-be-missed launch of season 2, we also welcome the return of the Short Film segment as Gilly and Tom discuss his recommended watch "The Cat Came Back" by Cordell Barker (1988). Watch The Cat Came Back