Nelly & Nora

What a year and a half!

Today we finished the final episode of Nelly & Nora: season 1.

I don't think it's really hit me yet, that the show is finished. What an unbelievable experience I had. I got to make 52 episodes, work with heroes of mine, and made incredible friends.

I am so proud to have the privilege of directing this show and over the last few months my team have done epic work. 

So as I sit here I wanted to publically thank everyone I worked with!

Ger: It is incredible to have a producer so trusting in myself and the team. As a "first time" director, your faith in me was unwavering! Everything I wanted, needed or asked for, you sorted.
Thank you so much for the chance to work on Nelly & Nora.

Emma: Hard to describe how amazing it was to work with you. Every day I wanted to make you laugh (or cry :P) at something new in the show. When I first met you all those years ago, I knew I was going to work with you. 

You said something to me earlier and it's stuck with me all day. 

You are my partner.

Every decision, every scene, and every episode was better because we work so brilliantly together. It was like we didnt have to talk we just knew what the other was thinking and at all times it made us better. And it made this magical show. 

Lean: thank you for all the guidance at the beginning! And for getting me the job :P

Tim, Ben and Simon on boards: The boarders were excellent. They got the show straight away. It was amazing to be able to get my friends to work on the show. How easy a job you made it for me, almost every board panel was perfect!

Darren: Music is 50% of every show and our show was blessed to have your genius.Your music elevated every episode from something beautiful to something magical!

Emma Butt: The soundest mixer in Ireland (yeah I said it!) You were brilliant to work with.

Simon: Our biggest fan, every online was great, and it ment I got to see if our jokes worked! 

And now my amazing crew.

Ciaran: the one man army. Your colour design and backgrounds brought beauty to every shot.

Kim: the machine! What an amazing work ethic. Took on every job and conquered every department!

Stef: as a fan of your work I was delighted we got you for the show, you are an incredibly talented artist.

Kim and Stef, your joy and wonder were the inhouse audience I needed everyday!

Carmen & Dom: You did heroic work. Often the comp dept have the raw end of the production. But when things got stressed and immense, both of you stood strong. You both strived for for perfection in every frame and made every shot sing.

Leon: You were my right arm on this! No way could I have made this show without you. 

I only managed to sleep because you didn't (and because you put it in my trello!)

The animators! 

This could have been an "easy job", we could have simplified the animation, made our lives easier and gone home early everyday. But the animators believed in the show, and in what I wanted to do. 

When the big demands were made, each and everyone of them stepped up. 

Each one of them did it with enthusiasm and excitement. They pushed themselves and their animation. And every episode got better and stronger. 

A better animation director I could not have asked for in Adrian! As proved in the last few weeks when it was mostly just me and you working away to finish up. You always had a smile and always there when I needed you. You were bear-illiant!!!

I had 2 amazing animation leads, without whom the dept would have been lost:

Boomer: I was lucky enough to get to work with you finally, old friend! Your belief in the show was immense. I wish I could say it was all Rainbows and Raindances, but when things got tough,you were epic when you needed to be! 

Jenny: You just would not stop working! You brought unbelievable character to the animation and the department. The girls literally danced off screen because of you!

Stephen: You brought a wonderful charm to every scene, and when I challenged you, you proved me right with every scene getting better and better!

Maureen: Hard to describe how proud I am of your work. You gave so much to the project, and when asked , you were always willing to do more.

Dan: An absolute joy to watch your scenes. You pushed every performance, made every scene better, and snuck in so much that made me laugh!

Claire: You made every scene sweeter. It's an absolute pleasure to work with an animator that loves the show even more I do.

Scotty: A project this scale needs selfless people, without egos. Your attitude everyday was "how can I help?". You just kept getting stronger and faster. You ate up footage!

Graham Brandham: You weren't here for long, but you made a huge impact on a lot of episodes. And your enthusiasm was unstoppable.

Floody: Hard to believe, but I have had the privilege of working with you on most of the biggest projects of my career. And I was delighted you came on board and loved working on the show! You are simply Excellent! 

Without your amazing performances, I wouldn't have my magical characters :Nelly & Nora!

Animation is a never-ending battle of talent vs time... 

But I learnt on this project, you also need Belief. Belief in the show, belief in the work, and belief in the crew. 

And everyday, when you have a crew as dedicated and talented and who believed in our show, as I was blessed to have, I knew we'd make a great show!

So to everyone that worked on the show - THANK YOU SO MUCH!

(i'm off for a pint!)