At the end of 2025 Visible Fictions and Screen Scotland launched new talent development programme Wee Wonders Scotland. The aim of this project is to support new and emerging film makers to make an original animation short between 1-3 minutes in length.
The response to this opportunity was encouraging, with so many dynamic and creative animation ideas submitted - the panel of industry professionals had a tough job on their hands deciding which projects to take into the programme. After a rigorous process five proposals were selected.
The successful candidates will now begin their journey by partaking in a programme of regular one-to-one sessions, development workshops, editorial support and industry mentorship per specialised animation style of project. The finished short animations will be completed by October 2026.
Linda Hughes
The Engineer: A story about a lift engineer who likes to take his time.
Linda grew up in Fife, studying illustration at Edinburgh College of Art and animation at the Royal College, London. Her graduation film Face Facts won a Gold Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival and was shown on Channel Four. She has worked as an award winning freelance illustrator and animator for over thirty years.
Connor Leslie
Love Thy Neighbour: A story about unsettling thouhts when your neighbour suddenly goes quiet.
Connor is a Scottish multidisciplinary artist whose work is shaped by urban architecture and human interaction. He currently works in film as a graphic designer, storyboard artist, and animator. Connor is also the co-founder of Awright Projects, an initiative dedicated to supporting working-class and underrepresented artists across Scotland.
George Summers
Leap in the Dark: A story following one frogs hunger which leds them into the unknown.
George Summers is a freelance animator and filmmaker, specialising in stop-motion and 2D digital. He loves all things animation and storytelling and is most passionate about small stories with huge things to say; brought to life in the handmade and tactile. He is the director of award-winning short films Not a Robot and Out with the Old, and is currently working in Edinburgh under Suzo Animation.
Calum Main and Pamela Gray
Bron (w/t): A story about a journey thorugh grief.
Calum is a Scottish-based 3D animator, specialising in both digital and stop-motion animation. Currently he is working as a practice-based researcher, running the Virtual Production studio for the CoStar Realtime Research Lab at the University of Edinburgh. He is inspired by human stories driven by interesting use of technology meeting creativity.
Pamela is a Scottish senior designer and 3D artist working within the industry across film, tv and games. Inspired by gothic horror and fantastical worlds she always strives to bring tactile and textural qualities to her digital work.
Gordon Howie
The Nose Hair that tried to Kill Me: A story about a niggling hair that causes catastrophic events.
Gordon Howie is an animator, filmmaker and co-founder of Scotland's monthly animation get together, "Clanimation". His recent animation credits include Netflix’s Black Mirror, the BAFTA-winning Brilliant World of Tom Gates for SkyKids and cinematic game trailers for Supercell and Blizzard. He loves crafting stories with charm, heart and style - with a dash of gothic whimsy!
Douglas Irvine, Artistic Director of Visible Fictions commented: "We have witnessed the power of animation within Visible Fictions after producing our first stop frame animation back in 2019, since then we have expanded our animation portfolio and recognise the need for support within the artistic community in Scotland to enable Scottish based creatives to fully explore this dynamic method of storytelling. We look forward to developing their stories and sharing them later in the year."
Kieran Hannigan, Head of Scripted at Screen Scotland said: “Animation is an incredibly versatile method of storytelling. It enables us to convey complex ideas, emotions, and narratives in visually engaging and imaginative ways. Scotland also has an incredible legacy in excellence in animation, so this is why it’s crucial to support the next generation of animation talent through this vital initiative. We can’t wait to see how the participants grow their craft through this process and look forward to seeing the finished films.”
More information
Image credits
First image: (left to right) Linda Hughes, Connor Leslie and Gordon Howie.
Second image: (left to right) Calum Main, Pamela Gray and George Summers