Andrew Davenport
Andrew Davenport (born 10 June 1965, Folkestone, Kent, England) is an award winning British producer, writer and composer specialising in creating television and publishing for young children. He is Creative Director of Ragdoll Productions.
Davenport has been dubbed ‘the J K Rowling of the under fives’[1] following the extraordinary international success of 'Teletubbies' and 'In the Night Garden...'.
Davenport created Teletubbies (first broadcast in the UK in 1997) with Anne Wood, and wrote all of the 365 episodes.
He created ‘In the Night Garden...’[2][3] (first broadcast in the UK in 2007), wrote all of the 100 episodes, and composed the title theme and incidental music.
He is renowned for creating high-volume and technologically pioneering character-based productions, designed for developmentally specific audiences that appeal successfully to their target age group[citation needed].
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[edit] Biography
Andrew Davenport studied Bsc Speech Sciences (vocational training for Speech Therapists) at University College London,[4] and the National Hospitals College of Speech Sciences (NHCSS).
He was President of University College London Drama Society in 1986/7, and on graduating he set up a theatre company with performing partner Kate France, appearing at the Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Serpentine Gallery, London, the Théâtre de la Bastille, Paris, and the Yermolova Theatre, Moscow.
In 1992, Davenport was filmed dancing on a Soho roof for a short film ‘Joy’ by Mehdi Norowzian, a performance that inspired the Anticipation Guinness advertisement.
Davenport is the model in the 1992 Gilbert and George work ‘Eyes’.
[edit] TV career
1992-1996 Davenport created and puppeteered the character boy ‘Tiny’ in the double BAFTA winning series ‘Tots TV’ and wrote more than half of the 298 episodes.
1993-1994 Davenport wrote for and appeared in the series Brum.
1997-2001 Davenport co-created the phenomenally successful Teletubbies (with Anne Wood), and wrote all of the 365 x 25 minute episodes.
2002-2003 Davenport created and wrote the BAFTA winning series ‘Teletubbies Everywhere’ (52 x 10 minutes)
2007-2008 Davenport created and wrote all episodes and music for the double BAFTA winning ‘In the Night Garden…’ (100 x 30 minutes)
[edit] Awards
- BAFTAs In the Night Garden... - Best Pre-school Live Action Award 2007[5] and 2008[6]
- BAFTA Teletubbies Everywhere - Best Pre-school Live Action Award 2002[7]
- Royal Television Society Teletubbies - Best Pre-school and Infants Award 2000[8]
- BAFTA Teletubbies - Best Pre-school Programme 1998[9]
- Royal Television Society Teletubbies - 24th Japan Prize International Contest, Grand Prize-winner, Pre-school Education Category 1997[10]
- Royal Television Society Teletubbies - Children's Entertainment Award 1997[11]
- BAFTA Tots TV - Best Pre-school Programme 1996[12] and 1997[13]
[edit] References
- ^ "Andrew Davenport: Ooo, what's all the fuss? - Telegraph", The Telegraph, 17 January 2008.
- ^ "In the Night Garden: Bedtime for Teletubbies – The Independent", The Independent, 18 April 2007.
- ^ "Night Fever – The Observer Magazine", The Observer Magazine, 25 November 2008.
- ^ "Feature on Andrew Davenport in UCL People Magazine", UCL People Magazine, July 2008.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Live-Action Award - In the Night Garden...", 2007.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Live-Action Award - In the Night Garden...", 2008.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Live-Action Award - Teletubbies Everywhere", 2002.
- ^ "Royal Television Society – Best Pre-school and Infants Award - Teletubbies", 2000.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Programme Award - Teletubbies", 1998.
- ^ "24th Japan Prize International Contest, Grand Prize-winner, Pre-school Education Category - Teletubbies", 1997.
- ^ "Royal Television Society – Children’s Entertainment Award - Teletubbies", 1997.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Programme Award - Tots TV", 1996.
- ^ "BAFTA – Best Pre-school Programme Award - Tots TV", 1997.
