First Look: Cartoon Saloon’s ‘Ellie the Ace’ Series

Cartoon Saloon, the Kilkenny, Ireland-based studio responsible for The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, has publicly revealed the pitch trailer for a kids’ series in development called Ellie the Ace. The trailer was presented last September at the TV series co-production conference Cartoon Forum.

Created and developed by Louise Bagnall (Late Night Work Club, The Amazing World of Gumball, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja), the series follows the adventures of a ten-year-old explorer and pilot named Ellie who lives in a town of floating sky-islands called Lockhart.

Both Disney and Irish broadcaster RTE have expressed interest in the series, which is budgeted at €4.5 million ($5.1 million). In line with current industry trends, the series is being conceived for multiple platforms including TV, mobile, tablet, and Internet.

“Since the trailer I’ve been working intensively on Ellie at the studio,” Bagnall reported on her Tumblr last Friday. “[W]e’ve been able to bring in more great artists and writers. It’s come forward in leaps and bounds and I’m really excited about the progress made, it’s really coming together!…Now the project is getting close to the next stage so I’ll try and show more of it when I can.”

Cartoon Saloon’s other TV series include Puffin Rock and Skunk Fu.