A to Z of Animation Studios: X Is for Xilam Animation
The French studio that makes you laugh without saying a word.
X is for Xilam Animation
Who they are: A French studio founded in 1999. It's one of the best studios most people have never heard of, even though millions of kids around the world watch its shows.
The approach: Visual comedy. Many Xilam shows have almost no dialogue, which means kids anywhere can understand them without translation.
The slapstick classics
Oggy and the Cockroaches (1998 onward). A big blue cat who just wants a quiet day, and three cockroaches who will never, ever let him have one. A spiritual cousin of Tom and Jerry.
Space Goofs (1997). Five aliens crash on Earth and move into the attic of a house, where they cause chaos for every new tenant.
Zig & Sharko (2010 onward). A hungry hyena keeps trying to catch a mermaid, and her best friend, a very strong shark, keeps stopping him. Fast, wordless gags on a tropical island.
Mr. Magoo (2019). Xilam brought back the classic near-sighted character for a new generation.
I Lost My Body (2019). REAL: a Xilam feature film that was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It's thoughtful and serious, made for older teens and adults.
Why Xilam works
No words needed. If a gag works without dialogue, it works everywhere.
Big, bouncy animation. Squash, stretch and wild expressions.
Silent-film roots. Xilam's comedy owes a lot to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
Honorable mention: The "X" factor of the industry, the service studio
X is a tough letter, so here's a shout-out to the many animation service studios around the world, in places like South Korea, the Philippines, China and India. They draw much of the animation for big American and European shows, and their names often appear only at the very end of the credits. Next time you watch a show, stay for the credits and see who really drew it.
The lesson
Comedy that needs no translation travels farthest. If you want your animation to reach the whole world, tell the joke with pictures.
Up next
Y is for Yoram Gross Film Studio.
New episodes drop on YouTube first. Subscribe to Mr. Bray Labs so you never miss one.
