A to Z of Animation Studios: Yoram Gross Film Studio
(Or: The Studio That Made Australia’s Most Famous Cartoon Animals)
Welcome back to Animation Anarchy, where we celebrate animation history while also making sure studios that don’t get enough credit finally get their due. If you haven’t subscribed to our YouTube channel, do it now before Blinky Bill and his marsupial friends come knocking at your door.
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🔥 Y is for Yoram Gross Film Studio
If you grew up in Australia (or had access to obscure kids’ cartoons), you probably know Blinky Bill.
And if you know Blinky Bill, you know Yoram Gross Film Studio.
Founded by Yoram Gross, a Polish-Australian animator, this studio became the biggest animation company in Australia—mainly by making cartoons about cute animals with surprisingly deep themes.
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The Most Aussie Cartoons Ever (A.K.A. What They Made)
1. The Adventures of Blinky Bill (1993-2004)
• Australia’s most beloved animated koala.
• Blinky Bill is a mischievous, lovable koala who protects the bush and teaches kids about conservation.
• One of the most iconic Australian cartoons ever made.
• It spawned movies, spin-offs, and even a CGI reboot.
2. Dot and the Kangaroo (1977) (And a Million Sequels)
• A mix of live-action and animation.
• Dot, a little girl, gets lost in the Australian outback and befriends a kangaroo.
• The animation style was unique—cartoon characters over live-action backgrounds.
• Had so many sequels that no one can name them all.
3. Around the World with Dot (1981)
• Dot somehow leaves Australia and starts globe-hopping.
• Yes, the kangaroo travels too.
• Logic? Unimportant.
4. Flipper & Lopaka (1999-2005)
• A show where a boy talks to a dolphin and has underwater adventures.
• Basically “What if Flipper was a cartoon with some mystical powers?”
5. Tabaluga (1994-2004)
• A German-Australian collaboration about a tiny green dragon.
• One of the weirder but beloved ‘90s cartoons.
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Why Yoram Gross Film Studio Was So Important
1. They made Australia’s biggest animated characters.
2. They blended animation with live-action in unique ways.
3. They tackled environmental and conservation themes before it was cool.
Even though the studio was later bought out and became Flying Bark Productions, its legacy lives on through Blinky Bill and Australian animation.
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🎖 Honorable Mention: Yellowbird Animation (Early CGI Pioneers That No One Talks About)
Now let’s talk about Yellowbird Animation—a studio that was ahead of its time but faded into obscurity.
What Did They Do?
• They were one of the early adopters of CGI animation.
• Helped shape the look of early 3D-animated TV shows.
• Worked behind the scenes on numerous projects but never became a household name.
Why They Deserve Recognition
• They helped push CGI into mainstream animation before it was widely accepted.
• They worked on foundational projects that influenced future studios.
Yellowbird may not be well-known, but they were part of the wave that helped CGI animation take over.
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Final Thoughts (A.K.A. Why You Should Subscribe Before Blinky Bill Starts an Environmental Protest at Your House)
Yoram Gross Film Studio? The kings of Australian animation and animal-driven storytelling.
Yellowbird Animation? The unsung pioneers of early CGI who helped shape the industry.
Next up? Z for Zagreb Film—the Yugoslavian animation studio that made some of the most unique, surreal, and thought-provoking animated films of all time.
(Spoiler: This one gets deep.) 🚀
