Emma Calder runs Pearly Oyster Productions, a versatile independent animation production company and design studio in Brixton, London, England.

We design and make lots of things: animated films for television and cinema, animated commercials, pop videos, title sequences, music for animation, picture books, posters, fonts, web-sites, toys and stickers.

Clients include: Tate Modern, Thames and Hudson, Bloomsbury, Quercus, BBC, Channel Four Television, Creative Skillset.

Grants have been received from: The National Lottery, London Production Fund, Cultural Industry Development Agency, Thames Gateway Innovations Fund. Media 2 and others.

‘Beware of Trains‘ Pearly Oyster’s new British Film Institute funded short animation has won and been nominated at many festivals. Awards include: British Animation Awards 2024, Cutting Edge winner. Tricky Woman Realities Festival, Maria Lassnig Golden Film Reel. Brighton International Animation Festival, Best UK Film. London Short Film Festival, Best UK Short: Runner-Up. The World Premiere was in competition in Zagreb 2022, followed by it’s French premiere in short film competition at Annecy Festival 2022. UK premiere was Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). The North American Premiere was Ottawa in September. BAFTA longlisted for best short animated film. 

Written and directed by Emma Calder, produced by Dhiraj Mahey and Harriet Titlow.

Trailer music composed and performed by Oliver Cripps.

Pearly Oyster’s award winning films include ‘The Queen’s Monastery’ and ‘The Kings of Siam’. Both films have been restored by the BFI.

Emma’s animated film for Norwich Castle Museum, Boudica A Norfolk Story is on permanent display in the Boudica Gallery in Norwich Castle Museum.

Pearly Oyster’s award winning film Roger Ballen’s Theatre of Apparitions was shown in competition at Annecy June 2017. The film had it’s World Premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) 2016 and It’s London Premiere was at The BFI London Film Festival 2016. For a full list of screenings and awards see here. It was chosen by Sight and Sound Magazine as one of the best films of 2016. Sight and Sound Best of British Animation 2016 – Jez Stewart

Emma is included in the documentary directed by Seb Barfield “The Secrets of British Animation” for BBC Four.