Biography
Mikael Shields is an Emmy-Award winning and BAFTA nominated Producer, Writer and Voice Director with over 30 years experience of leading international teams in the television and film industry. Mikael has been responsible for producing, financing or green-lighting a wide range of multiple-award winning family favourites including: Nick Park's multiple Oscar winning Wallace & Gromit; 'The Wrong Trousers' and 'A Close Shave' as well as 'Pingu', 'Noddy', 'Hilltop Hospital' and, most recently at Acamar Films, the international hit series 'Bing'. Mikael was born and grew up in Scotland and has a degree in Philosophy from the University of Glasgow.
Mikael was originally trained at the BBC. In November 1987 he was appointed to the new role of Marketing Executive for Children's Programmes for the BBC and was a key member of the original strategy team that created BBC Children's International. He became Business Development Manager for BBC Children's International in December 1989 with responsibility for managing an £8.4 million investment fund specialising in multiple media investments into Children's and family television productions and International Co-productions.
In 1992 he became Head of Business Development for BBC Children's International and was responsible for worldwide investment and distribution strategy across all of BBC Children's Television's Output. Whilst at the BBC he oversaw the financing and development of Noddy, Pingu, The Animals of Farthingwood, The Narnia Chronicles, The Borrowers, Operavox - The Animated Operas and finally two of the cherished films from Nick Park's - multiple Oscar winners - Wallace & Gromit - 'The Wrong Trousers' and 'A Close Shave'.
Mikael left the BBC in April 1994 to assume the role of joint-Managing Director of EVA Entertainment - the London-based European production, financing and distribution organisation which specialised in film and animation. The company was launched in September 1995 and key projects included the award-winning Pond Life for Channel 4, Tandem Films' Flatworld for the BBC, BAFTA Award winner Hilltop Hospital for ITV, FR3 and ZDF, Collingwood O'Hare's Animal Stories for ITV and Aardman Animations Rex the Runt for the BBC and Egmont Imagination.
Latterly, as sole Managing Director of EVA Entertainment Mikael led the negotiations that resulted in Pearson Television acquiring EVA Entertainment in 1998, and he was appointed CEO of the resulting new organisation which became Pearson Television's specialist animation division. Mikael assumed responsibility for all aspects of the company's creative and commercial activities including the development, financing and production of new programming. He was later appointed as Chairman of Pearson's Children's IPR Group reporting directly to Pearson PLC's CEO, Marjorie Scardino.
In October 2000, Mikael joined the Executive Board of Seattle-based Atom films as Managing Director for Europe. He was a member of the team that successfully merged AtomFilms.com with Shockwave.com in January 2001.
Mikael left Atom Films in August 2001 to set up film and television consultancy Acamar Media. In early 2002, Acamar Media co-founded Ealing Family Entertainment - a joint-venture between Mikael and his management team and the newly-revived Ealing Studios. Mikael served as CEO of Ealing Family Entertainment, the newest division of the world's oldest film studio specialising in film and television for children's and family audiences for 2 years. Mikael left EFE to set up Acamar Films in the Autumn of 2003.
Mikael continues to serve as CEO of Acamar Films - an independent film and television company based in London, which he co-founded in early 2004. Acamar Films is best known for the international hit series 'Bing' for which Mikael has won an International Emmy, a BAFTA nomination and a Writer's Guild Award. The project is produced by Acamar Films in association with leading European animation studio Brown Bag Films and has a range of industry-leading international broadcasters, publishing and licensing partners. 'Bing' continues to gain audience recognition and has earned numerous awards and nominations.
