Following a strong track record in short animated films, TV series, and international content, the Tirrick team applied to the Scottish Film Talent Network’s First Feature Development fund in 2019. Our proposal was successful, and we began developing the treatment that same year.
Since then, our momentum has only grown. With continued support from Screen Scotland, we have recently completed work on the screenplay. In 2023, writer-director Selina Wagner was awarded a place on the prestigious Sail Britain artist residency, deepening the film’s themes and securing further support through the Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards.
In 2024, we were selected for the Glasgow Film Festival Animatic Scheme, gaining invaluable training in pre-production and the opportunity to pitch at a live festival event. The project won the competition, securing additional development funding and recognition from both judges and audiences.
The journey so far
Our team has collaborated for nearly two decades, each of us with deep expertise in animation. Now, we are uniting our skills to bring Tirrick to life: an animated feature film that combines the emotional depth of The Iron Giant, the poetic beauty of A Monster Calls, and the cultural resonance of wolfwalkers. At its heart is a hopeful fantasy and a universal coming-of-age story, woven with mystery, rooted in Scotland, and carrying a powerful message about prejudice, inclusivity, and empathy.
We are also breaking new ground: aiming to be the first female-led writer/director/producer team to create an animated feature film in Scotland.
Who we are
Selina Wagner
Writer/DirectorAfter years of battling with the wind in the Orkney Islands, Selina moved to study animation at the Edinburgh College of Art. Her degree film, Takuskanskan, won several awards including the Craft Award at the British Animation Awards in 2004.
Over the last 20 years Selina has created and directed content for TV and film including, ‘The Musical Storyland’ for CBeebies; ‘Pumpkin Pip’ for Tulipop studios and sequences for the recently complete feature ‘The incomer’ premiering at Sundance 2026.
Her filmography includes Beachcomber, Crow moon and Spindrift, which have all been funded by organisations such as Channel 4, the British Film Council and the Scottish Film Talent Network. Each of her films were in official selections at over 40 international film festivals and Spindrift was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA in 2017.
Martha MacDiarmid
Script editor/ProducerMartha fell in love with storytelling at a young age, leading her into the magical world of animation. After graduating with anMA from The University of Glasgow and an MFA degree in Creative writing, Martha has worked in long form TV production, film and advertising for over 18 years, working in various roles including Head of Production for Red Kite Animation and most recently Head of Development for Wildchild Animation.
After completing the script development diploma with the National Film and Television School, Martha is currently a freelance producer and script editor, focusing on animated feature films. She is also a reader for the BFI and Raindance.
Clients include Samsung, Disney, the BBC, ZDF, Egmont and DC Thomson.
Developing and producing a feature film, with some of the best talent Scotland has to offer, has always been at the top of her bucket list.