Billi Productions plans to expand CGI short into feature

BilliProductions and Glasgow Animation are seeking to turn their animated short filmSir Billi into a full-lengthfeature.

Theproducers expect they need to raise $5.6m (£3m) to get the CGI feature made in12 months.

BilliProductions is a company owned by husband and wife team Sascha and TessaHartmann and Sean Connery, who has signed on to work on the film. The voice castalso includes Alan Cumming, Patrick Doyle, Ruby Wax, Gail Porter and AlexNorton.

Thefilm-makers have spent about $5.6m (£3m) so far on development andpre-production of the short version, about an eccentric veterinarian in theScottish highlands.

"Asour team have been working on the short film for some time now, all theingredients are in place, from storyboards, animators, editors, sound, specialeffects team and marketing, so it makes sense to simply extend this short to afull length feature," said Tessa Hartmann, co-creator and marketing chief.