▁I TV , ▁and ▁with ▁other ▁leading ▁animation ▁stud ios . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁Si ri ol , ▁together ▁with ▁three ▁other ▁animation ▁stud ios ▁in ▁France , ▁Germany ▁and ▁Belg ium ▁formed ▁its ▁own ▁distribution ▁company , ▁E VA ▁Entertainment , ▁head ed ▁up ▁by ▁Steve ▁Wal sh , ▁the ▁former ▁head ▁of ▁co - produ ctions ▁at ▁Gold c rest ▁Films . ▁Its ▁co - produ ctions ▁were ▁grouped ▁under ▁the ▁EC ’ s ▁C AR TO ON ▁programme ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁its ▁M ED IA ▁initi ative . ▁E VA ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁grouping ▁company ▁established ▁under ▁this ▁initi ative . ▁The ▁group ▁set ▁up ▁co - produ ctions ▁with ▁major ▁European ▁broad c aster s , ▁typically ▁with ▁the ▁BBC ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁FR 3 ▁and ▁Canal + ▁in ▁France ▁and ▁Z DF ▁and ▁W DR ▁in ▁Germany . ▁It ▁also ▁made ▁co - produ ctions ▁with ▁other ▁European ▁partners ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁with ▁US ▁and ▁Canadian ▁co - produ cers . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁E VA ▁received ▁a ▁substantial ▁private ▁invest ment ▁and ▁attract ed ▁two ▁top ▁execut ives ▁from ▁BBC ▁Children ' s ▁International , ▁M ika el ▁Sh ield s ▁and ▁Tony ▁Stern . ▁E VA ▁Entertainment ▁has ▁made ▁many ▁series ▁and ▁spe ci als , ▁( the ▁group ’ s ▁major ▁produ ctions ▁were ▁controlled ▁cre atively ▁by ▁Si ri ol ) ▁which ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁over ▁fifty ▁different ▁countries ▁on ▁five ▁contin ents