Thursday, July 31, 2008

Summer animation workshops

This week I'm at the Animation Station in Banbury, talking animation workshops with 9-16 year olds. We are celebrating 400 years of the Banbury Town Charter, and together with Banbury Museum, bringing paintings of the town to life. We've had an amazing amount of publicity this week. including a live interview on BBC Radio Oxford! The films will be shown at Summerscreen festival - Best of the Fest, 7.15 at the Phoenix Picture House, Jericho, Oxford. To more information and to see a behind the scenes video, click here.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Cinema of Horror

What do Zombie Movies and Bollywood have in common? Check out John Andrews latest film performance, who played the Inspector in The Lost Princess Goole Silent Movie, and find out! Peter M Kershaw was so impressed with his acting talent, that he invited him to star in his latest short film, Cinema.

David Kendea, who played the Sea Captian, also stars. Cinema of Horror can currently be seen on the internet at Virgin Shorts.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Flippin' great flipbooks!

Sat 5 July saw the return of the Culture Shock Youth Festival in Northallerton, produced by Connecting Youth Culture, North Yorkshire County Council. This year, 160 young people made flipbooks in my flipbook animation tent during the day, making this the most successful single event I have ever staged! Here's a glimpse of the flipbooks filmed during the course of the day.

culture shock flipbooks




To see why the Utah Saints said Culture Shock is better than Glastonbury, view the highlights from 2007.


Goole Silent Movie screens at Culture Shock

It was great to see Becky, Jonny and other cast and crew members supporting Goole Silent Movie at the Culture Shock Festival in Northallerton. "Dr AD Holmes" and "The Lost Princess" played throughout the day last Saturday in Northallerton in Yorkshires biggest youth festival. I say others, because they were all wearing lots of face paint, from the circus tent, I presume, so hard to recognise! I was working at the festival in my flipbook animation tent. What a great day!

Sunday, July 06, 2008

The big summer of 2008!

What a great few weeks it's been. I travelled from Aadrman Animations in Bristol to Banbury to start a Creative Partnerships programme with North Oxfordshire Academy, where we are making a series of animated films exploring the impact of climate change. Banbury is celebrating it's 400th charter this year, and the Animation Station organised a competition for children to take part in a special animated film commemorating the history of their town. The final film, which brings to life historic paintings of Banbury was premiered at a big gala celebration in the town.


Last Saturday I returned to the Arts Institute at Bournemouth for their animation alumni reunion. Great to see so many familiar faces and see everyone and the course, blossoming from strength to strength.

This Friday saw the preview screening of "Jimmy Saves the Olympics" for ASIFS Workshop Group film "Olympics Let's Fantasise". The museum rolled out the red carpet for big day and it was great to see such a high turnout to honour the young peoples work. We had a huge amount of media interest, and I spend most of Friday being whisked off for various interviews!
“Jimmy Saves the Olympics” is currently playing on the BBC Big Screen in Bradford up to 4 times per day for the foreseeable future. The film will also be screened at Bradford Animation Festival and the Co-op Young Filmmakers festival.


Saturday was the brilliant Culture Shock Festival in Northallerton, were I returned for a third year to run a flipbook animation workshop in one of the festivals great marquees. 16o young people made flipbooks, making this years workshop the biggest and best yet! As always is was a huge buzz, and an awesome event. I stayed around to listen to the closing acts, Utah Saints, and Boy kill boy, who were knockout! Utah Saints said it was better than Glastonbury! Enough Said!