[FIRST YEAR] Animation Event
Sat 3rd Nov 2018
Today I went Waterside Arts Centre to see an interview with puppet masters from around the world. I meet up with some Year 2 and Year 3 students (Adam Lee, Chris Connell, Oliver Barnacle, and Alana). It was a great day. There was a full 6-hour schedule from 11-5pm:
11:00 Introduction by Ric Michael
11:05 Steve Henderson
Manchester Animation Festival Preview
11:15 Vivien Halas
12:15 Cosgrove Hall Film Archive
12:30 Kitty Taylor
13:30 Film Screenings
14:30 Bridget Phelan
15:45 Nina Gantz
Ric Michael:
The Host of the Event
The Owl and the Pussycat (1952)
Ric Michael:
The Host of the Event
Steve Henderson:
Manchester Animation Festival
Viven Halas:
Animator & Director
Here is a brief description of her and her parents:
Halas & Batchelor Cartoon Film occupies a unique place in British cinema. The studio was formed in 1940 and produced films for the next fifty years. It was the country’s largest and most influential producer of animated films from the early forties until the mid-seventies, ranging from Animal Farm, to the Jackson 5 to Kraftwerk’s AutoBahn 1980.
Vivien has enjoyed a successful career as a graphic designer, before taking over the running Halas and Batchelor and organising its film archive in the mid-90s. She donated most of the physical collection to the BFI and its best loved films are distributed in many countries with latest in HD/Blu-ray with Network Distributing.
She is co-author of Halas & Batchelor, an animated history (2006) with Paul Wells and A Moving Image, Joy Batchelor (2014) and has contributed to numerous animation and design publications.
For more information see halasandbatchelor.co.uk
First Vivien Halas came to the podium and told me about her parent’s (John Halas and Joy Batchelor) company Halas & Batchelor Cartoon Studio 1940-1995.
Vivien show me some animation her parent made from 1941 to 1979:
Dustbin Parade (1941)
Made for the MOI for the war effort
The Owl and the Pussycat (1952)
One of the first 3D animated films made for the Festival of Britain
The Figurehead (1953)
A puppet animation film using different techniques
Snip and Snap (1960)
A stop motion film using origami
Vivien showed me Snap and the Beanstalk but I can’t find a video of this, so sad about that as it was a good animation.
Automania 2000 (1963)
A personal film predicting the future
Autobahn (1979)
An early use of computer animation
For more about Halas & Batchelor see their Website
Cosgrove Hall Film Archive:
Kitty Taylor:
Director & Animator
Kitty has directed and animated commercials, promos and short films for a diverse range of companies including BBC, HIT Entertainment, CITV, Tiger Aspect, Blue Zoo and Jellyfish Pictures.
For the last 20 years she has concentrated on developing and directing series for children.
Her series work includes directing 13 x 10 minutes of Percy the Park Keeper and 26 x 10 minutes and one 48-minute Christmas Special of Angelina Ballerina (original 2D series) both for Grand Slamm Children's Film and Hit Entertainment.
Kitty Taylor worked within Tiger Aspect to develop Charlie and Lola for television. She has directed 3 series of Charlie and Lola including the Christmas and Autumn Specials, which have earned her three BAFTAs.
Kitty was the director of Angelina Ballerina, Charlie and Lola, Tree Fu Tom, Gaspard & Lisa and Bitz & Bobs. She worked in the animation department on Percy the Park Keeper, The Man with the Beautiful Eyes and The World of Eric Carle. Finally, she was voice director on Miffy's Adventures Big and Small.
Angelina Ballerina was made transporting over plane overseas. From today, Kitty is making Alien love underpants Xmas special.
For the last 20 years she has concentrated on developing and directing series for children.
Her series work includes directing 13 x 10 minutes of Percy the Park Keeper and 26 x 10 minutes and one 48-minute Christmas Special of Angelina Ballerina (original 2D series) both for Grand Slamm Children's Film and Hit Entertainment.
Kitty Taylor worked within Tiger Aspect to develop Charlie and Lola for television. She has directed 3 series of Charlie and Lola including the Christmas and Autumn Specials, which have earned her three BAFTAs.
Kitty was the director of Angelina Ballerina, Charlie and Lola, Tree Fu Tom, Gaspard & Lisa and Bitz & Bobs. She worked in the animation department on Percy the Park Keeper, The Man with the Beautiful Eyes and The World of Eric Carle. Finally, she was voice director on Miffy's Adventures Big and Small.
Angelina Ballerina was made transporting over plane overseas. From today, Kitty is making Alien love underpants Xmas special.
Then kitty showed us the Charlie and Lola chicken song:
Film Screenings:
Plume by Barry Purves
Couldn't find a video for Plume but here's some pictures from the video.
The Sandman by Colin Batty, Paul Berry and
Ian Mackinnon
Bridget Phelan:
Art Director, Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires
Bridget has over 18 years' experience in the animation industry and has worked on 6 stop motion feature films - Chicken run, Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit, Max and co, Coraline, Paranorman, The Boxtrolls and Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires.
Having returned from the USA after working at Laika she brings further experience from her work on half hour specials such as Robbie the Reindeer and Hamilton Mattress.
Bridget worked with Tim Phariton and Phil Lewis. Bridget made props on Chicken Run. Cathy Price was Bridget's first boss. Bridget's speed in animation is a big shock. After working on Chicken Run she went onto Robbie the Reindeer. Bridget was a set dresser on Engie Benjy, and Max & co.
One quote directly from her mouth was "People say stopmotion was going to die, BUT IT DIDN'T".
She worked on Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Coraline and worked a lot with the animation company Aardman. Bridget was also an assistant director on Paranorman overseeing the fabric work. She worked in the United Kingdom (UK) and also the United States (US).
A man made her come home back to Britain. Trampires is made in the Bridgend. Bridget works now at Aardman making the upcoming Shaun the Sheep 2.
Bridget worked with Tim Phariton and Phil Lewis. Bridget made props on Chicken Run. Cathy Price was Bridget's first boss. Bridget's speed in animation is a big shock. After working on Chicken Run she went onto Robbie the Reindeer. Bridget was a set dresser on Engie Benjy, and Max & co.
One quote directly from her mouth was "People say stopmotion was going to die, BUT IT DIDN'T".
She worked on Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Coraline and worked a lot with the animation company Aardman. Bridget was also an assistant director on Paranorman overseeing the fabric work. She worked in the United Kingdom (UK) and also the United States (US).
A man made her come home back to Britain. Trampires is made in the Bridgend. Bridget works now at Aardman making the upcoming Shaun the Sheep 2.
Nina Gantz:
Animator & Director
Armsterdam-born Nina Gantz, grew up in Rotterdam. From an early age, as the daughter of a theatre technician and an actress, she spent much of her time backstage and watching theatre productions. From these early influences, she developed a keen sense for visual storytelling, something which can be seen in her current style.
Whilst attending St Joost Art school in Breda, Gantz discovered her passion for animation and produced her first notable hand drawn film, Zaliger (2010), which went on to be selected at 37 festivals winning the Golden Panda for best student film at the Sichuan Festival in China.
After setting up Studio Gantz in Rotterdam, she was commissioned, to be head of animation for a live action feature film in the Netherlands, Toegetakeld door de liefde (dir. Ari Deelder).
In 2003 Gantz began a Masters in directing animation at the Nation Film and Television School where she filmed her first stop motion film Edmond.
Edmond has received overwhelming acclaim thus far and since its premiere at Zagreb International Animation festival, it has won prizes including the Short film Jury award for animation at Sundance and a BAFTA for best animated short. Since graduating, Gantz has been working freelance on a variety of projects. Having recently signed to London production company Blinkink, she is currently developing a number of scripts for television shows, shorts and a feature length film whilst exploring new ways of combining live action and animation techniques.
From ideas to production. Works now for bling production → blingink. Nina grew up in an actor family. She showed me a video of her in a Dutch film. She went to art school. Nina went to Mackinnon and Saunders. A chunky intermission. Man O Man.
Edmond has received overwhelming acclaim thus far and since its premiere at Zagreb International Animation festival, it has won prizes including the Short film Jury award for animation at Sundance and a BAFTA for best animated short. Since graduating, Gantz has been working freelance on a variety of projects. Having recently signed to London production company Blinkink, she is currently developing a number of scripts for television shows, shorts and a feature length film whilst exploring new ways of combining live action and animation techniques.
From ideas to production. Works now for bling production → blingink. Nina grew up in an actor family. She showed me a video of her in a Dutch film. She went to art school. Nina went to Mackinnon and Saunders. A chunky intermission. Man O Man.
It was amazing day meeting all these animators. I got some great information about all four of the animators that came to the event.
