So I thought I would write a little bit about an event I went to go see at my local FACT t'other day which was the British Animation Awards - The People's Choice. It occurred over three days, in which FACT showed a selection of animations and audience members were given a score card to fill in to rate each animation. Its really interesting and fun to do - I just wish I could have gone to all three of the nights! The score cards are then taken away and a winner is announced at the British Animation Awards ceremony, held in London. (I think some time in March! You will have check out their website for the actual dates!)
Anyways, I thought I would just comment on some of my favourite ones, so without any further waffle....
The Boy Who Wanted to be a Lion by Alois Di Leo
"The Boy Who Wanted to be a Lion" - Trailer from Alois Di Leo on Vimeo.
I love hand drawn animation - especially when people do it during a time when animating on computers is the more popular thing to do. This animation is set in the 60s and is about a young boy who is deaf. Its clear he prefers the sounds of life without his hearing aid and soon begins to relate to a lion that hes sees for the first time at the zoo on a school trip. Very atmospheric piece that utilizes sound effects to great...effect!
Remembering Formby by Sue Elliott
Remembering Formby Teaser Trailer from Su Elliott on Vimeo.
I'm beginning to get interested in info-graphics (particularly Peter Grundy's stuff!), and this animation combines it very well with the subject matter. I really enjoyed the simple style and the bright colours used throughout the piece. At times I was a bit confused as to what this film was about (although that may be me being dense) - but thats what makes it satisfying at the end when you get a clear picture as to who is narrating the film!
This animation is about a very popular safety man who we all know and love.
Being Bradford Dillman by Emma Burch
This animation made me really ponder about what techniques were used throughout it. It appears to be hand drawn characters but used in a stop motion setting. It made me really want to try it myself! The array of camera angles and the work gone into making the setting and characters of the piece were all as impressive as each other!
This animation is about a young girl living with a neglectful, alcoholic mother. One day, the mother tells the girl a secret from the her birth that will turn the girl's world upside down!
London Elektricity: Round the world in a Day by David Gilbert & Maxim Lucas
This paper-cut animation appealed to me because of the characters, the story and the bright colours! Everything about it is fast paced - coinciding perfectly with the musical track. I love anything with lots of things going on, making it worthy of more than one sitting, to see if you missed anything! So much fun - loved it!
This music video features a husband witnessing his wife cheating on him, then ensues a long adventure involving a top hatted octopus!
Out on the Tiles by Anna Pearson
(Note: This video features snatches of the animation I'm talking about - the stop motion lady in a club toilet! I'm afraid I couldn't find a piece of the animation on its own!)
A lovely stop motion animation featuring a drunk lady in a club toilet, simply searching for a cigarette to smoke.
I think this piece really captured the feel of a girls "night out" through quite subtle but comical story telling.
Tempo:Bike by Vida Vega
I really enjoy this animator's work - having seen her work in a previous BAA. Once again, its a hand drawn animation so it gets my vote; but its also the quaint story telling (which compliments Vida Vega's inky style very well) and the innovative use of a piece of tissue that make it a great piece of animation as well!
This piece is a 30 second animation for a commercial in which a boy helps out many people on a small journey.
Knife Crime Animation by Vicki Haworth & Harriet Buckley
A stop motion animation featuring drawing on walls - something we have seen done before on various car adverts or whatever. But its the inventive use of the urban landscape that enhances this piece's impact.
This animation is an advert/message telling a story of one young person's experience with knife crime and the consequences of such actions.
Eagleman Stag by Mike Please
This film just blew me away. WOW. I think this animation is made by carving figures out of polystyrene - which in itself makes it a pretty impressive feat. This use of materials results in the whole piece being various shades of white (a bizarre sentence, I know) - making it stand out from many other animations I have seen recently.
The story follows a man questioning the speed of a person's life time and his discovery of a new species of beetle.
A Morning Stroll by Grant Orchard
This animation features a mix of visual styles through various stages of time. The story is engaging (if slightly creepy to me in the end - but then again, any thought of zombies does tend to freak me out...) and comical. I enjoy watching a busy scene that changes over time - its very interesting to watch!
This story surveys a chicken on a morning stroll in New York. The scene plays out over many years and we get to witness how the world has changes over several decades.
Woah. I think thats the longest blog post I've ever written. Cor crikey.
But yes, those were some of my favourites from one of the BAA event nights earlier this week. Once the awards ceremony has occurred, the BAA releases a DVD featuring the winners of the competition - which I thoroughly recommend purchasing!
I was really pleased by the amount of female animators in the showing I went to go see - I suppose I'm not used to seeing that many (or maybe I'm just not aware of it!). I also enjoyed seeing so many physically hand-crafted animations rather than computer generated ones - theres just something about traditional animation that makes me giddy!
Anyway, that is my long post. I'm hoping to make another one soon, just about the cool crafty things I saw up in Edinburgh on a recent trip.
If you want to see the BAA website, you can click down here:
British Animation Awards
