Transitions Day at Dr Thomlinson Middle School in Rothbury, Northumberland

No filming, no animation just a day to help new pupils transition from primary to middle school, a day full of activities to explore and investigate and become familiar with the new school and the new year coming up. We went on a bug hunt, toured the school, designed creatures who were adaptable to the new environment, andthen made those creatures using natural materials found in the grounds of the school. Many thanks to Vicky and Jose for getting me involved with this great day and allowing me to return to this great school in Rothbury.

link to the school – http://www.drthomlinson.northumberland.sch.uk/website

Northumberland Church of England Academy after school Animation Club

Another fab year ends at the NCEA Animation Club. This summer term we concentrated on creating disaster and horror movies through the eyes of the children who come to the club. The year was topped off by some great pixilated animation made in the school grounds – they are enthusiastic for more!

My Film… Glendale Film Club, Wooler in Northumberland

Glendale Film Club is based in the Cheviot Centre in Wooler, Northumberland. A good friend of mine informed me they were looking for a film maker to be a mentor for a film they wanted to produce. The film was to be made by the children who were part of the film club and it was to be about their lives and what it was like to live in Wooler. I was lucky enough to win the tender for the project and it began in April and we finished the film in June. Spending a few hours a week and 2 whole days filming in and around Wooler we explored the children’s different experiences and stories. The children planned, scripted, storyboarded, filmed and sound recorded the entire film, they did some of the promotion and a premiere was held in the Cheviot Centre in July. The film has been entered into the Berwick Film Festival young filmmakers competition.

A local newspaper The Berwick Advertiser has reported on the film made by the children, fingers crossed for the Berwick Film Festival competition!

Swarland First School in Northumberland After School Animation Club

I was contacted at short notice to see if I could run a short course animation club at a primary school in Swarland, Northumberland by a company in London called MyTutor. Luckily I could fit it in and so I met a lovely small group of children at the school and they created some sweet short animations about their favourite animals and where they live. They created the animals, scenes and supplied the voices. A great little school in the superb countryside of Northumberland not far from Morpeth.

Tyneside Cinema Easter Animation Workshops

During the Easter holidays I ran an animation workshop at the Tyneside Cinema, the kids created Disney / Horror movie mash ups, many Frozen references and some downright strange monsters ensued. I am again very proud to be associated with the Tyneside Cinema, one of the best independant cinemas in the country.

 

Moving Image Portraits at the Fulwell Community Resource Centre in Sunderland

Moving Image Portraits film was projected as part of an installation based at the Fulwell Community Resource Centre in Sunderland.

Combining the talents of Braena (dance group), Nick Williams (sound designer) and myself as film-maker to portray the lives, experiences, movements, memories, hopes and wishes of the attendees of the resource centre, through the use of dance and music.

Throughout the workshops I filmed and documented what was happening and they are presented here as multilayered portraits that reveal aspects of their personalities that you might not expect to see.

Brother & Sister a Braena Dance Project

After being involved with some taster sessions with the Cultural Spring initiative in South Tyneside I met a modern dance group Braena. They were very keen to work on a project and kindly asked me to film, document and help stage a performance called Brother & Sister an exploration of the stories between Anna and Brent the 2 principal dancers in the group. Brent is disabled and Anna is not. I am glad to say this collaboration has continued as they refine the performance and look for further funding and also to develop other works.

My Speech & Me by Lavinia Scott in association with Afasic UK

I have produced this short animation on behalf of Lavinia Scott & Afasic UK. Lavinia Scott is a young artist and she designed and wrote the original book this animation is based on from torn up fragments of text. She tells us what her life was like as she grew up, things she found difficult and she felt restricted but also how she overcomes those difficulties to achieve what she wants.Using the design of the book as a starting point, I scanned the text and animated it highlighting key phrases and layering text and Lavinia’s voice in a way reflecting the many facets associated with having difficulties in communication.

A link to the Afasic UK page about the film

An extraordinary insight

Here is a link to Afasic UK which features some more of the films I have made with them.

http://www.afasic.org.uk/young-people/our-lives/

Animexperience Stop-motion Animation Workshops for the Animex International Festival of Animation & Computer Games

I am extremely honoured to be asked to run the animation workshops again for this great festival held at Teesside University every year. Over 100 pupils from schools around Teesside made short animated stories this year inspired by Gabrielle Kent‘s new book Alfie Bloom and the Secrets of Hexbridge Castle. She read a passage from her book and we asked the children to think of characters and scenarios inspired by that passage, many strange creatures and places ensued – you can see the films they created via the following links.

I also got the chance to deliver a workshop at a local Care Home, the residents of the Gables and Ingleby  carehomes created characters and made short animations with them – a great experience and a huge thanks to Christine Wilson for driving the project through.

Link to an article about the event at the Gables Care Home

http://www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1567539/care-home-residents-create-their-own-films-during-animation-workshop

Tullie House, Carlisle – Animation Drop In Sessions

I was very kindly asked towards the end of 2014 to run some animation drop in sessions at the Tullie House in Carlisle a wonderful arts, cinema and museum venue in the heart of this historic town. It was part of their Weekend of Film activities where they showed special screenings of animation and film, with talks by actors and directors and other activities.

http://www.tulliehouse.co.uk/