Seven renowned animators have been selected to create a series of micro-shorts, commissioned by Animate Projects and Anim18, as part of the Anim18 programme – a UK-wide celebration of British animation taking place until December 2018. The animators are: Jessica Ashman, Leo Crane, Ian Gouldstone, Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara, Osbert Parker & Laurie Hill, and Kate Sullivan. The six films include pixilation, hand drawn, digital, stop motion, charcoal, and cut-out techniques, and are designed to be playful and eye catching to be discovered in social media.
Together the films present an exciting and vibrant collection of stories exploring cultural heritage, historic curiosities, devoted communities, and ways individuals navigate modern life.
The Foundling by Leo Crane is an untold tale of abandonment and dreams. 144 Units by Ian Gouldstone was inspired by the inhabitants of the tower block in which he lives, and focuses on the mundane objects that make up daily living. Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara’s A Place to Think is a meditative film, inspired by the architecture and natural environment found at the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery. Sir John Lubbock’s Pet Wasp is by Osbert Parker and Laurie Hill and is one of their trademark ‘strange but true’ tales, inspired by turn of the century Victorian Sir John Lubbock’s story and his scientific writings on Ants, Bees & Wasps. The Stereoscopic Society from Kate Sullivan tells the story of the 3D enthusiast club of the same name.
The films will be launched on Instagram and Vimeo throughout November, shown in in the Anim18 newly commissioned VR Gallery at QUAD, Derby, from 1 November to 3 January 2019.
Anim18 is a UK-wide celebration of British animation, taking place from April to November 2018. Led by Film Hub Wales and Chapter (Cardiff) working with the BFI Film Audience Network and project partners, Anim18 showcases the best of British talent – past, present and future – through a programme of screenings, activities and events across the UK.