Show Me The Animation

My graduation film The Man Who Was Afraid of Falling was screened at Show Me The Animation: New Talent Showcase on Tuesday in Bristol. It was a night of selected films from Newport, Falmouth, Bournemouth, UWE and the NFTS. I've been to a few of the Show Me The Animation Screenings over the past few years which are run by Vicky Brophy (of Wonky) and producer Helen Brunsdon and they're a really great chance to unite the Bristol animation scene.

The Man Who Was Afraid of Falling (2011) © Joseph Wallace

At this particular screening I met Derek Hayes who is a big figure in the UK animation scene. He directed The Miracle Maker, a touching and brilliantly animated feature about the story of Christ told through the eyes of a young girl. I wrote about the film in my dissertation The Performativity of Dolls: Puppets in Animation and Theatre in regard to the naturalistic style and the way the puppets were very much actors. The puppet animation in the film was done by the brilliant Christmas Films in Moscow, Russia, a company with a very theatrical feel to their work which includes Shakespeare the Animated Tales as well as animated operas. It was fascinating talking to Derek about his route in the animation business and about the working relationship with Christmas Films.

The Miracle Maker (2000) Dir. Derek Hayes © Icon Entertainment International