Great News. I’m super happy to reveal I’m now part of the directing team at Milford Animation based in Stockholm. Milford are a top class animation production company working mostly in commercials and trailers. Exciting to dip my toes into projects outside of TV. Cant wait to make some cool things.
IEA Storyboarding Rountable
Belated news but thanks so much to Manchester Animation Festival for inviting me to talk about Storyboards with the amazing J P Vine and Lauren Auty. Great fun chat and good to catch up with a few chums.
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire Screening
Excited to be going to the screening of Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire at BAFTA. Thanks so much for the invite Disney UK. Can’t wait to see it!
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire
Kizazi Moto is looking amazing! I was invited by Triggerfish to talk with these young directors in May last year about story, storyboard and dealing with feedback as a director. A real honour to be asked along with rock stars Tom Sito, Osnat Shurer, Pamela Ribon and the Encanto art team to share our experience. They were an awesome bunch of talented young people. Looks like Ahmed Teilab, Simangaliso Sibaya and Malcolm Wope, Terence Maluleke and Isaac Mogajane, Ng’endo Mukii, Shofela Coker, Nthato Mokgata and Terence Neale, Pious Nyenyewa and Tafadzwa Hove, Tshepo Moche, Raymond Malinga and Lesego Vorster did an amazing job. Cant wait to see it.
Wolfwalkers BAFTA
So proud to have worked on this amazing film. So happy for Tomm and the team at Cartoon Saloon.
Another non animation update.
Apologies for yet another non animation post. In truth I don’t have much animation stuff I’m allowed to share. But anyway, I’ve been waiting on something for months now and finally heard this week I’ve been given a place on the GB Triathlon team to compete at the 2023 World Long Distance Triathlon Championships in Ibiza. Feeling super excited and proud to represent my country. Such a big deal for me and a big year sport wise with this and the Ironman 70.3 World champs. Bring on the training!
Paddington on Netflix
The Bear’s doing good on Neflix. Well done Padds!
Triathlon update - Outlay Holkham 70.3
Forgive the non animation related update. Its doesnt happen often.
Some of you may know that I’m a Triathlete in my actual non animation life. It’s super important for me physically and mentally.
Ive had a great first season so far, and Ive just won my Age group at the Outlaw Holkham 70.3 in just under 5 hours. Ive previously won shorter sprint events but this was a big name event and a big deal for me. This opens up a few new things for this and next year. Hopefully they work out and I can post about it. Ive already qualified for the Ironman World Championships in 2023 and TBH Ive not really felt worthy. This win really makes me feel like I deserve to be there and that I could even be competetive.
Anyway back to animation :)
Otherside ot the big pointy thing was a big hill. I was in much pain.
Paddington on Netflix
Guest Speaking
I’ve recently enjoyed being a guest speaker for the amazing Bianca Ansems on her training course “Storyboarding for Animators” for Screen Skills and the National Film and Television School (NFTS). I was there give some thoughts on boarding from a Supervisor and Director perspective. It was a lot of fun and so good chatting with Bianca and her students.
And I was also invited to talk at an amazing new project for Triggerfish and Disney. Again the subject was storyboarding but more generally about the reality of production. Hopefully the project will get annonced soon so I can post more about it. It was great to be a part of.
Viking Skool
I did some boards for Cartoon Saloon, shortly after working on Wolfwalkers, on two new pilots. One is still unannounced; the other was Viking Skool. This feels like a long time ago now, but it looks like it’s actually out this year. Some nice new images appearing online.
British Animation Awards finalist
The Adventures of Paddington is up for a British Animation Award for the second year running. In the Best Childrens Pre-School catagory, and Best Voice Performance for the wonderful Ben Wishaw. Super happy to be nominated again. Well done to all the team at Blue Zoo Animation.
Vimeo update
Yesterday I remembered I had a vimeo account. So I thought, to get some use out of it, I’d upload a few old shows I storyboarded. “Loggerheads - Björn und die wilden Wikinger” from way back in 1997. This was a great fun show to work on. I loved drawing in that style. I worked throught the old Trickompany Filmproduktion GmbH in Hamburg (where I also boarded on Werner movie, Max and Moritz and Nick and Perry) . Loggerheads has aged a little and is a bit clunky maybe by modern standards but I have a real soft spot for it. Also Jack and Marcel a series of 150 short episodes from 2000. I boarded about 50 episodes, some without scripts. I worked through Protécréa in Paris. Again this was a really fun project. Loved drawing the two main characters.
Both these shows were drawn on paper and freelance. So roughs were sent via Fax machine and final boards shipped over. So I never got to vists the studio in Paris but spent a few months working out of Hamburg. Links to everything here
Loggerheads, Chief Bjorn the Red.
MAF Roundtable Chat
Had a lovely talk about storyboarding this morning with the brilliant Isadora Morales, Ash Boddy, Althea Aseoche, Max Loubaresse and Cat Salkeld. Hosted by Steve Henderson for MAF 2021. Time went by way too fast. I hope we can do it again soon.
Storyboard Roundtable
I’ll be a part of this Industry Excellence Award Storyboard Roundtable. Along with the amazing @IsadoraMocha @arutea @Comma_cat & @MaxLoub. Really hope you can join us.
SuperPigs Press Release
Nice press release about my new role here
Fourth Wall Animation
Very excited to announce my new role as Series Director at Fourth Wall Animation. Where I’ll be developing and directing a new 22min Comedy Adventure show.
Really happy to be joining the 4W team.
Last day on Paddington.
After 32 years in animation it never gets any easier moving on from a show. More so when it’s a show like Paddington Bear. My time as Director is done and I’ve had a total blast.
The team at Blue Zoo are the highest quality people. They’re amazing talents as is evident in the quality of the final show. It’s been my pleasure to work with all of them. I can’t thank Chris, Sian, Adam and the rest of the crew enough for having me along.
But the end of one road is the start of another. So I’m excited to be starting as Series Director on an amazing new project. I’ve got that new thing buzz! New ways of doing things, new ideas and people, a new world and new characters to develop. More on all that one soon.
Paddington scoops TWO Emmys!
The little bear won TWO Emmy awards of the three we were nominated for. Outstanding Preschool Children’s Animated Series and Outstanding Writing Team for a Preschool Animated Program. Which is a credit to all the guys at Blue Zoo, Adam Shaw & Chris Drew, and Writers, Adam Redfern, James Lamont, Holly Lamont, Hannah George, Paul Doolan, Toby Davies, & Jon Foster. It’s often been a really tough show to make, but the Bear is a gift. It’s always a delight to see him brought to life by our staggeringly great Animation teams at Blue Zoo and Super Prod in Paris . And Mr Curry. Who doesn’t love some Curry Sauce?
LINKS - Hollywood Reporter, Animation Magazine
Daytime Emmy award nominations.
Not one, but three nominations for Paddington season one. I wasn’t a Director on season one but Storyboard Supervisor. Great news for Adam Shaw, Chris Drew and all the Paddington team at Blue Zoo!
