Chris Robinson has just finsihed his new book. “Animators Unearthed” is an introduction to some of the world’s top animation filmmakers, whose faces and voices remain largely unseen and unappreciated outside of the animation community. Chris Robinson discusses why it’s been neglected and where you can find the work. He aims to bring this art form, and its creators, to the forefront by tracing the history of this personal and artistic animation. Including the work of Skip Battaglia, Aaron Augenblick, Chris Landreth, JibJab, PES, Patrick Smith, Barry Purves, Suzan Pitt, Don Hertzfelt, Chris Shepherd, Run Wrake, Joanna Quinn. Buy it here!

http://www.amazon.com/Animators-Unearthed-Guide-Contemporary-Animation/dp/0826429564/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_6

We wanted to give a big hearty congratuations to Phil Bacon for winning this year’s Best Student Film Award at the 2010 British Animation Awards. Competition is always tough at these events, but Yellow Belly End was duly singled out “for its design, soundtrack, pacing and an enigmatic yet strangely compelling universe”.

We couldn’t agree more.

Yellow Belly End is also in student competition at this year’s Annecy Animation Festival. Fellow Slinky and National Film & Television School graduate Toby Jackman’s film Today Only is also in the 2010 Annecy roster, so well done lads!

“The Delicious Miss Dahl” is a new 6-part programme starting next Tuesday on BBC2 at 830pm. It’s made by Jamie Oliver’s production company FreshOne Productions.

As a starting point, Lucy Izzard interviewed Sophie Dahl on the set to discuss the series and her aims & goals for the show. This was then condensed down to a 1 minute film which precedes each episode. Every episode is about a different emotion (Selfish, Romance, Melancholy, Escapism, Celebration & Nostalgia) which inspires Sophie in her recipes and Slinky created bespoke animation for each of these emotional springboards.

Slinky Pictures
Animation Director: Lucy Izzard
Animation Producer: Ryan Smith

FreshOne Productions
Series Director: Martha Delap
Series Producer: Zoe Collins
Series Production Manager: Isabel Davis

I am excited to report, we shot Chris’s new film Bad Night for the Blues
before Christmas.  It was a memorable shoot, with an amazing cast and great crew and our heart felt thanks goes out to everyone who worked on it.   Now in post production, watch this space for further updates.

(Above) Kieran Lynn and Jean Boht
(Below) Director Chris Shepherd with Jean Boht