Why has a naked man made of plasticine become one of the most popular animated figures of all time? What are the pitfalls of filming a stop-motion conversation between clay bats? And how does Shaun the Sheep look so fleecy?
A crowd of animation fans were let in on those secrets and more at the very first “Animorsels” evening at Antenna, Nottingham in late October.
Aardman model maker Jim Parkyn was the star attraction at the evening event, which was organised by the Nottingham-based animation and production company, Bottletop and sponsored by RTS Midlands.
The theme for the launch of Animorsels was stop-motion animation and the crowd had a chance to look back at some of Parkyn’s old favourites, including Creature Comforts and Morph’s darker antics, alongside a range of short animated features from independent producers and a Halloween-themed montage of the audience’s own bite-sized animations.
Bottletop creative director Mark Pyper, who organised the event, said he hopes to make Animorsels a regular feature on Nottingham’s calendar. “Animators in the East Midlands don’t always have the chance to get together and share creative ideas. This is a chance to socialise with people who share your passion, to hear what’s happening in the world of animation and even pass on some tips,” he said.
The audience went home with a goodie bag which included a “Make your own Morph” kit.
And the secret of Shaun’s fleecy coat? Well, apparently, they use fleece.
