The Three Rules of Living Animation

A look at the fundamentals of hybridizing animation with live action film.

Vincent Van Gogh

Here is some promotional material for the first fully painted feature film in the world, Loving Vincent.

It was directed by Polish painter and director Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman (Oscar winner for producing Peter and the Wolf).

The film was funded through Kickstarter, raising £53,292 from 796 backers. The film is currently in post-production; I don't know of a release date yet.

"It Was a Dark and Silly Night"

Gahan Wilson (who was once referred to as "Norman Rockwell's evil twin"), is an artist of long-standing with The New Yorker magazine. He illustrated this animated adaptation of a story by Neil Gaiman, whose book Coraline was made into a movie. (He also wrote an episode of Doctor Who in 2011.)

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"Axe Cop"

There are so many ways to make a webseries. Here's one called Axe Cop, which is a straight comic book idea, animated. 

It was created by two brothers, Malachai Nicolle and Ethan Nicolle, one of whom was only five years old when the series started. The five year-old wrote the story (feeling old, anyone?), his 29 year-old brother did the drawings.

Here's episode 1 of "Axe Cop."

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"T is for Toilet"

Written, directed and animated by Lee Hardcastle, T is for Toilet is a claymation horror short. It's not a film for children, but it does show what you can do with a few bits of plasticine.

The film is part of the ABCs of Death short film competition which ends today. There were at least four entries from Australia, but I responded to this one from the UK. It shows creativity, imagination and a feeling for the fears of childhood.