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MA Graduation Film 1999

February 7, 2014December 10, 2015ExpandedAnimationLeave a comment

It is with some nostalgia that I load my graduation film from MA Computer Imaging and Animation, London Guildhall University, 1999. In this film I was exploring the concept of psychological epidemics: how ideas spread like viruses. This experimental short film combines hand-painted Super-8 footage with DV video, text animation, 3DS Max and After Effects. It features Sandra Louison in the lead role as an office worker. 15 years on I wince at the wobbly bits, but still enjoy all the textures I was experimenting with.

After Effects Character Animation Tutorials on You Tube

February 21, 2012ExpandedAnimationLeave a comment

Thanks to David for showing me this great series of After Effects tutorials on You Tube. Lots of tricks and tips with the puppet tool and putting character designs into 3d.

Character Design: Pumpkin Heads and Apple Heads

October 29, 2011December 10, 2015ExpandedAnimationLeave a comment

American artist, Ray Villafane, carves pumpkins into a variety of character heads. Check out the pictures here. Happy Hallowe’en!

What he may or not realise is that he is following in a very old tradition of folk art. In the past, toys were a luxury that many working people couldn’t afford to pay for – so they made their own. Apples were an ideal medium for carving dolls heads out of and this folk art is still practiced in rural America. I have also seen a British example in the V&A’s Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. The Museum of Childhood has an extensive collections of historical toys and is a fantastic resource for ideas for character designs.

I am currently experimenting with apple heads myself, since finding this wild apple on an isolated tree at the top of a mountain in the Pyrennees when I was on holiday this summer. I call her Mrs Applebaum and am using her as the starting point for developing a new character.

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For One Night Only: CHATTER Thurs 14th July

July 5, 2011May 17, 2018ExpandedAnimationLeave a comment

The latest version of the CHATTER project will be shown at Bar Sequence for one night only on:

6 – 11 PM THURSDAY 14th JULY  2011
@ Bar Sequence, 43 Essex Road, London, N1 2SF
http://www.barsequence.com

This evolving installation of animated talking heads investigates meaningless blather and the babble of crowds, reminiscent of conversations on Facebook or Twitter. Created by media artist, Birgitta Hosea, it includes crowd-sourced contributions from international artists and animators*.

Video of First CHATTER Installation in LA, 2010

July 5, 2011May 17, 2018ExpandedAnimationLeave a comment

Finally, here is a video of the first version of the installation in the USC Cinematic Arts Gallery. It’s always quite hard to document video installations because of the light levels, but this gives an overall impression of the space, the different languages and accents spoken by the animated characters and of the experience of moving around the video monitors and wall projections. ‘It’s like being in a really noisy party’, said one of the attendees at the private view.