December Shmecshmemshber

We've got one last Skwigly Animation Podcast of 2023 before we tap out for the year. In episode 112 we welcome back director Sam Fell alongside producer Leyla Hobart to discuss their much-anticipated Aardman sequel Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (out now on Netflix). We also welcome back director Robin Shaw and producer Ruth Fielding of Lupus Films to hear about their seasonal adaptation Mog’s Christmas, broadcast on Channel 4 this Xmas Eve.

Also discussed: Feature and short film picks for awards season, technological misadventures at MAF and the enduring legacy of last year’s holiday ‘classic’ The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. While you're queuing up podcasts for that long, anxious drive back to the homestead, be sure to check out episode 11 of Independent Animation featuring Mel Cionco in conversation with Jasmine Yang of viral hitmakers Glitch Productions and episode 27 of Animation One-To-Ones, where Ryan Gaur speaks with ND Stevenson to learn about the protracted, animated feature adaptation of his graphic novel Nimona. If you're in more of a readin' mood then a listenin' mood, some recent articles to check out include Ryan's interview with Aardman's Suzy Fagan Parr, Martyn Warren's review of Hilda season 3, as well as Larry Fried's review of The Peasants and interview with co-director Hugh Welchman.

Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires, the stop-mo gore-fest on which I animated some retro VFX a while back, is currently available to watch for free over the holiday period. Those of you who have Amazon's Freevee, be sure to gather the kids and grandparents around the ol' tellybox and get 'em nice and traumatised.

Many thanks to all the wonderful folks of the local animation community for coming out to the final Bristol Animation Meetup (BAM) of 2023 last week!

Extra special gratitude to King Street Brew House for having us, our pals at Animation Associates and Toon Boom Animation for the abundance of free drinks and incredible main raffle prize of an annual Toon Boom Harmony license (congrats to winner Elise as well as runner-up winners Olivia, Anna and Mayzey) - not to mention the fantastic Aardman Animations for the bonus prizes, Tova for her hard work keeping everything running organised and on time as well as Luzie for being on hand to take some fabulous photos.

Of course an extra special thanks to our incomparable industry guests Suzy Fagan Parr (Aardman), Jess Brazier (A Productions), Harry Slinger-Thompson (Scribble Room), Erinn Lucas (Sun & Moon) and Joe Wood (Rumpus) for taking their time to offer their insights and advice to eventgoers.We've got some exciting plans for 2024 so be sure to keep your eyes on Skwigly, Rumpus and Sun & Moon for updates and future event info!

Xmas Podding

Got a double-whammy of seasonally-seasoned Skwigly Animation Podcasts to help stave off the inevitable anxiety that comes from being around your kinfolk this time o' year.
In episode 95 we hear from Sergio Pablos, whose film Klaus has been the talk of the industry since it premiered on Netflix a few weeks ago. Rightly so, as it really does push the envelope as far as what we can do with 2D animation these days.

In episode 96 we welcome back Robin Shaw of Lupus Films. I first chatted with Robin way back in 2012 for his work on The Snowman and The Snowdog and the studio have been cranking out hits ever since, including We're Going On A Bear Hunt and Ethel and Ernest.
Also discussed in these episodes: MAF highlights, dubious dubbing, Playstation plagiarism, the inevitable shitness of Disney's 'live-action' remakes, animation-themed (sort of) honeymoons, as well as a look at the animated shorts in the running for 2020 Oscar and BAFTA nominations, including work by previous Skwigly interviewees/pals Regina Pessoa, Theodore Ushev, Lauren Orme, Floor Adams, Ross Hogg, Bruno Collet and Naaman Azhari.
Give 'em a listen below or download for laters here (episode 95) and here (episode 96).
Remember how nearly I decade ago I made a film about Xmas? And how I didn't shut up about it for ages? Weren't those great times? Well, I'm bringin' 'em back with a cheeky look at how it came together. I know, I know, I shouldn't have, but sometimes the holiday spirit just oozes out of me uncontrollably. Enjoy!

Seasonal Cheer (Part 3/4)

For our Christmas 2016 edition of the Skwigly Animation Podcast Steve, Laura-Beth and myself discuss death, grief, erectile dysfunction and eggnog bathing among other such seasonally appropriate topics. On the guests front we’re pleased to welcome talents from three animation highlights of this holiday season:
Firstly we hear from Jamie Badminton, co-director of Snowy Day, whose previous work includes helming Karrot Entertainment‘s various properties including the hugely successful Sarah & Duck. For Snowy Day Karrot have taken on the daunting task of adapting Ezra Jack Keats’s classic of American children’s fiction to animation for an Amazon Prime special.
Also joining the podcast are Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw of Lupus Films, who have followed up this year’s acclaimed feature film version of Raymond Briggs’s Ethel & Ernest with another classic book adaptation, Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Channel 4, December 24th 7:30pm and December 25th, 5:25pm).
Last but not least, producer and Magic Light Pictures co-founder Michael Rose (Room on the Broom, Stick Man), discusses the two half-hour Roald Dahl animated specials Revolting Rhymes that he'll be bringing to UK screens (BBC1, December 26th 6:30pm and December 27th 6:30pm).
Lots of goodies indeed. We are, after all, a giving bunch. Give 'er a stream below, why doncha?

Briggsian Delight

For our sixty-first episode of the Skwigly Animation Podcast we meet Roger Mainwood, director of the much-anticipated animated feature adaptation of the Raymond Briggs classic Ethel & Ernest, out in UK cinemas this Friday. Roger’s industry experience includes Kraftwerk: Autobahn, Heavy Metal and The Wind in the Willows as well as the prior Briggs adaptations The Snowman, When the Wind Blows, Father Christmas and The Snowman and the Snowdog. Also returning to the podcast is the movie’s Art Director Robin Shaw, who previously served as Assistant Director on The Snowman and the Snowdog and is currently co-directing the upcoming We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
Also discussed in this episode: First impressions of the new DreamWorks offering The Boss Baby, the overwhelming social media response to the short film Borrowed Time, Signe Baumane's uncompromising review of The Red Turtle and The Simpsons joining forces with Google Spotlight Stories.
Stream below, subscribe or direct download:

Before I Submerge Fully...

Here's a brief overview of how the next few weeks of my adorable li'l life are looking set to pan out:
WORK WORK WORK WORK bit of Christmas holiday WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK and so forth. Best case scenario is that the world may end on Friday and grant me some respite.

Needless to say things may be quiet on the blog front, so here's one last pre-season entry before I'm submerged in deadlines and yuletide alcoholism. We have our last Skwigly Podcast of 2012 and, eschewing the variety of religious holidays that are active around this time of year, we've opted for the atheist favourite and made it a Christmas Special. Or Xmas Special, as I think I'm supposed to spell it.
Makes perfect listening for the long voyages home, hours of painstaking food preparation or to drown out unbearable acrimonious squabbling. Steve interviews Tim Searle from Baby Cow Animation who have two seasonal specials lined up, as well as Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures whose not-especially-Christmassey-but-looks-pretty-good kids' short "Room on The Broom" will be shown on the 25th. There's also the second part of my interviews with the folks from Lupus Films following on from last episode, this time chatting with assistant director Robin Shaw and co-writer/director Hilary Audus about the hugely anticipated "The Snowman and The Snowdog", a follow-up to "The Snowman" which, along with Channel 4 itself, will see its thirtieth anniversary this year. All this and some needless trivia, cartooney Christmas nostalgia and I even wrote a little radio play. That's right, ya bestids. With sound effects and everything.
Stream it below, download it and/or subscribe on iTunes!
Elsewhere, the wonderful people over at Toon Boom (the Montreal-based animation software company) has picked my ol' Christmas toon "The Naughty List" for their showcase today. What lovely Quebecians they are! Granted, at the time the version of Toon Boom I used was incredibly basic and mainly just helped out with the clean-up, but I've since become rather enamoured of Toon Boom Animate. In fact, I'll probably be using it exclusively for the job I'm currently working on, so I may have become a full convert a few months from now. Now that I finally have a post-Intel Mac that can run it. Yep, I've been dragged kicking and screaming into the year 2006.

Lastly, today is most likely the last shopping day to get "Throat" in time for Christmas, so if you're still struggling to find the right gift for the indie graphic novel snob in your life - or if you just want to treat yourself - head on over to Amazon (US and now, for the convenience of my Brit compadres, UK) and grab one!