Animation is where my career began, and it gave me the foundations that still influence how I work today: storytelling, visual communication, creativity, patience and an enthusiasm for experimenting with new ways of making things.
I originally trained in traditional animation in the pre-computer era, when everything was created by hand and you couldn’t even test the movement before filming it. I went on to study animation direction at the National Film & Television School, made independent and commissioned films that won awards internationally, alongside animated documentaries, educational films and work for charity campaigns.
Over the years I moved from traditional techniques into digital animation, motion graphics, video and multimedia. The technology kept changing, and I kept learning — something that has continued throughout my career. I still particularly love stop-motion and hand-drawn animation. There is something very satisfying about concentrating on one small movement at a time and slowly bringing something to life.
Skills
- Stop motion animation
- Hand-drawn artwork (chalk, scratched cell, oil paint on glass, pencil on paper)
- Frame-by-frame digital painting (Painter, Coral Paint, Photoshop)
- Motion Graphics (After Effects, Adobe Character Animator)
- Compositing (After Effects, Nuke)
Animated Video Educational Resource
Designed, animated and illustrated by me. Using the Adobe Suite: Photoshop, Character Animator, After Effects. Used as an educational resource for the Kingsly Napely leagal appranticship program.
Commissioned Handmade Animated Films
Written, illustrated, animated, directed and edited by me. One of a series of three handmade animated films for an education charity The Steve Sinnott Foundation.
Storytelling
Live Action and Compositing
Camerawork, compositing and editing.