ABOUT

Director/Choreographer Matt Stokes had been commissioned by Gateshead Council to make this film (a 2 minute cycle featuring nine different dances: Charleston, Punk, Rave, Breakdancing, Rockabilly, Northern Soul, Morris Dancing, Ska and Heavy Metal.). The film was projected on a loop - as Public Art, in a disused Shop window in Gateshead Town Centre in the Summer of 2011.
I was approached by Jacqui Davies - who was then at Animate, to animate it - and to develop/co-design the dancing character from a drawing Matt had made. His brief was to represent the mix of popular Dance cultures that had impacted on the area over many decades. The character, is a kind of emblematic, amalgamated 'totem' - of the knid of Rock-based characters used on flyers, posters and in Independent Record stores for decades.
I was presented with Matt's drawing in late November - and met with Matt to agree the final co-design in early January. Between January 9th and March 10th 2011, it was a race (with my crew of Sheetal Thankey (scan/line-test composite), then Valentia Grasso (assist/line-test composite), Elli Chortora (scan), Monica Laita (Shadow Animation) and Jonathon Klahr (Compositor) to complete the animation.
It was a laborious but fulfilling process; 30 seconds a fortnight were produced; I made thumbnail sketches of poses every 2-5 frames from the live action (the Morris Dancing footage was particularly arcane - and the Rave footage particularly odd), then drew up animation keys, with some in-betweens from the thumbnails - which were then tested; and the tests scrutinised by Matt.
Matt was very willing to listen to my thoughts/suggestions throughout - on for example, the order of dance moves used (from the footage he'd selected) and there was general agreement on the order in which the dances would take place. Indeed, it all felt genuinely, very collaborative.
Then, after Matt's comments, the animation was in-betweened (Valentina assisted on two of the dances - Rave and one with two of the same character - Rockabilly), and then finally - all of the animation was trced clean with ink pen of varying thicknesses and the black expanses filled. This last stage took the patience, I think.Valentina and Elli were true heroes for their efforts (Sheetal was rescued from the process by other, better work).- how Elli didn't get angry - ever, really impressed me. She insissted she was interested in taking part/climbing this particular mountain. I'm aware scanning does require massive stamina.
Certainly, we were all 'up against it' for what felt like an eternity.
In early March - until March 16th/17th, Monica and Jonathan took on the task of animating the shadows (in AfterEffects) and Compositing the 'Final Picture'. They are based in Cornwall, and Jonathon then transferred each of the dances, and the animation that connected each of the dances - in rendered batches of frames, to Matt, who was way up North.
Matt in turn, constructed the 2 minute sequence featured here, in Final Cut Pro. A real team effort. Matt had little time to spare before completing the final picture build - before flying to the telecine facility - who converted/transferred the digital picture, to film (acetate).
For me, the last several days were a blur - of constant emailing and phone calling Valentina and Elli, then Jonathan, Monica and Matt. It was briliant, though! I really hope for another job like that.