Contact From Nick

Well Nick emailed me back with two numbers to try for Cosgrove:

Hi,
Try 0161 882 2500 and 0161 882 2502
N.

This is the information I found for Hot Animation by going to their website:
0161 941 26 26
info@hotanimation.com

Now all I need to do is pluck up the courage to give them both a call.

I've also printed off the previous email I received from Nick and have written these contact details onto it so that I have a paper copy as well as a virtual copy on my computer.

Final Cut

Today, as I have completed my animation ready for assessments, I have been helping Dawn Turner and Nat Lamb with editing their work in Final Cut Express. I was helping them to add credits and sync up the soundtracks.

Eurovision Song Contest

Well, unlike last year, I decided to watch the Eurovision Song Contest this year. While I was watching, the Ukraine entry really struck me squarely in the eyes as being very odd. So odd that I had to draw a picture of the lead singer.Unfortunately I don't know the group's name and I found it flippin' difficult to even get a picture of them for comparisson on here but here it is anyway.



As you can see I missed quite a few clothing details but its only a sketch.

Animation Contacts

Well, Nick finally contacted me with some contact details for Hot Animation and Cosgrove Hall Animation. Here's his email:

Hi Alistair,
Well I turned my computer on to e-mail you and there was your message! Here are the contacts for both Hot Animation studios in Altrincham, South Manchester & Cosgrove Hall films in Chorlton cum hardy, Manchester.
They are both studios filming stop motion pre school animation and the company I work for (Mackinnon & Saunders) makes the puppets for both.

Hot Animation
Bob the Builder, Pingu, Etc.
Speak to Donna or Lianne in personnel and get clearence to contact Liz Whittaker ( animation director ) I have spoken to her already and she will probably deal with you or pass you on to Judd the animator. Either way, you will hopefully be able to look round, show your work and get to speak to Liz and Judd.

Cosgrove Hall Films
Rupert, postman pat, Fifi & the flowertots, Engie benjy,
Speak to Chris Bowden ( Senior producer ) who will put you in touch with Haydn Secker ( animation director ) who can show you round and introduce you to the aminators.
If you need to mention that Nick Roberson from M&S put you in contact with them then thats O.K. It might be possible that if you visit them on the same day I will be around to show you around M&S but I am only there some of the time.
Good luck,
Nick.

The only problem now is that I don't know how to contact Cosgrove Hall. Their site is under construction and so they have no details about contacting them. I've sent an email back to Nick asking if he can provide me with one. I want to have a number for both before I start calling up.

Collaborative Project Presentation

Today Neil, Heather, Dawn, Nat, Ryan and I gave our presentation on the collaborative projects that we took part in. We went down into the conference room at Regent Street for half past one and met up with the other groups also giving presentations.
Our group was fourth. We hadn't got a slideshow or PowerPoint prepared but we knew who was going to be talking about what. First Dawn, Ryan and I spoke about the First Thursday event that we put on in the animation studio where we tried to encourage the visiting students and public to have a go at animating. We played the animations from the line testing machines but unfortunately couldn't show the smudge and click animations from the DAR system as they had been wiped off before we managed to get a copy.
Next Neil, Ryan and Heather spoke about our time at the local infant and primary school where we went to animate characters that the children had designed for the NEWI science festival. We all chipped in when Neil showed the children's animations so that we could explain what was happening in each. Everybody had a good chuckle at the story ideas and the characters that the children had come up with. This was where our presentation ended.
After the remaining groups had given their presentations Dave Gill told us all that the afternoon's presentations had been some of the best and most entertaining that he had seen.

Stoppit and Tidyup

Well I found Stoppit and Tidyup on YouTube the other day and decided to take a trip down memory lane and watch a few episodes. Whilst I was watching them I started to wonder what type of animation had been used. Although the animation appears to have been drawn on cells, the movement of the characters gives it the feel of cut-out animation.
After a little bit of searching on the internet it would appear to be that Stoppit and Tidyup was animated on cells.
I found the information initially on Wikipedia but decided it was best to check for another source and found Toonhound. The page is viewable here.

For anybody reading this who fancies a look at Stoppit and Tidyup, you can find the first episode here.