Inside Claymation
Yesterday I was fortunate to take part in a guided tour of Adam Elliot’s Claymation studio in St Kilda, Melbourne. For those who do not know Adam Elliot, he is the Oscar® winner for Best Animated Short Film, HARVIE KRUMPET, in 2004.
HARVIE KRUMPET is a story about an ordinary man and his challenges through life. It is a story, which gives an insight into the inner beauty and simplicity of this character.
Adam has been working on his latest feature length Claymation, MARY AND MAX, which is about a friendship between two very different people from diverse walks of life – suburban Melbourne and a contrasting New York bustle.
My interest in Claymation has come from working with the medium within the context of my classroom over the last 6 years. I began in 2002 after my class and I were involved in a workshop run by Paul Shaw, a Queensland educator. He introduced the basic concepts and helped us unpack the elements that make a great Claymation. The PD was run like an inquiry and finished with lots of hands on fun!
In my 6 years of working with Claymation, the process and the product has improved. Like all movie making, the story is central to the success of the film. A lot of time was spent brainstorming, storyboarding, scripting, animating and editing, and generally learning and exploring the art of language.
In the last 3 years I have been lucky to have Anthony Lawrence working with my students. Tony is a professional animator who has created a series of animations called PLASMO. He has played a key role in fine-tuning our animation methods and story telling skills.
Tony is at the moment working with Adam Elliot on MARY AND MAX. And of course when he told me, I asked, “When I can I drop in?” I was surprised with the magnitude of the project, the props, puppets, and numerous people needed. However, I should not be too surprised because I have seen the detail and effort that goes into making a student created Claymation.
After my husband and I took the tour, we were invited to the local pub for a few drinks with Adam Elliot and the crew. Melanie Coombs, producer, was willing to discuss the project in depth and answer all of my questions without any hesitations. Adam was just as gracious and spent time talking about his work and the dedication of his team.
If I wasn’t a teacher, and if my kids were not part of that very early experience with Claymation, then I don’t think this meeting would have taken place. I don’t think that the students would be creating animations themselves, such as REPORTABLE, that have been picked up by international film festivals, like LITTLE BIG SHOTS. There is power of education that is taken for granted. I am overwhelmed at times with its possibilities and where it can lead.
2 comments January 26th, 2008
