Episode 39 'Get the ball rolling'

I have now got at least five different projects to keep me busy over the course of the next year. Some can be done in a matter of days, some will obviously take months. Two have recently became of high priority due to the spontaneous enthusiasm (or sponthusiasm as I call it) and has led to mountains of ideas and quick fire development. My good friend and fellow animator Ashley Lightfoot is helping me spearhead one project which will essentially be a music video for indy pop band Los Campesinos! 

This is the current music video for the bands song 'You, Me, Dancing!' and as you can quite tell, it is already animated. I remember playing this song to Ash about six months ago and his reaction was a little hysterical; in the sense that he laughed at the chorus and screeched it at me from time to time in the animation studios. Such a silly tall man!

Anyhow, it seemed to grow on him and we both had an idea of a vague storyline that could accompany the song if we would ever consider animating for it. Today has been an epic development in our consideration...so we are going to give it a bloody go!

Ash has already emailed the band and even though their reply was short and sweet (I quote 'go for it ash') it is permission none the less. So I believe my colleague and I are going to meet up in the very near future and have a few drinks and let the ideas bounce off our brilliant animated minds and hopefully storyboard something spectacular within the next month. 

Now, a project I have been working on for a while has also had a breakthrough. Not by much, but I have finally solved the problem of the wonky and temperamental helmet of my character: use better glue! And for the love of God make sure you remember the obscene smell the 2-part Epoxy has to offer. My next problem was the style I have chosen for George the Knight because I rather fancy he looks a lot like Marvin the Martian from the Looney Tunes clan. Oh well. If there is any issue with copyright I shall give George a pair of Elton John glasses and a big bushy beard.

It has been revolutionary (albeit minor compared to the progress I ought to have made) to finally get the basis for the puppet. The wire frame is done, the steel feet are ready and highly magnetic. I also have a steel sheet that will be screwed onto a customised table to form the platform to animate on.














The cunning diagram below will show you what is to be done.

I need to find myself an electric jigsaw and cut straight into this table!