The Mysterious Traveller

Many thanks to Barry Purves who prompted me to send my CV and contact Factory Transmedia, a studio on the outskirts of Manchester, where the animated series of both Strange Hill High and Toby's Travelling Circus are created (Barry is the director of the latter). I was soon called by the Strange Hill team and was asked whether I fancied a week in the art department. At the time I was trying to pack up a tent whilst flailing in the rain like a confused eel, so I can only hope that I didn't sound too disgruntled when I answered the unknown number.  ' Yes, of course I can come up '... I replied in a bizarre squeaky voice. I was overwhelmed by the opportunity, but determined to end the conversation with a relatively convincing tone of masculinity. So after sounding like Brad Garrett it was confirmed that I would head up to Manchester.  'Strange Hill High  is a children's series for the CBBC   created using animation technique combining puppets, Japa...

                        I reckon it's always healthy to start a post with some holiday snaps. Although, I'm not going away for a while so the next post could include photos of me having a right ol' time wearing a Hawaiian shirt and outrageous sunglasses... in Coventry. Anyway, me and Lucy went skiing in February and did a damn good job on the snowy slopes of the Black Forests in Germany. I even managed the steeper part of a blue slope and overtook a toddler. Now, you may think that's no big feat (just realised the little joke in there!) but these little buggers can ski/snowboard with no fear whatsoever. They even sing when they breeze past you, which just feels like a mocking and a half. I have to say, one of the highlights was the glorious weather we had on Valentines Day and the opportunity I had to climb into a wilderness hut with a stick (which was actually a double barrelled shotgun). I pretended to be E...

A relatively speedy follow up to my previous post, but with the end of the world approaching I felt impelled to write some more. It has been 16 months since graduation, 34 months of being single (I now have a beautiful girlfriend, Lucy) and within 8 months the release of three stop motion films. I have got three major animation projects under my wing, another feature film in development with my colleague John Fox , a music video to direct and edit and also the work experience Drew Roper has so kindly offered me. It is all happening now, in such a short space of time. I had almost a year of doing nothing! Excitement like this can send a guy over the edge. For one thing I need to move out of my legendary attic studio. Living in this house with my older female room mate (who incidentally shares the same surname as me) is fine, but I feel that this low-rent bubble is hindering my motivation. I had decided many years ago that I would never live and work in Warwickshire, so I'm worri...