With more than 50 years of clay animation, Aardman unveiled a glimpse of a bright future this year at the Annecy Animation Film Festival, which opens June 21.
The studio’s legendary trio, co-founders Peter Lord, David Sproxton and fellow director Nick Park, took the stage earlier today in Annecy’s main venue, the magnificent lakeside Bonlieu theater, along with Sarah Cox, chief creative director, and surprise guests, for a packed presentation full of first looks, never-before-seen footage, and delightful memories of Aardman’s history.
Aardman’s biggest reveal of the day came when Phil Rynda, director of original animation at The Pokemon Company International, joined Cox on stage to reveal first behind-the-scenes insights on the brand-new series “Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d and Pichu.”
The duo delighted Annecy’s audience with behind-the-scenes insights on the project’s development and creative collaboration, featuring never-before-seen footage from the pilot and in-development production materials. With an early look at Sirfetch’d and Pichu in action, exquisite claymation and cutting-edge special effects brought forth by Aardman for this specific project, the series (coming up next year) delighted Bonlieu’s crowds, eager to know more.
Set in Pokémon’s “Galar” region, which shares many geographical similarities with the real-world U.K. (a fitting backdrop for a collaboration with Aardman), the panel also touched the project’s distinctly British sense of humor, with Gromit’s signature move even making its way in the Pokémon world. which is long associated with many of Aardman’s best-loved productions.
“It’s an honor to take part in Aardman’s panel at Annecy and talk about the shared commitment to quality, strong storytelling, memorable characters and a genuine respect for audiences and fans,” said Phil Rynda, director of original animation at The Pokémon Company International. “This project gives us a unique opportunity to tell stories from the point of view of Pokémon, made possible by Aardman’s extraordinary craft, remarkable artistry. Their warmth, and affection for this much-loved Pokémon cast are evident in every brilliantly crafted frame.”
Sarah Cox, chief creative director at Aardman added: “Aardman teams are delighted to bring the vivid physicality of stop frame animation into the Pokémon world. Director Tom Parkinson and his team have created a hand-crafted spin on the wonderful Pokémon we all know and love, with comedic storytelling that celebrates the quirks, eccentricities and charms of our heroes as they explore Galar on a delightfully offbeat Quest. Aardman and Pokémon share a strong commitment to creativity and talent on this shared quest of our own to bring joy to audiences across the world.”
Ahead of the announcement, Aardman’s legendary trio Peter Lord, David Sproxton and Nick Park dove into the studio’s history for a special opening session celebrating Aardman’s unique approach to storytelling, comedy and craft, the veteran animators welcomed several guests on stage, looking back at the 50-plus years of Aardman signature animation.
From early kitchen table experiments to iconic characters and award-winning productions, the team shared how their distinctive, handmade process has evolved over the years.
Peter Lord and David Sproxton, who were recently knighted in the King’s Birthday Honors, began their animating partnership at school, and while still teenagers created a short animated sketch called “Aardman” which the BBC bought for its Vision On series. According to Aardman, on receipt of their first cheque from the BBC, Peter and David needed a name for their bank account so in 1972 they registered the name Aardman Animations.
Through a combination of archival material, behind-the-scenes footage and conversation, the session offered insight into how Aardman continues to create award-winning animation that connects with audiences around the world, as well as what lies ahead for the studio as it evolves its craft to embrace the future of stop-motion animation and beyond.
After more than 25 years teaching their unique craft, Aardman also announced a brand-new Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at London’s Royal College of Art, starting soon. The teams presented the collaboration through a quirky, hand-crafted teaser, a testament to what has and always will be at the heart of Aardman DNA: people, and the love for the animated craft.
Or, as Aardman co-founder and director Peter Lord had it: “Our animation might be ‘old school,’ but we do it for the love of the craft. Our teams are so good at their jobs, and this love shines on the screen. Basically, we keep doing what we love, and people love it too.”
More to come….
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