I am delighted The Water Bearer has been selected in the new 10TH ATHENS ANIMFEST amongst 2000 submissions for the Marathon Selection. The Festival is running from March 26 to April 1, 2015 in Greece
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Award for Best Ecological Animated Film at the IFFEST Document.Art XXI
We are delighted to announce the Water Bearer has won an Award for Best Ecological Animated Film at the IFFEST Document.Art. XXI Bucharest, Romania
Many congratulations to the crew behind the film ( in particular order Alex Harwood, David Pringle, Benjamin Gerstein, Jonathan Carr, Shaun Clark, Paul Mundell, Freya Hotson & Clare Aburn, to the Commissioning Team at Twyford Waterworks Trust (especially Martin Gregory & Terry Forder-Stent), Heritage Learning Consultant Natalie Chambers, the lovely students from Twyford St Mary’s CE Primary School… and anyone involved in the film.
We would like to thank the Mr Nicolae Luca, the festival director, Ileana Danalache and Mihaela Ene.
And a huge thank you as well to the Jury that selected our film!
The 9th Science Film Festival THE WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE , Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Water Bearer will be screened at the The 9th Science Film Festival THE WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE , Saint Petersburg, in Russia between the 20-24 October
The International Science Film Festival World of Knowledge was organyzed by Lennauchfilm studio and the Centre of National Film studio in February 2006.
The festival improves every year and is growing in an organic way. The festival program includes the regular International Competition and the Special program.
The main prize of the Festival is the figurine The Tree of Knowledge, which is a symbol of a person who thirsts for knowledge and novelty. The sprawling branches of the tree are inevitably burdened by fruits, symbols of reason. The apple falling from the tree is a sign of revelation to a person seeking knowledge.
Science popularization has an obvious strategic value for national development. Documentary cinema has a recipe for sparking interest in science, technology and culture from all people.
Watching the invisible… discovering the unexplored… trying to glance into the future… Everything is possible in the inquisitive and imaginative minds of cinematographers!
Be There Corfu!
Mew Lab are delighted to be screening at the “Be There!” Corfu animation festival. “The Water Bearer” will be in the panorama section 2.
The festival itself is in its fourth year and a fantastic meeting point to meet other animators, directors and discover hidden gems from the animation world. Run by Vassilis, Alexandros, Mando, George and the Corfu team you will be sure to have a warm welcome and great time.
The venues at Be There are wonderful intimate spaces hidden away amongst the maze of the town, surrounded by bustling bars and cafes…..perfect place to watch films! The festival takes place from the 16th-19th October and this year animator Michaela Pavlátová will be at the festival following her award winning film “Tram”.
Plus we have an another film screening in the Panorama Section : “The Key”
The festival Statement
Be there! Corfu Animation Festival is the new international animation festival, that includes Corfu, the capital of the Ionian Islands, as its point of reference. It aims to constitute a meeting point for animation artists from all over the world, in April 2011.
The art of animation is much wider in scope than the worldwide-known and lovable cartoon films. Common perception defines animation (in an informal albeit very precise way) as an art addressed to and inspired by the children. But the second leg of this proposed definition, the one that determines its wide scope, is erroneously absent. “An art that is addressed to and inspired by children of all ages, but also inspires those with the courage to think and the power to see what kids can see”.
However, the recent successes and artistic recognition of films such as Persepolis, The Triplettes of Belleville and Up gave us the impulse to seek imaginatively, but with due care to details, our festival goal. Animation films always tend to unfold the unbridled game of imagination, either in the form of stop-motion films with puppets, computer animation or traditional cel drawings.
This element of imagination attracts those who adore filmic messages, new trends in artistic expression, but also like to share intense sentiments -and thereby ‘activate’ their childhood self.
The objective of Be There! Corfu Animation Festival is to treat animation works with professionalism, and total respect for the creative effort that accompanies the 8th art. It also aims to educate (an essential that has conditioned the art of animation), and its various festival activities relate equally to children, adults, visitors, institutions, and all those with an eye to learning and experiencing through art.
Be There! Corfu Animation Festival is a four-day celebration of animation, but does not forget to advertise art and artistic merit in all its forms, combined with an educational glance and a time for entertainment.
The festival is here to stay. This year’s program involves a short-film competitive section, feature-length films, but also director retrospectives and novel tributes, Greek premieres, and multiply acclaimed films. Our agenda includes collobarations with other animation festivals, workshops & speaker panels, and of course, children workshops (Kids, Be there!)
For those of you who create and express yourselves through animated films, this is an opportunity to submit your film.
Starting from Corfu, a traditionally rich point of artistic and cultural reference, you will be given the opportunity to share the magic and joy of the image, ideas and sentiment. Our exciting journey starts on April 7, 2011. Be there!
IFFEST Document.Art. XXI Bucharest, Romania
The water Bearer will be in the official selection at IFFEST Document.Art. XXI, 2014, Bucharest, Romania on the 16, 17 and
18 October
The film will be eligible for the following award
- IFFEST DOCUMENT.ART. trophy for the best film in the contest;
- The prize for the best art film;
- The prize for the best ecology movie;
- The prize for the best tourism movie;
- Prizes and special mentions;
- MDV Film prize, worth 5.000 Euros consisting of services for image post-processing, sound, for the best Romanian film.
IFFEST DOCUMENT.ART. aims to stimulate and promote art, ecology, and tourism film, as well as make a significant contribution to its audience’s cinema culture.
A series of complementary activities are organized under the umbrella of the Festival, with a view to making it more diverse and attractive. These activities include book launchings, art exhibitions, workshops, etc.
IFFEST DOCUMENT.ART. is organized by the Romanian Film Association “Document.Art,” with the support of the following partners.
Award for Best Children Contribution at San Diego International Kids Film Festival, in USA
The Water Bearer have received an Award for Best Children Contribution in the Best Kids-MAde Film at the San Diego International Kids Film Festival, in USA.
The film has been created in collaboration with the students of Twyford St Mary CE School for Tywford Waterwork Trust. Half of the animations have been created by students from key stage 1 up to year 6 in a three day workshop animation marathon . We kept a diary of the workshop here : https://twtanimation.wordpress.com/category/workshop/ and you can watch the making of below
Of course the film has then been composited, animated and finished by a professional crew, but I am glad the San Diego Film Festival has recognised the immense input from the kids. So this award is for all the students of Twyford St Mary CE School : well done and well deserved!
And here you can spot clips of the film in the trailer of the festival
6th Lahore International Children’s Film Festival 2014 in Pakistan
The Water Bearer will be screened at 6th Lahore International Children’s Film Festival 2014 in Pakistan! And another film we have made will also be screened in the official selection: High above the sky
Here a little bit about the festival by the festival director: The idea to hold a children’s film festival was conceived by Shoaib Iqbal in 2007, when he was working with Ali Institute of Education (AIE), in order to promote arts education and learning through the arts in Pakistan. AIE supported the idea and prominent educationists from the organization helped in shaping the festival greatly. The festival grew each year with valuable inputs of a number of film makers, artists, sponsors, volunteers, and, most importantly, its audience, largely comprising children and young people.
The major objectives of the festival are:
- To screen the best of local and international films for Pakistani children and young people
- To promote media literacy among children and young people through workshops and screening of meaningful films
- To promote children as film makers, while training them in the art of film making and exhibiting their work in the festival
- To nurture and inspire local film makers to produce films to children in Pakistan
Voices from the Waters International Traveling Film Festival, Bangalore India 11th September to 14th September.
The water Bearer ill be screening at Voices from the Waters International Traveling Film Festival, Bangalore India during the 11 sept & 14 Sept.
Voices from the Waters International Travelling Film Festival is a celebration of water, the element that nurtures life in manifold ways. Initiated by Bangalore Film Society in 2005, the festival brings to you water stories from across the world. We are all touched by the beauty of water…
Civilizations through the ages harnessed water and grew around it. However, contemporary civilizations have seen it as an economic utility and a dumping ground for all the waste they generate and polluted it. The festival is also the stories of restoration of water to its pristine beauty. Viewing these visual narratives gives us all an opportunity to focus on the global water crisis and engage in deep reflection to conserve this life sustaining nectar for posterity. Water brings us all together.
Apart from films, the other avenues of engagement at the festival would be painting and photo exhibition, art installations, water songs, lectures, roundtables, eco-conscious product bazaar and interaction with film directors, water activists and water scholars.
Bangalore Film Society
Bangalore Film Society (BFS) is a nonprofit cultural organization registered under the Registrar of Society’s Act Karnataka and affiliated to the Federation of Film Societies of India. We explore through the medium of cinema, the cultural politics and how it impacts and shapes the contemporary cultural practices, politics and social behaviour. Towards this, we organize regular film screenings and discussions on feature and documentary films from across the globe as well as organise film festival and conferences on specific themes. Voices from the Waters International Traveling Film festival is one of its major activity. Through our well curated programmes we attempt to connect the participants with cultural histories of ideas and desires of social transformations, contentious socio-cultural-political issues of our times as well as provide an aesthetic experience
San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival (September 5-7, 2014)
We are very pleased the Water Bearer has been selected to participate in the San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival (September 5-7, 2014)
The San Diego International Kid’s Film Festival promotes the idea of entertainment with education. Supported by many across the world, the festival supports the entertainment and education industries by showcasing international films, and gives young, aspiring filmmakers a channel to communicate to an international community. The resulting collaboration produces a unique multi-cultural experience, engaging young viewers with positive media, as a diverse education.
FARCUME Festival de Curtas-Metragens de Faro, Faro, Portugal,
The Water Bearer will be screened at 2014 FARCUME: Festival de Curtas-Metragens de Faro, Faro, Portugal, between the 27 a 30 August
FARO 1540 – Association for the Defense and Promotion of Environmental and Cultural Heritage of Faro, after the success of the last three editions of FARCUME – Short Films Festival of Faro, is organizing the 4th edition of this Festival to be held in the city of Faro from 27 to 30 of August, 2014.
It is intended that in this edition the goals already reached in last editions in terms of quality and participation will be consolidated and that the Festival will stand as an international and cosmopolitan Festival. It is noted that FARCUME will have, from this year onwards, an extension in Brazil , in the city of Boa Vista , in Paraíba , named as FARCUME Brazil . Therefore FARCUME happens to be one of the biggest festivals of Luso-Brazilian short films, with strong advantages in exchange of works, methods and knowledge between the filmmakers, screenwriters and actors from both countries, in addition to boosting the cultural politics of the two cities involved, engage their identities and enhance their local potential.
The main purpose of this Festival remains the same: publicize and launch new talents as well as promote near the public the excellent works that are done in this area but not always have the desired and deserved promotion.
In other words, FARCUME within an informal environment, good mood and relaxed atmosphere intents to reward and recognize the dedication, commitment, creativity and merit of directors, actors and technical teams that, with modest means, can develop works of great quality.
Given the principles and goals of ” FARO 1540 ” , which even has the status of NGO (Non Governmental Environmental Organization) the Festival will continue to have a strong environmental concern and sensitivity alerting participants not to present short movies claiming or encouraging disrespect for the environment, human rights inequality or animal abuse. It will be further developed an Environmental Management Plan specifically ” designed ” for this event to ensure optimization of the resources needed for the promotion and accomplishment of the event and management of generated wastes. As in the previous editions FARCUME will be a “Zero Carbon initiative” , ie , it will be completely free from carbon emissions, one of the elements responsible for the greenhouse effect that contributes to the climate change phenomena .
For more information on this project please visit our web page : http://www.farcume.faro1540.org
The Water Bearer at CAKE in Ormskirk, UK ( and a little bit in China)
We are delighted to announce The Water Bearer has been selected to screen at CAKE
The film was screened on 16th July at 4.45 CAKE Festival CE, in the Lecture Theatre in Ormskirk, UK at Edge Hill University.
The CAKE film festival provides a platform to showcase animation work from the UK and China celebrating animation innovation and creative process as the force in the partnership between academia and industry. The conference and festival focuses upon the important role of animation education in developing and providing new talent for the industry.
Immerse yourself in the wonderful, the fantastic and often outrageous world of animated shorts.
All lovers of animation should sample the imagination of these filmmakers and catch a glimpse of new talent.
• Monday 14th 5:00- 6.15pm Come and see the latest graduate films from animation schools across the UK and China
• Wednesday 16th 4.30-5.30pm Show-casing the professional and collaborative work of the two countries
• Thursday 17th 5:00-6:30pm* Preview post-graduate films many of them premieres from centres of animation excellence here and in China.
• Friday 18th 2:30pm attend the presentation and awards of the best festival films.
All screenings will take place in the Creative Edge building, Lecture Theatre, ground floor except for * Multi-purpose studio, 1st floor. Screening durations are approximate
2014 Seoul Guro International Kids’ Film Festival (GUIKFF)
We are very pleased the Water Bearer has been selected to participate in the Seoul Guro International Kids’ Film Festival (GUIKFF) during July 25-29, your film, together with other 7 films, representing the 2014 SDIKFF’s films to be screened in the 2014 SDIKFF Special Screening Zone.
Selected in the VAFI International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival
We are very pleased the Water Bearer has been selected to participate in the 5th edition of VAFI in Croatia. Below a little about the festival.
VAFI– International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival in desire to make Varaždin and Croatia a place where children and youth, professionals, our guests and all animation lovers will be able to exchange their experience and make new friendships beyond their own states; a place where children and young people will enjoy films; where they will learn and associate at the same time. VAFI will be held from 22 to 27 April 2014, the professional selection will be shown will be shown during 22 to 24 April.
So the next step we took is that we have formed an special section for animated films made for children and yout called VAFI SENIOR. In this way VAFI will be the true festival of films, animation, children and youth and not only the festival of prizes. Little and big animators will have a chance to associate and exchange ideas, they will learn from each other. Part of VAFI which represents animated films made by children and youth now will be called VAFI JUNIOR.
As Varaždin being one of the most beautiful and most developed cities in Croatia, it is ideal for hosting the festival in which we want to unite quality, knowledge, professionalism, company, fun, creation and creativity into a perfect balance. ( you can explore the citadel here )
World Cinema section of 6th CMS International Children’s Film Festival -2014
The Water Bearer has been selected in the 6th CMS International Children’s Film Festival -2014 (7-15 April, 2014) which will be held in Lucknow, India World Cinema Section (World Cinema section is an official section which is eligible for audience award)
ICFF is a non-commercial, non profit-earning organisation, working Purely for the promotion of educational films and the art of filmmaking. The sole purpose of this festival is to promote entertaining, educative cinema among young audiences and to explore the possibilities of using the visual medium as a tool for better entertaining, educational, material, human and spiritual upliftment.
Trailer
The film tells the story about how young Mr Stone meets the engineer Mr Latham and together they come up with a marvellous plan to bring water to everyones home in the Itchen valley which still exists to this day. Using drawn and cut out animation techniques it is a beautiful little film which we hope the younger audience will enjoy!
To wet your appetite we have made a little trailer
Final Music & Sound
Sound Recording and Mixing Day
We had a fantastic time Recording for the film with the talented Sound Designer David Pringle, and actors Paul Mundell and Ellie Mitra
Composer Alex Harwood
The composer Alex Harwood will be writing our music for Twyford Waterworks.
Alex Harwood graduated with an MA in composition for film from the National Film and Television School (2013), and an Mmus at The Juilliard School in New York (1991), graduated in Composition from the Royal College of Music (1988).
www.alexharwood.com
Alex was composer in residence for the Juilliard Drama Division, during which time wrote for theatre productions in New York and England. Amongst numerous commissions that have been performed world wide are The Happy Prince (cantata for soloists, chorus and orchestra) libretto by Ronald Harwood, St John’s Smith’s Square, London; Untitled (voice and percussion) for Audra MacDonald, Avery Fisher Hall, NY; and Sonatina (alto flute and pianoThe National Flute Convention, chosen repetoire, 2009,USA ; Theme and Variations- written for Sir Ronald Harwood’s 70th Birthday, performed in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales.
Film scores include Ideal Wife (dir. Philip Saville), Z1 (dir. Gabriel Gauchet), Girlfriend in a Coma (dir. Annalisa Piras), Musical Star! (dir. Louis Paxton), Foggiest Ideal (dir. Kim Noce and Shaun Clark. MewLab Productions), Kiss (dir. Cathy Brady), No Man’s Land and An Anxious Mind (dir. Michael Graverson), Loose Ends,(dir. Kim Strobl), Homey (dir. Ben Garfield), Drying for Freedom (dir.Steven Lake), End of An Era (dir.Yousif Al-Khalifa), Four and Flat Frog for Italian animation studio Inkymind, Chessmates and The Bird (dir. Mikel Gurrea) and several scores for SweetDoh! Productions.
Prizes, Awards and Fellowships include:
Beaconsfield Film Society Scholar
Joined prize winner for Best Composer, UnderWire Film Festival 2011
The Cobbett and Hurlstone Prize for Composition
The United Music Publishers Ltd. Prize for an outstanding composition Student
Fellowship in Composition at Tanglewood Music Festival
Foundation for the Arts Award, NY
Boulez Fellow
Henry Mancini Prize for Composition
Freya Hotson: Hand Drawn 2D Animator
Freya Hotson joined as as a 2D Animator to create two playful shots in the animation. Freya has a wonderful talent in capturing characters and movement!
Here below her rough line tests previews for the two shots she has been animating.
A Scot, Freya graduated with a BA in Animation in 2011 from Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee. Since graduating she worked as an Animation Department Assistant on ‘The Snowman and the Snowdog’ and is currently working as a freelance animator in London.
You can view her work at:
Vimeo https://vimeo.com/user2647473
Blog www.running-down-hill.blogspot.co.uk
Backgrounds and Stills
Here few work in progress still showing some of the shots for the animation. The artwork for the piece for t it is almost complete. (Click on the thumbnail pictures for a larger view)
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- Edwardian Era
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- Edwardian Era working class street water pump
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- Edwardian Era middle class water sink
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- Edwardian Era upperclass cloackroom
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- South Hampton Water Company with Baldwin Latham
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- Twyford Map, Toad and Hampshire Chalk
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- Twyford Map
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- Twyford Waterworks being built
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- Well
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- Reservoir
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- Twyford Village
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- Twyford Village
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- Twyford Village
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- Twyford Village
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- Twyford Village
