Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) welcomed animation lovers to the Aardman Animation Masterclass. What a privilege it was to be learning from the animation industry’s best. We sat with U.K.-based Aardman Studio founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton, along with Academy Award-winning animator Adam Elliot (Mary & Max, Harvie Krumpet).
Aardman’s stop-motion animation shorts, feature films and television series have revolutionised a new era filmmaking since its establishment in 1972. From Wallace and Gromit, to Shaun the Sheep and Aardman’s latest feature film production, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, we visited all the classics which we know and love.
‘Morph’ particularly takes us to a giggling memory of our younger years from broadcast on the ABC channel. A clay character we all know and love, he began in the late 70’s. The funny little character who morphed into puddles, balls and back to his clay figurine is certainly my original-classic character favourite. Meanwhile, while the masterclass continued, David managed to create a live Morph figurine while chatting away.
With the evolution of Wallace and Gromit, we witnessed the creative process of the character designer from paper to plasticine figurines. Starting as a short film in 1989, the aesthetic features of our iconic characters Wallace and Gromit were transformed from paper to plasticine animation, giving an immense ‘wow’ reaction from the audience.
The Magic of Aardman exhibition is open at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image until 29th October. I definitely recommend you pay them a visit to experience that ‘wow’ reaction for yourself.
– Sheena
Sheena Reyes is an actress, writer, and filmmaker. Follow her on Instagram: @sheenareyes.
The Magic of Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends Exhibition runs June 29–October 29th 2017 at ACMI – Federation Square, Melbourne. Buy tickets now.
The venue is accessible.
