Exclaim! festival review

Robert Bell from Exclaim! has done a little write up of The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother after it played at the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival in June:

"It seems that when people think of family, they immediately think of dysfunction, loss, disappointment and memories of better times, at least according to this grouping of short films. While probably most notable for the inclusion of a short Feist and Cillian Murphy, it's animation with car accidents and dead cats that proves most enjoyable...

...'The Surprise Demise of Francis Cooper's Mother' is the animated short that stands out. In it, a woman accidentally kills someone with her car, a man accidentally kills his cat and another man overanalyzes the death of his mother. It's clever, insightful and amusing all at once."

You can read the full festival review on the Exclaim! website. Glad he liked it.

La Revolució Dels Petits Gestos ha començat

Have spent the last few weeks directing my first television commercial. Can't show anything yet but will do as soon as I can.

But I can show you this:



It's the commercial I animated on at Aardman during the end of May/beginning of June. The moral is something like "The revolution of small actions". Lovely. Directed by Tim Ruffle.

At the weekend I drew some pictures for my new film and worked on getting a first draft together too - still a long way off sadly. Also did some work on Emma Lazenby's film. A pregnant woman rocking on a Swiss Ball.

Francis Cooper is off to London

Francis Cooper is going to London three times this summer. For Rushes Soho Shorts end of July, London International Animation Festival in August, and for a Short And Sweet screening next week.

All good news except he's now faced with the difficult decision of whether it would be cheaper to use his Oyster card or buy a day pass.

Cippi in... (again)

Linked to these last year but found some nicer quality ones on YouTube. Some Italian gum adverts directed by Matthew Walker for Arthur Cox and Aardman. It is quite important to understand that when Cippi (that's the chipmunk) chews the gum it allows him to have icy farts (obviously). Here are two I animated on:

Say Freeze


Stuck On You


You can see more on YouTube or on the official Cippi website.

I once played football with an Italian man who found out I worked on these and he gave me a high five.

4mations EIFF highlights

Here's a round up of The surprise demise of Francis Cooper’s mother from the 4mations blog:

"Alexei Sayle provides the voice over for this slice of life, as we follow three characters through break ups, accidents and pet death. This is funny and full of well observed details. The moments before and after events are well done. We get a good insight into who these people are from the little things they do. That said, maybe I’m missing something but there doesn’t seem to be any connection between the three characters. I’m left wondering why they share a film."

Some more nice things. To respond to the wondering: I used three characters because I was trying to show that people quite often react in similar ways to "disasters". That, often, people look for one specific moment as inspiration to change - which doesn't always happen and so in this film they each force an epiphany upon themselves and, because it's contrived, in the end they don't change at all. Having three characters with different stories, but following one format, where the only link is their "epiphany's" I thought would draw this out more. I suppose it didn't work that well.

Glad to see Rabbit Punch by Kristian Andrews was their favourite though. Mine too.

Screen International UK Stars of Tomorrow 2009

"Massie's talent for making wryly amusing and morbidly deadpan animated shorts featuring stick figures has turned him into something of a film-festival star. His graduation short, Keith Reynolds can't make it tonight, about an office worker having a bad day, was an international festival hit last year. His latest, The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother, a technically and narratively more ambitious short about fate, is impressing audiences around the world, most recently at Annecy and Edinburgh. For now, Massie is happy to hone his storytelling skills in the short format. His next short, set in 1960s America, will be his first to include dialogue, and he is also developing a TV series for young adults with Arthur Cox animation studio."

Patricia Dobson; UK Stars of Tomorrow; Screen International issue 1694; June 26th, 2009; page 25.

What nice things to say. Find out if she's right tomorrow. Or maybe the day after.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009 day 2

Last nights screening went ok I think. I managed to not fall asleep once and I peered over at a mans audience ballot and saw he'd voted Francis Cooper as his second favourite. 2nd the best.

This morning I watched Brendan And The Secret Of Kells after having to miss it at Annecy. Was good. Then I went up Arthur's Seat and now I'm at the airport, and so, ending my trip to EIFF for 2009.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009 day 1 part 2

Have collected my delegates pack and am pleased to receive possibly the best filmmakers pass I've ever had (barcode, numbers, photo etc). Have also already bumped into one of the producers for my film which was a nice surprise. The 3.50am start to get my flight is taking it's toll though. Could fall asleep any second nzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009 day 1

Decided at the last minute to go to Edinburgh! The surprise demise of Francis Cooper's mother is in the McLaren Animation 1 screening. It is on at 18:20 tonight in Filmhouse 2.

My husband and I are trying to lose weight

Here's a Slimquick commercial/advert I animated on with Emma Lazenby. I was the husband*, she was the wife.

I also did all the pigeons** in this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRgo3k33zV4

...and Matthew Walker did the rest. I will keep an eye out for the 30 second one of that as it's good. Despite the "Extremely Stupid" title on YouTube.

*(and the wife in the packshot)
**(and the packshot!)