GameCity 5: Spite Your Face Productions got children animating at Nottingham’s video game festival.
Spite Your Face Productions, a small but effective animations company who describe themselves as ‘Godfathers of Lego animation’, once again travelled from London to grace us with their presence.
After a very popular and productive animation workshop last year, we were keen to discover whether their previous success would be repeated. Situated amongst the grandeur of the Council House dining room, the workshop had an inspiring atmosphere with a buzz of excitement palpable as children crowded tables mounded with Lego pieces. Everyone was given the opportunity to create new characters or backgrounds which were then showcased throughout the room. A widescreen TV showing Spite Your Face Production’s work with Lego inspired and excited the crowd as they saw what is achievable.
It was less easy to get everyone involved in the main attraction, two Canon 5D Mkll cameras focused on a miniature set. Each camera is connected to a Mac where a live image is displayed. Using the traditional stop motion process, each movement was photographed, this would later be put together to create an animation (last year’s showcase can be seen at the Spite Your Face website).
Although I assumed these painstakingly slow, laborious movements of the Lego figures would be quite dull, Tony Mines, self-proclaimed ‘man in charge’ had another opinion: “It’s more relaxing than anything… animation is not about making things move, but keeping them still.”
Clearly very positive and enthusiastic about his work, Tony did note the imperfections in the way his workshop was run: “It’s been awesome… the older children [around twelve] have been stars, some returners from last year, but it’s hard to give a lot of one-on-one time to each child. They approach you with an idea that’s going to take an hour to do and it’s just not possible.”
All in all, a very successful event. It appealed to children and adults alike and gave us a sneak peek into the world of a professional animator. We can only hope they will return next year to show us how it’s done all over again.
Marie Cheetham
Photo: Thom Dinsdale, GameCity
Tags: animation, family, gamecity, lego, spite your face
