Stoke-on-Trent based animation company, Carse and Waterman Productions, has today announced its involvement in an ambitious, new animation project which will see the company work with the producers of hit films “Saving Santa” and “Nativity!” to produce a festive animation titled ‘The Claus Supremacy’.
The story itself places its audience in a world of alternative history. This forms the backdrop for an entertaining story of discovery where we, as an audience, learn how the Santa Claus that we’ve all grown to know and love can deliver all of those presents to millions of children across the world.
Development has now started on the family feature film and the team at Carse and Waterman are now busy modelling, rigging and animating key characters.
Company director Daniel Waterman, says that the project marks an exciting chapter of ‘growth and reflection’ for the business. ‘We (Daniel Waterman and Gary Carse) launched the business after our first year at Staffordshire University in 2009 and our first project together was a music video for The Prodigy.
‘Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to build a diverse, imaginative team who have gone on to work on a range of notable projects, working with industry giants such as AT&T and United Nations.
‘Nine years since the launch of Carse and Waterman we’re very proud to remain in Stoke-on-Trent and we’re keen to share the message that digital creativity and youth aspiration are very much alive within this city.’
The animation will be produced by film producer Richard Turner and Terry Stone. Turner co-produced the highly acclaimed festive hit ‘Nativity’ while Stone who has carved an impressive career on both sides of the camera over the past 14 years.
Describing the animation as a ‘film for the whole family’, Turner explains his reasoning for choosing to work with a Staffordshire-based company on the project.
‘Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire have a fantastic range of digital and creative industries, fuelled by outstanding local talent and a vibrant, diverse business environment.
‘We’ve already received a huge amount of interest in the film and we look forward to working with Carse and Waterman throughout this project’.
The feature film is now in pre-production stage with the objective to launch in cinemas in December 2019.
Running for over 5 years ‘The VFX Festival’ is the UK’s leading animation & VFX conference. This year it took place from the 6th – 8th February at Rix Mix cinema in Shoreditch, London. It hosts industry leaders in animation and VFX from all over the world. Bringing everyone together allows a sharing of knowledge with both industry veterans and emerging talent. It provides an opportunity to learn from the best along with recruitment panels to help artists get their foot in the door.
Stoke-on-Trent based studio, Carse & Waterman made it’s debut at the London festival this year as Company Director and Producer, Daniel Waterman, was invited to speak on a panel about VFX Producing.
Titled ‘Production and Artists: Let’s Bridge the Gap’, the panel saw Daniel alongside producers from some of London’s biggest VFX companies. The lineup consisted of ‘Double Negative’, ‘Framestore’, ‘The Mill’, ‘Smoke & Mirrors’, ‘Moving Picture Company’ and of course ‘Carse & Waterman Productions’. In front of an audience of around 50 keen VFX producers and artists, the panel discussed the many challenges of being a producer and how best to work with artists in order to harness their creativity effectively.
Upon his return to Stoke, Daniel had this to say:
“It’s nice to show people in London that the industry reaches further than just the capital city. I think many were surprised to hear that a VFX studio of our calibre was based in Stoke-on-Trent rather than London. It was great to be on the panel and hear how other producers handle things. It’s also exciting just to be sat next to the VFX Producer of Paddington 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy 2.”
Longton based 3D Print Bureau clinched a major deal with supermarket-giant Sainsbury’s following an investment of more than £200,000.
Earlier this year, the 3D Print Bureau purchased the state-of-the-art Stratasys J750 machine – a 3D printer capable of full 24 bit colour and multi-material prints.
And the investment meant that the Longton-based company was able to secure a major contract with Sainsbury’s – to help produce its Christmas television advert.
The advert features beloved dad-of-two Dave – who is voiced by TV personality James Corden – and his struggles of juggling work and family life in the run up to Christmas and the 11-strong team at 3D Print Bureau helped to produce the faces for all of the 27 characters who feature in the three minute and 20-second ad.
Each character was developed by Altrincham puppet makers Mackinnon and Saunders.
But the faces of Dave, his wife Cara, children Anya and Lawrence and everyone else were all made out of acrylic-like plastic – printed on the company’s latest cutting-edge technology.
Company manager Dave Bennett said: “The process of using 3D prints has been used in films before such as Coraline and Paranorman, but this is the first time that anyone has been able to achieve the details and the colours.
“The technology that we have is very niche and we have the biggest capacity in the UK.”
It took the company three-and-half-months to produce more than 1,400 individual ‘faces’ which, once printed, were attached to each character’s body before filming.
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