Tag Archives: Julian Cripps

Nero looks like Boris

I have just finished animating a scene with Nero for my Boudica Film and realised he actually looks like Boris Johnson.

Nero rips

Nero rips up Prasutagus will

I did the cut out animation in after effects for this scene but, I am doing the next scene proper cut out, although I can get both looking quite similar now. It just depends on my mood.

Watercolour Backgrounds for Boudica

The fruits of my Norfolk holiday are paying off, had a good day doing the final backgrounds for my Boudica film.

This one is my favourite so far.

Boudica by Emma Calder

Boudica in her watercolour background

Julian Cripps did the pencil work and I did the water colour and characters.

The ducks are from some lovely 2000 year old Iceni Cups, on display in the Boudica Gallery.

Norfolk Holiday Plus Work

It’s not much over I week since I returned from my hols and it has already been cold enough to light a fire.

Emma Calder in Norfolk

Emma with her best paintbrush, photo by Oliver Cripps

Emma Calder in Norfolk

One of Emma’s sky backgrounds, photo by Oliver Cripps

My Boudica film is going very well, although I have still quite a bit of animation to do.

I used the holiday in Boudica country to work on the backgrounds, even doing water colours whilst sailing on a boat on the Norfolk broads!

Emma Calder in Norfolk

Emma painting in a rocky boat, photo by Oliver Cripps

I also spent time recording sound effects, getting up some days at 5 am to avoid tractors and Collar doves. The sound track is going to be made entirely of ambient and natural sounds because of the setting in the museum and the way the film will be viewed. So it’s quite a challenge to make an interesting track that helps the story along but, I like challenges and working with sound.

Emma Calder in Norfolk

Is that a tractor? photo by Julian Cripps

Although I did do quite a bit of work whilst away it was great to get away for a week. I think I will need another holiday when this job is done, fat chance though.

Boudica Animation Begins

After finishing the animatic I decided to set up the green screen for my Boudica film. This was ably done by my Director of photography Hugh Gordon and partner Julian Cripps.

Julian Cripps and Hugh Gordon

Julian Cripps and Hugh Gordon set up the Boudica Green Screen

Unfortunately I lost one of my Boudica heads the first morning of the build, so that was distracting. After about fours hours of searching Julian found it.

Lost Boudica

Lost Boudica on bike saddle

I must have put it there whilst trying to unlock my other studio. Oh dear!!

The Green Screen was a success and I have now animated two scenes, the second with the aid of Dragon Frame which is a great bit of software for stop motion and video assist. Really useful to me as I have the camera up so high.

Here a still from Scene 3 of Boudica A Norfolk Story.

Scene 3

Scene 3 Boudica A Norfolk Story

Boudica News

I have just completed the storyboard and animatic for my Boudica Film for the Norwich Castle Museum. This took roughly a month to produce, for what will be a four and a half minute film. Last week was fun as I had my two favourite helpers working for me. Julian Cripps architectural designer who always helps me with background design and my daughter Coco Cripps who was officially on work placement at Pearly Oyster.

Julian Cripps

Julian Cripps working on Boudica Storyboard

Now I am moving on to the next stage of the film, which is to design and make the characters and design all the backgrounds. As some of the characters are made from very old things dug up. I have had a good excuse to go mudlarking on the Thames regularly.

Here is a photo a  goose with a fantastic backdrop.

Goose by Thames

Goose at Vauxhall beach

What is interesting is what I am learning about some of the my mudlarking finds. After looking at iron age pottery in Norwich Castle Museum. I now realise that I had already found my own bit of iron age pottery by the Thames. I had thought it was a bit of petrified wood but, now I am quite sure it’s the same sort of material.

A picture of my finds, where’s Boudica?

Mudlarking Finds

Emma Calder’s Desk with Mudlarking bits