The Magpie

The Magpie by Will Wivell, University of Lincoln.

Who?

Will Wivell – writer, director, lead animator
Gary Davies – assistant animator
Estelle Sharpe – assistant animator
Jake Longworth – 3D reference/post-production
Alex O’Brien – sound designer
Lilly Cording – sound designer

What?

The unrelated stories of a boy and a businessman collide – with a little help from a mischievous magpie.

How?

We animated the characters entirely in Flash. The environments were initially rendered in 3D, which I then used as reference for perspective as I painted the final 2D backgrounds in Photoshop. Additional lighting effects and vignettes were created in After Effects.

Next Project?

I’m freelancing at the moment, doing tests for different companies. Estelle and I hoping to work on a personal project in the future, called ‘The Wall’, but in the meantime, we’re working on a short film about a Polish man’s experiences as a boy during the Second World War.

Which Film do you wish you could have made?

I’d have loved to have worked in Termite Terrace, alongside people like Chuck Jones and Tex Avery, making Looney Tunes shorts.