~ Finding Hope in Small Places ~
Stop motion animated short film (2023)
*Winner of The Ray Harryhausen AWArds 2024 - Best Student FILM Animation*
Struggling in the fog of grief, Fern embarks on a journey gradually rediscovering the light that can be found amongst the darkness following bereavement.
Director/Animator: Cheryl Blake
"Following the loss of my mum, experiencing grief and learning to cope with its overwhelming nature became a journey that I'd never planned for. For me, animation became a way of expressing these feelings and Seaglass aims to show audiences that whilst grief can be isolating and all encompassing, there are places where we can find hope again - however small - and that it has a lingering nature even as we begin to find life again. Grief is unique for every person - and Seaglass doesn't aim to dictate the experience of grief, but rather provide a canvas for reflection and comfort for anyone who might need it.
Failing that, there's a pretty cute goat I like to call Simon.
Seaglass uses mostly traditional methods of puppet and paper animation, but also encompasses a number of new technologies in stop motion - such as the use of virtual production techniques using LED screens for backgrounds."
With a background in music education and performing as a drummer and flautist, Cheryl turned to animation during the lockdown and quickly discovered a passion for animation.
gravitating towards stop motion animation, she studied with Aardman Academy before undertaking an MA in Animation at University of Salford, Manchester. Using the year to research the use of different materials in stop motion animation, particularly in the form of abstract animation on the multiplane, Seaglass is her MA short film.
Music: Dan Jones
Dreamy, melancholic, indie-folk. Beautiful songs with soaring high notes, combined with intricate, delicate guitar work into cavernous reverbs, plus killer grooves, which take aim at your heart. Coruja Jones is a songwriting project from Manchester (UK) based musician and songwriter Dan Jones. Originally hailing from The West Midlands, he has become embedded in Manchester’s eclectic musical landscape.
His debut ‘The Crossing’ was released in April 2020 and he is now on the road sharing it live, along with songs from his upcoming 2023 EP ‘Undo’, working with producer Sam Vicary (The Cinematic Orchestra).
Commissioned for SEAGLASS, HIS TRACK 'SEA OF LIFE' Flows effortlessly alongside the animation.
VOICE ARTIST: LAURA DUNLEAVY
COSTUME: PHOEBE NIEMIRA
