5 month countdown

[Sarah Jolley]

Hello there! I'm a long time fan of yours, and was astonished when you came to give us a lecture at Newport University last year- it was really a wonderful insight to your work, and I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that we loved every minute of it and would love to see you visit again. As it is I've graduated from Newport now, and I'm back in Manchester (Altrincham, specifically) with my family for 5 months before going to Vancouver Film School for a sort of master's degree. I'm thinking of asking around for work or work experience at a few places including Hot Animation (where I've done a little work before) and Cosgrove Hall, although the latter would be preferable, as I intend to specialise in 2D, although I love stop motion almost just as much so either would be fantastic. Is there any advice you can give me on how to approach them? Of course, if you ever need me to run around helping to make coffee for you etc., I'd be entirely at your disposal... for a few weeks, anyway ;D

Please keep up the amazing work, you're an inspiration and a national treasure to all of us.

~S.J.

[Barry]

Hallo there and welcome to this website, and thanks so much for your kind words. I'm not sure I've been called a national treasure before. Actually it is a very small world as normally I live in Altrincham (so apparently now does Shirley bassey!), but I am currently in France for another three months making the new short film, and it's going well. Hard but in very pleasant surroundings.....with lots of great croissants. So I can't help out with work experience there sadly, which is a shame as I usually manage to have lots of students helping out. So you are off to Canada. I am going in October to give a show I think.
As for work experience the only place is Mackinnon Saunders but I know they are very busy at the moment. sadly Cosgrove Hall no longer exists - now that was a national treasure.Things are a bit quiet in manchester at the moment but hopefully I think a few things are lurking.
Sorry I can't be of more help......shame you aren't in this remote town in france.
all the best and good luck and please keep in touch
Barry

[Sarah Jolley]

You do?! What a small world it is! Well I hope you continue to enjoy France anyway even if I can't see you (I did go to the Annecy FIlm Festival earlier this year though, amazing as always). Mackinnon and Saunders are literally on my road- Oldfield- but I don't know if I could help them very much, as I am not very good at creating puppets (although I do enjoy character design, I doubt they would let me help at that level!), and I know they are under great demand from people who want to go into that area, so it might be inconsiderate to take that opportunity away from more deserving candidates.

I am surprised to hear about Cosgrove Hall, however, as they still have phone and email contacts up on their website and are still in the phone directory, have they really shut down? The last I heard they had joined up with ITV and there are some articles about them branching out into digital animation, but if they really have closed their doors then that really is a great tragedy. I'll keep looking around never-the-less, and it's very kind of you to reply at all! I hope the work goes well, enjoy the breath of fresh air!
~S.J