Interview with Sue Reddish

I checked my emails on New Years Day and was really chuffed to find a nice, detailed reply from Sue Reddish, an animator who i got talking to at my boyfiend's work functions. She asked me what I studied at college and the sort of things i was into and she was thrilled when i told her about my recent animation project for the negotiated project. She said she mainly goes round local schools at the moment teaching people how to use I-stop Motion and she said i'm very welcome to accompany her any time just for a bit of experience and she even offered to set me a brief which i may take her up on. Here is her response:


Hi Katy

Great to meet you the other night, I'm really happy to answer your questions, sorry it taken me a while to get back to you - just your average christmas madness! I'll try and give you brief bullet point answers here but if you need more information and your deadline allows, I'd be happy to talk further with you. You could give me a ring on 07********* in the new year and we can have a chat but in the meantime here is my waffley answers..............feel free to ignore if they dont make any sense


1. What first triggered a passion for creating I-stop animations?

The passion came from practicality! I am a theatre director by profession and have worked for many years with various groups and actors etc. Increasingly it was getting harder and harder to get community groups and young people to commit to the amount of rehearsal time it takes to create quality work and of course theatre is by nature ephemeral. I wanted to continue to create work using narrative techniques, that enabled people to voice their own ideas and aspirations, without them having to commit to a long rehearsal period. Animation allowed me to do this, it uses all the same storytelling techniques, 'real peoples' voices & you can work on in episodically. And of course as a digital 'product' it has a much longer shelf life and people can distribute their own work. I'm self taught and have made alot of mistakes!

2. Who would you consider your biggest influence and why?

Politically & artisically - Dorothy Heathcote, Joan LIttlewood, Théâtre de Complicit, Julie Taymor, Handspring Puppet company, Kate rusby the list could go on and on.......
Specifically animation wise - Jan Svankmajer, Quay brothers, Terry Gilliam

the list could go on for ever, but the why is easy - all these artists and companies balance craft and storytelling and in doing so present a unique view of the world

3. what qualities do prospective clients look for in a candidate?

I am mainly commissioned through various agencies , currently Curious Minds & CUE. they look for ability to engage people in the artistic process, facilitating them to create original work in their own voice to create a more diverse cultural product. obviously as well as the artistic skills and people skills , you also need a level of professionalism. Its relatively easy to get one job, but if you get more work from them, that speaks volumes. I always look on peoples CV's if they've been invited back on a job, same with actors.
Check out their websites www.curiousminds.org.uk & www.ioe.mmu.ac.uk/cue/

and finally...!

4. What do you find most challenging about teaching animation to children?

Where do I start! Actually the most challenging element is still time - children can make brilliant work quite quickly, but then to improve they need to do it again and again and yet sometimes they feel that having done it once, they dont have to do it again! And the other main issue or challenge is the crappy state of technology in most schools. God save me from school computers!

Hope this is useful,
dont hesitate to get back to me if you need more

until then, hope you both have a good christmas and new year

regards Sue

Getting in touch with my favourite children's book illustrator

I thought it would be a bit of a long shot trying to get in touch with Mr Jeffers as I thought he would be super busy but i was really glad that he acknowledged my email and sent me this short but appreciative reply:

Oliver Jeffers
To Katy Jones

Hello Katy,
Thanks for the email and the very kind words.
I have attached a document of FAQs which should cover all your questions.

Regards,

Oliver


06/12/2010
Reply

Katy Jones
To oliver@oliverjeffers.com

Dear Oliver,

My name is Katy Jones and I'm a student at Stockport college, currently studying illustration in my third year as a degree and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your work as I could possibly be your number one fan! I have a presentation on who inspires/influences me and I thought it would be a good idea to see what inspires your work?

If it is possible for you to reply, I was wondering if i could kindly have your permission to show this email and your reply on my blog?

These are the questions I would really like to ask you:

1. What first triggered a passion for illustrating children's books?


2. What is your favourite all time children's book and why?


3. Have any aspects of any children's book you have read made you take note and subsequently then added to your own repertoire?


4. What qualities do prospective clients look for in a candidate?


and finally...!


5. What aspects of your work do you feel make you stand out from others in your field?


Thank you for taking the time to read my email, as I've said i'm a huge fan of your work and i'd love to hear any input or advice you have as illustrators.
I look forward to your reply,

Best wishes

Katy Jones

PDP: Industry Contacts list - complete

1.Jacqueline Wagner
Penn Street Studio
23 – 28 Penn Street
Hoxton
London N1 5DL
jacqueline@wagner.de.com
T: 07981768902


2.Hattie Newman
Illustrator and SET DESIGNER
hattie@hattienewman.co.uk
www.hattienewman.co,uk
T: 07747690212
Penguin Books
www.penguin.co.ukPenguin Books
www.penguin.co.uk


3.Lisa Piercy
Set designer
lisa-oliviapiercy@hotmail.com
T: 07817177469


4.Binding Service – University Of Manchester John Rylands Library
Thesis Binding Service,
The Joule Library, The John Rylands University Library
Sackville Street Building
The University of Manchester
Manchester M60 1QD
T: +44(0)161 306 4916


5.Louis Turner
Container Plus
louise@weareflock.com
T: 02031373484


6.Dave Baguely
Moving Image student
davebaguley@live.com
T: 07575204956


7.Danny Whitfield
ITV Co Producer
danny.whitfield@itv.com
T: 07989568540


8.Sue Reddish
Animation tutor
sue.reddish@gmail.com
T: 07816123359


9.Martin Brown
Photography student
martinbrown90@btinternet.com
T: 07795087090


10.GCP Design Ltd
previous work experience
554 Barton Road

Manchester
Lancashire M32 9TD
T: 0161 7550050 
F: 0161 7550051 


11.Phillippa Rankin
Photographer
www.prankinphotography.carbonmade.com
http://www.philippavivienne.blogspot.com/
T: 07749111023


12.Logoprint
330 Slade Lane
Levenshulme
M19 2BY
E: info@logoprint.co.uk
T: 0161 248 0440
F: 0161 248 0448


13.Gemma Beavan
Fellow illustration student/previously collaborated
gemma_7tink@hotmail.co.uk
T: 07794924991


14.MARC Printers
E: info@marctheprinters.co.uk
T: 0161 839 0839

15.Manchester Central Library
Manchester City Council
Town Hall
Albert Square M60 2LA
T: 0161 234 5000
M60 2LA

PDP: Potential Client List - complete

1.Ladybird Books Ltd
Registered No. 00200130
Registered Office: 80 Strand
London WC2R 0RL


2.Faber
Address: Faber &Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russel Street
London WC1B 3DA
T: 0207-927-3800
E: gapublicity@faber.co.uk


3.Piccadilly Press
5 Castle Road
London NW1 8PR
T: +44 (0)20 7267 4492
F: +44 (0)20 7267 4493


4.Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Registered in England No. 1984336
Registered Office: 36 Soho Square
London W1D 3QY
T: +44(0)20 7494 2111
F: +44 (0)20 7434 0151
www.bloomsbury.com


5.Barefoot Books UK Office
Barefoot Books

124 Walcot Street

Bath BA1 5BG

T: 0800 328 2640


6.The Book Shed
36 Leyborne Park
Kew, Richmond
Surrey TW9 3HA
T: +44 (0)20 8948 2884
F: +44 (0)20 8948 6458


7.Art Buyer Magazine
Design and Production

Graeme Thomas

T: +44 (0)1442 289938

E: graeme@lemapublishing.co.uk


8.The Urbis Gallery
Registered office
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Albert Square
Manchester M60 2LA
T: (0)161 605 8200


9.Red House Books
Red House
PO BOX 142
Bangor LL57 42P
T: 0845 606 4280


10.Usborne Children's Books
Usborne Publishing
83-85 Saffron Hill
London EC1N 8RT


11.Penguin Books
www.penguin.co.uk


12.The Guardian
Registered Office
PO BOX 68164
Kingsplace
90 York Way
London N1P 2AP


13.Franklin Watts publishers
338 Euston Road

London
 NW1 3BH


E: ad@hachettechildrens.co.uk



14.Igloo Books Limited 

Cottage Farm

Mears Ashby Road

Sywell

Northants NN6 0BJ


15.Little Tiger Press Publishers
1 The Coda Centre
189 Munster Road

London SW6 6AW


16.Lion Hudson plc

Wilkinson House
Jordan Hill Road

Oxford OX2 8DR

E: info@lionhudson.com


17.Harper Collins
Human Resources
77-85 Fulham Palace Road
London W6 8JB
T: 0208-307-4000
E: recruitment@harpercollins.co.uk


18.Scholastic Children’s Books
Euston House
24 Eversholt Street
London NW1 1DB
T: 020 7756 7756
E: SCBenquiries@scholastic.co.uk


19.Abacus Books
Address:
45B, William Pickering Drive
Albany, Auckland 0632
New Zealand
E: info@abacusbooks.co.nz


20.The Chicken House
2 Palmer Street
Frome

Somerset
 BA11 1DS
UK
General Enquiries
T: +44 (0)1373 454488

E: chickenhouse@doublecluck.com

My Business Card design

Here are two designs which i came up with for my business card. I wanted to create something a little bit different by having a fold in it which when opened shows a continuation of the image on the front of the card. For example, mine shows the lady sleeping along the front with only a hint of the monster until you open it up and see the rest of it. This is a still image taken from my recent animation for my negotiated project and personally i think i prefer the bottom design. For now, i only have one example of each as will probably most definitely end up improving which ever one i choose. A place called Logoprint (see industry contacts list for details) printed them for me after i'd shown them these two mock up designs which i simply put together in Photoshop and sent them on to them.

Getting in touch with Jez Alborough..

I was really pleased to receive a reply from Jez as i'd previously read an interview online which he'd done a few months back and he sounded like a nice, down to earth illustrator. I have a two year old brother and it was only when i was having a look through his books that i found one called "Where's my teddy?' by Jez and the illustrations really appealed to me. Not usually the type which would catch my eye but my brother certainly enjoyed looking at them :) This was his kind reply:

Hi Katy,
thanks for your enquiry, sorry I don't have time for long answers but if
yu look around on my website there should be lots more that yoou might be
interested in (especially under Jez Says under each book).


1.
It's hard to pick one but for now lets say OWL BABIES by martin Wadell
illustrated by Patrick Benson. Its the perfect combination of text and
illustration, nothing extraneous,proving that less is more.I plan to write
something about THE GRINCH by Dr Sueuss next year- another stunning book.


2.
I just love it as an artform,the way that pictures and text go together like
music and lyrics in a song.


3
No, you have to do your own thing and keep moving forward within that.


4
You'd have to ask a publisher that.

I'd like to invite you to join my newsletter (see homepge of website) where
you can keep up to date with what I'm doing.

Happy Christmas

Jez


Dear Jez,

My name is Katy Jones and I'm a student at Stockport college, currently
studying illustration in my third year as a degree and I was wondering if I
could ask you a few questions about your work as I could possibly be your
number one fan! I have a presentation on who inspires/influences me and I
thought it would be a good idea to see what inspires your work?

If it is possible for you to reply, I was wondering if i could kindly have
your permission to show this email and your reply on my blog?

These are the questions I would really like to ask you:

1. What is your favourite all time children's book and why?


2. What first triggered a passion for illustrating children's books?


3. Have any aspects of any children's book you have read made you take note
and subsequently then added to your own repertoire?


4. When hiring a new candidate, what attributes are coveted by a client?


I'm sure you're very busy but i really appreciate you taking the time to read my email. Any input or advice you can give as an illustrator would be very much appreciated. I look forward to your reply,

Best wishes

Katy Jones