Young Banbury animators take the spotlight

The Animation Station was toasting success at the Co-op Young Filmmakers Festival on October 9th with two of its films being shown at a special public screening. The two films made by Hill View Primary School and The Grange County Primary School in Banbury were selected from over 300 entries with the Hill View entry, "Chickens for Uganda", scooping a "Co-operation Award", one of only four awards given at the 2008 festival.

Together with Suzanne Kennedy and Clinton Osborne from the Animation Station, 28 Year 6 pupils from Hill View School travelled to Bradford to see their film on the big screen and collect their award from the ex-Coronation Street and The Bill actor, Chris Walker. Headteacher, David Molloy, who also accompanied the children said the day had been a fantastic experience for them and a great reward for all their hard work in creating the film. He also said that it had inspired them to develop more animation and film work within the school.

"Chickens for Uganda" was a mini plasticine docu-motion that illustrated Hill View School's commitment to raising money for communities in Uganda, while, "William Morris", made by Year 3 pupils from the Grange County Primary School charted the life and times of the great Victorian craftsman and designer William Morris. Both films were made as part of the Animation Station's 2007, "1,000 Frames, 1,000 Years" project celebrating 1,000 years of Oxfordshire.