Hugo Davenport outlines how Aardman see animation might be applied in educational settings.

Speaking at the Futurelab Contagious Creativity conference in Bristol, Dave Sproxton explained how, between 1985 and the present, the use of digital process at the company has grown from nothing (apart from the accounts computer) to being "absolutely built into the fabric". It runs right through from creative development to production, post-production and new distribution opportunities.

Tools range from motion-control cameras and PVRs, collaborative software including a "touchy-feely" intranet linking Aardman employees on different continents and an extranet for client interaction, and a "kit of parts" in post-production: Discreet Logic (www.discreet.com), or Adobe's Premiere and After Effects (www.adobe.com).

Sproxton added that digital development has brought a low cost of entry, as the costs of technology fall. Educational versions of Maya 3D graphics software (www.aliaswavefront.com) are sold for as little as $5 in the personal edition. "It puts the technology in people's hands," he said. "The creative process is still the same. You need the same people, the same skills."

The company also supports the use of animation across various educational settings. It has had "sporadic" contact with schools, ranging from advice packs to running a workshop at Bristol's Hengrove School. Sproxton believes short animation projects are particularly good for 15- to 18-year-olds, and plans a professional film-craft course to enhance skills at Aardman itself.

"For kids who aren't academic, we reckon that film-making is a bit like football - you need 20 people to do it," he says. "A group of kids can create in different ways. It's important for these things to be opened up. We tend to focus on story-telling - the fact that you can put things across in ways that aren't just words. You can do it on a very small scale, not ambitious stuff."

This flexible, low-key approach chimes well with conference examples of how digital technology is now applied in learning, such as the Highwire City Learning Project. At Aardman, a willingness to experiment with available technologies - even a kitchen table - was the foundation for international success. Today's learners, and tomorrow's, will be starting with a lot more.


Hugo Davenport can be contacted at hugo1@btclick.com

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