Paul Wells spoke on behalf of the Archive for British Animation Collections (ABAC), which is trying to create a British animation archive. He was well-spoken, really clear and to the point.
Paul talked about the several issues which prevent and delay them from creating this archive, such as damage to objects and film, and locating and securing artefacts which may have been passed to the animators’ family. An obvious issue is funding, and the transfer of skills and knowledge is a future issue.
Up until the screenings, I was really uninterested. I thought preserving the history of old animations wasn’t worth my time, never mind my money. But then I saw what animation was like back in the old days. The Police Dog is a divine animation that needs to be kept and stored. Its quality animation and innocent humour made even this modern-day audience chuckle.
Fun on the Farm was so imaginative and creative. Eggs are rolling around, and one cracks which brings out the egg ambulance and egg paramedics to treat the injured egg. It’s a hilariously adorable animation. The soundtrack reminded me of the soundtrack from the Disney film Pinocchio; So upbeat and happy with corn that dances like the Egyptians. For an old animation it’s very smooth, and I learned so much watching just these few animations.