How far would you go to save the ones you love...

Client: The Wellcome Trust and Wowbagger Productions

Based on a true story, our award-winning short Angels and Ghosts tells the true emotive tale of Amber, a young woman who is on a quest to find her brothers who have disappeared. Narrated by Oscar nominated actress Samantha Morton, the adventure explores the potent themes of mental health and family bonds, revealing what it’s like to have a family member affected by psychosis.

This emotive film has won & been shortlisted for a number of notable accolades including winning the Audience Vote at the London International Animation Film (LIAF) and making the Official Selection at the Sci-Fi-London Festival.

Angel & Ghosts' Director Sara Kenney has had first-hand experience of knowing people who have had psychotic episodes and wanted to tell a story which reflects both the patient and family perspective.

Funded by The Wellcome Trust and created in association with Wowbagger Productions, we designed, storyboarded and animated Sara's passionate script.  We also designed and built a website and marketing materials to engage and encourage the audience to learn more about the issues raised by the film.

'I've collaborated with ticktockrobot on a number of projects and I always find their work to be inventive and beautifully realised. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the team.'

Credits:

 

Written & Directed by:

Sara Kenney

Animation Direction:  

Simon Armstrong

Art Direction:

Graham Carter

Producer:

Duncan Copp

Narrated by:

Samantha Morton

Music / Sfx:

Oliver Kenney

Services:

  • Design & Storyboarding
  • Animation & Editing
  • Logo, Poster and Marketing Design
  • Microsite

Angels & Ghosts featured and won here...

Nature vs. Nurture

This scene is the climatic point of Amber's journey, embodying her frustration and helplessness. It needed to visualise forces out of Amber's control, i.e. Nature and therefore her brothers' affliction.

We created a Foreboding Forest, where the tree vines morphed, twisted and grew into DNA strands that whipped, lashed and attacked. Amber and the robot are the embodiment of Nurture - fighting Nature [ the Forest ] to control what Amber wishes desperately she can overcome.

Throughout the film - we used fully textured and detailed 3D models built and lit in Maya for the main focus / characters.  The environments were added later in aftereffects, with final grading. The process itself became a figurative representation of how we can feel disconnected from our environments and not always a part of it.

You are not alone...

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. 

If you or someone you know may be suffering - please don't suffer in silence.
Find help [ such as Mind.org ] and above all - talk to those closest to you.