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The Prix Ars Electronica Archive is a collection enabling search and viewing of all the submissions since 1987. The award-winning projects are documented with catalogue texts and audio-visual media. All other submissions can be searched by title/artist and displayed with year, category in list form. Please cite the credits (artwork name, artist and photographer) and only use the materials if your article is related to Ars Electronica.
This Way Up
Smith & Foulkes,
Nexus Productions
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Original: This Way Up | 1772 * 997px | 733.5 KB
Laying the dead to rest has never been so much trouble as in this animated short film by directors Smith & Foulkes at London studio Nexus Productions.
A.T. Shank & Son have a bad day at the parlour when a falling boulder flattens their hearse. Emotional and literal pitfalls lie in wait for the odd couple as they make their way cross country with just a coffin for company. This short animated caper puts the fun back into funeral as their journey and relationship unravel on an epic scale. The eight-minute comedy “This Way Up”, was nominated for an Oscar this year in the “best animated short” category. The film was made in full HD at the Nexus studio in London over a period of five months with their in-house team of animators and designers. It was supported by BBC Film, BBC Comedy and BBC Film Network, Arcadi in France and Mike Judge’s “The Animation Show” in the US.
A.T. Shank & Son have a bad day at the parlour when a falling boulder flattens their hearse. Emotional and literal pitfalls lie in wait for the odd couple as they make their way cross country with just a coffin for company. This short animated caper puts the fun back into funeral as their journey and relationship unravel on an epic scale. The eight-minute comedy “This Way Up”, was nominated for an Oscar this year in the “best animated short” category. The film was made in full HD at the Nexus studio in London over a period of five months with their in-house team of animators and designers. It was supported by BBC Film, BBC Comedy and BBC Film Network, Arcadi in France and Mike Judge’s “The Animation Show” in the US.
Director: Smith & Foulkes; Writer: Smith & Foulkes and Christopher O’Reilly; Producer: Charlotte Bavasso and Christopher O’Reilly; Co-producer: Christine Ponzevera; Production Company: Nexus Productions Ltd; Original music: John Greswell and Christopher Taylor for MPM London; International Distribution: Nexus Productions
Smith & Foulkes (UK) graduated from the Royal College of Art animation course in 1997 and teamed up with producers Chris O’Reilly and Charlotte Bavasso at the Nexus Studio. They have gone on to develop a reputation as one of London’s top animation directors and their portfolio spans short films, music videos, commercials and film title sequences. Credits include the film title sequence for "Thunderbirds" and an animated “film within a film” for DreamWorks’ and Paramount’s "Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events". They have also directed for the BBC’s animated comedy show "Monkey Dust". Their commercial work has won them numerous awards and accolades including the Grand Prix Award at Cannes, Lions, a Grandy at the Andys, an ITV Award for Best Commercial and two golds at the D&AD awards. They were the most awarded commercial directors in the US and Europe in 2006.