New Zealand animation studio Stretchy has established a studio at the University of Canterbury (UC) to house production on feature Kiri and Lou Rarararara!.
As part of the collaboration students from UC’s Bachelor of Digital Screen with Honours program will have the chance to attend guest lectures or workshops with Stretchy animators from next year.
Hand-crafted in stop motion, Kiri and Lou features clay creatures set in a whimsical world created from cut-out paper. The upcoming film, Kiri and Lou Rarararara! tells the origin story of Kiri and Lou’s friendship, adding depth to the beloved characters.
Animation Director Antony Elworthy, whose credits include Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, joins writer and director Harry Sinclair, producer Fiona Copland, and composer Don McGlashan in the creative team set to take up residence at the Kōawa (formerly known as Digital Screen Campus) precinct.
UC’s partnership with Stretchy builds upon their five-year exclusive agreement with Aardman Academy the training wing of Aardman Animations, which created classic stop motion films Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run.
UC Executive Dean of Arts Kevin Watson said professional exposure was vital to training the next generation of animators.
“Learning from high calibre animators and industry professionals will empower our students to thrive in the creative sector,” he said.
“We’re excited about the opportunities this partnership will create for the next generation of filmmakers and animators.”
Kōawa director Sam Witters welcomed the production team to campus, further emphasising the opportunity it presents for the next generation of screen professionals.
“We’re delighted to welcome Antony and the whole Kiri and Lou team to Kōawa Creative Technologies Precinct,” she said.
“Home to students and staff of our Bachelor of Digital Screen degree, the precinct will enable the University to foster collaboration among the best in film, animation, game development, and digital production, all while preparing the next generation of creative visionaries for Aotearoa New Zealand.”