Having worked for stop-motion studios in the nineties, during what might be called the ‘purple patch’ of model animation (the success of Aardman’s ‘Wallace and Gromit’ and films such as ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ kept us to the forefront with broadcasters and advertisers), I think I could be forgiven for feeling ambivalence toward the newly emerging CGI films.

We were ready, indeed keen to condemn. We knew that great technology cannot paper over a weak script (The lousy ‘Star Wars’ output anyone?) But then a film called ‘Toy Story’ came along and although I knew it meant my high earning days as a director/animator were perhaps coming to an end, I couldn’t help but love the film.

A great story, beautifully told, a formula as old as cinema itself.

Of course, comparing the two media is a bit like comparing apples and oranges, if anything, CGI has taken over from traditional cel animation in the big bucks movie arena. Stop-motion was always the poor second cousin (aside from Harryhausen and ‘Terminator 2′ etc.), particularly in the UK.

We have not seen an explosion of CGI replacing traditional stop-frame children’s shows, in fact the change in the way we view television in my country has sounded the death knell for most new production. Budgets that used to provide programming for only five channels, are now stretched thinly across a seemingly endless array of ‘choice’.

That, however, is a whole other subject. My point here is this: the initial knuckle chewing, grudging respect, quickly followed by all out admiration, I felt for ‘Monsters Inc.’, ‘Shrek’, ‘Finding Nemo’ et al, has filled me with inspiration and renewed passion for my own medium.

We stop-motion guys have to fight back! (a quick acknowledgement here for Tim Burton’s ‘Coraline’. Hurrah! At last, Tim! The best thing since ‘Vincent’!)

It feels like we are at the beginning of a new era, ‘Coraline’ seemed to be the first puppet animation film to have something like a proper, Hollywood style script. ‘Chicken Run’ certainly had it’s moments, yet didn’t feel as complete script-wise, ‘The Curse Of The Were Rabbit’ felt like a Wallace and Gromit short, stretched over ninety minutes and Burton’s other features seem to lack warmth and expression, (beautiful animation on ‘The Corpse Bride’ however.)
  
The improving technology that assists stop-motion production will allow ever more fluid, engaging performances from animators and hopefully pave the way for an exciting, creative period.

Ultimately, my seven year old daughter doesn’t care how we do it, as long as Nemo finds his daddy, Coraline finds her mummy and Shrek gets his swamp back.