Festive cartoon Wallace and Gromit which will be broadcast on Britain’s BBC on Christmas Day, has input from a Waterford-based artist.
Paul J. Bolger, of PillarStone Productions worked with Aardman Films which produces Wallace and Gromit to help create the iconic duo’s latest adventure ‘Vengeance Most Fowl’.
PillarStone Productions is a Multimedia Production / Consultancy Company. Its creative team is led by acclaimed animator, director, author, illustrator and musician Paul J Bolger.
“I have worked on a few Aardman films over the last decade or so, including ‘Shaun The Sheep’, ‘Pirates: Band Of Misfits’ and ‘Arthur Christmas’,” Paul told The Munster Express. “I normally help them with storyboarding and planning the films from my studio, PillarStone Productions, based near Waterford City.”
Paul said this time around he was delighted to be invited to come on to the film Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, early on and work with the directors to shape the story and help them see how they might visualise their screenplay.
Paul described working on such acclaimed productions with award-winning film company Aardman Films as “interesting work” and something he has been doing a lot of in recent years.
Paul hopes that the fact some world-class film-making is happening in Waterford might help inspire young people and others that they can work as artists in the film and publishing world from the Déise.
The team behind Wallace and Gromit showed how much craic and fun they are, when they sent Paul a ‘certificate of Artistic Licence’ authorising him to “get up to all sorts of silly shenanigans with my pencils!”
The team wrote messages of thanks for Paul’s support in helping to create Wallace and Gromit’s latest wacky adventure, for the enjoyment of millions of people on Christmas Day.
WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL
The highly-anticipated feature-length film sees Gromit’s growing concern as Wallace becomes over-dependent on his inventions – which proves justified when Wallace creates a ‘smart gnome’ that seems to develop an evil mind of its own. As events begin to spiral out of control, it’s up to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces, or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
The newest adventures of Wallace and Gromit will be broadcast on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 6.10 p.m., as well as the BBC iPlayer and available later on Netflix from January.
PILLARSTONE PRODUCTIONS
Originally incorporated to facilitate and offer the skillsets of artist, animator, and writer / director Paul Bolger and his creative associates, PillarStone Productions has been providing both on-site and remote art, design, and direction to international producers, studios and projects since 1996.
Paul cut his teeth working on the animated classics ‘The Land Before Time’, ‘All Dogs Go To Heaven’ and ‘The Thief & The Cobbler’.
Paul has designed, written and directed a host of animated and live action projects. His most recent involvement in animated features were the Sony / Aardman features Pirates – ‘Band of Misfits’ and ‘Arthur Christmas’.
PillarStone latest live-action short film, ‘Angus’, is now completed and doing the festival route. His debut Graphic Novel, HOUND, a retelling of the Cú Chulainn myth is out now and the feature film adaptation is in development.
From its base near Waterford, Ireland's oldest city, PillarStone Productions continues to build on the foundations laid by Paul. The company is currently developing a slate of original live action, animation and publishing feature films, series and other projects with like-minded co-producers and creative associates.
