Giles & Rupert's Prehistoric Predicament

Giles and Rupert's Prehistoric Predicament is a teaser/trailer for an original animated TV series created at Escape Studios by Toby Haslam, Denise Esposito, Louis Chevis, Cameron Haley, Joseph Dunn and Oriyarna Olaku. The project was created as part of CR4002 and PR4001, two first year modules in which students first create an original idea for a TV series, and then turn it into an animatic - a filmed version of the storyboard. In this case, Toby, Denise and their team have included the previs edit shown above, setting the bar even higher for what can be achieved in the first year at Escape.

Giles and Rupert's Prehistoric Predicament
Giles and Rupert's Prehistoric Predicament was directed by Denise Esposito, and produced by Toby Haslam.

Louis Chevis was the lead animator, Cameron Haley did did animation and FX, Joseph Dunn did character turnarounds, and Oriyarna Olaku did the colour scripts.

The project was created as part of CR4002 and PR4001, two first year modules in which students first create an original idea for a TV series. In the mini-module Movement and Narrative, students explore creativity, ideas, design and character, creating their own original concepts. It's one of the most fun modules to teach at Escape Studios, because there are no rules - anything is possible.

Animation Bible
Part of the exercise involves making an "animation bible", a single document that explains what the show is all about, including the main characters, situations, and even individual episodes. To see more about how to make an animation "bible", see this blog post.

Creativity and creative film-making
Our first year animation students tackle two modules in creativity and creative film-making, which begin in September, the start of the academic year. The first, Creative Foundations is a foundation course in creativity and creative thinking, and is taught in the first term between September until Christmas.

PR4001 – Creative Foundations Project

Giles & Rupert's Prehistoric Predicament - Credits

In PR4001 students take the skills they have learned in the previous module and complete a team project. In the case of our undergraduate animators, their task is to create an animatic for a proposed animated TV series.

Working in teams
For many of our students, this will be their first experience of a team project, working together in groups - just like in industry.

Animatic
Below you can see the animatic - the filmed version of the storyboard, put together by the team.

Many congratulations to Toby Haslam, Denise Esposito, Louis Chevis, Cameron Haley, Joseph Dunn and Oriyarna Olaku on their excellent work.


The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for our BA/MArt in 3D Animation, follow this link. To apply for our storyboarding evening class, visit this page here. For the next 12 week animation course, click here.