John Stevenson and Neil Boyle Announce Hand-Drawn Animated Feature Tin Openers
Skwigly
Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated talent have announced the development of Tin Openers, a visually striking hand-drawn 2D animated feature film.
The project brings together a formidable leadership team of animation creatives:
- John Stevenson, Director: the Annie winning, Oscar and BAFTA-nominated director known for ‘Kung Fu Panda’ and ‘Middle Watch’.
- Neil Boyle, Director: the BAFTA nominated director of ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ which won Best Feature at the British Animation Awards.
- Giles Healy, Producer: the BAFTA nominated producer of “Middle Watch’ who will produce through Skylark Films Ltd
Tin Openers is an ambitious new feature film project, backed by funding at script level from Northern Ireland Screen, that’s poised to revitalise the artistry of hand-drawn 2D animation. The project is entering its next phase of financing; seeking strategic financing and production partners to bring its unique vision to global audiences.
Tin Openers is a tense, feature length animation about an elite unit of Royal Navy divers tasked with a salvage mission that could turn the tide against the might of Imperial Germany in World War One
The vision is to make a film in hand drawn animation in a distinctive graphic style. Working with celebrated Catalonian illustrator, August Tharrats, the film will blend 2D hand-drawn techniques, with 3D elements, creating a unique artistic approach, whilst echoing the gritty style of the modernist war-era artists. The aim is to follow in the unashamedly independent and visually outstanding footsteps of films such as Waltz With Bashir, Persepolis and more recent examples, such as The Summit of The Gods. Animation is seen as the best medium for the project, so as to enhance the stylistic, surreal and nightmarish qualities of the story.
Director’s Statements on the project
I discovered the remarkable true story of the Royal Navy’s “Tin Openers” – young men tasked with a job so dangerous it demanded almost unimaginable courage – during The Pandemic. Telling this little-known First World War story through animation allows us to explore its strange underwater world and profound human bond in a bold visual language, demonstrating that animation is a medium capable of telling any story with emotional power and visual freedom.
John Stevenson
It’s rare to find a story that excels as both an action adventure and intimate character study. “Tin Openers” explores bravery, fear, love, and duty, set against the challenges of wartime. Our characters face the unimaginable horror of sealing themselves into primitive diving suits to descend through dark, freezing water toward broken wrecks, filled with the dead, on a quest to retrieve precious materials. Animation is the perfect medium to tell this tale, allowing us to visualise epic landscapes of a war-torn world, while focusing on the intimate thoughts and feelings of our characters. The opportunity to share this authentic human story with the world is an immense honour.
Neil Boyle