DIS \ CONNECT

British Animator, Doug Hindson, Searches for Higher Meaning with Reflective Puppet Animation The impact of modern technology and social media is the central theme to British animator, Doug Hindson’s latest animation, DIS \ CONNECT. The reflective piece was completed in twelve weeks, for his graduation film at Kingston University, UK. ‘This whole process was fairly new to me, especially the actual making of the puppets,’ he told The Plus. ‘But that was what made it so enjoyable. I spent many hours in the workshop trying different things out to see what worked and what didn’t.’ Doug crafted all the props and models by hand, from card and wood. Hundreds of pieces were designed, cut, glued and painted. Everything was filmed live-action, with rods and strings to control the puppets. ‘This made the filming process much quicker,’ he told us, ‘but it meant that controlling each puppet required many hands. I’m super grateful to my course mates for all their help!’ We asked him more about the thoughtful piece: The Plus: Who wrote the script? Doug Hindson: The script was written by me, and as such became something personal but not completely autobiographical. Inspiration for the story came largely from thoughts I was working out at the time, as well as discussions with friends and generally watching a lot of Peep Show – which itself is a very honest, and cringingly accurate analysis of our everyday thoughts. TP: How has your style developed through University and since finishing? DH: ‘Style’ was always a word rather looked down upon when I was at University. Pursuing a set style can lead to designers creating work, which doesn’t stand the test of time, or push the industry forward. I find it hard to see it in terms of a broad overall look or aesthetic – I work across a broad range of mediums generally; but there are some definite consistencies across the board. TP: What was one of the main challenges of making DIS/ CONNECT? DH: The main challenge was definitely the lack of a crew to assist with filming and puppeteering. Having a consistent team the whole way through the project would have definitely eased the whole process. Watch the Making Of below: