I work between digital and traditional film and animation techniques to create exceptional stories for theatre companies, independent producers, not-for profits, government and commercial agencies. I love to work collaboratively with artists and storytellers to bring artwork and stories alive on the screen. Much of my work with people in the Kimberley region focuses on telling story in traditional language using local artwork, creating richly textured films that are used as tools for inter-generational knowledge transfer and as local language resources. My work has been broadcast on ABC Asia, SBS, NITV, screened at the Art Gallery of WA and the Art Gallery of South Australia, and has appeared in Australian and international film festivals. Currently I'm working on a series of short animations and films with Miriwoong artists from Kununurra in WA that will be screened at the Art Gallery of South Australia in 2019. In 2020 I will create animations for projection in the Flying Fruit Fly Circus' Girls with Altitude'.
Mangkaja Arts Animations
From 2014 -2016 I worked on a series of short animations (Lurrpungu, Willimillimilli and Oonajawal) with artists from Mangkaja Arts, working with them to bring their stories to life using their stunning artwork, stop-motion and digital animation. Click on the two trailers below to see more:
Lurrpungu is a beautifully crafted animated Dreaming story from the West Australian desert telling the story of a fight between two birds, how they found their colours and created a powerful landscape through their battle. Told in traditional Walmajarri language, this animation was created using paintings from three generations of artists and through a series of animation of workshops. Produced in conjunction with Mangkaja Arts and Marninwarntikura Womens' Resource Centre in Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia.
Willimillimilli trailer from Belinda Cook on Vimeo.
Willimillimilli (5 minutes) is a film by Senior Goonyandi artist Mervyn Street. It tells the story of the eagle - Willimillimilli - who stole a wildlife sensor camera from the Goonyandi Rangers and flew with it for 90 km up the Margaret River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Along the journey Mervyn tells stories about his Country that the eagle flies through. The story is told in Goonyandi and English.
Lurujarri Dreaming
Director/Producer/Editor/Lead Animation, Artwork
www.lurujarri.blogspot.com
Lurujarri Dreaming tells the stories of the Goolarabooloo community of Western Australia, and their connection to sacred country. Travel along the Lurujarri Dreaming Trail that follows the Songcycle north from Broome, through Dreamtime and history. Along the way hear stories told by elders, children, women and men about their vision for reconciliation and caring for Country. Featuring a sublime musical score by Deadly Award winning Kimberely musicians Alan and Stephen Pigram, Lurujarri Dreaming tells the stories of a people and a place that are currently threatened by massive industrialisation
Broadcast: NITV/SBS, ABC Asia Network, ICTV Network
Distribution: Ronin Films
Film Festivals:
Native Crossroads Film Festival and Symposium : Oklahoma 2014
Ciné-Ethnographie Series in Berlin 2014
Berlin Down Under Film Festival 2013
Costa Rica International Film Festival 2013
Heart of Gold International Film Festival : Best indigenous Film Award 2013
Director/Producer/Editor/Lead Animation, Artwork
www.lurujarri.blogspot.com
Lurujarri Dreaming tells the stories of the Goolarabooloo community of Western Australia, and their connection to sacred country. Travel along the Lurujarri Dreaming Trail that follows the Songcycle north from Broome, through Dreamtime and history. Along the way hear stories told by elders, children, women and men about their vision for reconciliation and caring for Country. Featuring a sublime musical score by Deadly Award winning Kimberely musicians Alan and Stephen Pigram, Lurujarri Dreaming tells the stories of a people and a place that are currently threatened by massive industrialisation
Broadcast: NITV/SBS, ABC Asia Network, ICTV Network
Distribution: Ronin Films
Film Festivals:
Native Crossroads Film Festival and Symposium : Oklahoma 2014
Ciné-Ethnographie Series in Berlin 2014
Berlin Down Under Film Festival 2013
Costa Rica International Film Festival 2013
Heart of Gold International Film Festival : Best indigenous Film Award 2013
Animation for the performance 'Skeleton Key' directed by Fleur Dean, created for the Masters in Animateuring at the Victorian College of the Arts, Australia
The first section of this piece features a character called 'Lenny' projected onto Fleur Dean's back. The second section of this video introduces a character called 'Death', who was projected from the top of a rotating table to follow the character across the room.
I used painted cut-outs, fabric, sticks and cotton wool for this animation.
'Strong Hearing Strong Start' animated TVC for the Federal Government, produced Goolarri Media - Animator 2012
Goolarri Media station ID : Giant sand animation and lead : Animator 2012
WA Office of Road Safety - animated TVC Produced by Goolarri media : Animator 2013