Encouraged by the success of the Disney/Pixar animated film Up at the Cannes Film Festival, Tale Valley Community Theatre (TVCT) is embarking on a pilot project which will lead to a film combining animation, live action and original, digital music. Led

Encouraged by the success of the Disney/Pixar animated film Up at the Cannes Film Festival, Tale Valley Community Theatre (TVCT) is embarking on a pilot project which will lead to a film combining animation, live action and original, digital music.

Led by graphic artist and music theatre writer Daniel Loveday, who lives in Aylesbeare, assisted by a number of other skilled animators, the aim is to produce a 15 minute film made by people who will have learned animation skills through a series of workshops and follow-up work at home. An application for funding has been made to Arts Council England.

The group will use the freeware 'Blender' to produce the animation, which will be supplemented by live action shot by Exeter film company Phototropic. Ben Vallack, of Phototropi,c co-operated with TVCT to produce the excellent New Talking Heads DVD featuring eighteen new monologues which were toured live, then storyboarded to created filmic versions. The storyboarding workshops were led by professional film worker and Payhembury resident Jim Stanes.

TVCT artistic director John Somers said: "TVCT aims to discover the professional theatre and media skills which exist in our communities and to bring them together with enthusiastic community participants. We have made seven, completely original theatre projects since our first in 2000 and have five more in development. FAYM provides an excellent opportunity of people of all ages to learn or improve their IT skills to produce more very original theatre."

Councillor Vivienne Ash, Culture Champion of East Devon District Council, said: "I am delighted to send my support for your application for funding for the FAYM project. It is vital that people in our rural areas be given the opportunity to take part in the creative arts. The Tale Valley Community Theatre group is a creative and imaginative organisation. It supports local communities and encourages a wide range of people, young and old, to participate. The projects the group undertakes arise from the community so are of real significance to everyone involved.