Design Sussex’s first meeting in 2023 was a sell-out. Oliver Brooks, a member of the group of collaborating creatives, gave a fascinating introduction to the work of Lotte Reiniger, an exceptionally talented silent-film maker in the 1920s. This was followed by a screening of her 1926 film, The Adventures of Prince Achmed and Oliver told the audience that he wishes to introduce the group to more films like this at further meetings.
Oliver explained his admiration of the work involved in making these animations and his love of the art form. Prince Achmed took three years to make.
“The goal of my film nights is to show these films to others who either would never usually watch that type of movie, or never even knew they existed. A lot of people think that animation is just for children, but it’s just a medium, not a genre, and just because something is made for a child demographic, does not mean it cannot be well-made. Monster movies and horror have long been disregarded as low budget schlock – which, it often is – however, just because it is, doesn’t mean there’s no worth. In fact, there can be some very poignant messages in horror, and the film-making craft can often be superior to other genres. I care about this stuff, and I want to share it with others so that they don’t disappear.”
Oliver grew up in an art-friendly household: “We had numerous prints by Alphonse Mucha, Alma-Tadema, Arthur Rackham’s Pandora’s Box illustration, and most memorably, EH Shepard’s map of the Hundred Acre Wood from Winnie-the-Pooh. There were many books and films in the house that would go on to influence me to this day. I distinctly remember the complete collection of Asterix comics and the Terry Pratchett books with cover art by Josh Kirby. I was fascinated by them. Cartoons really captured me as a child and I would always try to learn how they were made. Another book in my childhood home was The Illusion of Life, by two great Disney animators, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson. Not only would I learn about the making of classic Disney films, the names of the artists behind them, but would also see the early sketches and pencil artwork, and that made such art seem accessible and achievable because I could see someone was drawing these images with the same tools I used.
“From an early age, I began to write stories. I was obsessed with fantasy, so I would write my own versions of the works of Tolkien, or Jurassic Park (I was also obsessed with dinosaurs at the time.) It took me a while to finally commit to children’s books and illustration. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make comics, or become a filmmaker, animator. I realised the best way for me to create the stories I wanted to tell was through the medium of children’s books.
“After graduating from the University of Brighton (Hastings), with a degree in illustration, I began to create my own books, rather than wait for someone to say ‘No, we’re not publishing that.’ It gave me time to hone my craft, learn what works on the final print and what doesn’t. My story-telling became stronger, because I tried to make every book different from the last – some were more gothic, some colourful, some non-fiction. I love the medium so much, and I always look forward to the next project.”
Lotte Reiniger was the foremost pioneer of silhouette animation. Disney’s Fantasia and The Princess and the Frog use Reiniger’s style of animation. She worked on more than forty films throughout her career and thanks to the dedication of Oliver Brooks these films will not be forgotten.
If you would like to see more of Oliver’s amazing work his website is www.oliverbrooksart.com and his instagram page: oliverbrooksillo
Design Sussex commented: “We would like to thank Oliver Brooks for being the first of its members to host an event and to Kino for its continued support and for providing such a welcoming space for these meetings. Also thanks to Kt, who is a member of DS, and photographs and writes for us.”
To become a member of Design Sussex, please join for free here: https://www.designsussex.org/.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Lotte Reiniger .