Clients:
Tetley Tea Bags (UK)
Ribena (UK)
Swiss Bank Corporation
Tuli Products (Portugal)
Schwabisch Hall (Germany)
General Accident (UK)
Flik Flak Watches (Swiss)
Tetley Tea Bag's "gaffer" character.
The very first round tea bag commercial from Tetley. I had to do the guitar solo with a teaspoon. My drawings went through scrutiny for being on-model. Tony Cattaneo and Richard Ollive said they were fine. One of the first run ins with the infamous Ron Wyatt.
A rare find, the Tuli Bear commercials of old.
Tetley Tea Bag's "gaffer" character.
WYATT CATTANEO ANIMATION STUDIO
1989 - 1993
I received a postcard in April of 1989 asking if i'd call Wyatt Cattaneo Studios, Charing Cross Lane, London to set up an interview. They had seen my student film and were interested in meeting me.
Tuesday April 18th, 11am, i turned up with my portfolio and a copy of my student film on VHS. I met with both Richard Ollive (Richard Ollive Studios) and the late, great Tony Cattaneo (creator of Frostie's Tony the Tiger, the Tetley Tea folk and so many UK household brand names).
The interview seemed to go well when Richard asked if i wanted to start today, there and then. So began my animation career, just like that.
I spent almost 5 years working on all sorts of commercials. I was unaware just how fast we worked. My average was 10 seconds per week which i thought was a comfortable pace. looking back i don't know how we did it.
I learned so many skills in that small studio. I must thank the now past Ron Wyatt and Tony Cattaneo, Richard Ollive and Jason Ivimey all for their patience and guidance. They laid the foundation for all my successes.
Link to Richard Ollive Animation and Illustration website>
This is an original Home Pride Flour Graders character model sheet.
When Wyatt Cattaneo Animation Studio declared bankruptcy in 1993 I managed to salvage this piece of British animation history.
This campaign led to the split between Ron Wyatt and Tony Cattaneo from the uber-talented Richard Williams. Ron and Tony took this campaign and set up the studio at 22 Charing Cross Road, London.
previs supervisor
postvis supervisor
cinematographer
animator
director
writer