Welcome to Yorwick Castle, the official website of Katherine Blakeney. Explore the surrounding links to see some of my work, take a look at my News and Announcements, or get in touch with me through the Contacts and Links page. Enjoy your visit!
Visit Thorvald, a new blog detailing the step by step process of making a stop motion animated short film.
Clicking on the poster to the left will take you to The Dreams of Kings website, where you can see the full cast and crew list, watch the trailer, see the production stills gallery, and get updates on festival screenings.
Directed by Katherine Blakeney
Vocals by Keith Jack
January 25, 2011
I am now a writer for art blog ArtCorner, writing essays and short stories inspired by art. Come and check out some of my posts at http://www.artcorner.com/author/katherine-blakeney/
April 17, 2011
Calling All Stop Motion Animators!
Are you a stop motion animator or an animation student? Are you struggling to raise funds for your independent animated films or stuck bringing lattes to obnoxious studio executives? How many sleepless nights have you spent coming up with ways to counteract “mystery wind” or experimenting with ways to animate water? Do you spend your days pouring your twisted, misunderstood soul into 12” tall creatures with aluminum bones or obsessively memorizing every frame of Nightmare Before Christmas? Are you looking for film festivals to submit your latest short to, or still reliving the trauma of mainstream rejection? Are you looking for a haven to vent your frustration and share your vision and discoveries? There is a place for you out there!
My name is Katherine Blakeney. I am an independent stop motion animator and I feel your pain. I have recently launched a blog called Thorvald to share the stresses and tribulations of making my own latest animated short and I want you to join me. I want Thorvald to become a community of stop motion animators, coming together to share their experiences, knowledge, discoveries, dreams, and nightmares. Join me, and tell everyone about your latest project, your job search horror stories, your favourite film festivals, your excuse for being insane enough to dedicate your life to the most time-consuming filmmaking technique on the planet, and your plan for conquering the universe with the sheer power of your animation brilliance.
As in most aspects of independent filmmaking there is no money in this for anyone, but there are certain useful benefits. Every regular contributor will have their own profile on the blog with a headshot (of you or your favorite animated character), a bio, and links to your work. You will also have the opportunity to share videos, photos, and bits of animation wisdom with a passionate community of like-minded people and benefit from their knowledge in return.
Also, I am planning to start up a festival that will run in Edinburgh, Scotland as part of the world-famous Edinburgh fringe, and will be dedicated entirely to edgy, underappreciated stop motion films, and as a contributor you will have a guaranteed place.
You can see the blog as it looks now at http://thorvaldandthestoorworm.blogspot.com, but it will of course be redesigned as soon as I get some new contributors on board!
If you want to join Thorvald, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at thorvald_blog@yahoo.com.
I look forward to hearing from you!
April 16, 2011
Although Thorvald's Kickstarter project has closed without being funded, we are not ready to surrender that easily! The project has been relaunched with an updated video and a new deadline, so you still have a chance to show your support by pledging to Thorvald's cause! Come and join Thorvald on his journey, and get a reward for any pledge of $5 or over by clicking on the link to the right.
February 21, 2011
You can now see a brief "making of" video for Thorvald and the Slimy Things and show your support by making a pledge at Kickstarter.com! Every $5 can make a huge difference, and best of all, you can get a fun reward for any contribution you make, as well as the warm, fuzzy feeling of knowing that you have contributed to Thorvald's epic journey.
January 17, 2011
I am now working on a new short (working title "Thorvald"), inspired by folktales from the Orkney Islands and Norse mythology and I have started a blog to share the process. Click the link below to find out more:
November 27, 2010
The Dreams of Kings has been nominated for a Knight Award at the 49th Golden Knight Malta International Short Film Festival. It has also been included in the Official Catalogue of the Expotoons International Animation Festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
October 4, 2010
The Dreams of Kings has been accepted by two more festivals! It will be screened in November in Wissembourg, Fance and Salford, UK. Click the picture to the left for details and links.
July 1, 2010
The Dreams of Kings will be screened on August 27 in the Best of Animation Attack section of the Atlanta Underground Film Festival! See the official film page for more details.
