Erica Russell

Erica Russell (* 1951 in New Zealand ) is a New Zealand animator and director.

Life

Russell's parents moved with her to South Africa in 1953 , where Russell grew up in Johannesburg . She moved to London in 1971 and taught herself her animation skills by herself: she was assistant to Art Babbitt , Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel and worked for Gerald Scarfe and Paul Vester . In the 1980s she founded her own studio Eyeworks and in 1992 the production company Gingco, which she runs with her partner Adam Parker-Rhodes.

Her film debut in 1988 was the short animation film Feet of Song , the first part of a dance trilogy commissioned by Channel Four . Feet of Song explored the influence of African dances on the arts around the world. The second part of the trilogy, Triangle , showed dance scenes mixed with geometric figures and was nominated for an Oscar in 1995 . Part three, Soma , mixes graffiti art with dance animation. All films show the influence of African art and culture on Russell's work.

Russell is also active as a commercial artist and created commercials for Virgin Megastore, among others . Her sensual spot for Levi's Jeans for Women won a Clio Award . She was also responsible for the artwork for various albums and singles, including the single Club At The End Of The Street by Elton John , and animated music videos, including Dear Jessie by Madonna .

Filmography

• 1988: Feet of Song
• 1994: Triangle
• 2001: Soma

Awards

• 1995: Oscar nomination , Best Animated Short , for Triangle

literature

• Erica Russell . In: Anima Mundi (Ed.), Julius Wiedemann (Ed.): Animation Now! Taschen, Cologne u. a. 2004, ISBN 3-8228-2588-3 , pp. 110-115.

Web links

• Erica Russell in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Erica Russell's biography on screenonline.org.uk