Animations
Tina and Bob Read have worked with both children and adults on various animation projects. If you would like to work with us on an animation project, please contact us:
Jack's Journey - from Liverpool to Shanghai!
Left to right: Linda Owens, Tina Read, Steve Johnson, Hazel Williams (Lord Mayor of Liverpool) and Denise Barr.
The full length version of Jack's Journey with Chinese subtitles
( 
)
was shown at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on Liverpool Day, October 16th 2010.
Neil Scales (left) and Joe Anderson introduce Jack's Journey on Liverpool Day.
Denise Barr and Linda Owens from Oakfield Day Service and Tina Read presented the project with the help of the Chief Executive of Merseytravel, Neil Scales, and the leader of Liverpool City Council, Joe Anderson. Hazel Williams, Lord Mayor of Liverpool, and Steve Johnson, Disability Officer, Everton Football Club, attended the event.
A summary version of Jack's Journey played in the Liverpool Pavilion, World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.
Liverpool was the only city in the UK to have a pavilion at the World Expo. Liverpool Day highlighted the diverse cultural life of the city. Everyone who worked on Jack's Journey was really proud to be part of this exciting event.
The first bus Jack encounters on his journey is not wheelchair accessible.
Jack's Journey has been subtitled in Chinese by Cathy Wu working with Tina and Bob Read.
Jack's Journey - background to the project
Jack starting out on his journey on public transport.
The learners from the Oakfield Day Service made the animated sections of Jack's Journey with tutor/animator Tina Read. The group also worked with scriptwriter Tracy Aston, film maker Sam Hatton and musician Marcel Musset. Post-production was by Tina and Bob Read.
Jack encounters problems when trying to reach the right platform for his train.
Jack's Journey developed from an initial workshop in June 2009 which brought people from the Oakfield Day Service together with other transport users with a range of disabilities, people who work with those affected by disability, and transport staff. The aim of the workshop was to highlight the issues which arise, from both the transport staff and transport user perspective, when people with disabilities use public transport. Jack's Journey is being used for the training of transport staff to raise awareness of these issues.
Jack and Amy on a train. The character, Amy, was played by Denise Barr.
Jack's Journey was a multimedia project involving animation and video. The main character is Jack, a wheelchair user, and the story follows his journey on public transport. He is helped on his journey by a blind woman called Amy.
Jack's Journey includes a fictional programme ‘Oakfield Reports’ in which Denise Barr interviews public transport staff (Ian Hunter, David Gibson-Beale and Alan French).
It includes a fictional TV programme, ‘Oakfield Reports’ which features transport staff who attended the workshop.
Jack's Journey was premiered at FACT, Liverpool, in March 2010. The project was funded by the WEA North West Region, Merseytravel and United Response.
Jack's Journey is available on DVD with English subtitles and audio description.
The Making of Jack's Journey
Kevin's tracing of a table is used in the breakfast scene of Jack's Journey.
Scriptwriter, Tracy Aston, worked with the group to develop a storyline out of the issues which arose from the workshop with transport staff and disabled transport users. Tina Read helped the group to storyboard their ideas. The group went out on location to take photographs around Merseyside. They also photographed each other.
The photos were printed and placed in plastic pockets and then traced as shown in the photo above.
Everyone in the group, as well as several members of staff, appeared in the animation
The drawings were brought into the animation software, Macromedia Flash.
Karl Bond, who plays Jack's son, brings his drawing into the animation.
Members of the animation group and staff from the Oakfield Day Service voiced all the characters in the animation. They also recorded all the sound effects. Finally, the film ‘Oakfield Reports’ was incorporated into the animation.
Doctor Who comes to the Wirral ...and wins!
Tina Read and members of the animation group at Oakfield Day Service with their award.
The second Wirral International Film Festival finished with an awards evening on Friday 4th of December 2009. The Vesbim Award is given for an outstanding achievement. The winners of the award were Tina Read and the Oakfield Day Service for an animation about Dr Who coming to Liverpool called ‘From Oakfiends to Ironmen’ and for the documentary about how the animation was made.