The Ticket Maker

The Ticket Maker is a short story about a man who finds himself overcome with the fear of being alone. Desperate, he sits on a train platform waiting in case someone turns up. A storm hits and he runs towards the woods for safety. Will he find solace or will he have to face his own demons? The story underlines events in my life that I wanted to explore and tell a story through animation. The film addresses a variety of issues that underpin the learning activity and professional practice for an individual working on an animation project within education. The film explores a hybrid of techniques that one person can use to help complete a project within their financial and technical limitations.

For many aspiring animation film makers, whether they be student or independent, limitations to resources and time are contributing factors which determines their level of success. The idea of an “all in one” solution to making an animated film is a dream that many pursue and even though there are processes that allow you to complete a film using a single resource, the end result could be enhanced with an injection of creative thinking.

The Ticket Maker is part of my studies in a Masters Degree in Animation. It is also a technical exercise and an exploration on how limitations in resources, time and budget can encourage creativity within the arts in education. The intention behind this project is to demonstrate and encourage people to be more creative and to experiment without the fear of failing. By completing this short film I am able to teach the importance of practice base research and encourage them to explore and develop a style they are not normally familiar with.