Cracking Contraptions
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| Cracking Contraptions | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Loyd Price, Christopher Sadler |
| Produced by | Harry Linden, Peter Lord |
| Written by | Merlin Crossingham, Seamus Malone, Nick Park, Loyd Price, Christopher Sadler, Mike Salter |
| Starring | Peter Sallis - Wallace |
| Music by | Julian Nott |
| Cinematography | Andy MacCormack |
| Distributed by | Atom Films, BBC |
| Release date(s) | 15 October 2002(Atomfilms) December 2002 (UK Broadcast) |
| Running time | 2 minutes x 10 episodes |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Wallace and Gromit's Cracking Contraptions are a series of ten Wallace and Gromit stop motion animations varying in length from 1 to 3 minutes. Each episode features one of Wallace's new inventions and Gromit's skeptical reaction to it. The series was produced and released in 2002 by Aardman Animations.
Contents |
[edit] Releases
Episodes were broadcast individually on BBC One throughout the Christmas period in 2002. They were subsequently released on a limited-edition BBC VHS and Region 2 DVD. The series was also included as a bonus feature on the DVD release of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and can be found on the Wal-Mart exclusive DVD, "Gromit's Tail-Waggin' DVD", packaged with "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit".
Episodes first appeared on the Internet at Atom Films: Soccamatic for free viewing October 15, 2002, and the entire series for paid subscribers October 21, 2002-July, 2003. [1] Starting April 2003 Microsoft sponsored free viewing of individual episodes, one per week. [2], Christmas Cardomatic was viewable free in December 2003. The series is now available free online on the official Wallace and Gromit website.[1]
[edit] Episode descriptions
Shopper 13: It's just a short nip to the shops but it can become a daily chore when you have all that cheese to carry home. Wallace has decided to save his legs by initiating a program of guided shopping trolleys to the supermarket. Mission 13 is the big one; he's going for the largest ball of Edam on the shelf. All seems to be going well until disaster strikes on the return leg. Can the heroic Gromit save the day by piloting the stricken craft back to 62 West Wallaby street or will the cheese be lost forever? What will Shaun the Sheep do?
The Autochef: Breakfast is Wallace and Gromit's favourite meal. But why bother cooking yourself when you have an Autochef, the combined cooker and waiter on wheels? Wallace is anxious to prove that his troublesome invention is perfectly safe around the home. Gromit isn't so sure about the cheeky robot and he may have good reason to be wary.
A Christmas Cardomatic: It's nearly Christmas and Wallace is getting into the festive spirit. He's decided to make some tasteful Christmas cards with the help of Gromit, lots of glitter and his brand new card-making machine. But Wallace is so carried away by the resulting masterpiece that he fails to notice the extraordinary scene unfolding in the garden.
The Tellyscope: It has always been Gromit's job to walk over and switch the TV channels on Wallace's aging set. Wallace decides to save his legs by inventing a simple remote control device. Unfortunately, though the machine provides fingertip control, it is hardly instant. When Wallace turns on the TV and is confronted by a hard-hitting penguin documentary, he needs to change channel fast. That's when Wallace realises the flaw in his design...
The Snowmanotron: It's time for the annual West Wallaby Street Snowman Competition and this time Wallace is determined to win. Gromit may be a dab hand (or paw) at sculpting but Wallace has his new ‘‘Snowmanotron’’, which will do the whole job at the touch of a few buttons. Wallace is thrilled with his resulting masterpiece but Gromit is left feeling rather flat...
The Bully Proof Vest: It can be a hard life 'up North' and home security can be a problem these days. So perhaps Wallace is right to be scared when the lights go out one dark and stormy night. A cup of tea and a cracker should calm his nerves but who is that lurking in the shadows? It may be time to utilize the ultimate burglar deterrent, Wallace's fearsome Bully Proof Vest…
525 Crackervac: Gromit's daily chores include sweeping up, unfortunately Wallace wants to help. The 525 Cracker Vac will save Gromit's time and take the strain out of cleaning and it has a cracker sensor to boot!! However, things don't go quite as Wallace planned and it's up to Gromit to save the day.
The Turbo Diner: Another chore Gromit dislikes is clearing the table after meals. Wallace's Turbo Diner is designed to do the job fast and efficiently; all they have to do is top up the electricity meter. Everything seems to be going well until the lights start flickering, and soon Wallace and Gromit are stuck forever.
The Snoozatron: Getting to sleep can be a problem when you eat as much cheese as Wallace. His solution is the Snoozatron, a simple device to aid the restless insomniac. For Wallace the machine is a triumph of precision engineering. For Gromit, his part in the machine's cycle is a regular chore he could do without...
The Soccamatic: When Wallace takes Gromit to the park for a game of soccer he plays to win. Unfortunately he is constantly frustrated by Gromit's goalkeeping powers. Wallace is forced to reveal his Soccamatic, a circa 1938 penalty taking machine he recently purchased mail order from Preston North End FC. It seems that Wallace has finally got the upper hand as balls whistle past the hapless dog. But Gromit has an ace up his sleeve...
[edit] Sci-fi References in the Shopper 13 short
Shopper 13 is of note for its references to sci-fi films, and manned missions to space, in most of Wallace's lines:
- "Gromit, we have a problem!" - Apollo 13.
- "It's almost due for re-entry! I can see him!"
- "It's just one small step!" - Apollo 11.
- "I knew he'd make it!"
- "The Edam is stranded! Quick Gromit, we'll have to launch the probe!"
[edit] Credits
- Animation Directors: Merlin Crossingham, Andy Symanowski, Ian Whitlock
- Animators: Terry Brain, Dug Calder, Mike Cottee, Darren Thompson
- Assistant Animators: Maria Hopkinson Hassell, Alison Evans
- Trainee Assistant Animator: Dan Ramsay
- Story Artists: Michael Salter, Sylvia Bennion
- Story Development: Nick Park, Christopher Sadler, Lloyd Price, Steve Box, Michael Salter, Merlin Crossingham, Ian Whitlock, Andy Symanowski, Jay Grace, Seamus Malone, Peter Lord, Dick Hansom, Sylvia Bennion, Jane Kite
- Model Makers: Amanda Darby, Harriet Thomas, Timon Dowdeswell, Craig Atkinson, Lesley Osbourne, Debbie Smith
- Model Making Supervisor: John Parsons
- Head of Model Making Department: Janet Sanger
- Sculptor: Lisa Newport
- Key Animators: Tom Barnes, Stella Peterson, Allan Burne, Linda Langley, Scott Marriott, Sam Fell, Mike Booth, Robert Horvath, Will Hodge
- Props Supervisor: Jane Kite
- Prop Makers: John Frier, Diane Holness, Neil Jones
- Production Designer: Phil Lewis
- Art Director: Matt Perry
- Head of Art Department: Mike Applebee
- Construction Managers: John Pealing (sets), Ian Maccabe (props)
- Scenic Artist: Holly Beck
- Set Builder: Mike Harvey
- Set Dressers: Kitty Clay, Melanie Ford, Lois Garland
- Set Prop Makers: Justine Bailey, Kathryn Williams, Duncan Miller, Martin Burnham
- Director of Photography: Andy MacCormack
- Lighting Camera: Jeremy Hogg, Toby Howell
- Additional Lighting Camera: Charles Copping
- Photography Consultant: Dave Alex Riddett
- Camera Technician: Luke Smith
- Sound Editing: Greg Tanner, Frank Passingham, Graham Headicar, Ted Swanscott
- Sound Effects Editor: Adrian Rhodes
- Sound Recordists: Toby Hughes, Nancy Smith, Adam Tavner, Aad Wirtz
- Foley Artist: Jack Stew
- Gaffer: John Bradley
- Electrician: Andy Loran
- Floor Manager: Richard "Beeky" Beek
- Model Rig Technician: Alan Barrett
- Editor: Andrew Ward
- Film Editors: Liam Owen, Dave McCormick
- Title Designs: Richard Higgs
- Supervising Sound Editor: James Mather
- Music Composition by: Julian Nott
- Assistant Sound Editor: Joseph Stracey
- Line Producer: Harry Linden
- Associate Producers: Sean Clarke, Carla Shelley
- Executive Producers: Peter Lord, David Sproxton
- Directed by: Christopher Sadler, Loyd Price
- Originated and Produced by: Nick Park
[edit] References
- ^ 'Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions': Nick Park USA Today. October 16, 2002.
- ^ Atom Films website archive Archive.org Wayback Machine as of June 12, 2003.
[edit] External links
- Cracking Contraptions at the Internet Movie Database
- Watch all of the Cracking Contraptions on the official website
- Watch all of the Cracking Contraptions on Google Video
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