Despite only being in their early 20s, animators Katie Steed and partner Aaron Wood have set up their own business, had more than 50 festival screenings and won a number of international awards. Reporter Paola Dellafiora visited them at their Harpenden studio.

A STRANGE pleasure in repetitive tasks and a passion for drawing movement led Katie, a former pupil of St George’s School in Harpenden, to an interest in animation.

“When I found out that there was something that combined my love for drawing and meant that my parents couldn’t complain when they caught me watching cartoons, I knew I’d found my true calling,” said the fledging animator.

After completing her A-levels, Katie went on to the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham to complete an animation course.

It was here that she met her partner Aaron.

“I chose animation over art because with a painting you look at it once and that’s it. But in animation there’s nothing you can’t say or do and no matter how many times you watch it you always spot something new,” said Katie.

Her third year project, a film called Death by Scrabble, scored one of the highest marks the university had ever seen.

Katie wanted to make a film about a fish, because she had painted a watercolour of a koi carp and wanted to see it move.

She fell in love with a story about a game of Scrabble between a husband and wife by a man called Charlie Fish, and went about making it visually interesting.

Five thousand drawings, 30 pens and enough paper to scare a small forest later and the film was finished.

“I’d spent every minute of an entire year bent hunched over my light box, had not opened the curtains for three months and had scared off most of my friends with my bizarre appearance,” said Katie.

“I was so surprised when the film scored one of the highest marks that my university has ever given out.

“I was flabbergasted when the festival screenings started coming in and it was nominated for the Royal Television Awards, Best Student Animation.”

After working at the university’s Animation Research Centre, Katie and Aaron saw that past animators were more willing to experiment with different techniques and styles.

Aaron said: “We came across films made with scissors or made entirely with felt tip pen, and sometimes the animators just cut up whatever was to hand and moved it around the screen.

“Animation studios have become unwilling to experiment and to take risks, and instead try to constantly repeat the Disney formula for success.”

By drawing upon visual styles of the past and using technology of today, the love-struck animators hope to create unique films at their Slurpy Studios.

The pair, who compare themselves to cartoon duo Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, began dating in 2005 and now live and work together in Rothamsted Close in Harpenden.

Although they practically live in each other’s pockets, they say working together works well for them and they take inspiration from John Halas and Joy Batchelor – a married couple who animated and worked together throughout the war.

Katie said: “We knew we made a good team. In the studio, we compliment each other very well.

“We don’t argue over the animation very much, because we have well-defined roles within the production, and we both trust each other in those roles.

“Aaron generally does the clever bits, and I do the pretty bits. Our arguments mostly arise over whose turn it is to make the tea.”

As animation is so labour-intensive, Katie admits that at times it can be hard to work and live in the same place.

“Sometimes it gets to midnight and we realise we haven’t left the house or seen anyone else all day,” she said.

Despite only being six months into the business Aaron and Katie have had tremendous success and have already finished a music promo, a title sequence, three website commissions and two animated inserts for ITV.

Their most recent project has been a music video to help re-launch the career of guitarist Sam Roman, who has played on the same bills as Lemar and Jamelia, as well as legendary funk superstar Don Blackmon.

The couple hope to receive more commissions and Katie hopes one day to fulfill her dream of working for Disney.

For further information on Slurpy Studios visit www.slurpystudios.com or call 07733334349.