Animator and film director Roger Mainwood – who has helped bring to life the most heartfelt of Raymond Briggs’ illustrated books yet – says ultimately he made the film for the author.
Mr Mainwood, from Wivenhoe in Essex, has worked on some of Britain’s best-loved animations, including the Oscar-nominated The Snowman, Father Christmas, The Snowman and The Snowdog and When the Wind Blows.
His latest film, which he directs with an all-star cast including Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent playing the leads, is another classic to emerge from the pen of the master children’s illustrator.
Ethel and Ernest follows the lives of Raymond Briggs’ parents, from their chance meeting in 1928, to their deaths within a month of each other in 1971.
Mr Mainwood said the personal nature of the film gave him an added impetus to get it right and was delighted the illustrator liked it.
“It’s about Raymond Briggs’ parents so we had that weight on our shoulders to produce something great,” he said.
“Unlike all the other films he was rather keen to be involved with this one and I worked very closely with him on the script.
“He was over the moon with the end result and we couldn’t really ask for more than that.
“People ask who we are making the film for.
“It is more of a film for adults up against the other films, but ultimately I was making it for Raymond.”
The film, which was released at cinemas on October 28 and has a prime-time screening on BBC One just after Christmas, was entirely hand drawn.
However, unlike The Snowman and other Briggs’ projects, it is the first not to be drawn on paper.
“It is very slow and very time consuming and labour intensive,” said Roger.
“This film is hand drawn like all the other ones to get that Raymond Briggs’ look. But we have departed from the other films in a way in that these are no longer drawn on paper, but drawn directly onto a computer, on a big tablet.
“But that doesn’t mean the film is computer animated.
“Lots of talented animators drew every frame of the film.
“It is an art form that has died a little in this country.
“On the continent they make hand drawn animations a lot.
“I like it and I think it connects with audiences as it as a visceral thing, from your hand to what they see.”
Mr Mainwood said Lupus films, the team behind The Snowman and Snowdog films, were looking to produce more hand drawn animated films in the near future, and have a couple in the pipeline.
“We hope this is a renaissance of the art form,” he said.
“One of the best compliments I have is that you really forget that you are looking at a drawing.
“You forget it is an animated film which means we’ve managed to capture the human character.”
Mr Mainwood said it was a joy to work on the film.
“It was a real privilege, these opportunities don’t come along very often at all.
“I was really pleased to be asked to do the film and am very proud of the end result.”
Ethel and Ernest is on BBC One at 7.30pm on December 28.
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