bolexbrothers (alternatively Bolex Brothers) was an independent
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, UK. The studio specialised in
stop motion
Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...
and
pixilation
Pixilation is a stop motion technique in which live actors are used as a frame-by-frame subject in an animated film, by repeatedly posing while one or more frame is taken and changing pose slightly before the next frame or frames. The actor beco ...
animation, producing numerous short films and commercials, as well as two feature films, ''
The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb
''The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb'' is a 1993 British independent stop-motion/pixilation adult animated science-fantasy dystopian adventure horror film directed, written, shot and edited by Dave Borthwick, produced by bolexbrothers studio a ...
'' (1993) and ''
The Magic Roundabout
''The Magic Roundabout'' is an English-language children's television programme that ran from 1965 to 1977. It used the footage of the French stop motion animation show ''Le Manège enchanté'' but with completely different scripts and characte ...
'', (2005). The studio was named after the
Bolex
Bolex International S. A. is a Swiss manufacturer of motion picture cameras based in Yverdon located in Canton of Vaud. The most notable products of which are in the 16 mm and Super 16 mm formats. Originally Bol, the company was founded by C ...
brand of 16mm cameras once popular with animators and was first established as a collective of artists in the 1980s before becoming a company in 1991 and running to roughly 2008.
The studio's films were often dark and
surrealistic
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...
, described by Borthwick as presenting “a reality that's just slightly sideways”. Their films often employed experimental or uncommon animation techniques such as
pixilation
Pixilation is a stop motion technique in which live actors are used as a frame-by-frame subject in an animated film, by repeatedly posing while one or more frame is taken and changing pose slightly before the next frame or frames. The actor beco ...
(posing and shooting live actors frame-by-frame).
Filmography
Feature films
*''
The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb
''The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb'' is a 1993 British independent stop-motion/pixilation adult animated science-fantasy dystopian adventure horror film directed, written, shot and edited by Dave Borthwick, produced by bolexbrothers studio a ...
'' (1993) Dir. Dave Borthwick
*''
The Magic Roundabout
''The Magic Roundabout'' is an English-language children's television programme that ran from 1965 to 1977. It used the footage of the French stop motion animation show ''Le Manège enchanté'' but with completely different scripts and characte ...
'' (2005) Dir. Dave Borthwick
*''
Grass Roots
A grassroots movement is one that uses the people in a given district, region or community as the basis for a political or economic movement. Grassroots movements and organizations use collective action from the local level to effect change at t ...
'' (Unfinished) Dir. Dave Borthwick
Short films
*''The Biz'' (1994) Dir. Darren Walsh
*''The Saint Inspector'' (1996) Dir. Mike Booth
*''Keep in a Dry Place and Away From Children'' (1997) Dir. Martin Rhys Davies
*''Little Dark Poet'' (1999) Dir. Mike Booth
*''Tastes Like Tuna'' (2000) Dir. Mike Booth
*''How Do You Feel'' (2001) Dir. Paul B Davies
*''The Day of the Subgenius'' (2001) Dir. Chris Hopewell
Commercials
*
Nestea
Nestea is a Swiss brand of iced tea and pop beverages owned by Nestlé, manufactured by The Coca-Cola Company and distributed by Nestlé's beverage department in the United States and by Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW),Lender's Bagels - ''Aroma'' (1999)
*
Budweiser
Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, part of AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States.
''Budweiser'' may also refer to an unrela ...
- ''Pick Me Up'' (1999)
*
Chupa Chups
Chupa Chups () is a Spanish brand of lollipop and other confectionery sold in over 150 countries around the world. The brand was founded in 1958 by Enric Bernat, and is currently owned by the Italian-Dutch company Perfetti Van Melle. The name ...
Fanta
Fanta is an American-owned German brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks created by Coca-Cola Deutschland under the leadership of German businessman Max Keith. There are more than 200 flavors worldwide. Fanta originated in Germany as ...
- ''The Colour of Friendship'' (1994)
*Fanta - ''Big and Orange'' (1994)
Music videos
*''Lost at Sea'' - Startled Insects
*''Igors Horn'' - Startled Insects
*''Grass Grow'' -
*''Creatures'' - Startled Insects
*''Vikings Go Pumping'' - Loggerheads