Animation Shorts: That's Progress Ages 15+

Unafraid to dive into the murky waters of politics, bureaucracy and ‘progress’, this selection of animations take an insightful look at the societal machinations at play.

Duck Study 2001 dir. Andrew Horne (1 min)

"The idea to animate Leunig’s famous characters came from long-time Leunig fans Actor Bryan Brown and LA based feature film director, Roger Donaldson, who thought that Leunig’s lifetime of work should be brought to the screen. Together with Andrew Horne and Deborah Szapiro of Freerange Animation and the talent of documentary filmmakers Katey and David Grusovin, they set about to explore the world of Leunig." The Screen Guide

That's Progress 1976 dir. Paul Williams (10 mins)

"Animated film about the conservation of historic buildings. A young boy who is photographing historic buildings meets Mr Progress who is demolishing them to make way for car parks, high rise buildings and fast food bars. The boy takes Mr Progress on an imaginary tour of the great buildings of Europe, but fails to change his mind." National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra

One Man's Instrument 1989 dir. Max Bannah (4 mins)

"In this animated short film, a man finds his paradise is literally lost. On a lush banana plantation, a farmer views his crop and plays on his trumpet, coaxing the bananas to grow. Suddenly, on the horizon, a high-rise building appears with a thud and multiplies into more buildings, surrounding the farmer on all sides. All hell breaks loose." National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra

Vengeance 1998 dir. Wendy Chandler (11 mins)

"Tells the story of 14 month old Georgia McMurty's dramatic encounter with an unwitting goanna while holidaying in the Australian wilderness. The ensuing media attention and public fascination thrusts the characters into a whirlwind of fame, fortune and controversy." National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra

Union Street 1990 dir. Wendy Chandler (14 mins)

"Humorous animated film about an inner city street and the people who live there." National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra

Brother 1999 dir. Adam Elliot (8 mins)

"The biography of a brother, his cigarette butts, asthma and head lice. Brother completes Adam Elliot’s family trilogy that began with Uncle (1996) and Cousin (1998). The cast of characters in this film is fuller and more animated than the earlier films and the director’s voice more confident as he unfolds his story, capturing us with its humour and pathos." Antoinette Starkiewicz

The Darra Dogs 1993 dir. Dennis Tupicoff (9:58 mins)

"One day my five-year-old daughter said that she wanted to have a dog. In trying to explain to her my feelings about dogs, I realised how much the dogs of my childhood still haunted me. These memories were still so clear and strong that I drew them into animated life. These are The Darra Dogs." Dennis Tupicoff

Duck Study 2001

DIGITAL, STOP MOTION (PLASTICINE) ANIMATION, COLOUR, STEREO, 1 MINUTE, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/LEAD ANIMATOR: ANDREW HORNE / PRODUCER: BRYAN BROWN, DEBORAH SZAPIRO / SCRIPT: MICHAEL LEUNIG / PRINT SOURCE/RIGHTS: NEW TOWN FILMS / SCREENING FORMAT: DCP

That's Progress 1976

16MM, HAND-DRAWN ANIMATION, COLOUR, MONO, 10 MINUTES, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/SCRIPT/ANIMATOR: PAUL WILLIAMS / CINEMATOGRAPHER: JOHN COLLINS / PRINT SOURCE/RIGHTS: NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE, CANBERRA / SCREENING FORMAT: 16MM

One Man's Instrument 1989

16MM, HAND-PAINTED ANIMATION, COLOUR, MONO, 4 MINUTES, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/SCRIPT: MAX BANNAH / LEAD ANIMATOR: MAX BANNAH / PRODUCER: MAX BANNAH ANIMATION / MUSIC: FRANK MILLWARD, PHIL MANNING / RIGHTS: MAX BANNAH / PRINT SOURCE: NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE, CANBERRA /SCREENING FORMAT: 16MM

Vengeance 1998

DIGITAL, STOP MOTION (PLASTICINE) ANIMATION, COLOUR, STEREO, 11 MINUTES, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/SCRIPT/ANIMATOR/RIGHTS: WENDY CHANDLER / PRODUCER: JUDI MCCROSSIN / MUSIC: FELICITY FOX / PRINT SOURCE: NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE, CANBERRA /SCREENING FORMAT: DCP

Union Street 1990

35MM, STOP MOTION (PAPER CUT OUT) ANIMATION, COLOUR, STEREO, 14 MINUTES, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/SCRIPT/ANIMATOR/RIGHTS: WENDY CHANDLER / PRODUCER: ANNA GRIEVE / MUSIC: GLEN TABULEAU / PRINT SOURCE: NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE, CANBERRA /SCREENING FORMAT: 35MM

Brother 1999

16MM, STOP MOTION (CLAY) ANIMATION, BLACK AND WHITE, STEREO, 8 MINUTES, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/SCRIPT/ANIMATOR: ADAM ELLIOT / PRINT SOURCE/RIGHTS: ADAM ELLIOT / SCREENING FORMAT: DCP

The Darra Dogs 1993

35MM, HAND-PAINTED ANIMATION, COLOUR, STEREO, 9:58 MINUTES, AUSTRALIA, ENGLISH / DIRECTOR/ PRODUCER/SCRIPT/ANIMATOR: DENNIS TUPICOFF / MUSIC: BURKHARD VON DALLWITZ / PRINT SOURCE/RIGHTS: DENNIS TUPICOFF / SCREENING FORMAT: DCP