Ian Emes
Encyclopedia
Ian Ronald Emes is a British animator
and film director, from Handsworth
, Birmingham
, England, known for his work with Pink Floyd
, who have used his animated films as back-projections in concert and released them as extras on their DVDs. He now lives in London
and is married and a father.
Emes' father was Ronald Emes, a Birmingham policeman who trained the British canoe
team for four Olympic Games
. Emes was educated at Marsh Hill Boys Technical School in Birmingham's Erdington
district and then studied at Bristol.
Emes' first major work, 'French Windows', was started while he was subsequently a student at Birmingham College of Art
and finished while he was unemployed. It was set to the Pink Floyd
recording 'One of These Days'. After it was shown at Birmingham's Ikon Gallery
, it was screened on the television programme The Old Grey Whistle Test, and thereby came to the attention of Pink Floyd. The band invited Emes to give them a private screening, and afterwards to make films to be projected during performances of Dark Side of the Moon. His animation for their song 'Time
' is on Pink Floyd's P•U•L•S•E DVD. He subsequently worked with Roger Waters
, making live action
film for his performance of The Wall – Live in Berlin.
As a result of his work for Pink Floyd, Linda McCartney
asked Emes to animate Wings
' 'Oriental Nightfish
'. He has also made animations for concerts by Mike Oldfield
. He has also worked with Duran Duran
.
Emes received the 1983 BAFTA Award for Best Short Film
for his short live action film, Goodie Two Shoes, which was then nominated for an Oscar; he later received another BAFTA for co-directing the children’s TV series, Bookaboo
.
He directed a 1988 episode of The Comic Strip Presents...
, The Yob
with writer Keith Allen also in the title role and featuring a brief appearance by Allen's daughter Lily
, then a toddler.
In July–September 2010, 'French Windows' was again exhibited at Birmingham's Ikon gallery
, together with original cels
.
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
and film director, from Handsworth
Handsworth, West Midlands
Handsworth is an inner city area of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. The Local Government Act 1894 divided the ancient Staffordshire parish of Handsworth into two urban districts: Handsworth and Perry Barr. Handsworth was annexed to the county borough of Birmingham in Warwickshire in 1911...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England, known for his work with Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, who have used his animated films as back-projections in concert and released them as extras on their DVDs. He now lives in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and is married and a father.
Emes' father was Ronald Emes, a Birmingham policeman who trained the British canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
team for four Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. Emes was educated at Marsh Hill Boys Technical School in Birmingham's Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
district and then studied at Bristol.
Emes' first major work, 'French Windows', was started while he was subsequently a student at Birmingham College of Art
Birmingham School of Art
The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, its Grade I listed building on...
and finished while he was unemployed. It was set to the Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
recording 'One of These Days'. After it was shown at Birmingham's Ikon Gallery
Ikon Gallery
The Ikon Gallery is an English gallery of contemporary art, located in Brindleyplace, Birmingham. It is housed in the Grade II listed, neo-gothic former Oozells Street Board School, designed by John Henry Chamberlain in 1877. The gallery's current director is Jonathan Watkins.Ikon was set up to...
, it was screened on the television programme The Old Grey Whistle Test, and thereby came to the attention of Pink Floyd. The band invited Emes to give them a private screening, and afterwards to make films to be projected during performances of Dark Side of the Moon. His animation for their song 'Time
Time (Pink Floyd song)
"Time" is the fourth track from English progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon, and the only song on the album credited to all four members of the band...
' is on Pink Floyd's P•U•L•S•E DVD. He subsequently worked with Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
, making live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
film for his performance of The Wall – Live in Berlin.
As a result of his work for Pink Floyd, Linda McCartney
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
asked Emes to animate Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
' 'Oriental Nightfish
Oriental Nightfish
Oriental Nightfish is a 1978 animated film directed by Ian Emes which accompanies the Linda McCartney track Oriental Nightfish. The film has a running time of 4m 30s and features animation by Ian Emes with the track Oriental Nightfish performed Wings, the band Linda and her husband Paul McCartney...
'. He has also made animations for concerts by Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
. He has also worked with Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
.
Emes received the 1983 BAFTA Award for Best Short Film
BAFTA Award for Best Short Film
This page lists the winners and nominees for the BAFTA Award for Best Short Film for each year. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts , is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, children's film and television, and interactive media...
for his short live action film, Goodie Two Shoes, which was then nominated for an Oscar; he later received another BAFTA for co-directing the children’s TV series, Bookaboo
Bookaboo
Bookaboo is a British children's television series for young children created and produced by Lucy Goodman of Happy Films, co-directed by Lucy with Ian Emes and commissioned by Emma Tennant for CITV. The 26 episode show features puppets, celebrities, picture books, songs and animation...
.
He directed a 1988 episode of The Comic Strip Presents...
The Comic Strip
The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, known for their television series The Comic Strip Presents.... The core members are Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson and Jennifer Saunders, with frequent appearances by Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane and...
, The Yob
The Yob
The Yob is the 21st episode of the British television comedy series The Comic Strip Presents..., written by Keith Allen and Daniel Peacock, with Allen also in the title role, and was directed by Ian Emes...
with writer Keith Allen also in the title role and featuring a brief appearance by Allen's daughter Lily
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, then a toddler.
In July–September 2010, 'French Windows' was again exhibited at Birmingham's Ikon gallery
Ikon Gallery
The Ikon Gallery is an English gallery of contemporary art, located in Brindleyplace, Birmingham. It is housed in the Grade II listed, neo-gothic former Oozells Street Board School, designed by John Henry Chamberlain in 1877. The gallery's current director is Jonathan Watkins.Ikon was set up to...
, together with original cels
Traditional animation
Traditional animation, is an animation technique where each frame is drawn by hand...
.