A new website has been started for budding animations over the age of 16 to show their work, discuss things and share comments.

Sounds like a brilliant idea and the perfect way to be spotted by Aardman. Some of the content is more adult, the reason for the age limit on some videos being as high as 18, but there’s some great stuff there.

www.4animations.tv - check it out!

This winter you are invited to join in with Wallace & Gromit’s Great British Tea Party and help raise vital funds for sick children and their families in hospitals and hospices across the UK.

When? Friday 5th December
Where? At home, at work, with friends and family or at one of our special tea party venues across the UK - you decide!

Simply get friends, family or colleagues together. At home, at work, at school, at a parent and toddler group, your local library – anywhere you like - and ask them to make a donation to join your party and show their support for your local children’s hospital and hospice. What could be easier?

Want to take part?
Visit www.wallaceandgromitteaparty.org.uk or call 0845 600 1924 to register and receive you fantastic free Wallace & Gromit Tea Party pack including Wallace & Gromit Tea Coasters, balloons, Yorkshire Tea vouchers and much, much more...

MY OPINION:

Brilliant idea! I love a good tea party and I’m certainly going to be enjoying mine!

We’ll also do something special here, so get ready for that!

I recently did some work experience at Cotswold Life magazine – a local publication – and was lucky enough to have my article about Wallace and Gromit published.

Here you can find a PDF it:

http://www.62westwallabystreet.co.uk/Seb's_Wallace_&_Gromit_piece_COT_Aug_08.pdf

Enjoy!

Full information:

Reviews coming when I get the books!

"Harvey Nichols has revamped the wardrobe of Britain’s favorite inventor and sidekick, Wallace has forgone his beloved green tank top for a Dolce & Gabbana fitted shirt and an Alexander McQueen cashmere jacket, the transformation is spectacular, so much so that Harvey Nichols will adopt Wallace, Gromit and Lady Tottington to spearhead their prestigious campaign for the opening of the new Bristol store."

One thing I do know, I love the look! Nick Park seems to as well, saying “I'm really impressed, it's great to see Wallace looking so chic and stylish. Wallace isn’t exactly known for his street-wise fashion sense he usually shops at Tank-Top Man. He’s really chuffed with his new look, I think he wants to keep the clothes – he can’t stop looking in the mirror.”

More information: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1048612/Paul-Smith-suits-Ray-Bans-D-amp-G-shirts-It-8217-s-Wallace-Gromit---The-RIGHT-Trousers.html

There will be a normal one and a ‘thin’ one. The thin one has old pictures of Wallace and Gromit but the normal one is basically a ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ one, with some more exciting pictures of Piella, Wallace, Gromit and another dog from the new film!

However they can be seen as spoilers, so beware!

Normal - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Wallace-Gromit-Calendar-2009/dp/1847702805/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220024004&sr=8-1

Thin - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wallace-Gromit-2009-Slim-Calendar/dp/1847702961/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220024004&sr=8-2

Telltale games have announced a brand new series of adventures - ‘Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures’.

What makes these games unique is that you download them episode by episode from their website (and they will hopefully be on CD etc. later) and play them on your computer. It’s like a TV series, so you can dip in and out, but there’s something to be gained from playing them in sequence.

They seem really intent on keeping to the original style of Wallace and Gromit, both keeping the charm and look of the duos films. I expect the games will be around £5, but as it’s American it’s in dollars. Hopefully this shouldn’t pose any other technical problems.

I’m sure Peter Sallis will be doing the voice of Wallace as he’s done things like this before and loves being the character.

I feel this news is so important that I’m opening up a brand new section of the website devoted to the games.

A trailer is now available on their website. It’s the good old breakfast gag, very similar to both The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave with jam and porridge respectively. If I had made it I would have been inclined to have Wallace say at least one word, just to add interest, but oh well!

I can’t wait! Stay tuned – we’ll have all the news…

Trailer and more - http://www.telltalegames.com/wallaceandgromit

(PC Dibbins)
(Edwina)

The bus – named Gromit – is painted with a special Wallace and Gromit design and includes an advert for ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ on the back.

Nick Park couldn’t make the ceremony – but Peter Sallis was on hand to set it on its maiden voyage.

You can see the bus and a good interview with Peter here:

http://www.lep.co.uk/video.aspx?VideoPath=PRES/150708_wallace512k_stream.wmv&VideoID=21490&ArticleID=4288361

First up I got back from my holiday in Cornwall on Saturday 21st July and decided to watch ‘Comics Britannia’ on TV. The series looks at the legacy of classic comics, and this one focused on the Beano and Dandy. These meant a huge amount to me when I was younger, my life revolved around them almost as much as Wallace and Gromit does now, so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane.

Imagine my surprise when a familiar voice started speaking before the camera cut to show Nick Park himself! Now I knew he had been a big Beano fan, but I never thought of him being on this sort of programme about it. He revealed fond memories and said his favourite strips were ‘Rodger the Dodger’ and ‘The Bash Street Kids’. I was so pleased because, along with Dennis the Menace, these were my favourite too!

Only a few days after that more Nick Park news came through – he was to be editing the special Birthday edition of the Beano. I bought a copy today and it’s superb. He writes an introduction revealing how the Beano inspired the first story he wrote that got people laughing – the inspiration for everything he has done since. He also appears in ‘Fred’s Bed’ as a young Nick Park visiting his favourite characters. In the final frame ‘Fred’ returns to the present time and we see Nick, as he is now, at the Oscars on the TV behind him! The cover also features Wallace and Gromit putting together a big Beano birthday cake.

Some exciting Wallace and Gromit news to do with the Beano has also come through recently. They are now to be regular features in ‘Beano Max’ – the Monthly magazine from the Beano. Every Month there will be a new comic strip similar to the ones in the old Wallace and Gromit comic. I’m still debating whether or not to buy them – it’s expensive just for the comic, but it is Wallace and Gromit! If any readers get this magazine and don’t want them after reading let me know! Thanks!

‘Wallace and Gromit’ have been visiting many children’s hospitals to promote the day and they are hoping to make over £1 million on the Wrong Trouser’s Day – so get ready!

However recently Wallace and Gromit met what could be the coolest person they have ever been seen with. Wearing a tutut, as both a pun and to promote wearing the ‘wrong trousers’, Wallace and Gromit met Archbishop Desmond Tutu who gave his support of the day. How cool is that?! For anyone who doesn’t know, Archbishop Tutu has worked tirelessly for peace, especially in South Africa, and he’s even been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, along with many other prestigious awards. I’m a great fan of his – his trophy cabinet must be as big as Nick Parks!

So the big day is certainly well publicised and I can’t wait to see how they do. With Desmond Tutu on their side how can they fail?!

Full details are still to be announced but we know so far that Aardman and D3Publisher have teamed up to bring Shaun to the DS. From screengrabs we have it looks like you can go around a 3D version of the farm meeting friends and enemies of Shaun along the way – such as Bitzer the dog and Pidsley the cat.

You can also play eight unlockable minigames and eight collectable slide puzzles. There are also five ‘micro’ games revolving around the most memorable moments of the show.

It promises a ‘"pick up and play" experience, as well as sound, graphics, and character animation that stay true to the show's idiosyncratic style.’

It will come out around Autumn priced about £15 - £20. They’re building high expectations, but it looks good so I can’t wait to hear more!

The event is due to take place on Friday 29th June and the theme this year is ‘Rock Out’, so everyone has to think in terms of musicals and rock bands. However, as always, this is a loose theme and the most important thing is to have fun and wear the wrong trousers for charity.

More details should be up soon.

To celebrate this picture the exhibition will also be home to pieces of Aardman artwork and information.

It runs from the 7th June to 6th July, but over the weekend of the 28th and 29th July they are holding an animation course for 11-16 year olds. No experience is needed and you can take the film home afterwards on CD. Remember, entrance is FREE!

More information can be found here http://www.bath.ac.uk/holburne/learning/11-16.html

…And I’ll definitely be visiting at some point because Bath is really close to me! I’ll wear my 62 West Wallaby Street T-Shirt, so look out for me!

I’ve spoken about this previously when it moved before, but if you want more you’ll find information at http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/leicester-city-museums/museums/nwm--art-gallery

The special effects guys have started their work on shots that need them – things like water, smoke, flour in the air, and more. They are being developed with the Aardman studios this time and this allows the animators to really see the shots come to life.

Over 60 shots have been completed and the finale is said to be really exciting and action packed. The opening is said to be of a very ‘Wallace and Gromit’ style but with a bakery touch. Sounds brilliant! They hope to have filmed everything by the end of September, ready for the edit, so they’re under a lot of pressure.

As of last Wednesday:

• The team are 3 shots away from finishing the opening scene
• 11 new animators have come on board this week to pick up the pace on shooting
• 18 shooting units are up and running, each working on different scenes from the film
• In total 394 seconds of film has been shot
• That’s 6 minutes, and 34 seconds – so still a long way to go!

Fantastic!

I should have a podcast up in a fortnight though so just hold on and we’ll be back for good. I’m going to do a bit of a relaunch with the site and forum so get ready!

http://www.bebo.com/wallaceandg
http://www.myspace.com/wallaceandgromitfans

It’s being held at 22 Bury Street and is open to all the public. Pieces of exclusive and previously unseen artwork will be on show and available to buy (though I don’t expect any real bargains – more for collectors!)

Here is the complete flyer for the exhibition

I may being going along myself if I can find a moment’s break from all the revision I have at the moment! Should be wonderful.

Gromit is the first dog in history to join the group and was welcomed with open arms by Mike Hollin, the National Association President, who said: “We’re delighted to invite Wallace and Gromit into our National Association as honorary Master Bakers. Now they will be able to take full advantage of the services and support we offer our members. After all, that’s our role, to make sure that independent craft bakers, just like Wallace and Gromit, have access to free advice on all industry matters. We’re also here to help anyone thinking of changing career and wanting to know all about our profession.”

It’s a great honour for both groups and a good bit of fun!

Wallace and Gromit as bakers picture

Nick Park said that he had been looking for someone suitable for a while now and heard her voice whilst driving down the motorway one day. As soon as he got back to his office he looked her up and obviously she accepted as soon as she was approached by Aardman.

Her unique voice will certainly bring something to the character, it gives us a good idea of the approach they will be taking with her, and it’s great to welcome Sally into the Wallace and Gromit family.

To see her at work on the improvising sketch show “Thank God you’re here!” follow this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLfiQJp7FIM

This should be something really special for everyone involved and as over 70 museums have already it’s set to be something really big.

It will take place during the Museums and Galleries Month (from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th May), and for more information you can visit www.mgm.org.uk

Her previous work includes playing the famous Shelley Unwin in Coronation Street and Tracy in one episode of Phoenix Nights, as well as appearing as herself in many, many interviews.

This is still to be confirmed officially, but the rumour originated on IMDB.

The exact reason for the change is not being given, but as the international sales team are apparently responsible for the change it is probably because it’s more language-barrier friendly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crufts2008/sets/72157604041835674/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1R_6QCz6A

The new merchandise was sold and, as I reported before, more bits will also be available later in the year. It is still to be confirmed as to whether they will be available online.

This will mean more publicity for Aardman and the duo, and lots of tie-in merchandise including mugs, fridge magnets, key rings and polo-shirts/fleeces. Other dog accessories with Gromit on will appear in shops later this year.

The Good Citizen Dog Scheme promotes good dog ownership, and almost 200,000 canine companions have already benefitted from the scheme, and more should now with the help of Gromit.

Sean Clarke, Head of Marketing and Licensing at Aardman said that: “Wallace and Gromit are a British Institution, and Gromit has become a much loved and iconic character, it was a natural next step for us to join forces with another British Institution of the Kennel Club as Gromit is the perfect fit for their Good Citizen Dog Scheme. Gromit epitomizes everything the Scheme stands for, well behaved, well trained dogs and is an example to all owners and dogs to achieve”.

This is brilliant news for Aardman, especially with the next film coming soon, and I think the Kennel Club have made the perfect choice in him.

It will probably sell better overseas, as it's a lot more of a 'normal' phrase, but it's a mouthful too, so I'll reserve judgment for now!

Remember though - 'Curse of the Were-rabbit' switched between that and 'The Great Vegetable Plot' a number of times during production, so it's not final.

Original article: Everything's go at Aardman studios, as Trouble at' Mill finally hits production! At the moment Peter Sallis is being recorded in London for his lines, even on his birthday! (see other article)

However, the Production Manager, 'Beeky', is apparently ill at the moment with Chicken Pox. Unexpected, but in true Aardman fashion everyone's just pushing on to keep to schedule.

More updates coming soon...

I've finished editing it, but I need to listen through it carefully and upload it, so it will be up in the early evening - hopefully before 7:00pm.

See you then!

It should definitely be worth it, so see you then…

He said that he had grown up with Thunderbirds and other Gerry Anderson shows, often playing it in the playground. He said that he always played ‘Scott Tracey’, pilot of Thunderbird 1, and when they played ‘Stingray’ he would always race to play the title role. He also admitted to harbouring a secret crush on mermaid-like beauty ‘Marina’ from ‘Stingray’, along with his brother.

Wallace and Gromit themselves were also in the show, with the classic launch clip from ‘A Close Shave’ shown as an example of a homage, the clip obviously having been inspired by the launch sequences in Thunderbirds.

Fans of Wallace and Gromit watching might also recognise the two stars of ‘Thunderbirds FAB’, the stage show, being interviewed, as they were also responsible for the ‘A Grand Night out with Wallace and Gromit’ stage show.

So a real treat for Wallace and Gromit fans as well as fans of the Thunderbirds puppets.

'Marina', the mermaid of Nick Parks dreams!...

Indeed this game is the brainchild of Mr Nick Park himself so, like his films, you can expect something a little different! In this case, it’s the design of the instruction booklet. Presented as a newspaper you read about the problems that the citizens of West Wallaby Street are encountering as sheep run amok among the area – staking out in different buildings.

It’s a good job the instruction booklet is appealing, as otherwise it could be a real turn-off. You need everyone who plays the game to listen to everything in the leaflet carefully as there are a lot of rules which seem unfamiliar at first – a game like this having never been released before. After reading the instructions you should have a fairly good idea of what to do, but keep them at hand because for at least the first few games as you’re going to need to keep referring to them!

For a test-run of the game I got everyone in the family involved – my younger sister, myself (teenager), my parents, and even my mid-eighties Grandmother! I’m pleased to say that we all found it easy to understand (at least, once we had the hang of it!) and everyone was in agreement that it’s a sure hit and a game that will see a lot of use over the Christmas period and beyond.

The game takes a little while to get going, as there’s not much to do until you get sheep onto the board, but after ten to fifteen minutes it all gets going and you’re ready to rustle! From then on a game can go on for as long as you want it to. They can last for hours, but if you bend the rules a little and remove a sheep hideout from the board the game can speed up radically.

Sheep can be taken from either the village green, or you can steel them from other players before you take them back to your ‘base’ where they are safe (obviously I won’t go into exactly how you do that here – it’s a lot more fun for you to discover yourself!)

These are, however, the biggest drawbacks that we found, and really all it means is that you have to concentrate, which is never a downside as it means your mind won’t wander!

Overall the attention to detail far outweighs any real faults. From the rules created to assist parents with energetic children (no blowing of the whistles unless the rules specify you must – otherwise you must forfeit a sheep!), to the detail of the board. Wallace and Gromit fans will have a lot of fun looking at the clever artwork – one example being the ‘Drop Off With Snoozy Choc’ poster from ‘The Wrong Trousers’. The figures you use to play are also so wonderful you just want to remove them from the box and display them!

The big twists that can change the whole course of a game are also welcome – the best being any sneaky production of an ‘anti-rustle card’ that will stop evil doers in their paths (caught me out twice!)

Overall then, is this an essential purchase or not? Simply put – yes.

This is so original, and has to be one of the most fun games ever produced. Both Wallace and Gromit hardcore fans and newbies will enjoy this game for hours and hours, no matter what age you are. Nick Park has again created something so simple and yet so fantastic that it goes to show just how much of a genius he truly is.

One final thing to take into account if you buy the game: The instructions don’t say this, but once you use a ‘sheep hideout card’ keep it somewhere other than the envelope, i.e. don’t pick it again later. It seems they are specifically designed for one use and the game won’t work otherwise. This won’t make sense if you haven’t played the game – but, if you do buy it, bear it in mind!

Sung by Vic Reeves, the person who sang the original theme tune to the show, 'Life's a Treat' is tipped to reach number 1 for Christmas, which would mean it had beat 'The X Factor' winner! This would truly be another feather in Aardmans bulging cap.

The CD contains a few bonus items, as well as the full music video to the song, so that's what I would suggest buying myself. I haven't had a chance to get mine quite yet, I was incredibly busy at the start off the week and ill (yes - again! It's a right pain!) towards the end, so couldn't go shopping.

Suffice to say, I'll be getting a copy as soon as possible and expect to hear more about it in the near future...

BUY NOW! Click the link on the right...

For interest’s sake, the top 10 were:

10 Wizard of Oz
9 Star Wars
8 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
7 Back to the future
6 The Lion King
5 Toy Story
4 Pirates of the Carribean
3 Mary Poppins
2 Shrek
1 ET

They beat strong competition from the likes of Laurel and Hardy (14%) and others such as Han Solo and Chewbacca!

We all know they deserve this title, so well done!

'Shaun the Sheep' sadly lost to 'The Secret Show' under Best Animation (crazy!), 'Flushed Away' lost to 'Happy Feet' under Best Feature Film, but Aardman itself won under 'Best Independent Production Company.'

It's also interesting to see who won Best Factual Programme - 'The Wrong Trainers', and I think we all know where the inspiration for that title came from!

Therefore congratulations to Aardman, but commiserations to both 'Shaun the Sheep' and 'Flushed Away'.

Peter, now 86, said that he hadn’t been expected anything but in the end had quite a chat with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II! According to him the Queen said that it must have been ‘great fun’ making the films and knew all about ‘Trouble At’ Mill’!

The Queen visited Aardman a number of years ago now to meet Nick Park and others, and Prince Charles is also well known to be a great fan of Wallace and Gromit.

Peter said of the whole event: ‘Wallace would have thought it a cracking good show!’

The projects has been brought into fruition through the Leonard Cheshire Disability Charity to raise awareness of how difficult it is to be disabled in a new, thought provoking, way.

When I visited Aardman earlier this year I saw some of this in filming and it looked brilliant back then. It is now available to view on www.creaturediscomforts.org - it’s well worth a look and is a great thing for Aardman to get involved with.

In the past this job has been performed by such important people as Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall, due to the fact that they live nearby, and Tetbury’s shops will be celebrating through a special Christmas evening.

With stalls, children’s rides, horse chestnut stands, and more, this really does remind one a lot of the Giant Vegetable Competitions!

Again, sorry, but obviously I couldn't control this!

Friday’s update was really exciting. We now have a competition up to win signed Shaun the Sheep goodies! Just go to the competitions page using the menu7 bar on the left of the page and read up how to enter. Make sure you don’t miss this amazing opportunity!

After the great reception of my Grand Day Out in-depth guide, I've made a Wrong Trousers in-depth guide!

Unfortunately at the moment the script isn't quite finished, but I'm 1/3 of the way through it and the rest is all done so you can enjoy it nonetheless!

You can find it at:

http://www.62westwallabystreet.co.uk/The%20Wrong%20Trousers.doc

For the moment, and over the weekend I'll put it up properly once it's all finished! Don't forget that I want your reviews to add to it as well!

Thanks, and hope you're still enjoying the birthday week,

Seb

See you then...

Seb

Yesterday we added all the latest news items (see the news page), and a new podcast episode!

Today (Tuesday) we've databased Issue 26 of Wallace and Gromit Comic, as well as the 5 short comics inside the issue. As you can see on the left we've changed the menu bar to make it easier to use, and our major update is...

THE GAMES PAGE! Yes, we now have Wallace and Gromit games up to play! So far it's a Wallace and Gromit Top Trumps game, and there's lots more coming soon!

So keep checking back, and don't forget to tell me what you think via.

Seb.

Since then loads has happened, not least our new connections with Aardman!

To celebrate a whole year of 62 West Wallaby Street, I'm going to have a special birthday week! Check back every day because there's going to be loads of content added, each day seeing lots more put up. Exactly what you'll see is a surprise, but whenever anything is added I'll put up a new news piece telling you and there's a birthday update table on the home page so you won't miss anything.

So the website is going to have it's best week yet, starting today with all the latest news added to the site and tonight you get a podcast.

What can you do? Well basically I want people to sign up for the forum and I'd like more feedback and items for the website and podcast. Signing up doesn't take a minute, and the forum is a lot of fun, and if you have any more time just writing or recording a review is a lot of help. You can send anything to me at (if you don't recieve a reply within 24 hours try sending it again or drop me a line through the contact page of the site as you may have been blocked!)

Thanks very much for all your support, keep checking back, not just this week but in the future too as this is the largest Wallace and Gromit website online!

Enjoy!

Seb

Nick Park himself has designed the game which has you racing around the board using beautiful counters modelled on stars from the first three 30 minute films.

As if that weren’t enough, Nick Park will be signing copies in person at the following venues:

Preston: (Venue TBA) on the 17th of November
London: Hamleys on the 24th of November
Bristol: Forbidden Planet on the 1st of December.

I’m getting a copy the second they hit England so you’ll have a full review from me then, but in the mean time just take a look at this fantastic picture released to advertise it, one of the best Wallace and Gromit pictures to ever be released in my opinion (click it for larger version):

BEST ANIMATION

CHARLIE AND LOLA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - Claudia Lloyd, Kitty Taylor (Tiger Aspect Productions/CBeebies/CBBC)
OBAN STAR RACERS - Michael Lekes, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel (Sav! The World Productions/Jetix)
THE SECRET SHOW - Christopher O'Hare, Tony Collingwood, Andrea Tran (Collingwood O'Hare Entertainment/CBeebies/CBBC)
SHAUN THE SHEEP - Julie Lockhart, Chris Sadler, Richard Goleszowski (Aardman Animations/CBeebies/CBBC)

BEST FEATURE FILM

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA - Hal Lieberman, Lauren Levine, David Paterson, Gabor Csupo (Walden Media/Icon Film Distribution)
FLUSHED AWAY - Production Team (Aardman Features/Dreamworks Animation/Paramount Pictures)
HAPPY FEET - George Miller, Ben Miller, Doug Mitchell (Kingdom Pictures/Warner Bros UK)
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX- David Heyman, David Barron, David Yates, Michael Goldenberg (Warner Bros Pictures UK/Heyday Films/Warner Bros UK)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION COMPANY OF THE YEAR

AARDMAN
THE FOUNDATION
TIGER ASPECT PRODUCTIONS
TWENTY TWENTY TELEVISION

Obviously there’s some stiff competition, but I have faith that Aardman could walk away happy on Sunday 25th November at the ceremony to be held in London.

The van was on ebay for 9 days, and finally reached a price of £7,400 to go to Wallace and Gromit’s Children Foundation. If only I had a little extra money, I would certainly have paid to own this one-of-a-kind piece of memorabilia.

The complete listing can be found here, but as ebay have a tendancy to remove them quickly, here’s the information anyway! (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=
160167215164&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006):

Nick Park Austin A35 Charity Auction
This beautiful van was restored for Wallace and Gromit Creator Nick Park and was the inspiration for the Anti–Pesto van used in Wallace and Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. It is being sold to raise money for the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Foundation, which supports children’s hospitals and hospices across the UK.

Quote from Nick: “I’ve always been a fan of Austins and this particular vehicle inspired me to come up with the Anti-Pesto van that was central to the plot and rehabilitation of the vegetable eating 'pests' in Curse of the Were-Rabbit." Says Nick " The van needed to be big enough to transport Wallace’s invention the Bunvac 2000 while at the same time slick enough to go on high speed chases after the formidable Were-Rabbit, and the Austin was a perfect match. Good luck to everyone who bids and all proceeds will be donated to the Wallace and Gromit's Children’s Foundation”.

The van was built in 1958 and was originally black, there are no records prior to 1983 other than the factory record certificate which was obtained in 2005 (which will be given away with the van). It does not have an MOT and has been garaged since restoration in 2005. Restoration of the van included a full re-spray and reconditioning of the original engine. Although most parts are original, lights have been replaced and sills have been repaired during this restoration. The van has pop out indicators. Please note that the rubbers on the wiper blades need replacing.

The van is sold as seen and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Although we have tried to give as much information and detail as possible we recommend that you view before you buy as we will not be able to issue refunds once the final sale price has been agreed. Viewings are available only on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10.00am and 4.00pm by appointment only and strictly no time wasters please, this van is being auctioned for charity and we want to get the best possible price, giving serious buyers a chance to view. Please call Ruth on 01454 85900 to arrange a viewing and to ask any questions.

If you are sucessful then the van must be collected, we will not be able to deliver or post.

Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation is a national charity raising funds to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. Serious illness is always distressing but in a child it is cruelly so as it steals away childhood itself. The Foundation funds an innovative range of projects to ensure children in hospitals and hospices have a better, brighter future. Please visit www.wallaceandgromitfoundation.org to find out more.

Payment by cheque or banker's draft only to Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation.

The bookies are tipping that Aardman could well fight off the winner of the X-Factor to get the coveted place as Christmas No.1 in this years music charts. Aardman are going to release a special single, Life’s a Treat, starring Shaun and friends in time for Christmas alongside a £200,000 video.

I’ll certainly get hold of a copy when it’s released, and I hope the rest of the users do too. Watch this space and
I’ll tell you the moment you can buy it and we can all do our bit to help Aardman get yet another feather in their overfilled cap!

We could very well be hearing that soon as Timmy the adorable lamb who has captured so many hearts after appearing in Shaun the Sheep appears on our screen in his own show.

There will we 52 episodes, each of 10 minutes length, and the show has already been bought by Cbeebies, with hopes for other channels buying it soon. It’s still early in pre-production but we should see it around 2009.

The basic idea for the show is, as with Shaun the Sheep, there will be no speech and each episode shows us a day of Timmy at his nursery. It’s going to be quite ‘morale based’ apparently, as he learns from and about his various friends at the nursery.

So good or bad? Personally, I can’t wait! Timmy has to be one of the best things that has come out of ‘Shaun the Sheep’ and for him to gain his own show shows how popular he is. Aiming it at smaller children could mean that it becomes less of a family show as it will have to be even simpler, but I have faith in Aardman that they will pull of something for all the family.

2009? Can’t come quick enough! I just hope that Aardman haven’t got too much on the plate with 4 (possibly 5) feature films, a new Wallace and Gromit film, another series of Shaun to be aired late next year and now this, as well as many other smaller projects! Again though, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt!

I managed to get hold of 4 articles from national newspapers, and one from my local paper.

The Guardian produced a neat looking article mainly focusing on the fact that they won’t be making another feature film rather than the actual story of Trouble at’ Mill. A very nice picture of the duo accompanied it. Another fairly large article was presented to us via. The Independent, who had a black and white picture of the two to draw peoples attention to the article, which mainly focused on the plot outline.

Small articles were presented in both The Times (accompanied by the publicity sketch of Wallace and Piella cuddling) and the Daily Mail (with small images of the duos head at the top of the rectangular article. However the Daily Mail did print the story on their third page – whereas the Times’ article was buried deep inside.

The best story however has to come from my local paper – The Western Daily Press. As I live near Bristol the paper always reports on Aardman stories, and this was no exception. The article was nearly a page large and had loads of the publicity pictures with it. Three paragraphs outlined the plot, went into a bit more detail, and then talked about the way in which it is being produced and the fact that it is not another feature film.

I was a little surprised by how small the articles were overall though, and how they weren’t big stories, especially after how big a deal was made of the split with DreamWorks. Still, at least it made the major newspapers.

The papers weren’t quick enough to get the story in today, but the BBC have already released an article on it – a picture link to the story was actually on the home page this morning!

So what more do we know now? Well Piella was the correct spelling according to BBC, and her last name has been put as ‘Bakewell’. From pictures released (see below) can we presume that Wallace gets closer to her than he has ever achieved with a woman before?

As an extra to the plot, as well as running the local bakery Wallace and Gromit are troubled to find that other local bakers are starting to disappear in mysterious circumstances…

As to the production side, filming actually starts in January and should take seven or eight months – which is the fastest that they have ever worked! Don’t worry though; the release date is still set as late 2008. Nick Park has been quoted as saying of the production that:

"The story takes Wallace and Gromit in a direction we haven't seen before - both emotionally and technically."

So I’d already identified the emotionally part, but the technical side is what really interests me. What could this mean? The image of Wallace and Piella on a gondola is particularly interesting – could they be animating the water frame by frame, or will they use the method I think would have worked for Flushed Away and use CGI water with plasticine models? On the other hand, this picture might not actually mean anything and might just be a doodle!

A slight blot on the announcement was brought up after Nick commented:

“It's nice to be out of that feature film pressure now. I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America - and being told they're not going to understand a joke, or a northern saying.”

Now Nick Park is not a nasty guy by any means at all, so I’m sure he didn’t mean this in a derogatory way, but some people have taken offence to this. They’re not angry with him, they know he doesn’t mean to offend them, but some are admittedly quite annoyed.

Still, this film is shaping up to be a superb one and I just hope it can retain that magic from all the others. They’ve never slipped up before though, so I’m hopeful that they won’t now.

A special news bulletin podcast will be coming out tonight with everything in it.

OUR SPOILER POLICY: Now that this new film is being talked about, I thought it was time to implement a spoiler policy. I will openly report on any official release or information given by Aardman/BBC, but rumour will be presented in such a way that you need not worry if you don’t want to hear too much. If you don’t want to know anything more than official talks, please avoid our ‘Trouble at’ Mill’ area on the forum, as this is going to be an open to talk area. Apart from that, you should be fine!

Pictures from bbc.co.uk

Nick Park took a break from work to finally give away secrets about the next Wallace and Gromit film. Here's the basic outline:

TITLE: Trouble at' Mill
WHAT: 30 minute short for the BBC
WRITTEN BY: Nick Park and Bob Baker
BASIC STORYLINE: Wallace and Gromit have built a windmill on the top of 62 West Wallaby Street, and now run a door-to-door delivery service of bread for their new bakery business - 'Top Bun'
LOVE OF WALLACE'S LIFE: Piella [spelling?!] (who rides her bike in the morning)
OUT: Late next year

So, sounds incredibly exciting, eh! You can see the full interview from which this info. was drawn here: http://www.wallaceandgromit.com/forum/view/9

A few pointers for you:

* Just as a reminder, Bob Baker worked on both The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave as a sort of 'gag inputter', and his work was thanked through the naming of the shop next to Wendolene's Wools as 'Bob the Baker'.

* Notice the limited edition Dalek in Nick's window (and they're not cheap!) during the interview. Either Nick is into Doctor Who, or it's a reference to Bob Baker who famously worked on the series during the late 60s/early 70s, writing several scripts and inventing the character of K9!

* Nick Park has obviously not yet entered the world of 'blogging', but I doubt he will ever forget what it is now! He gets top marks for trying again though - you wouldn't have know if they hadn't kept it in!

* If you're careful, you'll notice that when Nick makes the mistake about the blog, he wipes his nose in exactly the same way as Wallace does - a habit I'm ashamed to say that I have picked up from watching the films so many times!!

...So where to find out more... Well, as he eventually said, a new blog is being opened on the Wallace and Gromit site with up to date information on the next film, so keep checking www.wallaceandgromit.com for that, but this site will also be a great place to check.
With my regular updates, a personal point of view on things, and with a weekly podcast, this should be host a different take on the leadup to the movie. Don't forget - I've now got close connections with Aardman, so will have lots of exclusive information and content hopefully too!
I advise that you sign up on the forum to always be at the very front of the Wallace and Gromit news.

So, take a breath, calm down, and lets get ready for another incredible film! I simply can't wait!

“Thousands of people flooded into the gardens, looking at the attractions as they went. On show was the wonderful Shaun the Sheep Land Rover, with a life-sized posable Shaun attached so you could have your picture taken with him!

As you moved deeper into the gardens there was a ‘PicKnit’ stall, publicising the work of the Shaun the Sheep PicKnit Challenge – where groups of knitters from all ages and all abilities have been knitting a life-size picnic. On show were some examples of what to make, including some beautiful sandwiches and a nice bottle of bubbly! Overseeing the whole stall was a life-sized knitted Shaun the Sheep, which received a lot of attention from all ages of fans.

Deeper still into the gardens took you to the Aardman stall, where there were many Aardman models on show, including the ‘His Master’s Voice’ Gromit statuette recently used as a logo for HMV. Aardman had also set up a challenge whereby people could take packs of plasticine and try to create their own models. Actual Aardman model makers then judged them and picked the best from three age groups.

The main ‘hub’ for the evening was the large grassy area below their giant outdoor screen. Here, visitors were invited to set up a picnic of their own and have a bite of food before the main attraction. I had stopped off on the way and stocked up on my cheese supplies again, so enjoyed some official Wallace and Gromit Wensleydale with my Jacob’s crackers.

Finally, at 7:30pm, the main attractions started. The big screen was turned on and we were treated to a special Shaun the Sheep episode – ‘Save the Tree’. This very cute episode showed the sheep trying their best to stop the Farmer from chopping down their favourite tree. It was a very special episode as well, because for the first time we saw the Farmer as a child – something that touched the hearts of many visitors. Shaun was followed by highlights of the new Creature Comforts USA – never before seen in this country!

Finally the real moment of the night started and they played through the entire ‘Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ on the big screen. Having seen it over 50 times but only once before on a big screen, this was a very special opportunity for me.

By the end, as most visitors had sat on the floor to view the movie, everyone’s bones were badly aching, but we had a 5 minute short break to stretch ourselves, and for families with younger children to leave, before they showed the new Aardman film, ‘The Pearce Sisters’. This disturbing, but visually fascinating film showed two spinster sisters and the life they lead.

Overall this night was a real treat for all involved, and I certainly had the impression that everyone had enjoyed themselves. People from all ages went; families, couples, and even fans on their own! It was a real testament to just how universal Wallace and Gromit have become.

I hope to see more of these in the future, and the attendance that it got really made me think that a Wallace and Gromit Convention would go down very well. Who knows what the future could hold…”

SEE PICTURES FROM THE EVENT:

However, over the weekend I managed to get them both finished and up. You can now listen to the interview as audio, and listen to episode 21 of the Cracking Podcast - with a main feature on the Wallace and Gromit evening. A full article on the Wallace and Gromit evening will be put up on this website tonight, along with lots of pictures of the event.

If you have ever wondered what I look like, now's your chance to see! Whilst you can hear my interview as adudio on the podcast feed, you can also view the video via. Aardman's website - http://shaunthesheep.com/clips/interview

I'll be uploading full detailes of Wallace and Gromit Comic Issue 26 shortly, as well as podcast pages on the latest three. So keep an eye out for them!

I'd also just like to again thank Aardman for all they did with the interview, please do visit them at www.wallaceandgromit.com or www.shaunthesheep.com - both superb official sites!

Firstly I had a little look at their work at the moment, and it was another sure hit! It's basically Creature Comforts, but with the animals being disabled and talking about that instead. Walking back to the main room I got to see some original artwork for Shaun the Sheep, and as we walked down the corridor we were passed by the one and only Dave Sproxton, now that was a weird moment just to see him pass by so normally!

In our base of action for the day - studio 2 - I was lucky enough to be given a number of items, many of which you will see in competitions in the coming weeks... Then the big moment came and I said hello to Richard 'Golly' Goleszowski. For those not in the know he's in the 'big five' of Aardman in my opinion (Peter Lord, Dave Sproxton, Nick Park, Richard Goleszowski, and Steve Box). He was Aardman's first employee and has since directed Creature Comforts, a number of other shows, and the wonderful Shaun the Sheep. We then started our interview, which I feel went well, although we were both a little nervous to be honest! Afterwards he signed a few items (again, watch out for those competitions!) and we had a bit of a chat just about Aardman together.

He wouldn't tell me anything about the next Wallace and Gromit film, but he said one thing that certainly seems important. Bread apparently plays a large part in the film, as opposed to cheese...?! We should apparently expect a big press release soon. Another piece of gossip he passed on is that they are already starting on the next two series of Shaun the Sheep, another 40 episodes, to be shown next Autumn. Apparently they have had over 600 scripts submitted!

So that was my big afternoon! If anyone from Aardman is reading, thankyou so much. I had a really fantastic time and everyone was so pleasant and friendly.

I hope to visit again soon!

SO WHEN DO YOU GET THE INTERVIEW?! Watch out for it coming later this week, or at least before next Monday! It's going to be in both audio (on my podcast feed) and video (my website and theirs). So finally you can see what I look like!

I'll be releasing a special episode tomorrow basically covering these events.

DISCUSS IN THE FORUM! - click

Nick Park is working on the designs himself, but they do need £100,000 for it. The council, Aardman Animations and developers Grosvenor Ltd have already donated some money - the rest is hoped to be given by private sponsors.

All going to plan the statue should be up by the end of 2008.

DISCUSS NOW in the forum

Basically knitters everywhere are being asked to knit things to create a life-sized picnic. This could be food, could be a Frisbee, it could even be a beach ball, but it’s all going together to make a marvellous exhibition. The completed Life-Size PicKnit, with a life-size knitted Shaun the Sheep in the midst of the knitted mayhem, will be exhibited at the ICHF Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts shows in Autumn 2008 and Spring 2009.

They want knitting groups, shops, anything to have special PicKnit days and knit lots in a group whilst raising funds for the Wallace and Gromit Children’s Foundation too!

Courtesy of http://www.bhkc.co.uk here are a few downloads to help you:

Click here for hints and tips on how to plan your event

Click here for details of where to send the money you have raised

Click here for ideas of what to knit

Click here for patterns of sandwiches and cakes

Click here for address of where to send knitted items

Click here to print off poster for you to use

Click here to see photos of 'Shaun The Sheep's PicKnit Challenge'

Chat about it in the forum

I really hope they are planning to repeat them all over a weekend soon though, as I just never get to see them otherwise.

Chat about it in the forum

Chat about it in the forum

The cartoon, aimed at seven to 11-year-olds, is populated with bizarre characters such as a depressed ham and a mad scientist called Eggs Benedict. An Aardman spokesman said that work on the series was expected to start in the next few months. The little j character will share the boundless enthusiasm of the real Oliver. In the series, the character is “easily distracted from his mission to become a great chef by his own infectious enthusiasm and by his friends who just want to have fun”.

The 52 cartoons, each at around 11 minutes long, are being made in collaboration with Aardman Animations and Jamie Oliver’s production company Fresh One Productions.

Speaking about the project, the chef said: “I can’t tell you how passionate I am about kids and food. I really want to pass on a little knowledge in a fun way, to really connect to the younger kids, so teaming up with the incredible Aardman Animations to produce little j was an absolute must.”

The cartoon’s executive producer, Aardman’s Miles Bullough, said: “We were thrilled when Jamie approached us to collaborate on an animated project. We quickly agreed that we needed to make a show that was first and foremost a comedy which would hopefully inspire kids to think positively about good food, even Brussels sprouts.”

The Aardman team, who introduced the world to the now much-loved duo Wallace and Gromit, have won a total of four Academy Awards.

Chat about it in the forum

Chat about it in the forum

There will be a chance to see ‘Wallace and Gromit’ in person, you can see the Shaun the Sheep truck, there are some displays and activities, and a big “PicKnit”. (for more, see later news).

On the big outdoor screen which Bristol Zoo have they are also going to show a new Shaun the Sheep film about the environment, highlights from the US version of Creature Comforts, a showing of Aardman’s new film ‘The Pearce Sisters’, and a showing of ‘Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-rabbit’.

As if that wasn’t enough I’m also going to be there interviewing fans about the event and their love for Wallace and Gromit!

Tickets went on sale on Friday 31st August on ‘0117 974 7307’.

See you there!

Chat about it in the forum

This is basically a shop I've set up which lists all the best Wallace and Gromit/Aardman things which Amazon has to offer for you to easily browse and buy direct from Amazon. I'll keep it updated so you can easily use it to get whatever you need!

Please don't feel you have to use my shop area, but if you buy something through it I get a small amount of money to help out with funds and to keep the website going, so I'd be really happy if you felt that you could.

You'll also start to see little links popping up on some pages so that when you're looking at a book, CD, comic, etc. review on this site you can just press a button and buy it from Amazon in a flash!

If there's anything you think should be on there that's avaliable though Amazon do drop me an email/PM and I'll include it!

Thanks very much! PLEASE NOTE: This is done through amazon.co.uk, so do keep that in mind.

The Corner Shop

GO DIRECT TO FORUM DISCUSSION

The official site has undergone a huge transformation recently and I've now become part of the 'West Wallaby Street Watch'.

This is a club which can be joined only by being invited and means I am now working hand in hand with Aardman. They're going to keep me up to date with everything, and apparently this will start in September with a big piece of information about the new film!

I'm honoured to join it and to have been the first to be invited to join. I also really advise you to go to the official website (www.wallaceandgromit.com) and sign up, it's great!

Enjoy,

Seb

GO DIRECT TO FORUM DISCUSSION

You'll have noticed the banner at the top, you can click the characters for instant links to their biographies! I've also added lots of new links on the left hand menu. Rather than me telling you about them all, explore for youself and find out!

If you find a problem with the site, a broken link or mistake etc, you can email me at On the other hand, you might just want to email me your positive comments if you feel happy!

The forum's going really well, so sign up there too and join our interesting discussions!

If you want to add to the site yourself, and I'd be pleased for you to do so, you can write your own reviews. Any titles of books etc. which are not underlined are not owned by me, so I'd be especially pleased with these! Any which are not here at all would also be great! Just fill in a page as I have done with everything else!

Basically the website's changed a lot, though perhaps not on first sight. Explore and enjoy, and don't forget to give me comments. I don't mind how critical, I've made this to interest you and if you want something changed to aid in this, well just tell me!

Thanks very much,

Seb

p.s. I'll put out a podcast fairly soon outlining the future of the podcast/site. I'm taking a break for the next few days, I've done nothing but the site for weeks now, even when I was on holiday, but I'll still be back soon! See you then!

This will take time though, so over the next few weeks I'll be writing them. When I've finished I'll upload them all over a day!

So just hang on - it's coming soon!

p.s. I'm going to need some help too! I've got most books etc., but if you have any of the following and would like to review them for me, I'd be really pleased!

*Anoraknophobia
*Crackers in Space
*Caravan of terror
*The Annual 2006
*Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit - Press-out and Play Book
*Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit - Activity Book
*Wallace & Gromit Ultimate Sticker Book (Curse of the Wererabbit)
*Wallace and Gromit's Highway Code
*Wallace and Gromit’s Christmas Crackers
*Wallace and Gromit Funfax
*Feng Shaun
*Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers - Storyboard Collection
*Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave - Storyboard Collection

Thanks!

We are producing them as the films came out, so a Grand Day Out is first. To view it, click 'The Cellar' on the left-hand menu, and then click 'in-depth guide'.

To add anything to the guide, please contact me! I would also love comments and feedback on it! Thanks.

If you would like to place an order please provide your full name, address and payment details. Payment can be made by credit card, quoting your card number and expiry date, or by sterling cheque made payable to Titan Publishing Group Ltd , sent to the address detailed below.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to fax them your details you are welcome to do so on +44 1795 414555 or by telephone on +44 1795 414 988

If your order is a gift, they will also require the recipients full name and address.

Wallace and Gromit
P O Box 326
Sittingbourne
Kent
ME9 8FA

If you live elsewhere and want the comic, contact Titan from their website - http://www.titanmagazines.co.uk/

Trust me, it's very good! (if you want to see the type of content from the comic, I reccomend the Wallace and Gromit Annual 2007!)

Make sure that you go into the forum and have a chat about what you liked/disliked about the show! Alternativley, send me an email at and tell me what you thought!

Next episode is going to be a big main feature on all three films and how the affected each other!

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy it!

Make sure that you go into the forum and have a chat about what you liked/disliked about the show! Alternativley, send me an email at and tell me what you thought!

The next edition is going to be on Chicken Run, so make sure you go to the forum and give your thoughts on that as well. You'll find it under 'Aardman Films'!

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy i