This very entertaining animated video follows a monotonous day in the life of Lucky, an Indian taxi driver, and his experiences with all his different passengers. We follow Lucky on his quest to earn enough money to buy the air-conditioned taxi of his dreams. Will he make it?

Amazing how the subtle lift of any eyebrow or the frowning of a mouth on these clay characters can say everything without any words. And you gotta love Lucky's cute little son.

It's amazing how much tedious work -- being passed back and forth across the oceans -- must have gone into this piece, which was a creative collaboration between animators in India and in Northern Ireland. Watch the end credits and you'll see the evidence of this, as the Irish and Indian names fade up.

This is one to watch and to return to often to replay to catch every nuance. Enjoy.

Unfortunately the video embed is disabled on this one. View it here on YouTube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRwAojLnA6A

From YouTube.com user: flickerpixanimations

Labels: aitkins, animated, claymation, flickerpixanimations, indiana jones, taxi

From YouTube.com user: flickerpixanimations

Flickerpix’s Web site (www.flickerpix.com) states, “We place a particular emphasis on creating endearing and memorable characters with universal appeal.” After watching their many videos on YouTube, I would say they succeed.

While you don’t find over-the-top exciting action or intricate, dramatic plots, you can’t help but be amused and entertained by their eccentric characters and the quirky dialogue. And I always find it fascinating to watch popular shows from other countries — kind of a window into a different culture. Flickerpix's work is worth watching on many different levels.

Flickerpixanimations is a top-tier puppetry and animation studio started in 1999 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. These professionals produce high quality TV series and short animated films using clay models that are manipulated and meticulously photographed.

“On the Air” is a ten-part animated series that was done for the BBC. It recreates actual dialogue from callers to a BBC radio show. The host of “On the Air” is the dapper, irreverent, tippling Gerry Anderson. The callers tend to be salt-of-the-earth types with oddball problems for which they are seeking answers.

Episode 1 (above) features a “phone-in” from a farmer with two she-goats that he wants to breed. The caller’s Irish accent is so thick that some words go right past my American ears. The host advises him that you can tell when a she-goat is ready to mate because they “waggle their arse … not too different from a woman.” He then puts the caller in touch with a man who has a stud billy goat.

Episode 3 (below) features a woman calling to thank an earlier caller who had advised her that she could remedy a smelly septic tank by putting something dead in it. She says she got a dead fox by the side of the road, put it in the tank, and now “it smells like roses.”


Another series of clips, “The Hugo Mellon Show,” (below) features a TV talk show with celebrity guests, including Kelly Osbourne, Mick Jagger, and Marilyn Manson. “Watch Ireland's meanest chat show host mercilessly interrogating today’s rock gods and goddesses...” says the lead.

In one episode the host wants to argue with Marilyn Manson about what kind of hat he is wearing. Marilyn finally says, “It’s a bowler hat. Let’s move on.” Hugo replies indignantly, “So it’s Marilyn Manson moving the Hugo Mellon show on now, is it.… It’s no use grimacing at me and expecting me to be afeared, sonny. I’ve dealt with your kind before.”

The characters may be clay puppets but the tension is so real I felt myself tightening up and getting uncomfortable. The episode ends when Hugo mentions Marilyn’s sexuality; Marilyn says “I’ll answer you honestly,” whereupon Hugo abruptly ends the show, leaving the audience hanging.

From YouTube.com user: flickerpixanimations

Labels: flickerpixanimations, Gerry Anderson, Hugo Mellon, Jeff Van Pelt, Marilyn Manson, TV