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ANIMATION
“Leo Crane’s hand-painted animations feature highly expressive nude motifs and images of transfiguration and escape, evoking a sense of transformation and liberation.”
Leo’s animations combine traditional fine art media with expert digital training. He has made films in watercolour, pastels, and charcoal, as well as born-digital films in 2D and 3D.
He graduated with an MA (Distinction) from the National Centre of Computer Animation, Bournemouth University, UK, and completed the Open Residency and Ani:Dox Lab programmes at the Animation Workshop, VIA University, Denmark. His animations are produced at Figuration, the London studio he co-founded with Roy Joseph Butler in 2016.
When a celebrated artist paints a daughter for his wife, he inadvertently puts them on a collision course with the powerful Shogun.
Based on a story by Betsy Misheiker
Directed by Ilona Suchitzky & Leo Crane
Writer: Roy Joseph Butler
Producer: Leo Crane / Figuration
UK | 30 mins | 2023 (in development)
A mini-opera exploring sexuality and conflict based on Bizet’s Carmen.
Director: Leo Crane
Musical arrangement: Zachary Whitney
Vocals: Merav Eldan
Featuring: Roy Joseph Butler
An Electrifying Opera/Figuration co-production
UK/Israel | 4 mins | 2022
This piece is inspired by our own epic narratives, from journeying across continents for a better life to journeying within ourselves to find our truth. As we face the unpredictability of what lies ahead, we can learn that every experience is a step closer to understanding our destinations or destinies, our own Ithakas.
Director: Leo Crane
Music: Zachary Whitney
UK | 90s looped | 2021
Jay is trapped in the relentless City until he is forced to confront his relationship with Time and himself.
Director: Leo Crane
Writer: Roy Joseph Butler
Producer: Animate Projects
Exec Producer: Celia Atkin
UK | 8 mins | 2020
Step into the sensational world of the Starkers Academy, where life models are made on the cabaret stage.
Director: Angelika Winnett
Producers: Leo Crane / Roy Joseph Butler
UK | 6.5 mins | 2020
An Untold Tale of abandonment and dreams
Director: Leo Crane
Producer: Abigail Addison / Animate Projects
UK | 1 min | 2018
Annie’s day at The Library starts like any other, but the intriguing man who takes the seat opposite her encourages her thoughts to stray. This animation for the London Library pits library etiquette against carnal desires.
Writer/Director: Leo Crane
Produced at the National Centre for Computer Animation, Bournemouth University
UK | 4 mins | 2012
Stanley Spencer is one of the most distinctive British painters, fusing together religion and sexuality, work and leisure, nature and industry, in richly detailed paintings of everyday life. As Spencer himself put it: "I am on the side of angels and dirt".
Writer/Director/Producer: Leo Crane
Commissioned by The Hepworth Wakefield
Exec Producer: Celia Atkin
UK | 2.5 mins | 2016
14 Queer animators celebrate their LGBTQ+ heroes in an exquisite corpse animation made during the 2020 quarantine.
Producer: Kate Jessop
Animators: Dan Parry, Lily Ash Sakula, Kate Jessop, Robert Duncan, Rosanna Wan, Sam Gurry, Daniel Murtha, Leo Crane, Laura Jane Hodkin, Terry Wragg, Gemma Green Hope, Ada Guvenir, David Delafuente, Cheng-Hsu Chung
UK | 5 mins | 2020
Social satire from the multi-award-winning comedy series Tales from Pussy Willow, featuring vogueing karate and a killer pink feather boa.
Writer/Director: Kate Jessop
Animator: Leo Crane
UK | 2 mins | 2019
Uniting diverse voices of poetry in a journey of exploration and discovery for National Poetry Day 2013. With accompanying downloadable resources for schools.
Director/Producer: Leo Crane
Music: Andrew Hayes
Producer: Forward Arts Foundation
UK | 1.5 mins | 2013
It is here, on this connected Earth, that we re-discovered peace. A youthful Gaia recounts the struggle and determination that made this possible.
Director: Leo Crane
Writer: Maya Williams
Producer: Business Plan for Peace
UK | 3 mins | 2020
A digital exploration under the richly textured skin of an ancient art form by Leo Crane and Jonathan Armour featuring Roy Joseph Butler.
UK | 1 min (looped) | 2015