A film that uses a mixture of live action and animation directed by Carl Harrison and Dave Brunskill that tells of the County Durham legend of 'The Lambton Worm'. Filmed at Rising Sun Countryside Park at Benton, Newcastle pupils of Waterville Primary School play as villagers in a small early-English village. A travelling minstrel (Sally Ann Arthur) arrives and sings a song about the worm. The film intercuts the children dancing around the village with an early computer animation...

A film that uses a mixture of live action and animation directed by Carl Harrison and Dave Brunskill that tells of the County Durham legend of 'The Lambton Worm'. Filmed at Rising Sun Countryside Park at Benton, Newcastle pupils of Waterville Primary School play as villagers in a small early-English village. A travelling minstrel (Sally Ann Arthur) arrives and sings a song about the worm. The film intercuts the children dancing around the village with an early computer animation telling the story of the Lambton Worm. Song performed by 'The Icing Bus'. Title: Countdown Clock Village East Studio Ryton Upon Tyne Mad Animhatter Productions The Lambton Worm Title: Mad Animhatter Productions Title: The Lambton Worm The film begins in an early village settlement as two girls play a clapping game in one of the thatched huts. Outside two other girls make brooms out of twigs. An iron pot, presumably cooking food hangs over an open fire as others at the village go about their work. Two girls play a counter game where the wooden counters are placed in one of four compartments in two separate trays. Meanwhile work continues with two villagers putting up a wooden framed structure, others tend to the fire. Short sequences of film interspersed with views of village life show a lone figure walking through woods. Work continues in the village include the making of bread while two girls amuse themselves by dropping stones down a well. Suddenly something grabs the attention of all the villagers. A minstrel has arrived and beckons the villagers to gather round and listen to a song. The minstrel starts to sing and the villagers begin to dance. The animated part of the film tells the story of the Lambton Worm as the minstrel sings. The film cuts back from time to time to the dancing villagers’ The song slows and reaches a serious section, and the villagers move closer to the minstrel as she continues the story, followed by a return to the animated sequence. The song becomes upbeat again and the villagers resume dancing. The front page of a newspaper appears as part of the animated sequence. The newspaper is called The Palestine Gazette’ and dated Thursday September 21, 1000 A.D. A headline over the picture of the woman and a victim reads, ‘Big Worm Terrorizes Village’. The worm chases its victim off the page. The animated story continues as the worm is defeated and killed. The villagers continue their dance, the film cuts back to the animation and then back to the village again. The villagers dance as they follow the minstrel out of the village and into the woods. In an empty village spurts of water appear from the well. The now solitary minstrel wanders through the wood and disappears into thin air ending the film. Credit: The Lambton Worm A Mad Animhatter Production Made In Collaboration With Pearl Buglass and the Children of Waterville Primary School Credits: Performance Minstrel – Sally Ann Arthur Villagers Victoria Evans, Clair Stephenson, Cheryl Strong, Melanie Townsley Adrian McQueen, Kirsty Batson, Michaela Office, Lyndsey Nesbitt, Kayleigh Johnson, Kerry King, Tony Stonebanks, Amanda Stewart, Paul Watson, Vicky Cooper, Gemma Millsip. Animation Andrew Adair, Neil Walker, Stephen Scott, Ross Manning, Paul Watson, Mark Mullender, Michelle Spring, Richard Hindson, Gary Gallon, Christopher Ellis, Tony Fan, Brian Wales, Colin Davis, Vicky Brennan Assistant Animators Dave Brunskill, Nick Daniel, Sean Topham, Carly Harrison, Sally Ann Arthur Music ‘The Lambton Worm, by The Icing Bus Lead Vocal – Sharon Pedlow Tin Whistle – Cath Hough Banjo – Mike Ratcliffe Fiddle – Peter Gear Accordion & Piano – Damon Bridge Rhythm Guitar – Colin Cairn Double Bass – Graham Anderson Music Backing Vocals Joanne Mileham, Tony Stonebanks, Lyndsey Nesbitt, Sarah Lee, Dean Brunton, Gemma Millsip, Stacey Strong Special thanks to – Margaret Clarke Producers – Ian McKie & Dave Brunskill Engineers – Ian McKie & Bill Sharp Assistants – Neil White, Fraser Fortune Studios – John Marley Centre & Studio 2 Additional Music - Courtesy Trackline & AVP Storyboard- Carl Harrison Camera, Sound, Edit – Dave Brunskill Lab – Colour Film Services Production Assistance Sally Ann Arthur, Nick Daniel, Sean Topham, Paul Marshall, Linda Austin, Denis Office Animation, Characters and Costume Designs by the Children of Waterville Primary Set Design & Props Mick Sims, Timo Thompson, Nick Daniel Filmed on Location at The Rising Sun Countryside Park Directed by Carl Harrison & Dave Brunskill Produced by Dave Brunskill Mad Animhatter Productions Village East Studio 1996 Special Thanks to All Children, Parents, Staff and Students at Waterville Primary School All Staff & Volunteers at the Rising Sun Country Park Sheila Graber, Scott Tyrell, Northern Arts, North Tyneside City Challenge Cinema 100