Joy Batchelor Centenary, 6th May 2014

Vivien Halas
Vivien Halas holding her parents’ illustrated edition of Animal Farm the book, which is being reprinted in 2015. Stan Hayward, who wrote several scripts for Halas & Batchelor shorts, sits behind her.

Regular London Animation Club guest Vivien Halas came to present a selection of short films by her mother, Joy Batchelor, who was born almost exactly a hundred years before (12th May 2014). Joy is best remembered today for co-directing the 1954 film of Animal farm with her husband John Halas, but this hardly does her justice.

Our event was just one of many Joy Batchelor events in her centenary year and was preceded on 13th April by a screening at the Barbican, followed by the launch of the book A Moving Image – Joy Batchelor 1914-91: Artist, Writer and Animator (see photo below).

04-2014-Joy-Batchelor-a
The book launch at the Barbican, 13th April 2014. Vivien Halas and Jim Walker (back row); Brian Sibley, Clare Kitson and Jez Stewart (front row).

Our London Animation Club event was a rather more intimate do than the Barbican one. Vivien made the point that even when working almost entirely on works for clients, it is still possible to produce works of genuine artistic merit.

You can see a video of Vivien’s talk here:

For more information, see http://www.halasandbatchelor.co.uk/.