The True Story of Sawney Beane
10’38”, 2005
In 16th-century Scotland, young Sawney Beane yearns to itch and scratch and buccaneer. So he bids farewell to his parents and their life of honest toil. Forty years on, Mr. Beane croaks his dying wish to Betty, his wife. “Go and find our lost son.” And so Betty strikes off on her quest across the land, with the family savings in a hankie and a secret suspicion in her heart. The True Story of Sawney Beane reveals what really happened to the infamous Scottish cannibal. Not only was he the vilest felon in the kingdom of King James VI, he was also a son, beloved of Betty.
Technique
The True Story of Sawney Beane was painted on Somerset Satin printmaking paper cut down to A6 size. The image itself was drawn using charcoal and watercolour; each frame was captured with a Digital SLR camera, Elizabeth then erased and redrew the next frame. The individual frames were then assembled in After Effects. Elizabeth animated the film at the National Film Board of Canada in the Caroline Leaf Studio.
Credits
Script, Direction and Animation: Elizabeth Hobbs
Musical score: Normand Roger
Narration: Sheila Donald
Story and picture edit: Mark Jenkins
Co-produced by Michael Fukushima for The National Film Board of Canada and Katja Anderson for Red Kite Productions.
Awards and Selected Festivals
Winner of The McLaren award, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2005.
Winner of the Cineplex Odeon award for best short film at the Victoria Independent Film Festival 2005
Centaur Prize for Best Animation at the Message to Man festival in St Petersburg.
Nominated for a Scottish BAFTA in 2005
Short-listed for the 15th Kodak/BAFTA short film showcase in 2006.
24 Film Festival Screenings worldwide including:
Annecy International Animation Festival 2005
Animafest Zagreb, 2006
Ottawa Internacional Animation Festival, 2006
30th Toronto International Film Festival, 2005