Profile: New Zealand Animation Director & Illustrator Ned Wenlock

				Animation Director & Illustrator Ned Wenlock creates intricate animated films and illustrations from his home in Paekakariki, “a small seaside village about an hour’s drive out of Wellington, New Zealand.” After ten years as a graphic designer, he turned his attention to directing animation for music videos, short films, and commercials. His videos for MGMT’s “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” and Danger Beach’s “Apache,” which use mixed media to create detailed, stylized worlds to match their musical inspirations, brought him quite a bit of attention recently. Ned joined us to discuss his animation, somewhat unexpected inspirations, and dream projects.
	BEING AN ARTIST IS…?			…making work free from commercial concerns
	WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?			Outside of commercial work, I’m developing a short animated film; it will be a dystopian sci-fi epic with a running time of 3 minutes.
				(“All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” - MGMT)
	WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK?			There is a scene in the film Superman III where the Richard Prior character takes all these random bits of paper (napkins, receipts etc) from his pocket and assembles them on a table. They each have doodles on them and together they make up his design for a supercomputer. The mundane and the extraordinary side by side, that’s what inspires me.
	OF WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU MOST PROUD?			I think the Apache video I made for Danger Beach will be hard to top. Everything I’d been thinking about or been experimenting with for some time came together like it was meant to be. It was also the first time that I applied the abstract principle of breaking something to make it live. Working towards perfection is boring; if it feels too polished break it. The results exceeded my expectations.
				(“Apache” - Danger Beach)
	WHAT IS YOUR DREAM PROJECT?			I would like to make a film title one day. I grew up loving the titles for James Bond and the Pink Panther, and then later of course anything by Saul Bass. Film titles are a lot like music videos to me but they have an actual point to them. Speaking with visuals and transitions rather than words, that sums me up.
	WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?			Gary Panter, the comic artist, because he brings art to comics. Maurice Sendak, the children’s author/Illustrator, because he approaches story like a piece of music. John Lennon because he taught me to always speak the truth, even when you’re being absurd. Ernest Borgnine because he proves cartoon characters live.
	IF YOU COULD LIVE/WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE?			I once stayed 3 days in Barcelona and found it the most energetic and artistically inspiring place I’ve ever been. I would like to stay for a little longer and see where it takes me.
				(Bedbug’s Cocktail Hour)
	WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?			Apple picker.
				(This is not the future - Casionova)
	WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?			Unfinished business and I frequently have nightmares featuring tsunamis.
				Visit Ned Wenlock… www.nedwenlock.com vimeo.com/oneedo posterous.com/oneedo twitter.com/oneedostuff