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For Cordell Barker, good timing creates a good animation film, however the drawings may be. Yet, timing is not about rigidity; it is like jazz - it maintains an internal beat while letting other actions evolve in suspended moments. Using clips from other people's films, Cordell explores the elements of animation timing, showing how he came to appreciate its idiosyncrasies. Then, showing clips from his own oeuvre, he shares his thoughts on when the timing worked (and when it didn't).

* Followed by a reception in the Artspace lobby

BACKGROUND / CORDELL BARKER

Cordell Barker is an award winning animator from Winnipeg, Canada. He began his career in 1974 working for Sesame Street and collaborating on a number of commercials. In 1982, he joined the NFB where he made his first film, The Cat Came Back (1988). The short was a huge audience favourite and garnered 16 awards in addition to picking up an Oscar® nomination. He subsequently returned to advertising, directing commercials for major companies (Bell Canada, Nike, Coca Cola, etc.) before returning to filmmaking with Strange Invaders (2001). It turned out to be another sensational hit, winning 16 awards and receiving an Oscar® nomination. Runaway (2009), his third film and third collaboration with the NFB, is likewise an absurd comedy filled with latent social satire. As a filmmaker who focuses on pacing, action and narrative, Cordell Barker enjoys this particular form of expression because it enables him to make the most of his incisive sense of humour. Cordell Barker’s work is closely linked to Richard Condie’s and has contributed to making Winnipeg Canada’s cartoon capital. With only three short films, Barker has established a crisp, rhythmic style that is action-based and relies on rapid-fire gag sequences and simple drawings characterized by clean lines and intense colours.

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