The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Film made by ‘Dundee talent’ bound for festival
PREMIERE: Animated short film three years in the making will debut at festival
A film-maker who worked on Outlander will have his first animated feature premiered at a top Scottish festival, after spending three years on its creation.
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design animation graduate Fraser Murdoch’s short, Tubgate: Cunningham’s Scrap, was made in collaboration with Dundee talent and will have its premiere at World of Film: International Festival Glasgow on Saturday October 6.
The freelance creative director, who has worked on numerous films, had been harbouring the idea for the short since his school days but only got the ball rolling on it in 2015 while working in visual effects on the set of Outlander.
Cunningham’s Scrap, described as “Breaking Bad meets The Simpsons” is set in the fictional Scots town of Tubgate and centres around the character of Bab Cunningham.
After his father falls ill, Bab takes on his father’s scrapyard, only to land in trouble with the taxman and fraud investigators.
The voice cast for the animation includes Scots actor Scott Kyle – known for his roles in Outlander, Kajaki and The Angels’ Share – in the role of Bab.
Writer, director and producer Fraser, who lives in Kirkcaldy, said: “It’s about a main character, Bab Cunningham, taking over a scrapyard from his dad who is in hospital. He has not been running the business as he should be. It is all piling up to the point where a fraud inspector is outside his door.
“We try and play it in a way where there are jokes. The aim of the film is to interact with the masses. We are serving the audience.
“This was my first big project. I have also worked on Outlander and with studios.
“It’s been three years since I approached the guys on the set of Outlander. I’ve been working on it since 2015.
“But I came up with the character when I was still at high school.”
The film was also made with the help of “Dundee talent”.
Cunningham’s Scrap’s co-producer is John Fairfield of city-based production company Flyboy Original.
The voice recording for the project took place at the Gardyne Theatre recording studios and was led by sound designer Chris Kidd.
The cast also includes Rehanna MacDonald, who starred in Dundee Rep’s The Last Queen of Scotland.
Though created as a short film, Mr Murdoch hopes Cunningham’s Scrap can be expanded into a TV series and has even embarked on a world-building exercise and a “series bible” with colleagues.
The 28-year-old added: “It has got short film scripts in development because getting a TV series up and running takes a while.
“We want to keep working with characters and the world.
“I think it is just really good to get the film seen and it is just the time to share it.
“It has been sold out at (the film festival). It is a good event to be involved in.
“We’ve certainly pushed the boundaries on this project and achieved something that wouldn’t be expected of people with basically no budget.”