Play Video

Title: Walk Tall.

Client: Film London / Eastern Edge Film Fund.

Year: 2011

About: A short animated / live-action documentary about 2 x former Olympic Gymnast George Weedon. The film premiered at the London BFI Film Festival and went on to win several awards. It was BAFTA long-listed, but since there is no short-doc category it couldn’t go any further in the process. I should have lied and said George made the whole lot up. Oh well.

“What a lovely piece of art – fantastic!”

– The British Gymnastics Association

“A strong and original story with an engaging and charismatic central character, told with good humour and affection towards its subject. The filmmaking style evolves gradually throughout with creative endeavour, climaxing in a highly memorable and innovative tracking shot, which very much lifted the piece into a cinematic realm.”

 – Adrian Wootton OBE

“Walk Tall re-invents the public information film and improved my daily posture, through perfect

unison of character and form. As George would say, ‘Well, there we are’. Quite wonderful.”

– Danny Boyle

Credits

Direction, animation and edit: Kate Sullivan
Director of Photography: Ewan Mulligan
Sound Recordist: Ian Painter

Camera: Manuel Fernandes de Sa
Camera Assistant: Simonluca Fraioli
Art Department: Ray Punyer
Medical illustration of spine: Mel Northover
Compositor: Chris Forrester
Sound Designer: Jamie Gordon at Sound Disposition
Dubbing Mixer: Roland Heap at Sound Disposition
Runner: Alex Warman
Producer: Lucy McDermott
Executive Producer: Anton Califano

Cast

Geoff Rellis
Stephen Dutton
Frankie Runham
Chloe L. Hopkins
Felix Roberts
Emily Roberts
Peter Griffiths
Mac Singh
Vamba Konneh
Safira Irani
Eva Von Mitzka
Baxter Willoughby
Jago Edyvean
Luke Cosgrove
Robert Moreland
Samantha Vickers
Sheila Ward
Brenda Mhembere

Thanks To:
Lorraine Bowen
Janine Laura Pavlis
Abigail Jackson
David Burgh
John Palmer
David Young & Alleyn’s school
Tolworth Gymnastics Club
Steve at Shoot Blue

A Special Thanks To:
Mike Weedon
Ruth Weedon
Alan Gilbey
Mal Hartley
Deb Scott-Lovric
Steve Robets
Nigel Kellaway
Jo Cadoret
Film London

.

  • Kate Sullivan