Loocymoon (2005) was directed by Derry-based animator John McCloskey and produced by Northern Ireland's Raw Nerve Productions. The film follows a young girl, Loocy, and her adventure when she decides to skate on thin ice under a brilliant, if fractured, moon. Escorted by her mother through the wintry streets, Loocy is distracted by a crescent moon that is only completed by its reflection on the frozen lake in the town's park. Intent on reuniting crescent and circle, in the middle of the night she creeps out, skates in hand, to rescue the moon trapped under the ice. The seven minute, 3D film is enchanting throughout as Loocy sets about repairing the damaged eye of a snowman, uses the new moon as a launching pad for her assault on the ice and makes a new moon into a full moon - such is the magic of animation. Brian Irvine's original musical score establishes a variety of moods which speed along the movie and emphasise the wonder of it all.
Exploring Film Language and Animation
A series of activities exploring film language and animation have been developed around Loocymoon. During this workshop pupils will explore basic film language concepts such as the 3 C's and the 3 S's - Character, Camera, Colour, Story, Settings, and Sound. Pupils will then look at animation techniques such as visual style, creating a sense of movement, before learning how to draw a sequence as a storyboard for an animation.
Pupils will learn how to use animation software suitable for primary level to create a short animated sequence around a chosen theme.
Watch Loocymoon (7 minutes)