William Todd-Jones
Encyclopedia
William Todd-Jones is a British puppet designer, performer, director, movement consultant and writer, for film, television and theatre in the UK and abroad.
He worked on the forthcoming Pixar movie, John Carter of Mars, directed by Andrew Stanton
, for which he taught stilt-walking and was the in-camera reference for the Calot, Woola.
He has performed creatures & puppets on numerous feature films including; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
, Harry Potter V, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, the various Muppet movies, The Neverending Story, Judge Dredd, Batman, Pinocchio, Lost in Space, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 101 Dalmatians and Fierce Creatures.
In recent years he has specialised in bridging the disciplines of live performance and computer graphic animation, developing techniques in optical motion capture, performance animation and digital puppetry. He was integral to the development and production of the pre-school TV series, "What's Your News?
", broadcast on Nick Jr, which was entered for the “Japan Prize”, an international competition for educational shows, organised by NHK (Japan’s equivalent of the BBC) in Tokyo. They had over 360 shows entered from 65 countries and “What’s Your News” not only won “Best Pre-School Show” but also the overall “Grand Prix Prize”.
He has worked as a consultant for the Bristol Robotics Lab, advising on of how people might best interact with robots.
For TV he performed in Aslan the lion and played Glenstorm the centaur
, in the BBC's rendition of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia; he played the starring role of Mopatop in the BAFTA Award-nominated children's television series Mopatop's Shop
; and has performed creatures as diverse as a troll, a dancing mouse, and a three-toed sloth.
Todd-Jones's performance of a full-bodied rhinoceros costume for the Sir Peter Hall/ Gerald Scarfe
stage production led to his involvement in the London-based charity Save the Rhino
, for whom he became a patron. He has raised money for the charity by running marathons as a rhinoceros, appearing at fund-raising events, and by walking across Africa (from sea level to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro) in the rhino costume, alongside author Douglas Adams
.
In 1997, Todd-Jones created an outdoor theatre spectacle, Spirit of the Rhino Drum, for the rhino charity. He wrote, designed, and directed this extravaganza on the theme of wildlife conservation, which was performed at major festivals across the UK, by African musicians, puppeteers, dancers, aerialists and acrobats. Todd-Jones also designed puppets and full-body costumes for River of Kings, a puppetry festival in Bangkok, Thailand, performed in front of the Thai Royal Palace in January 2003.
He worked on the forthcoming Pixar movie, John Carter of Mars, directed by Andrew Stanton
Andrew Stanton
Andrew Stanton is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional voice actor based at Pixar Animation Studios. His film work includes writing and directing Finding Nemo and WALL-E; both films earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.-Life and career:Stanton was...
, for which he taught stilt-walking and was the in-camera reference for the Calot, Woola.
He has performed creatures & puppets on numerous feature films including; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
, Harry Potter V, Jim Henson's Labyrinth, the various Muppet movies, The Neverending Story, Judge Dredd, Batman, Pinocchio, Lost in Space, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 101 Dalmatians and Fierce Creatures.
In recent years he has specialised in bridging the disciplines of live performance and computer graphic animation, developing techniques in optical motion capture, performance animation and digital puppetry. He was integral to the development and production of the pre-school TV series, "What's Your News?
What's Your News?
What's Your News? is a children's television programme on Nick Jr. and CBC Kids launched in January 2009. It is billed as the first ever news show for and about 4-7 year old children and helps their transition from their home and family environment into the wider world around them.-Overview:What's...
", broadcast on Nick Jr, which was entered for the “Japan Prize”, an international competition for educational shows, organised by NHK (Japan’s equivalent of the BBC) in Tokyo. They had over 360 shows entered from 65 countries and “What’s Your News” not only won “Best Pre-School Show” but also the overall “Grand Prix Prize”.
He has worked as a consultant for the Bristol Robotics Lab, advising on of how people might best interact with robots.
For TV he performed in Aslan the lion and played Glenstorm the centaur
Centaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
, in the BBC's rendition of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia; he played the starring role of Mopatop in the BAFTA Award-nominated children's television series Mopatop's Shop
Mopatop's Shop
Mopatop's Shop is a television series that which premiered on CITV in the UK in 1999. 260 ten-minute episodes were made and aired daily. It was a co-production between Jim Henson Productions and Carlton Television.-Production:...
; and has performed creatures as diverse as a troll, a dancing mouse, and a three-toed sloth.
Todd-Jones's performance of a full-bodied rhinoceros costume for the Sir Peter Hall/ Gerald Scarfe
Gerald Scarfe
Gerald Anthony Scarfe, CBE, RDI, is an English cartoonist and illustrator. He worked as editorial cartoonist for The Sunday Times and illustrator for The New Yorker...
stage production led to his involvement in the London-based charity Save the Rhino
Save the Rhino
Save the Rhino International , a UK-based conservation charity, is Europe’s largest single-species rhino charity, in terms of funds raised and grants made, and in terms of profile and positioning. They began fundraising for in situ rhino conservation projects in 1992 and were formally registered as...
, for whom he became a patron. He has raised money for the charity by running marathons as a rhinoceros, appearing at fund-raising events, and by walking across Africa (from sea level to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro) in the rhino costume, alongside author Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
.
In 1997, Todd-Jones created an outdoor theatre spectacle, Spirit of the Rhino Drum, for the rhino charity. He wrote, designed, and directed this extravaganza on the theme of wildlife conservation, which was performed at major festivals across the UK, by African musicians, puppeteers, dancers, aerialists and acrobats. Todd-Jones also designed puppets and full-body costumes for River of Kings, a puppetry festival in Bangkok, Thailand, performed in front of the Thai Royal Palace in January 2003.