Vision Films, Inc.

Claymation: Timeless Stories - Velveteen Rabbit

The youthful rabbit and the wise old skin-horse lived in the boy's toy-room. One day the rabbit asked the skin-horse what it meant to be real. The skin-horse replied, "Being real isn't how you are made. It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, then you become real." Their conversation and the story continue and the world is richer for it.

STARRING: Directed by : LIndsay Van Blerk Produced by: The Adelante Project Author: Margery Williams (England) Narrated by: Jennifer Shapiro

DIRECTED BY: Lindsay Van Blerk

PRODUCED BY: The Adelante Project

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Claymation

RUNTIME: (24 min), YEAR: 2004

Claymation: Timeless Stories - God's Trombones

"The Creation" is the first in this trilogy of African-American poetry. It is an artistic rather than a literal interpretation of the Genesis story of creation. It is a reminder of our responsibility to leave planet earth as good or better than we found it. After all, we only have it on loan from the next generation. Another poem is "The Prodigal Son" which is a reminder that forgiveness is always in season. Author: James Weldon Johnson (USA); Narrator: James Earl Jones (voice of Star Wars' Darth Vader); Academy Award Nomination for Short Subject Animation.

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Claymation, Christmas, Religion

RUNTIME: (26 min), YEAR: 2000

Claymation: Timeless Stories - Chimes, The

The story of how one poor man finds hope on New Year's Eve. "The Chimes" (Author: Charles Dickens; Narrator: Derek Jacobi; Award: CINE Special Jury Award).

STARRING: Directed by: Lindsay Van Blerk Produced by: The Adelante Project Author: Charles Dickens Narrator: Derek Jacobi

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Christmas, Claymation

RUNTIME: (27 min), YEAR: 2000

Claymation: Timeless Stories - First Christmas, The

"The First Christmas" contains a reenactment of the Nativity story as written in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The innkeeper's daughter and the shepherd boy add identifiable characters for young viewers. The miracles we witness in our daily lives make faith in Christmas relatively uncomplicated.

STARRING: Directed by: Lindsay Van Blerk Authors: Matthew and Luke (Israel) Narrated by: Christopher Plummer

DIRECTED BY: Lindsay Van Blerk

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Christmas, Claymation

RUNTIME: (30 min), YEAR: 1999

Claymation: Timeless Stories - Michael the Visitor

Simon discovers a desolate young man alongside the road and he takes him in even though he is very poor himself, soon he begins teaching the boy his craft and it becomes a blessing in disguise.

STARRING: Directed by: Lindsay Van Blerk Produced by: The Adelante Project Author: Leo Tolstoy Narrated by: Stockard Channing

DIRECTED BY: Lindsay Van Blerk

PRODUCED BY: The Adelante Project

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Christmas, Claymation

RUNTIME: (25 min), YEAR: 1996

Claymation: Timeless Stories - Star Child

Two woodcutters, Gustav and Sven, discover an infant wrapped in a golden cloak with an amber chain around his neck. Sven takes him home and raises him with his other children. They name him Pero and he grows into a beautiful youngster. However, he becomes enamored of his own beauty. He treats a beggar lady cruelly and in turn is transformed into a frightful hideous creature. Only when he becomes beautiful inside does his external beauty return.

STARRING: Directed by: Billy Budd Films Author: Oscar Wilde (Ireland) Narrated by: Anonymous

DIRECTED BY: Billy Budd Films

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Christmas, Claymation

RUNTIME: (27 min), YEAR: 1991

Claymation: Timeless Stories - Martin the Cobbler

Based on a short story by Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, this is the claymation telling of Martin, a simple cobbler who has given up on life. But he is visited by several strangers that he decides to help and they turn out to be rewarding experiences. Ultimately, he finds purpose by helping others and joining his village.

STARRING: Director: Will Vinton Producer: Will Vinton and Frank Moynihan Writer: Leo Tolstoy (Russia) Animators: Don Merkt, Barry Bruce, Joan Gratz, Will Vinton Music: Billy Scream Narrated by: Alexandria Tolstoy (daughter of Leo)

DIRECTED BY: Will Vinton

PRODUCED BY: Will Vinton

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Claymation

RUNTIME: (27 min), YEAR: 1983

Claymation: Timeless Stories - Rip Van Winkle

Rip seems to be the town neer-do-well. Instead of tending to his farm, he is often teaching the children to fly kites and play games. They love his singing and dancing much to the consternation of the Puritan villagers who are greatly puzzled by his lack of work ethic, as is his wife we might add. After drinking a magic potion concocted by Henry Hudson's shipmates, he goes to sleep for 20 years. When he wakes up he is embraced by the townsfolk as a long lost friend.

STARRING: Director: Will Vinton Producer: Will Vinton Executive Producer: Frank Moynihan Writer: Washington Irving (USA) Animators: Don Merkt, Barry Bruce, Will Vinton, Joan Gratz Music: Billy Scream Narrated by: Will Geer

DIRECTED BY: Will Vinton

PRODUCED BY: Will Vinton

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Claymation

RUNTIME: (28 min), YEAR: 1983

Claymation: Timeless Stories - The Little Prince

The Little Prince, an idealist, expected perfection from his Rose. She had just a speck of vanity, but this was too much for him. He left her only to discover that, "What is essential is invisible to the eye. It is only with the heart that one sees rightly." We follow the eternally young Prince through a fantasy universe seeking "matters of consequence." This production remains totally faithful to the spirit of innocence and sense of wonderment that mark the original text.

STARRING: Director: Will Vinton Producer: Will Vinton Executive Producer: Frank Moynihan Writer: Antoine de St. Exupery (France) Animators: Barry Bruce, Joan Gratz,, Don Merkt, Will Vinton. Music: Billy Scream Narrated by: Cliff Robertson

DIRECTED BY: Will Vinton

PRODUCED BY: Will Vinton

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Claymation

RUNTIME: (28 min), YEAR: 1981

Claymation: Amazing World of Will Vinton (shorts)

Will Vinton's Amazing World of Claymation Closed Mondays (Academy Award winner, 7:37 min.) The Great Cognito (Academy Award Nominee, 3:11 min.) A Christmas Gift (8:16 min.) The Jumping Frog (4:00 min.) Dinosaur (13:04 min.) Legacy (5:23 min.) Mountain Music (7:18 min.) Go Down Death (8:00 min.) A Claymation Documentary (17:30 min.)

GENRE(S): Shorts, Animation, Claymation, Family

RUNTIME: (approx 60 min)

Claymation: Timeless Stories - A Christmas Gift

A charming story about a young boy choosing to share his Christmas dinner with an old woman. The idea is based on a Peter, Paul, and Mary song which narrates the tale. This is an early “music video” created in claymation.

STARRING: Director: Will Vinton Producer: Will Vinton and The Film Loft Animators: Don Merkt, Barry Bruce, Will Vinton Music: Peter, Paul and Mary

DIRECTED BY: Will Vinton

PRODUCED BY: Will Vinton

GENRE(S): Animation, Family, Claymation, * New Releases, Christmas, Shorts