Who we are:
Animation Toolkit was established in 2006 and specialises in supplying Stop Motion animation parts, kits and supporting products to professionals, enthusiasts and student film makers across the globe.
We have a rich background working in the animation and stop motion industry. Managing director Westley Wood began his career with Mackinnon and Saunders, serving 5 years in the Cosgrove Hall puppets department. Here, Westley learnt his trade, from puppet fabrication, mould making and foam baking to advanced head mechanics and silicone applications.
We aim to exceed our customer’s expectations and provide help and support as and when required. If you are unsure on any of our products and or have any questions (or just need some advice) do not hesitate to contact us.
To date Animation Toolkit has help make over 20000 (twenty thousand) stop motion animated films (based on sales) and continues to count. Customers have ranged from students to professionals, from creative agencies to animation studios. To name a few, some of those studios include:
Aardman, Disney, Dreamworks, Factory Transmedia, ITV, Second Home, Tippet, Laika, Animmortal.
Ray Harryhausen:
In 2012 Animation Toolkit teamed up with special effects titan, Ray Harryhausen and brought their Armacreature armature kit to market. The quality of Animation Toolkit’s joints and parts are uniquely engineered to the highest specifications and are designed specifically for reliable armature fabrication. Ray Harryhausen personally signed off on the design and quality of the parts commenting “if this kit was available when I was making moving I would have gladly used it”.
Ray Harryhausen’s work spans from 1935 – 2010 and has over 50 movie titles to his name. He is most famed for his Dynamation stop motion animation techniques and creating some of films most famous creatures.
The CosgroveHall Archive
In 2002 Cosgrovehall Films animation studios, Based in Chorlton Cum Hardy, Manchester, closed indefinitely. Westley, having spent his early career at CHF, felt very passionately about rescuing the CHF archive which included a vast collection of puppets, animation cells and animation production collateral. Westley, combined with a team at the Sale Waterside Arts Gallery, successfully secured the CHF archive from ruin and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, combined with the Arts Council, awarded the cause with the funding it required for restoration and exhibition. The collection now regularly tours the country and attracts visitors from all over the world. More information is available here.
The team:
We rely heavily on our talented staff and manufacturers. From mass manufacture to packet and post, everyone plays an important role in our company.
Our armature fabricators are highly experienced specialists working across many stop motion animation productions both nationally and internationally.
We pride ourselves on supporting local suppliers and utilising skills within the UK. Additionally some components are manufactured abroad which are outstanding in quality and performance.
We directly and indirectly provide work for over 100 employees across the globe.