Author Archives: Erika Cann

  1. GWR Animation Commission Announcement

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    As part of their Railway 200 celebrations, GWR and Exeter Phoenix have launched two exciting animation commissions, calling for recent graduates to create a vibrant, animated film capturing a GWR journey through time - celebrating not only the rich heritage of the brand, but also the freedom, fun, and opportunity that rail travel continues to offer today. Following an incredible response we’re excited to announce our two new commissions:

    Himanshu Gorantala and Keisha Philia Ibrahim

    Himanshu (1)
    Keisha (1)

    Himanshu Gorantala and Keisha Philia Ibrahim are Computer Animation Art & Design graduates at Bournemouth University, blending technical skill with a deep passion for visual storytelling. As aspiring filmmakers, they craft striking 3D artworks with a strong stylistic flair, drawing inspiration from the films they love and the stories they yearn to tell.

    Their work reflects a keen eye for composition, mood, and narrative depth, whether through character design, environment art, or experimental animation. United by a shared ambition to create their own films, they explore the intersection of artistry and technology, pushing the boundaries of digital expression.

    With a foundation in animation and a filmmaker’s mindset, Himanshu and Keisha are poised to bring their unique visions to life—on screen and beyond.

    Their GWR Animation Commission will be an exciting, adventurous and heartfelt film about a young couple traveling to Bath.

    Sam Maxwell

    Sam Maxwell Headshot (1)

    Sam Maxwell is a 2D animator and video editor based in Bristol. He works across commercials, branded content, and short films, often blending digital and analogue techniques to bring texture and authenticity to his work. With a background in motion design, editing, and compositing, Sam is always exploring new styles and visual approaches.

    'Time Well Spent' is a mixed-media short that reflects on the quiet productivity of travel.

    A working professional boards a GWR train, intending to catch up on tasks. But as the journey unfolds, structured work gives way to spontaneous doodling, inspired by the rhythm of the train and the passing landscape. Boats, bridges, and coastlines seep into the sketches, blending real scenery with animated imagery.

    Combining live action, stop motion, and 2D hand-drawn elements, the film explores the idea that movement itself can be meaningful, and that sometimes, doing nothing is exactly what needs to be done.

  2. Announcing our 2025 Associate Artist: Sam Gilroy

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    Joining the esteemed ranks of Exeter Phoenix’s associate artists in 2025 is comedy-dance-theatre practitioner Sam Gilroy.

    Sam creates intimate and humorous classes, workshops and performances that build a sense of belonging and acceptance, using movement, writing, voice work, and inviting people to play and reconnect with their own bodies, and with those around them. Her work is often myth-busting and taboo breaking, in order to laugh and celebrate the everyday failures. Sam is drawn to ask questions about ageing, feminism, equality, periods, and since becoming a mother in 2023, matrescence.

    Past shows and workshops have amplified female voices and underserved communities, including m/others, adults with dementia, and young people and children, using real-life stories and autobiographical experiences.

    Developing a bespoke package of support is a core part of the support Exeter Phoenix offers creatives working in theatre and performance in the South-West. This could include training, mentoring, access to rehearsal space, and special opportunities to perform or share their work with our audiences.

    Sam says: "I am excited to be an Associate Artist with Exeter Phoenix. I will be able to develop my one woman show Belly Flop, and accompanying workshops for adults and children, to reach wider communities and utilise this supportive environment."

    We’re looking forward to seeing how Sam’s practice develops over the coming year!

    Find out more about Sam here >>

    Associate artists are chosen by Exeter Phoenix’s performance programmer, Katy Danbury who is always on the lookout for emerging talent.

    "We are very excited to welcome Sam as our new Associate Artist and support the development of her multidisciplinary performance practice. Sam’s latest work-in-progress draws from her own lived experience as a new mother, utilising music, dance, comedy and poetry to connect with the audience, and celebrate and empower some of the most unseen and unsupported members of our society.

    Belly Flop is bold, unapologetic, deeply moving and charming in its delivery, offering the audience a glimpse into the social, physiological and psychological transitions people go through when becoming mothers. I am very much looking forward to seeing how the show takes shape over the next year, as well as invite people from the local community to engage with her work, whether through participatory workshops or feeding back on shared extracts of the show throughout the creation process."