Blinkink has noticed that eyes are on stop motion animator, Will Child, right now and have added him to its roster. While Child has pulled the spotlight towards him with clay sculpture commissions by artists such as FKA Twigs, SZA and Slowthai, he has also grabbed attention with music videos for Drake, Young Thug, Trippie Redd, Kurupt FM, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Easy Life. According to Billboard, Child first caught the attention of the music community with his final school project as a graphic design major at NorthUmbria University in Newcastle in 2012. He made a short film about Pablo Escobar’s cocaine operation using papier-mâché puppets.
But he became a graphic designer first and only returned to animation, experimenting with Claymation, when he went freelance. Since then, Child has established a unique claymation style that brands such as Old Spice, Reebok and BT Sport have been drawn to. That style nods to stop motion founding father, Ray Harryhausen, which Child pairs with intricate handmade production design and action-packed storytelling.
Child began developing his Claymation style in 2017. His first video was an 8-second clip of Donald Trump vomiting the word, BIGLY. That clip won him his first commission, when Child replied to a post on Instagram by New Jersey artist, Da$h, asking for animators to work on his next music video. His fame grew in the music industry triggering a claymation trend and In 2020, Child launched his own animation studio, Gravy Mercedes. Until recently, Child has done all the set building and characters himself, as well as shoot and edit his work. He will shoot anywhere between 12 and 24 frames for each second of footage.
Child commented, “I’ve hugely admired Blink from afar since working in the art departments on a couple of commercials a good few years ago, so I’m mega proud to now be joining the amazing roster here. I feel like we have very similar ideas as to the kinds of things we want to make and the tone of voice they’re delivered in, and I can’t wait to collaborate with the amazing production and creative talent at Blink and up the levels on my own craft again.”
