SOON after making his first successful animation film, Bitz, Sale animator and illustrator, James Pollitt has come up with another, using his usual technique of making puppets from bits and bobs.

His latest production, called The Whibbits, - ‘the Meat Pie’, features two whippets. It gets its name from a combination of Whippets and the bits from which they are made.

Waterside Arts in Sale is displaying this film as part of its ScreenLight series and, both the film and the puppets can be seen free of charge in the foyer of the arts centre into the New Year.

James and his partner, Lucy own whippets themselves – Penny and Eric. The Whibbits are quite naughty as they set out to steal a meat pie.

James said: “ I put a lot of the characteristics from our dogs in my films. Naughty is more fun to animate.

“The barking is a recording of Penny but the chomping and the talking is me.”

James creates the illusion of movement by a stop/motion technique. A 3D model is moved and repeatedly photographed. The photos are played together at 24 frames per second to create movement.

James is hoping to make a one minute 30 seconds promotional film. It would explain what the Whibbits are, where they come from and a montage of funny clips.

James said: “I will use this before each subsequent episode and as a promotion for the project.”

Meanwhile he is hoping to raise funds to make a new film. People who visit the Kickstarter fundraising website can get rewards in return for backing his project.

These include badges, postcards, t-shirts and replica Whibbit models.

All James’ projects can be viewed on bitzanimation.com.

Donors are also listed on the credits of the new film.

The fundraising campaign finishes on January 7 2018.