Project: New Signs for Animation

The animated short film New Signs for Animation: AnimSign (Dir: Mortimer, 2024) was developed with collaborative support from the Creative Talent Network (CTN, 2024) and Edinburgh Napier University’s Public Engagement Fund. Building on Mortimer’s earlier work, New Signs for Animation (Dir: Mortimer, 2021), the updated film aims to address language gaps in Animation and Games terminology for Sign Language users. While the original short film included interpreters for BSL and Irish Sign Language (ISL), it lacked an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, limiting accessibility for U.S. audiences. Tina Price, Founder of CTN, facilitated funding for enhancements, including an ASL interpreter, Bob LoParo, and an American voice-over artist, John Watkins. These updates were accompanied by Mortimer’s presentation of the revised film at the CTN Animation Expo in Los Angeles, California. The revised version, titled AnimSign, introduces a proposed international initiative to bridge language gaps for Sign Language users in Animation and Games. It addresses limitations of the original film, such as the lack of music and additional illustrations, by incorporating a summary of the earlier work alongside new content. To prepare for the U.S.-based conference, statistical data relevant to both U.S. and global contexts was added, while the original dialogue script was retained for consistency across versions, ensuring that BSL users received the same unmodified information presented at the event.

A short animated explainer video is available with both a BSL (British Sign Language) and a ASL (American Sign Language) signers;

*New Signs for Animation: AnimSign (2024) is designed to be modular and easily adaptable to different sign languages. If you’re interested in creating a new video, please don’t hesitate to contact us.