Adlib Internet Server 5

Title
Run Wrake Archive
Reference
WRA
Production date
1988 - 2012

Creator

Wrake, John ("Run")Biography Biography
John “Run” Wrake (1963-2012) was a British animator who made short independent animation films as well as animation films for music videos and advertising from the early 1990s to 2012. Wrake was born in Yemen, where his father was chaplain in the British Army, and was raised in Sussex. He started making animation whilst studying BA Graphic Design at Chelsea College of Art from 1985-1988 and went on to study an MA in Animation at the Royal College of Art from 1988-1990. Wrake’s graduation film "Anyway" (1990) won Best Animation at the BP Expo International Student Film Festival in London. His influences included early hand-drawn animation, Dada, Pop Art and punk graphics. Wrake was also both influenced by and worked with music throughout his career, creating a number of music videos and album artworks. "Anyway" went on to be shown as part of MTV’s animation showcase "Liquid Television" and impressed Art of Noise’s manager who asked Wrake to make his first music video for the Gang of Four’s song "Cadillac". MTV also commissioned Wrake to make idents for their channel such as his "M is also for" ident. He had significant relationships with artists like Howie B and U2, working in close collaboration with Howie B and travelling on U2’s tours creating work that responded to current affairs and new locations. Howie B also created music for Wrake’s work such as his independent film "Rabbit" (2005) which received a BAFTA nomination and won many international awards including two British Animation Awards, the McLaren Award for Animation, a Special Distinction at Annecy, and a Tiger Award for Short Film at Rotterdam International Festival. Although much of Wrake’s work was in response to music, "Rabbit" marked a change to working within a narrative structure. In "Rabbit" Wrake creates a dark morality tale inspired by 1950s spelling cards. "The Control Master" (2008) also follows a narrative and was developed using found material, commissioned by Veer, a commercial images agency, to make a film using their archive. "The Control Master" was shown on BBC’s Culture Show and toured by onedotzero and Future Shorts. Wrake’s other independent films are "Jukebox" (1994) and his final film "Down with the Dawn" (2012). In "Jukebox" Wrake creates his character “Meat head” who features in later films such as "Public Meat" (2012) and "Meat Street" which Wrake was developing ideas for when he was diagnosed with cancer. Wrake also worked on various advertising campaigns and commercials for companies such as Coca-Cola, NatWest and Halifax. John “Run” Wrake was diagnosed with lung cancer in November 2011 and died on 21st October 2012.

Scope and Content
This collection relates to work of animator John “Run” Wrake (1965-2012) including designs, animation cels, film cells and reels, scripts, betacam casette tapes, storyboards, and correspondence. The works range from Wrake’s college work in the late 1980s to animation designs for a U2 tour in 2011. The collection includes designs and animation cels for short independent films “Jukebox” (1994) and his award winning “Rabbit” (2005). There are also many cels and designs relating to music videos such as Wrake’s work on Howie B’s music videos “Music for Babies” (1996), “Butt meat” (1996), Howie B and Robbie Robertson’s “Take Your Partner By The Hand” (1998) and for Gang of Four’s “Cadillac” (1991), as well as U2 graphics and correspondence and designs for U2’s 2011 tour set. There are also designs and animation cels for MTV's European channel M2 launch film “M2 Director's Cut” (1998), Wrake’s MTV ident “M also stands for” (1996) and his “Ping Batter Pong” (1998) animation sequence which features in “M2 Director’s Cut”. Wrake’s work for advertising commercials is also represented in the collection with animation cels for his Coca-Cola commercial “Falling” (1998) and designs for Natwest (1999) and Halifax (2006). There is also work for the Jonathon Ross Show credits (1990). There are also unidentified sequences and developmental works which show Wrake’s design process.
Extent
c. 8,000 items
Physical description
The condition of the collection is good. The collection is currently being processed.
Language
English
Archival history
This archive was donated to the National Media Museum by Run Wrake's widow Lisa Wrake in 2014.
Level of description
TOP
Repository name
National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
Subject
Film making
Animation
Music
Advertising
Television
Conditions governing access
Access is given in accordance with the NMeM access policy. Material from this collection is available to researchers through the museum’s Insight facility.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied of items in the collection, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NMeM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation.
External document
Catalogued items from Run Wrake archive
System of arrangement
The archive has been partly arranged by Wrake’s widow Lisa Wrake who has noted collections of works such as works removed for the celebration of Wrake’s life held at the Royal College of Art in October 2013. This collection is currently being processed and this field will be updated when a system of arrangement has been established.