Pinocchio & Bob The Builder

Local (Altrincham) animation studio Mackinnon & Saunders have a wonderful 30-year retrospective exhibition currently on at the Waterside Arts centre set by the Bridgewater Canal in Sale. They have worked for some of the world’s most succesful filmmakers - and most recently for Oscar-nominated Guillermo del Toro’s in his retelling of Pinocchio. The level of artistic craftsmanship and micro-detail on show here was mind-blowing.

I had had a meeting earlier at a nearby site, so had agreed to meet MrsB off the Metro at Sale station so we could go together. I waited at the top of the platform steps for her - but presumably because I was a bit dusty from my building site inspection, she almost walked past without recognising me. I had to call-out “tickets please” to stop her passing. In hindsight of course I should have smartened-up for her - but then in mitigation, the exhibition did also feature the original Mackinnon & Saunders Bob-the-Builder animation model.