Pins and Needles

A spiky cactus tries to make a friend it wonʼt hurt.

Written and directed by Brown Bag Films Dublin-based duo Kerrie Costello and Julien Celin, with music by Darren Hendley, Pins and Needles tells the story of the new kid on the plot trying to fit in.

This is the story of an outcast - a spiky cactus, trying to make a friend it wonʼt hurt, in a world full of 'normal' flowers. The Cactus is the new plant in the garden, instantly shunned by the flowers because it is different. After enduring shame and ridicule at the hands of the Sunflower and Dandelion, the cactus longs for a friend. Enter the hedgehog! Under exciting circumstances, the hedgehog shows up and, seeing their similarities, the two become best buds, showing friendship comes in all shapes.

Pins and Needles was commissioned by the RTÉ Animated Shorts Scheme in 2018 and made its premiere on RTÉjr December 19, 2018. It has since been screened in festivals around the world, garnering an Irish Animation Award nomination for Best Sound Design and Official Selection at the following festivals:

  • Leeds Young Film Festival
  • Vafi & Rafi
  • Anibar Animation Festival
  • Pochatok Film Festival
  • Giffoni Film Festival
  • ZINETXIKI - International Film Festival for Children and Youth
  • Lahore International Children's Film Festival
  • TIAF - Tbilisi International Animation Festival
  • BAICFF - Bay Area International Children's Film Festival
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
A still from animated short film Pins and Needles
Behind-the-Scenes
A behind-the-scenes photo of Kerrie Costello (Post Production Supervisor) and Julien Celin (Editor) working on the animated short Pins and Needles

Kerrie Costello (Post Production Supervisor) and Julien Celin (Editor) worked together as co-writers and co-directors on this project. They were involved from the initial abstract idea, all the way through to hitting ‘send’ to RTE!

A behind-the-scenes still featuring some 2D designs and colour work for the Cactus character from the animated short Pins and Needles
A behind-the-scenes still featuring some 2D designs and colour work for the hedgehog and dandelion characters from the animated short Pins and Needles
A behind-the-scenes still of the garden in the animated short Pins and Needles showing the 2D line art, colour work and grayscale model
Credits

Written and Directed by: Kerrie Costello & Julien Celin
Executive Producer: Darragh OʼConnell
Executive producer for RTE: Pauline MacNamara

Produced by: Nayanshi Shaw
Art Direction: Ivan van den Heever
CG Supervisor: Matt Loyd
Animation Director: Alex Pilalis
Rigging Supervisor: Dewald Swanepoel
Original Music: Darren Hendley
Duration: 2 mins
Year of Production: 2018