A BROUGHTY Ferry animator’s short film has won an award from the Warner Roadshow Studios on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Christopher Ellingford’s film of Robert Burns’ poem Tam o’ Shanter for a modern audience won the $500 prize ahead of animators from America, China, Korea and Taiwan.

Christopher (23) made the film as part of his fourth year honours degree project in computer arts at Abertay University.

He furthered his animation skills by volunteering to work within the Ideasfactory programme run by Channel 4 and animation company Ink Animations Ltd.

The former Grove Academy pupil said he was honoured to have won the Warner Roadshow Studios Shorts of Allsorts Gold Coast City Short award.

“The international category was available to sister cities of the Gold Coast in Australia,” said Christopher.

Dundee is a member of the Global Digital City Network, which brings together cities whose economies rely on knowledge-based industries such as gaming and multimedia and includes the likes of Dubai and the Gold Coast.

“I sent off a video and a submission and got a phone call on Wednesday from an Australian woman informing me that I’d won the $500 first prize in the category,” he added.

“I’m honoured that they liked it and quite surprised.

“I didn’t quite realise how well known Burns was worldwide.

“I adapted the story for a modern-day audience but stayed true to the original, retaining the poem’s humour, gothic ambience and pace,” he continued.

“Burns paints a vivid mental image that I felt compelled to retell, only in my interpretation I wanted to adapt the poem for a new contemporary audience and breathe new life into the story.

“To make the adaptation culturally relevant for the audience, the setting is brought into a modern context. For example, Tam uses a scooter instead of a horse.

“The language, which is a stumbling block for many newcomers to Burns, was overcome by writing my own script, which deploys modern Scots.

“After completing this animation I have a new admiration of Robert Burns and I hope that this adaptation will help bring him to an audience which was hitherto uninterested in learning about his work.”

Christopher’s animation can be viewed by logging on to cellingford.co.uk.