BBC's Enchanting Wimbledon Animation Employs Traditional Animation Method
The Wimbledon 2025 intro, created by London-based 2D animation specialists A+C Studios, has captured the hearts of tennis enthusiasts and animation lovers alike. The captivating papercraft stop-motion animation was shared on Instagram by A+C Studios and aired on BBC Sport, showcasing a unique blend of tradition and modernity.
Jess Deacon, the animation's director, led the production at A+C Studios' purpose-built studio in Margate. The team, consisting of animators, model-makers, and set designers, spent several weeks meticulously crafting the miniature world of Wimbledon from real paper textures.
The team painstakingly created paper cutouts and models representing Wimbledon players, the courts, Henman Hill (Aorangi Terrace), strawberries, champagne, and even a London bus, to name a few elements. The tactile quality of paper was chosen to evoke the fragility, craftsmanship, and tradition inherent in the sport and its historic tournament.
The handcrafted paper models were then brought to life using meticulous stop-motion animation techniques. Every frame was carefully layered with detail and animated with nuance to capture the timeless elegance and pageantry of Wimbledon. This involved frame-by-frame manipulation of paper elements, photographed in sequence to create smooth movement.
The animation features a match contested between vintage photos and brings Fred Perry's stature to life, honouring the tournament's rich heritage. The layering of paper textures and the tactile nature of the materials helped to create an animation that felt both nostalgic and engaging for a new generation of fans.
Jess Deacon believes the craftsmanship of traditional 2D stop-motion animation can create a timeless feel, triumphing over more modern 3D CG animation approaches. Deacon praises the unique warmth and authenticity of the Wimbledon animation, which was made to feel fresh and relevant.
The Wimbledon animation captures the legacy of the competition, showcasing the tournament's iconic imagery and references in a visually striking and heartfelt tribute to Wimbledon. The combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern tools allowed for the creation of a visually striking and heartfelt tribute to Wimbledon, encapsulating the tournament's elegance and history through the unique medium of paper.
- The director of the Wimbledon 2025 intro, Jess Deacon, oversaw the production at A+C Studios' studio in Margate.
- The team at A+C Studios, including animators, model-makers, and set designers, spent weeks crafting a miniature world of Wimbledon using real paper textures.
- Paper cutouts and models of Wimbledon players, courts, Henman Hill, strawberries, champagne, and a London bus were created to represent various elements of the tournament.
- The tactile quality of paper was chosen to evoke the fragility, craftsmanship, and tradition inherent in the sport and its historic tournament.
- The handcrafted paper models were brought to life using stop-motion animation techniques, each frame carefully layered with detail and animated with nuance to capture the timeless elegance and pageantry of Wimbledon.
- Jess Deacon credits the craftsmanship of traditional 2D stop-motion animation for creating a timeless feel, using a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern tools to create a visually striking and heartfelt tribute to Wimbledon, encapsulating the tournament's elegance and history through the unique medium of paper.
