A SELF-trained Wiltshire animator is hoping to see Hollywood success with his independent film.

Graham White, 70, has been working on his feature film Rummage for around 10 years.

The former illustrator, from Woodfalls, said that he only started working as an animator by chance, explaining: “I’ve been an illustrator for 40 years or so, and I brought some software to do illustrations with, I needed to do some realistic illustrations.

Promotional artwork for Rummage Promotional artwork for Rummage (Image: Graham White)

“So, I bought the software and I did the job and everything, and then - it must have been six months after I got it – I realised that the software did animation as well. I didn’t even know!

“When I discovered that, it was a bit of a eureka moment for me. I thought ‘Yes, I’m an animator!’

“So, I started advertising the fact that I am an animator and started picking up some work. But I knew from the very beginning that I was going to go that way, I was getting a bit fed up with illustration, so this came along, and I thought this is my new direction. I was doing it for the joy of it, and I got a few animation jobs, and it started like that.”

The film that Graham has been working on, Rummage, follows the journey of the titular mechanical robot as he navigates Victorian England, with themes of self-worth and environmental awareness throughout.

Graham said: “This particular film, I was just doing it for fun and then it developed into something bigger.

“It’s gone from one thing to another. I started making it because I enjoyed it, and then it started getting some interest. At some point along the way I thought, maybe I could do something with this.

“From that, I felt like I needed a proper story. So, that got me into script writing, which I had no idea existed. I didn’t even know what a script was!

“I had to get into that, which is a whole art form, so I’ve been busy with that as well as the animation, learning the ropes of script writing and doing all the animation for the story. I now pretty much have a script ready, it’s more or less there, although it was a bit unexpected.”

Graham is now looking to work with a producer or production company to finish the film, saying that he has had some interest.

He continued: “It’s been a gamble, but it’s the journey that counts. I’ve really enjoyed it and I don’t have any regrets.”