The Metals
An animated short film project
This work is being put together by David j. & Dualta MacEoghan in collaboration for an application for the Light Up Dún Laoghaire 2020 - 2021 Projection Project. The commission is to create a new animations that are responsive to the geographic, cultural and/or social context of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County. Our intention is to make a short animated film on the construction of the East Pier at Dún Laoghaire Harbour. It will show how Dalkey Hill was quarried to supply the source of stones that were needed to make the base of the pier; how the weighted carriages brought the quarry stone down the slope known as The Metals and the innovative use of the funicular to transport the empty carriages back up the same slope; how the quarry stones were then transported with the use of dray horses to the base of the pier; and how these stones were then lowered into the water to form the foundation of the pier.
1st draft horse animation
A test animation of a horse to see if we would be able to accomplish this within the time frame of the project. A walking horse is quite difficult to animate as it has two sets of legs going in opposite directions - that is the knees bend forward in the front set and backward in the rear set - and yet they all have to be in time with each other. Although not perfect, this test shows that we will be able to complete the animation within the timeframe, if we are successful in our application.
Tools used by quarry workers
Upon research we found a selection of tools that were used at the time the pier was built - picks, shovels, hammers, axes and splays would have been plenty with some of the bigger devices placed at certain areas for specific work. Some of these, if not all will be used in the telling the story of The Metals.
Animation Test
This is a short test animation of how the wagon might look running along The Metals from the quarry to the quayside. The wagons would have been filled with rock and be drawn by horse along this part of the route, but these will be added in later. The house was quickly put together to represent one of the important spaces occupied by landowners of the time.
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