'Check Animate' - A Stop Motion Chess Animation

This animation is my final project for my BA (Hons) degree course in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of the West of England, Bristol.

The production is an animation of a real, historical game of chess played between Henry Atkins and Herbert Jacobs in London in 1915. The intention is to extend the theme of games/ gaming and satire used in previous productions to metaphorically represent society's changing relationship with linguistic variety.

I created this project using Final Cut Pro 7 and Adobe After Effects CS6 editing software.

[goldenrooster]

I love how he's british and says at the end "THATS MATE"

[IgroSome]

i feel like people don't appreciate old stuff like this as much as they should, this is a gem

[altacount]

you cant blame the rook, the rook 90 percent of the time just chills in fin the corner for around half of the game

[devchessworld]

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 (Danish Gambit) Nf6 5.Nf3 Nxe4 6.0-0 Nd6 7.Nxc3 Nxc4 8.Re1+ Be7 9.Nd5 Nc6 10.Bg5 f6 11.Rc1 b5 12.Rxc4 bxc4 13.Ne5 fxg5 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Nf6+ Bxf6 16.Nxg6+ Qe7 17.Rxe7+ Bxe7 18.Ne5+ Kd8 19.Nf7+ Ke8 20.Nd6++ Kd8 21.Qe8+ Rxe8 22.Nf7#

[nolanrudolph]

14:43 to 15:07 seems a lot like the Chess scene from Harry Potter
Ron: You understand, right Harry? Once I make my move, the Queen will take me, and you're free to check the King.
Harry: No, Ron, no!
Hermione: What is it?
Harry: He's going to sacrifice himself.
Hermione: No Ron, no you can't! There must be another way!
Ron: Do you want to stop the snake from getting that stone or what? Harry, it is you that has to go on, I know it. Not me, not Hermione, you. Knight to h3.

[GaryLuKOTH]

This reminds me of the Annoying Orange.

[itsthatkidagain]

I like how the way the pieces are sent out in different ways, and make sense to the game, as in they are out.

[jasonzawtun]

3:58 - White Queen Pawn has been shot by Black King Pawn. ❌⚪
4:10 - White Queenside Bishop Pawn has been golf by Black King Pawn. ❌⚫
5:31 - White King Pawn has been Pac-Manned by Black Kingside Knight. ❌⚪
6:09/6:28 - White Castle Kingside. ⚪
7:12/7:57 - Black Kingside Knight Pawn got joked, carded and ejected. Then White Queenside Knight hopped. ❌⚫
8:14 - White Kingside Bishop challenged and lost to Black Kingside Knight. ❌⚪
9:03 - White Kingside Rock checked. ⚪👑
9:46/10:39 - Black Kingside Knight was joked and rammed by White Queenside Rock. ❌⚫
10:54 - White Queenside Rock was Angry Bird shattered by Black Queenside Knight Pawn. ❌⚪
11:26 - White Queenside Bishop was Angry Bird splat by Black Kingside Bishop Pawn. ❌⚪
11:47 - White Queen checked. ⚪👑
11:58 - White Queenside Knight checked. ⚪👑
12:00 - White Queenside Knight was threatened Black Kingside Bishop. ❌⚪
12:27 - White Kingside Rock check. ⚪👑
12:50 - Black Queen was rammed by White Kingside Rock, with the addition of check. ❌⚫ ⚪👑
13:18 - White Kingside Rock was token and ponged away. Then Black Kingside Bishop took space. ❌⚪
13:53 - White Queen checked again. ⚪👑
14:11 - White Knight checked. ⚪👑
14:27 - White Knight checked. ⚪👑
15:07 - White Queen checked. ⚪👑
15:17 - White Queen was rammed by Black Kingside Rock. ❌⚪
15:48 - White Knight *checkmated.* ⚪👑👑

15:31, "lousy horse."

[blackholedividedbyzero]

For those people who are confuse about what happened at 8:14 to 8:58 if you look at it very carefully the knight at d6 take the bishop at c4. All those extra movements are just part of the drama.

[thefastmeow]

14:44 the song used is "O'Fortuna by Carl Orff"

[HeromakerJB]

Whoever made this video did amazing work. I can't believe this video has been on Youtube since 2013, and I'm just now finding out about it. I love the various video game references and the Annoying Orange music.

[regularcookie]

I love how they go for a annoying orange style

[kummer]

We need THIS.
The word demand THIS.

Imagine a Carlsen game commentated like this. Just pick any classical game of chess and bring this drama into it. It would be super original and hilarious.

[BroomPusher]

Id pay real money for a chess videogame like this

[clixxyz]

Thanks for at least playing 1.e4, most chess animations make a move like 1.a4

Beyond this line are spoilers!






Oh yeah, there was also a queen sacrifice, even if it was only a mate in two.

[dinobacon]

When i was watching this i have been suffering from all of the blunders and mistakes but also the humour is pretty funny

[ShawndaPrawn]

Well, that's a relief. I was concerned people would call this an annoying orange ripoff, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Great work on this vid, just hilarious. :)

[mr.playtime]

7:53 cursing is considered illegal in chess m8

[leculecu]

I love animations like this ..the eyes! Great job..

[maximumbloop]

Announcer: Looks like he chose the sandwech
Me: The what?
Announcer: Not the ham and cheese kind
Me: yeah that clears it up