Emma Calder was born in London. She studied Graphic design at The Royal College of Art. Whilst at the Royal College of Art she began making animated films, including the cult 80’s classic Madame Potatoe. After college she set up a studio producing graphic design, illustration for magazines and animation work for pop videos and commercials. In 1986 she made the animated film, Springfield, a witty and offbeat, probing of loss and alienation featuring a central character who is half woman, half vacuum cleaner. In 1989 she set up Pearly Oyster Productions with fellow animator Ged Haney, the pair co-directing the puppet animation children’s film The Drummer. Pearly Oyster's award winning films include The Kings of Siam (Ch4) and The Queen's Monastery. (BBC). She has written, designed and illustrated books, for both adults and children, including Emma Calder's Moody Days Sticker Book, published by Thames and Hudson and Paper Angels for Bloomsbury. Emma is currently making
Random Person 52 part viral internet animation series. She recently completed two animated documentaries.
Boudica A Norfolk Story an animated commission from Norwich Castle Museum and
Everyone Is Waiting For Something To Happen a film exclusively based on a chosen person’s social media data. Part of a EPSRC UK research project. Her latest film
Roger Ballen’s Theatre of Apparitions commissioned by Roger Ballen which she co-directed with Ged Haney has already been screened at over 30 festivals including The London Film Festival. She is also working on a feature.
