In the Studio with Axel Scheffler

AXEL SCHEFFLER: tHE MAN WHO DREW THE gRUFFALO

Client: BBC World Service / BBC Sounds

Brief: An edition of The Documentary: In the Studio featuring book illustrator Axel Scheffler.

Tandem process: Tandem set up a series of interviews with artist Axel Scheffler in his attic studio. Over three visits the team was able to explore Axel’s craft in detail, watching him draw and paint, and at one point having a rare conversation with a new collaborator, actor Dame Emma Thompson. The team also recorded impressions from some of Axel’s young readers on his illustrative style. The audio was edited and mixed with specially written music to create a quirky and entertaining portrait of this highly successful artist at work.

Project

For decades, illustrator Axel Scheffler has been keeping children and adults around the world entertained with his warm and witty illustrations, from the Gruffalo and Stick Man to worms with attitude, gobbly goats and smart giants. He has published more than 150 books, including collaborations with writer Julia Donaldson that have become modern-day classics, translated into dozens of languages and selling millions of copies. 

Tandem was excited to have been granted access to Axel’s studio, to record him describing his workplace and the projects he was currently working on. The chance to see him creating characters using pen and ink was fascinating and we took a variety of recording equipment to the location to allow maximum flexibility in what could be captured. 

At one point we had an opportunity to hear Axel talk to Dame Emma Thompson about the book she’d written and that he was illustrating, and this formed a focal point of the programme, where Emma gently analysed some of the aspects of Axel’s work. Voices from children who enjoyed Axel’s illustrations were also woven in for a more direct take on his style. 

The music for the programme was devised to reflect Axel’s unique approach and cut and mixed to subtly underline some of the points being made.



The programme was broadcast on BBC World Service and remains as a podcast on BBC Sounds and the BBC World Service website.