# animate! › Films › Scrutiny by Ian Cross › all › synopses › direction & collaboration › full production credits › film stills › tools & processes › format & distribution › background material

Canonical: https://animate.org.uk/films/scrutiny/all

Discovery terms: 1990s animation, photographic animation, computer animation, live action and animation, birth, marriage, death, social conventions, experimental short film, filmmaker

The following is the archived page text; discovery terms above are separately sourced metadata.

Archive status: restored in 2026; historical calls, deadlines and services are closed.

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**Scrutiny** a film by Ian Cross

[Ian Cross](https://crossyfilms.com)

1995, 7 min 49 sec

[watch this film ›](https://animateprojectsarchive.org/films/by_date/1995_98/scrutiny/)

![Scrutiny, still](https://animate.org.uk/stillslarge/scrutiny01.jpg)

### animate! synopsis

Strangers on a train, points on a journey through the ‘accepted nature of things‘. Fast talking animation scratches the surface of our familiarity as we question the answers we’ve been offered.

### long synopsis

”Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return” *Job 1.21* **Scrutiny** questions the accepted ‘nature of things’ – birth, sex, marriage, death and DIY.

Rapid fire animation, fidgeting on the film’s surface, challenges us to make sense of it, while the contrasting live action lulls us into a false sense of familiarity. A journey is depicted, taking us through the heart of of the country and ending amidst the seemingly chaotic life of a city.

### key credits

**director**
Ian Cross

**music performer**
Simon de Souza

### Ian Cross

### a film by Ian Cross

### direction

**director**
Ian Cross

### voice-over

**music performer**
Simon de Souza

### support

**special thanks**
Harry Rushton at Bucks Motion Picture Labs, Brian Tagg, Dick Arnall, Jimmy Hefferman, Jo wright, Steve Marshall and Karen Chung

**primary funding**
Arts Council of England/Channel Four Animate! award

© Ian Cross 1995

[![Scrutiny, still](https://animate.org.uk/stillslarge/scrutiny01.jpg)](https://animate.org.uk/stillsfull/scrutiny01.jpg)

*click on image for full size still*

### technical

#### process summary

Mixing photographic and computer generated images (printed directly onto 35mm film), and interspersed with live action.

### master copy format

**colour or black & white**
colour

### video distribution format

**video format**
BetaSP

**screen aspect ratio**
4:3

**video standard**
PAL

**sound type**
stereo

### distributor

LUX
[info@lux.org.uk](mailto:info@lux.org.uk)
+44 (0)20 7503 3980
[www.lux.org.uk](http://www.lux.org.uk/)

**Scrutiny** film, stills and other materials © Ian Cross 1995