Lucinda's Final Blog - So farewell then…

02 December 09

I say, I say, I say, how can seven hours pass so quickly? Because we were all having fun!

And that about sums the evening up. It was a riot of colour and conversation, with a huge amount of huddling and some wibbling in between. I think there was food, there was certainly drink, old friends and new criss-crossing the room, a brief moment in the spotlight and a general consensus that whoever won would have been a worthy opponent for us all.

For all the love, care and detail which has gone into Lost and Found, Philip and Sue deserve countless congratulations, and I’m looking forward very much to seeing the sequel. For a barrel full of laughs and an innovative approach to an original form, respect to Ben and Myles (as Henry would say!). And it was a privilege to be nominated alongside Dave Unwin – whose directorial talent knows no bounds – and to spend the evening with actor Lizzie Waterworth, who delivers a horrid nine year old boy like no other!

On the long drive back to Oxford, Mike and I swap stories and share commiserations. Mike reminds me that last week we hit an all time ratings high with the Horrid Weekend (thank you to our lovely hosts, ITV), that Henry's website passed the 60,000 mark (not bad for the first month, thank you Cube!) and that we have a new chocolate mask to add to our collection. Er, no, we don't (midnight munchies got the better of me!).

We agree that a BAFTA nomination is for life, not just for Christmas.

When we arrive home our elder daughter stirs and sleepily asks about the outcome, and in the simple way that kids have, just smiles and says she’s sure we were second to win.

It’s a business we’ve all chosen to be in, and one that we clearly all love.

In the morning we all discuss the winners and decide that this year was truly the Year of the Penguin. Our younger daughter confidently informs me that next year it'll be the puffin (but don’t tell Philip!) and so I promise to include one in the next Henry project – a horrid one, of course!

And so it’s back to the double life. Or rather, the triple life, because what goes on in our heads (that which we call imagination) is a third world, one to which we can all escape when the going is good or when it gets tough. And it’s the way in which we express what’s going on in our heads, the way that we tell our stories, that helps us connect – with family, with friends and with audiences.

There were many, many stories unfolding on Sunday night – some just beginning, some drawing to a close, some we had a glimpse of and others remained hidden. For better and for worse, it’s a business we’ve all chosen to be in, and one that we clearly all love. And long may that last.

Thank you BAFTA. Thank you BAFTA Animation Jury. And thank you Lisa and Rob for making this blog happen. I wrote you a poem - hope you like it!

So farewell then
Chocolate BAFTA
Just for one night
No happy ever after

(Try reading it with a Northern accent. Honest, it rhymes!)

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