David and James worked in London in the late nineties but never met. David was animating on Disney’s The Tigger Movie and James was illustrating the graphic novel cult classic 2000AD. Meeting 20 years later in Knaresborough where they live, they discovered a creative synergy. First collaborating on an animated theatrical version of A Christmas Carol (2020), for Lawrence Batley Theatre during the pandemic, it gained national critical acclaim on a shoestring budget. Their first animated documentary, ‘No One is an Island (2024) is the result of a shared desire to tell positive, engaging and daring stories that break through the eco-bubble. With their unique skillset pairing James’ artistry and David’s animation background they bring a powerful and urgent storytelling partnership to the big and small screen.

James McKay

James graduated with 1st class honours in illustration and graphic design from Middlesex University in 1998 and was shortlisted for Best New UK Graphic Novelist in the Arts Foundation Awards 2009. James established himself on 2000AD with writer Pat Mills.  James' graphic novel credits as a writer/illustrator include City of Secrets. James has illustrated both scientific papers and popular books including Dinosaurs of the British Isles and Trilobites, Dinosaurs and Mammoths. His art is featured on the cover of the journal Nature. Described by author Rob Hopkins as the man who draws the future, James uses art to inspire climate action. His visions of a positive future where people adapt to and mitigate climate change are informed by world-leading scientists. He has led collaborative public engagement projects including Dreams of a Low Carbon Future, editing creative work by hundreds of contributors. His work has been featured on BBC radio and was shortlisted for both the NCCPE Engage Awards (2014); and the IIASA international prize for visioning positive futures (2022).

In 2021 James’s work was published by the Conversation... Our Climate Projections for 2500 show an Earth that is alien to Humans and made huge waves in the news.

David Bunting

Filming his first animation at age 9 with a super-8 camera, David studied Animation at Senior College Ballyfermot, Dublin, the European Partner school to Sheridan College, Canada. An internship in Visual Effects at Walt Disney Feature Animation, France opened the door to work as a classical drawn SFX animator for TV and feature films, including Disney’s The Tigger Movie and the title sequence for Thunderbirds.

A love of storytelling led David towards storyboarding. Training in feature film storyboarding at Aardman Animations, and a stint storyboarding on Shaun the Sheep, David has storyboarded iconic Children’s TV series Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed and Bob the Builder.

He co-produced the multi-award-winning 4mation short, The Astronomer's Sun for Channel 4 Television. His animated campaign short, I wish I went to Ecuador, animated by school children, won awards at environmental film festivals around the world, was shown to delegates at COP, and received plaudits from Al Gore.

“The star of the show is David Bunting’s delightfully smudgy animation, which, aided by James McKay’s art direction, looks like a picture book evocatively brought to life and is reminiscent of John Leech’s original 1843 illustrations while having a distinctive style all of its own.”

— The Stage