Norman McLaren Archive
- Location: University of Stirling Archives and Special Collections
- Reference Number: GAA31
- Date: 1931-1991
- Description: Material sent by McLaren to his family in Scotland (and other material collected by family) relating to his life and career including correspondence (1936-87); awards (1953-86); material relating to McLaren's films (1940-91); personal memorabilia (1931-78), photographs and press cuttings (1930s-90s). The University of Stirling Art Collection includes a collection of McLaren's paintings and drawings.
- Language: English
- Related Material:
- Level: Collection
- Administrative History: Norman McLaren was born in Stirling in 1914. The son of a painter and decorator he was educated at Stirling High School. He studied art and interior design at Glasgow School of Art from 1933-36. While there he bagan making short experimental films. His work came to the attention of John Grierson who offered him a job with the GPO Film Unit in London. McLaren gained valuable filmmaking experience at the GPO and in 1939 he moved to New York where he continued to make films. In 1941 he accepted an offer from John Grierson to join the National Film Board of Canada (which Grierson established in 1939). In Canada Grierson gave McLaren the freedom to experiment. He examined the various ways sound and movement could be presented on film and developed a variety of different techniques of animation. McLaren's genius was recognised worldwide with a string of awards for his work including an Oscar in 1953 for his short film Neighbours.
- Additional Notes: The University of Stirling Art Collection includes a collection of McLaren's paintings and drawings.
- Contact: University of Stirling Archives
