The Miracle Maker is a full-length feature film using pioneering method of animation design.

It was commissioned by the Welsh fourth channel S4C. The film was jointly funded by S4C, British Screen and the BBC.

The film took four years and $10m to make using award-winning crews in Wales and Moscow.

Voices from a star cast are featured in the story including Rebecca Callard (as a sick young girl Tamar), William Hurt (her Pharisee father, Jairus), Julie Christie (her mother ) and Ralph Fiennes as the voice of Jesus.

The 90-minute film was an epic undertaking since the animation was created by filming 24 frames for each second of finished film.

The Miracle Maker is said to take the techniques of animation design to new heights with a mix of model, drawn and computer animation.

Computer special effects

In a unique collaboration, the drawn (2-D) animation was done at Cartwn Cymru in Wales and the model (3-D) animation was done at Christmas Films in Moscow.

The world of First Century Palestine - the stone houses and grand temples, the fishing boats, the clothes and customs, even the plants - were extensively researched and are authentically recreated in the models and animation.

Computer special effects were used to combine sequences and add water, fire, clouds and rain.

"The effect we have aimed for is 'moving paintings' which is appropriate for telling the Bible stories giving the feeling that you're entering a different world," said Director, Derek Hayes.