High-tech Pixar produces the goods for Loach

British director Ken Loach’s appeal for old-school editing tape has been answered in the unlikeliest of quarters after a response from the cutting-edge digital-animation house Pixar.

Loach said he was cutting what could be his final feature film, Jimmy’s Hall, on a traditional flatbed Steenbeck editor but was running out of edge-numbering tape - vital for synchronising sound and picture in a pre-digital era.

His plea was heard by Steve Bloom, an editor at Pixar Animation studios, based near San Francisco in California, who sent over 19 rolls of the tape Loach needed - their entire stock.

Bloom, who worked as second editor on Monsters University, as well as on Shrek, Antz and James and the Giant Peach, also sent Loach a drawing of characters Mike and Sulley surrounded by rolls of film in an editing room, signed by all the Pixar editors with a good luck message.

Loach returned the compliment with a photograph of himself, his editor Jonathan Morris, and assistant editor Paul Clegg giving the thumbs-up to Bloom's gift.

Commenting, Loach said: “We were delighted to know that Pixar is still in love with the same technology as us. We hope to get to meet them along the way. We’ve had a tinful of tape from a few other friends as well and we’re very grateful.”

Guardian Service