Aardman Animations
British stop-motion and CGI animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep, and Early Man. One of the most beloved animation brands in the world.
Overview
Aardman Animations is one of the most celebrated animation studios in the world, known for its distinctive clay animation (claymation) and stop-motion technique. Founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton in Bristol, England, the studio has produced some of the most iconic animated characters and films in British entertainment history. Aardman's work combines meticulous craft, dry British humor, and universal storytelling that appeals to audiences of all ages.
The studio operates from a purpose-built facility in Bristol and employs approximately 200 people during peak production. Aardman works across feature films, short films, television series, commercials, and interactive media.
History
Peter Lord and David Sproxton founded Aardman Animations while still schoolboys, creating the character Morph for the BBC children's program Take Hart in 1977. The studio gained international recognition through Nick Park's Creature Comforts (1989), which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit characters became Aardman's signature property, beginning with A Grand Day Out (1989) and continuing through The Wrong Trousers (1993, Academy Award winner), A Close Shave (1995, Academy Award winner), and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005, Academy Award for Best Animated Feature).
Aardman's feature film output includes Chicken Run (2000, the highest-grossing stop-motion film at the time), Flushed Away (2006), Arthur Christmas (2011), The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012), Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015), Early Man (2018), and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023). The studio has distribution partnerships with various major studios, with Netflix distributing Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.
What Filmmakers Should Know
Aardman develops projects internally and through partnerships with international distributors. The studio's production model requires extensive pre-production for puppet fabrication, set construction, and storyboarding before principal animation begins. Feature productions at Aardman typically span three to four years from concept to completion.
The studio also operates a significant commercials and short-form division, producing award-winning work for brands and broadcasters. Aardman's Bristol base has made the city a hub for animation talent in the UK.
See Also
For understanding animation production workflows, see Budget Breakdown for Independent Films. For frame rate considerations in stop-motion, use the Frame Rate Calculator.
