animate!

Films : Dad’s Dead : direction & collaboration

Chris Shepherd

biography

Chris Shepherd was born in Liverpool in 1966. In 1985 he studied Foundation Art at Liverpool Polytechnic, after which he became an editor at a production company called NGP Ltd. From 1989 to 1992 he studied animation at West Surrey College of Art and Design. After graduating he became studio manager at Speedy Films and coordinated adverts and short films for TV.

In 1995 he set up a production company called Polkadot Productions Ltd. He directed and produced the multi-award-winning The Broken Jaw for Channel 4 and produced BAFTA nominated The World Of Interiors. Chris’s other Polkadot credits include adverts, title sequences and the award winning Stareout sketches on BBC/Talkback’s Big Train.

In 2000 he became the co-founder of production company Slinky Pictures, with producer Maria Manton. Director/writing credits include a ten part series for Channel Four called People’s Britain and his acclaimed animate! short Dad’s Dead , winner of 20 international awards including Best Short at the British Independent Film Awards.

Chris was also the consultant producer for Channel 4/BFI’s Animator In Residence scheme between 1997 and 2004. During this time he helped to develop over twenty-four short films for Channel Four.

Since completing his animate! collaboration with artist David Shrigley Who I Am and What I Want , he is also finishing another short film project Silence is Golden.

25 October 2005

short biography

Chris completed an Animation BA at West Surrey College of Art and Design in 1992. He is co-founder of London animation company Slinky Pictures with producer Maria Manton, and has directed short films, commercials and comedy series. He made the prize-winning The Broken Jaw in 1997.

His first animate! commission was the hybrid film Dad’s Dead 2002, Best Short Film at the British Independent Film Awards 2003 and winner of a huge number of other prizes.

July 2004

filmography

2005 Who I Am and What A Want Co-Director/writer. Short film commissioned by animate! funded by Arts Council England and Channel 4 (collaboration with David Shrigley). Nathan Barley Animator. Talkback/Zeppotron series for Channel 4 by Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker. Bollocks To Cancer Animator. Yipp films documentary for Channel 4 by Patrick Collerton.
2004 Strange Times Script Consultant on TV Pilot. Slinky Pictures for BBC3.
2003 Dad’s Dead Director and Writer. Slinky Pictures commissioned by animate!, Arts Council England and Channel 4.
Winner of 25 international film awards including Best Short Film at British Independent Film Awards, 2 British Animation Awards and Film BAFTA nomination. The Girl and the Horse Producer. Short film for Channel 4 directed by Rebecca Manley.
2001 People’s Britain Director and Co-writer (with Peter Holmes). Slinky Pictures for E4/Channel 4.
Winner of Best Comedy Series at British Animation Awards Deckstar Director. TV pilot for Zeppotron.com The World of Interiors Producer. Short film. Polkadot for Channel 4 directed by Bunny Schendler.
Winner of Animated Eye Award, Aspen Shorts Festival USA, and nominated for a film BAFTA
2000 Angry Kid ‘Backwards Writing’ Co-writer (with Darren Walsh) on an episode of a series by Aardman for BBC. Pop Skool Director. Internet series by Zeppotron and Slinky Pictures.
1999 School Disco Producer. Short Film. Polkadot for Channel 4 directed by Brian Wood.
Winner of 1 film award. The Big End Producer. ‘Farmergeddon’ animated sketches. Polkadot for BBC.
1998 Big Train (Series 1) Animation on ‘Stareout Sketches’ for TV series by Talkback for BBC.
Winner of Bronze award at Montreux Comedy Festival and Best-Broken Comedy Show, British Comedy Awards 1998.
1997 The Broken Jaw Director and Writer. Short film. Polkadot for Channel 4.
Winner of 6 interantional film awards. Strongman Director and Writer. Idents for Polakdot and the British Council Big Train Animation on TV pliot ‘Stareout Sketches‘.
Winner of Best Animation for a TV comedy series, Everyman Animation Festival.
1992 A Load of Balls Director and Writer. Short Film at WSCAD.
1989 Safari Director and Writer. Short film for NGP Productions.

Commercials

Chris has directed many advertising campaigns including: Learn Direct (DFGW), Christian Aid (Partners BDDH), Eagle Star (Ogilvy and Mather), Shakey Jake (Ogilvy and Mather), Western Union (D&BB), Milky Bar (Amarti Puris Lintas), Vibrant (Greys), BMI Baby (Partners BDDH) and the very popular Staying Alive’ Hedgehogs road safety adverts (D‘Arcys).