At the Barbican book tickets
LIAF is extremely excited to present the very first screening worldwide of the brand new family favourite TV series Shaun the Sheep in a forthcoming half-hour Christmas Special, PLUS an onstage talk with the creators behind the project – Mark Burton (Executive Producer/Co-Writer), Steve Cox (Director) and Richard Beek (Producer).
Shaun the Sheep: the Flight before Christmas
(dir: Steve Cox) UK, 30 mins, 2021.
Shaun’s seasonal excitement turns to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the Flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing.Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone else’s present? Prepare for a ‘Santastic’ adventure as everyone learns the true value of Christmas.
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas sees the return of Shaun, Timmy and the Flock for a mischief-filled festive caper set to become an instant Christmas classic. Shaun the Sheep is recognised the world over for its slapstick humour, distinctive look and strong, quirky characters.
As ever, Shaun the Sheep was produced at Aardman – Bristol’s multi-award winning independent animation studio whose productions are global in appeal, novel, entertaining, brilliantly characterised and full of charm reflecting the unique talent, energy and personal commitment of the Aardman team.
This is a very special preview before the film screens on the nation’s television screens on BBC One over the Christmas period.
Screentalk Panellists
Meet the team behind Shaun the Sheep: the Flight Before Christmas:
Mark Burton – Co-Writer/Executive Producer
Mark cut his teeth as a comedy writer on such iconic British shows as the satirical puppet series Spitting Image, sketch comedy Alas Smith & Jones, and the long-running topical panel show Have I Got News For You. His first foray into features came when he was asked to provide additional dialogue for Chicken Run. He went on to co-write Madagascar for DreamWorks; Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-rabbit (for which he won a Bafta); and Miramax’s Gnomeo & Juliet. Shaun The Sheep Movie (2015) was Mark’s first job as a writer/director, with Richard Starzak. The film earned them a Bafta and Oscar nomination. He collaborated with Nick Park on Early Man, and is currently co-writing the next instalment in the Paddington franchise for Studio Canal.
Richard ‘Beeky’ Beek – Producer
Richard joined Aardman in 1999 on a 4-week work experience placement on Chicken Run, from this opportunity he has worked his way up through the Production Department to his current position of Senior Producer. Over the last 21 years his work has been focused mainly on Features and longer form projects and he has been involved in many of Aardman’s most loved creations: Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, Early Man and Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.
Steve Cox – Director
Steve has been at Aardman since 2008, working on numerous productions as a stop-motion animator including previous productions of Shaun the Sheep and Early Man (2018). Prior to this he worked as a writer for Pingu (2006) and in the Art Department for Bob the Builder (1999-2001).
