In recent years clay animation has broken new ground and has seen incredible success at the box office and amongst television and film critics alike. Both children’s and adult’s television and movie features have been produced using the clay animation technique.
Perhaps one of the most famous of the claymation series popular today are the Wallace and Gromit television shows, short films and feature-length productions. Made by Nick Park of Aardman Animations, the Wallace and Gromit series began in 1989 with ‘A Grand Day Out’, and was followed in 1993 by the critically acclaimed ‘The Wrong Trousers’. 1995 saw ‘A Close Shave’, followed by a ‘Cracking Contraptions’ series of shorts which were initially shown on the internet and have since been released as a DVD. The most significant success has been with the movie-length production ‘Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ released in 2005 which garnered the production team an Oscar. Since this success a new television series, ‘Shaun the Sheep’ has been produced and a new movie, ‘Trouble at’ Mill’ is due for release later in 2008. Another perennial children’s favourite is the ‘Bob the Builder’ television series created by Keith Chapman, which began in 1999.
Clay animation is popular as an adult’s medium as well. Celebrity Deathmatch, a television show based upon putting warring celebrities into a wrestling ring, aired on MTV from 1998 to 2002. Celebrity Deathmatch’s creator, Eric Fogel, went on to create another series, Starveillance, which began airing on E! in 2007. Seth Green and Matthew Senriech also used the clay animation medium for their series ‘Robot Chicken’ which aired from 2005-2007 and was much loved by adults and children alike.
Perhaps one of the most famous of the claymation series popular today are the Wallace and Gromit television shows, short films and feature-length productions. Made by Nick Park of Aardman Animations, the Wallace and Gromit series began in 1989 with ‘A Grand Day Out’, and was followed in 1993 by the critically acclaimed ‘The Wrong Trousers’. 1995 saw ‘A Close Shave’, followed by a ‘Cracking Contraptions’ series of shorts which were initially shown on the internet and have since been released as a DVD. The most significant success has been with the movie-length production ‘Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ released in 2005 which garnered the production team an Oscar. Since this success a new television series, ‘Shaun the Sheep’ has been produced and a new movie, ‘Trouble at’ Mill’ is due for release later in 2008. Another perennial children’s favourite is the ‘Bob the Builder’ television series created by Keith Chapman, which began in 1999.
Clay animation is popular as an adult’s medium as well. Celebrity Deathmatch, a television show based upon putting warring celebrities into a wrestling ring, aired on MTV from 1998 to 2002. Celebrity Deathmatch’s creator, Eric Fogel, went on to create another series, Starveillance, which began airing on E! in 2007. Seth Green and Matthew Senriech also used the clay animation medium for their series ‘Robot Chicken’ which aired from 2005-2007 and was much loved by adults and children alike.