Film / animation

Aardman celebrate 40th birthday at Encounters

By Bristol24/7 Wednesday Sep 21, 2016

Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton celebrated the world famous animation company’s 40th birthday with a special event at the opening night of the Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival at the Watershed.

Aardman co-founders Peter Lord (left) and David Sproxton (right) with Bristol24/7 Editor Martin Booth (middle)

At the event hosted by Bristol24/7 Editor Martin Booth, the pair looked back at their four decades in business since opening above a shop in Clifton in 1976.

Independent journalism
is needed now More than ever

Keep our city's journalism independent. Become a supporter member today.

Community member Find out more

While looking at the history of the company, Lord made a model of Morph, one of Aardman’s most popular characters, before Sproxton introduced the world premiere of the remastered video for Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.

There followed questions from Booth, before a Q&A from the audience threw up titbits such as some of the voices for Oscar-winning Creature Comforts were the owners of the corner shop near Aardman’s first Bristol home in Wetherell Place near the University of Bristol student union.

Lord and Sproxton also touched on the future of the company, currently in the middle of production for the Nick Park helmed feature film Early Man, including advances in virtual reality animation.

Here’s to the next 40 years.

Lord and Sproxton in their younger days

All photos by Jon Craig

Tags:

animation

£10 off tickets to the final week of Disney’s Aladdin at the Hippodrome

Get whisked away to a whole new world with the cast of Aladdin

Claim Perk
£5 off when you spend £15 at Better Food

Better Food is offering all Bristol24/7 members £5 off their shopping when they spend £15 between Thursday 16 July and Wednesday 29 July.

Claim Perk
10% off purchases from the We The Curious online shop

We\'ve teamed up with We The Curious to offer you 10% off in their excellent online shop.

Claim Perk
10% off stays at Beech House

Urban Apartments are offering members a discount on a Whiteladies Road stay

Claim Perk
10% off your food bill at Nadu

We\'ve teamed up with Sri Lankan restaurant Nadu to offer Bristol24/7 members 10% off their food bill Sunday - Thursday.

Claim Perk
10% off your food bill at Nadu

We\'ve teamed up with Sri Lankan restaurant Nadu to offer Bristol24/7 members 10% off their food bill Sunday - Thursday.

Claim Perk