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Nick Hales - Animation Director - Lead/Supervising Animator
Currently Animation Director with Aardman for their Chicken Run 2 games title - Eggstraction.
I love the challenge to uphold and push the unique style and feeling of the company's work, and the fun, puns and humour that makes it stand alone.
A fantastic role and responsibility to direct and animate this famous studio IP and keep the identity and authenticity of the stopframe technique, while adding a fresh take for the games genre.
Aardman Roles:
Animation Director & Lead Animator on Chicken Run Eggstraction. Taking all the game's cinematics from the original script through to finished animation. Injecting my own visual humour into them along the way, as well as interperating the script for maximum comic effect.
Working with Pete Lord on a weekly basis in the final 6 months to bring the animation as close to the original film IP as possible, within the demanding time and project constraints.
Completing around 10/12 seconds a day of finished animation in the final months leading up to first release.
I directed the voice over talent for the game as part of this role, and created the initial in game animations alongside this to set the style, before supervising other animators and riggers on this as the project developed.
During my time at Aardman I have been Lead Animator on Lloyd of the Flies, managing a team of 10 remote animators to produce a 10 minute episode of high quality CG series animation every 2 weeks.
In this role our team never missed an episode deadline over the whole project, including covering for illness and holidays. Working closely with Animation Director Seamus Malone on this 52 episode series.
Also animating the opening credits for the show was a great extra responsibility to be given.
Animation Director Roles:
Remotely directed a team of 6+ animators on these commercials.
Responsible for direct interaction with clients and creative agencies on a regular basis as the voice of the animation company, as well as direction and crit' for all shots on a daily basis with the animators and production team.
In addition to these I directed a children's TV series with the company adding CG characters to live action. Overseeing all the shots and animation remotely.
I have also lent my time to a few more of their projects, including their own short films, where a more senior eye was wanted for improving the animation quality and cinematography.
Head of Animation Roles:
Before this I was Head of Animation at 422 South in Bristol. Taking control of many documentaries and series. Leading a team of up to 40 people in house, then remotely for 3/4 years.
Regularly talking to clients, directing and advising on all shot and animation decisions as well as hands on animation, camera/previz, rigging and layout work whenever needed.
A few example projects below:
Independant Film:
During Covid, I used my furlough time to create, direct and animate my own independant short film. Leading a small volunteer team of modellers, lighters and compositors, as well as student sound engineers to produce this film in 2/3 months. Sticking to my own deadlines and running the project over Slack.
This film was selected in over 100 film festivals world wide, winning 13, with a further 5 honourable mentions.
Leading up to this I have been an animator on many high profile jobs across the last 15+ years, which you can see here:
Please browse the site if you'd like to see any more of the work I've done in games, cinematic, tv, commercials and music videos!
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