UK
Synopsis
Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, EARLY MAN tells the story of how plucky caveman Dug, along with sidekick Hognob, unites his tribe against the mighty Bronze Age in a battle to beat them at their own game.
Director's Biography
Director/Producer Nick Park is a four-time Oscar-winner, three in the category of Best Animated Short Film - CREATURE COMFORTS, THE WRONG TROUSERS and A CLOSE SHAVE and more recently in the category for Best Animated Feature Film for THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT (which was also nominated for an EFA People's Choice Award). All four films were created and produced at Aardman, where Park is a co-director with founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton.
Nick Park became interested in animation as a child and started making films in his parents’ attic at the age of 13. One of his earliest works, ARCHIE'S CONCRETE NIGHTMARE, shot on standard 8mm film, was shown on BBC Television in 1975. He went on to earn a BA in Communication Arts at Sheffield Art School in 1980, before moving on to the National Film & Television School in Beaconsfield, England. At the NFTS Nick began working on A GRAND DAY OUT, marking the introduction of Wallace & Gromit. In February 1985 he joined Aardman where he completed the film. He then directed CREATURE COMFORTS for Aardman’s Lip Synch series for Channel 4 Television.
In 1996, Nick Park and Aardman were honoured with a BAFTA Special Award for Original Contribution to Television. In 1997, he was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).
In June 2000, Nick Park’s first feature film CHICKEN RUN, co-directed with Aardman co-founder Peter Lord, was released world-wide to critical acclaim and box office success. CHICKEN RUN has grossed over USD 250m world-wide and was nominated for the European Film Awards.
Wallace and Gromit’s A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH was broadcast on BBC One on Christmas Day 2008 to a record-beating 16.15M viewers. The 30-minute film was directed by Nick Park and is co-written by Park and Bob Baker.
In the Autumn of 2010, Wallace and Gromit’s WORLD OF INVENTION, a six-part factual series for BBC One, saw Wallace and Gromit turn their hand to ‘TV presenting’ for the first time. The animated duo introduced films featuring interesting, unusual and extraordinary real life inventions from around the world.
Nick Park became interested in animation as a child and started making films in his parents’ attic at the age of 13. One of his earliest works, ARCHIE'S CONCRETE NIGHTMARE, shot on standard 8mm film, was shown on BBC Television in 1975. He went on to earn a BA in Communication Arts at Sheffield Art School in 1980, before moving on to the National Film & Television School in Beaconsfield, England. At the NFTS Nick began working on A GRAND DAY OUT, marking the introduction of Wallace & Gromit. In February 1985 he joined Aardman where he completed the film. He then directed CREATURE COMFORTS for Aardman’s Lip Synch series for Channel 4 Television.
In 1996, Nick Park and Aardman were honoured with a BAFTA Special Award for Original Contribution to Television. In 1997, he was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).
In June 2000, Nick Park’s first feature film CHICKEN RUN, co-directed with Aardman co-founder Peter Lord, was released world-wide to critical acclaim and box office success. CHICKEN RUN has grossed over USD 250m world-wide and was nominated for the European Film Awards.
Wallace and Gromit’s A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH was broadcast on BBC One on Christmas Day 2008 to a record-beating 16.15M viewers. The 30-minute film was directed by Nick Park and is co-written by Park and Bob Baker.
In the Autumn of 2010, Wallace and Gromit’s WORLD OF INVENTION, a six-part factual series for BBC One, saw Wallace and Gromit turn their hand to ‘TV presenting’ for the first time. The animated duo introduced films featuring interesting, unusual and extraordinary real life inventions from around the world.
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Nick Park
Written by: James Higginson, Nick Park, Mark Burton
Produced by: Carla Shelley, Richard Beek, David Sproxton, Peter Lord, Nick Park
Animation: Loyd Price
Nominations and Awards
- European Animated Feature Film 2018
