Manchester Animation Festival is once again taking over the Rainy City as hundreds of enthusiasts gather at Home for six days of guest speakers, demonstrations, screenings and more. Among this year's guests is none other than Chicken Run and Scoob! animator Suzy Fagan Parr, who treated fans to a behind-the-scenes talk about the eagerly-anticipated Chicken Run sequel, Dawn of the Nugget.
Speaking to FILMHOUNDS, Suzy told us how she began her career as an animator, working with the legendary Aardman, and the advice she has for budding animators eager to get a break in the industry.
I'd love to speak with you about your time at Manchester Animation Festival where you spoke about the making of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. How was that experience?
It was great. It was a pretty packed audience, probably around 200 people. We showed them behind-the-scenes stuff from the movie and had some lovely questions at the end. We also had an enormous queue for signing posters afterwards which was amazing but a very novel experience. My happy place is on my own in the dark but it was really lovely to share the floor with so many enthusiasts and that energy took me through.
Did you always want to be an animator?
I always loved watching cartoons as a kid, all those great shows at the time in the 70s and 80s. It was always on my mind but it was really when I went to college and made stop-start animation that I realised I really wanted to do that. So I always loved it but it was art college that made me know this was what I wanted to do.
How did you first become involved with Aardman?
I was at university in Bristol back in the 90s and I'd just finished my course when I saw a poster in the corridor saying that Aardman was looking for animators to train up for Chicken Run, which at that point was the first claymation feature that had ever been made so they didn't have enough animators in the world to crew up. So I was really lucky with timing. We did a six-month program and quite a lot of us from that time are still at Aardman. We might have gone away for a bit and done other things but we came back so now quite a few of us in the building have been here for a long time.
As well as being an experienced and often lead animator, you've directed quite a few things now too. Can you tell me how that works?
Well most, not all but most, directors of animation have animation in their background so they have a good understanding of and are familiar with the process. Directing the animators who work the puppets is similar to directing actors and you oversee the set-builds which are of course radically different from live-action due to scale so you need a keen eye.
Do you have a role you prefer or do they both offer equally as exciting challenges and opportunities?
I have been an animator for such a long time, it is very much my comfort zone. So I push myself with directing as I get to face new challenges which are very much out of that comfort zone. I am really keen to learn when I'm directing, not that you don't learn on every project you work on no matter the role. I can't say I prefer one over the other but at the moment I am really keen to direct more. That's where my ambitions are but I also love just being on my own sometimes too just working with characters.
Would you want to make the move to directing live-action in the future?
If someone were to offer me something in live action I would of course jump at the chance but I wouldn't say that's where my aspirations lie. I really want to direct my own animation film, and my story with whatever company would take me on. That's the ambition at this stage of my career.
Have you had a favourite film or show that you've worked on?
I have enjoyed working on all of them but I really loved animating on The Pirates! Band of Misfits which was a big step up for Aardman at the time and it was quite freeing to not be working with clay for once.
Have you got a favourite character you've worked with and equally do you ever get fed up with them on some level?
I have a really special place in my heart for Ginger (from Chicken Run) and now she's back after 23 years and I've had such fun with her. She's not the one making all the jokes, she has quite an emotional role which is great to animate and is more challenging. I don't really have a character I don't like but sometimes the puppets can be difficult to work with. The characters are all really fun but sometimes the puppets themselves can be hard work.
The floor is open for you to work on any film or TV series for any production company or studio – what do you pick?
I really like Kiri and Lou from New Zealand, it's a series with a lot of heart and seems like a lovely, positive production to be part of.
Finally, what advice would you give to anyone looking to get into animation, whether they are a young student or someone older who has always enjoyed drawing and making things?
If you're really interested in working for one particular studio, it's a really good idea to start as a runner. Once you're in the building you've got far more of a chance to show people what you're capable of and I really recommend to hustle. Shout about your work, let everyone know and be vocal about what you want and let people know about that. Use social media as much as you can to plug your own work, keep posting and raise your profile.
Manchester Animation Festival 2023 takes place at HOME from November 12 to 17, and online from November 18 to 30.
