Nick Park

NICK PARK

Date of Birth: December 6, 1958

Born in Preston, Lancashire, England, 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. While there, he began working on Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out, which marked the introduction of Wallace and Gromit -- his most famous creations. In February 1985, Park joined the production company, Aardman, where he completed the film. He then directed the short Creature Comforts for Ardman's Lip Synch series.

In 1990, Park received the rare distinction of having two of his short films, Creature Comforts and Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out, receive Oscar nominations in the same year and the same category. The former won the award. He also gained BAFTA nominations for both films. That time, Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out won.

Park won his second Academy Award and another BAFTA award for the Wallace & Gromit film The Wrong Trousers and his third Oscar and BAFTA award for A Close Shave also starring the beloved duo. The two films have won over 80 additional awards between them. Aside from his films, Park has won a BAFTA award for his contribution to Television and in 1997 he was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).

His feature length directorial debut was Chicken Run, voiced by Miranda Richardson and Mel Gibson, followed by Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).

During his tenure at Aardman, Park has also served as a director and animator on numerous projects including pop promos, title sequences and inserts for children's television.

Filmography:

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Chicken Run (2000)