Aardman has hired  former Disney innovation head Steven Shapiro as CTO and Harry Linden as Head of Stop Frame Production.

Steven Shapiro will start as Chief Technical Officer on 28th March, overseeing the technology teams and developing a technology strategy reflecting the long-term plans of the studio as it takes on an ambitious slate of projects over the next five years. He will also play a key role as Aardman seeks opportunities enabled through new platforms and emerging technologies.

Shapiro joins Aardman from The Walt Disney Studios where, as Principal Architect, Motion Picture Innovation, he focused on applying innovation to support productions across all The Walt Disney Pictures live action studio banners, from Marvel Studios to Disney Live Action MPP (Motion Picture Productions). Prior to this, he helped build the Production Technology team at Marvel Studios in his role as Director.

Harry Linden joined the studio as Head of Stop Frame Production on 14th March. He will support Aardman’s teams to deliver an expanding stop frame slate which includes feature films, shorts, specials, and series. The slate also includes commercials and content produced for partners, such as Turtle Journey (2020), and the music video for Coldplay’s Daddy, made by Aardman in 2019. Linden will work closely with the Head of CG Production, Jess McKillop, to ensure an integrated approach across all techniques as well as collaborating with producers and production teams.

Linden has worked in film and TV for 25 years across advertising and promos, trailers, series and features. His experience spans live action and animation, 2D and 3D, stop motion and CG, at all levels of budget. He first collaborated with Aardman as Floor Manager on Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave (1995), before working with the studio again on its first feature, Chicken Run (2000) as Production Manager. He worked on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Warner Bros, 2005) as Production Manager and was Line Producer on Coraline (LAIKA, 2009).

Steven Shapiro will report to Kerry Lock, Director of Finance and Operations at Aardman. Harry Linden will report to Carla Shelley, Executive Director, Production.

Sean Clarke, Managing Director of Aardman said: This is an exciting time for Aardman. We have an ambitious slate over the next five years and it is crucial that we continue to lead in the industry in relation to technology and our production planning to do justice to the stories we want to tell. The hiring of Steve and Harry will bolster our continued development and strategic planning around the future use of new techniques and innovations, alongside effective oversight around production planning across all areas of the studios business. Their appointments represent the next phase in a hugely exciting period for the studio, and I look forward to seeing the results of their contributions in the years to come.”

Jon Creamer

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