Sarah Smith (producer)

Sarah Smith is an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. She is the co-founder and former CEO of Locksmith Animation. She is the writer and director of the animated feature films Arthur Christmas (2011) and Ron's Gone Wrong (2021). Smith began her career in radio before serving as a television producer for live action British comedy, including as writer for The Friday Night Armistice (1996-1998). She later served various other assisting production roles in television, and as writer for the adult animated series I Am Not an Animal (2004). She then joined Aardman Animations as creative director, going on to direct her first feature film Arthur Christmas. She left Aardman and set up Locksmith Animation to direct Ron's Gone Wrong.

Sarah Smith
Born
England
Occupation
  • Director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1991-present

Profile

Smith began her career in radio comedy, as producer for The Harpoon (1991-1994), Lee and Herring (1994-1995), and The League of Gentlemen (1997). She also took over as producer for Just a Minute from 1992 to 1995. She then became involved in television as producer for Fist of Fun (1995), The Jim Tavaré Pictures (1995), Where's Elvis This Week? (1996), The Friday/Saturday Night Armistice (1995-1998), In the Red (1998), the first series of The League of Gentlemen (1999), The Armando Iannucci Shows (2001), and Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (2001). She was also writer for Armistice from 1996 to 1998. Other credits include one episode of Bob and Margaret (1999) as writer; The Awful Truth (1999) as executive producer; Brass Eye: Paedogeddon! (2001) as script consultant; Nighty Night (2004) as script associate; I Am Not an Animal (2004) as writer; Dead Man Weds (2005) as director; and Thin Ice (2006) as director.[1][2] I Am Not An Animal, an adult animated series, marked her move towards the medium.[3]

Smith was approached by Aardman Animations with a job offer to head their feature department; she had contacted Aardman in prior years with an interest in working on film scripts.[4][5] Smith said she initially felt uncertain about accepting the role because she only had production experience overseeing live action comedy and drama. She joined the studio in 2006 expecting she would leave after six months,[6][7] but stayed on believing she was there at an important time where she was able to pick up new projects, saying "[there was] an opportunity to take a whole fresh path and look at what they wanted to do as a company".[5] As creative director she was co-executive producer for The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012), where she secured rights to adapt it from the books it was based on. Smith would go on to direct her first feature film, Arthur Christmas, which was released in 2011.[2][8][9]

Smith co-founded the animation studio Locksmith in 2014 with Aardman executive Julie Lockhart, and with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch.[10][11] She directed the studio's first film, Ron's Gone Wrong, which was released in 2021.[12] Smith left Locksmith in June 2021 and was replaced by Natalie Fischer as CEO.[13]

Views

Smith expressed disappointment over Arthur Christmas not being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature when a film such as Puss in Boots did that year, remarking, "you've got to be kidding me".[14]

Filmography

As director:

References
  1. "Full Credits". PBJ Management. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  2. Gallagher, Brian (22 November 2011). "Sarah Smith Talks Arthur Christmas". MovieWeb.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  3. Fleming, Ryan (4 February 2022). "'Ron's Gone Wrong' Writer-Director Sarah Smith Signed By Verve". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. Edward, Douglas (22 October 2021). "Animation Spotlight: Ron's Gone Wrong Director Sarah Smith on Helping to Create a UK Animation Scene". Below the Line. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  5. "Interview". thedivareview. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  6. Desowitz, Bill (14 October 2011). "First Look: Director Sarah Smith Talks Aardman's Arthur Christmas: Exclusive Photos". IndieWire. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  7. Weinkauf, Greogory (22 November 2011). "Director Sarah Smith Delivers a Very Merry Arthur Christmas". HuffPost. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  8. Weintraub, Steve (14 October 2011). "7 Things to Know About Aardman's ARTHUR CHRISTMAS; Plus an Interview with Director Sarah Smith". Collider. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  9. "Director Sarah Smith Delivers a Very Merry Arthur Christmas". Huffingtonpost. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  10. Amidi, Amid (20 September 2017). "UK's Locksmith Animation Announces Production Agreement with 20th Century Fox". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  11. "Paramount and Locksmith Animation Enter Exclusive Multi-Pic Deal". Animation Magazine. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  12. Ritman, Alex (12 October 2017). "Fox, Locksmith Animation Unveil 'Ron's Gone Wrong'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  13. "Sarah Smith Steps Down at Locksmith Animation as Natalie Fischer Named CEO". Animation World Network. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  14. Brew, Simon (21 November 2012). "Sarah Smith interview: Arthur Christmas, animation and America". Den of Geek. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
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