The title sequence for BBC2's comedy series 'Heading Out', penned by and starring Sue Perkins. Directed and designed by Steve Smith, the titles feature a caricature of Sue's hapless vet Sara being given the runaround by a range of excitable pets as their footprints create the show's title. The concept and music for the [...]

The title sequence for a new comedy show, designed and animated by director Steve Smith.

Here is our 2012 Christmas animation! Inspired by the John Lewis advert (see below), we imagined what might have happened next.. Merry Christmas and a happy 2013! Director/Producer: Steve Smith Animation by Rob Thomson Music by Tim Goalen   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N8axp9nHNU

Working closely with director George Belfield at Somesuch, we provided kaleidoscopic animation of food to help promote a new book from cake baking guru Lily Vanilli. The project culminated in a book launch where we were rewarded with cake… lots of cake… which was very, very nice.

Created for BBC Learning, and broadcast on BBC2, here is a cluster of short clips animated in cut-out and featuring re-created period artwork. 'The Charles Dickens Show' is a spoof daytime show in which the celebrated author interviews A-list guests like reformers Lord Shaftsbury and Dr Thomas Barnardo, introduces a gritty video diary made by [...]

Google? In China? Well… yes. We were asked to provide a high-tec but earthy 3D CGI sequence for an upcoming Google conference in China. Based on the idea of 'making dreams possible' we worked to an extremely tight schedule and created a wooden world upon which we see stencilled Chinese characters and illustrations. The video [...]

We recently completed work on a new viral for Google, and the TrueView Instream advertising product. Working with the talented Ross Phillips on design and animation, the viral explains why TrueView is so important for advertisers, and us. Designer & Animator: Ross Phillips Direction: Ross Phillips & Steve Smith  

Beakus were asked by fimmaker Mike Paterson to create three unique videos for the National Maritime Museum's 'Old Weather' project. The aim is to promote the campaign to crowdsource volunteers to transcribe the weather recordings in hundreds of old ship's log books. The data will feed in and augment existing data of weather patterns through [...]

Steve Smith created two emotional spots for Greek channel ET1's rebranding, via Red Bee Media. Based on "Humour" and "Astonishment" the two clips needed quite seperate thinking, despite both being realised in 3D. Mixed through both clips are high-resolution ultra-slow-motion live-action shots of exploding glitter, water jets and bouncing marbles! Director: Steve Smith Producer: Richard [...]

We have been working hard on two new installments of time-travelling Eric's animation series for the BBC 'Day In The Life'. The first, 'Victorians', is online at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/handsonhistory/victorians.shtml This is the fifth episode, and Eric is joined by his younger sister Mona in travelling back to the Victorian Workhouse where the intrepid duo are put to [...]

You may have spotted a series of new commercials for B&Q all over the goggle-box? Well, Beakus provided the graphics! They were all animated on a vibrant boil in-house and to a tight deadline, where the director was Steve Smith, and the animator Dan Chester. They were produced for McCann London.    

Beakus were asked by fimmaker Mike Paterson to create three unique videos for the National Maritime Museum's 'Old Weather' project. The aim is to promote the campaign to crowdsource volunteers to transcribe the weather recordings in hundreds of old ship's log books. The data will feed in and augment existing data of weather patterns through [...]

Beakus were asked by fimmaker Mike Paterson to create three unique videos for the National Maritime Museum's 'Old Weather' project. The aim is to promote the campaign to crowdsource volunteers to transcribe the weather recordings in hundreds of old ship's log books. The data will feed in and augment existing data of weather patterns through [...]

This is the second in our series about Eric, a 10-year-old animated boy who can travel back in time. 'Day In The Life' was created to accompany a major new BBC series ‘Hands On History’ that encourages kids to find out more about historical periods through the BBC’s website. The first episode, ‘The Normans’ can [...]

Steve Smith's idents for Russian Channel 'Bibigon' scooped a British Animation Award for their diversity and broad appeal. We thought we'd show a little of how they were made, focussing on the 3D ident 'Eel'. You can see the finished ident here.

Starring Eric, a 10-year-old animated boy who can travel back in time, 'Day In The Life' was created to accompany a major new BBC series ‘Hands On History’. This is in fact the first of a series of tales that will encourage kids to find out more about historical periods through the BBC’s website. The [...]

All 5 episodes of Steve Smith's irreverent comedy 'Stuffed' are online at the BBC Comedy portal! To make your browsing easier we've collected them here – but be warned, they are downright rude and quite vulgar..! Featuring the voice behind Aleksander the Meerkat, 'Stuffed' is an animated series following chipper young deviant Brat and his [...]

These British Animation Award, and Annecy Crystal winning spots for Russian kids channel Bibigon, were directed by Steve Smith. A team of six 3D animators worked hard to realise each spot in just 2 weeks. Commissioned by Red Bee Media you can watch a further set of 2D animated clips here.

Everyone's favourite time-travelling square-jawed kid Eric is back, this time way back in Stone Age England… Beakus' third outing with Eric for BBC History is online now at http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/handsonhistory/day-in-the-life_ancient_britain.shtml, but you can watch it right here! In this episode Eric's whole family goes with him, including his unfortunate sister 'Bird Poo'… Together they travel by dugout [...]

Two spots for 7Eleven in Australia, commissioned by Clemenger and animated using traditional puppet stop-motion. Director: Steve Smith Producer: Richard Barnett for Trunk Commission: Leo Burnett, Melbourne

These British Animation Award, and Annecy Crystal winning spots for Russian kids channel Bibigon, were directed by Steve Smith. Crafted by an eighteen-strong team of gifted 2D animators, with two weeks per clip, the process was fun and furious. Each clip illustrates a bizarre fact, making science and education fun for children. Commissioned by Red [...]

'Brat & Bear' is a 3-part mini-series created by Steve Smith for Channel 4. It stars a vindictive, experimental spike-headed kid and his set-upon yet optimistic toy bear. The action takes place each night in the shed at the bottom of the garden, where Bear lives. Inanimate yet cursed with strong cognitive emotions, Bear is [...]

Here is an immensely exciting sneak preview of the new short in development at Beakus. It's being designed and directed by Steve Smith and takes our 3D visualisation on to another plane. The stylistic, dark and yet humorous film follows the breakdown of a family in the far-reaches of the windswept Norfolk countryside.

Joe and Mary live in a fish & chip shop on the south coast. When Mary falls unexpectedly pregnant on a stormy night, Joe thinks their may be something fishy going on with Him upstairs… This is Steve Smith's funny and intelligent 3-minute hand-drawn film commissioned for Channel 4 through it's AIR scheme. It was [...]

Director Steve Smith was asked to put together a title sequence for a documentary about the 40-year anniversary get-together of the seminal Beatles' Sgt.Pepper album. Bands such as Kaiser Chiefs and Magic Numbers recorded all the track afresh, which is echoed in these titles, put together with After Effects. Director: Steve Smith Producer: Richard Barnett [...]

A short 15" spot for Whiskas, via TBWA in Netherlands. Following the success of Trunk's campaign for Whiskas, TBWA wanted to re-visit the cloth-puppet fishes from an earlier spot "Taffy". Trouble is, there was no fish anymore… So, 3D artist Darragh Mason had to re-create the fabric fish in 3D CGI, and duly animate it [...]

Beakus director Steve Smith took on the challenge to create the visuals for Issue 7 of 'specialten' magazine, including all the menus, the cover, and this introductory animation. Taking a graphic approach, each menu boiled with flickering light and scattered imagery from the collection of films on offer. Highly regarded by Marcus and Fabio at [...]

Working with Red Bee Media, Steve created a series of lyrical emotive idents for Ren TV. Emotions included Astonishment, Fear and Excitement. Created in 3D they extrapolate on the idea that colour and line can express any emotion. Director: Steve Smith Producer: Richard Barnett for Trunk Commission: Red Bee Media

Domino Record's fantastic combo 'Psapp' were searching for a team to put together their 'Hi' video with a certain homemade aesthetic. Beakus and the team at Trunk began pulling apart musical electronica to obtain diodes, sparks and bulbs that would come together to form mutant circuit-board characters who awake in Psapp's studio after dark – [...]

Beakus director Steve Smith was commissioned to make a 1-minute short for MTV's 'Load' mobile platform. 'Leap of Faith' follows the perils of being a box-headed robot in a post-apocalyptic cityscape.. Made entirely in 3D it features music accompaniement by Julian Wilson, and was actually used by BAFTA as an example of how to make [...]

An unusual project flew over from Melbourne – animate an interactive web-book illustrating the story of Save The Children. Beakus director Steve Smith and Trunk worked together to quickly animate the scenes, transitions and interactive elements needed, which were pre-designed in Australia. Take a look at the interactive movie HERE>. Director: Steve Smith, Trunk Producer: [...]

This animated sequence formed part of the fantastic 'Mrs de Ropp', a fiction drama by Sam Hobkinson based on the writings of Saki. Sredni Vashtar is a ferret who is imagined to become fierce and kingly by a little boy who seeks vengeance on his overbearing Aunt de Ropp… Dark and shadowy cut-out animation was [...]

A spot for MTV and Condomi, to promote the "Staying Alive" AIDS awareness charity. With illustration by Jasper Goodall and co-direction from Trunk the silhouettes are actually rotoscoped dancers, composited with graphic motifs and gradients. Director: Steve Smith, Trunk Producer: Steve Smith for Trunk Commission: Point Blank Creative

The insanely popular Mitchell & Webb approached animators (via the BBC of course) to visualise some of their radio sketches. Beakus director Steve Smith designed and animated 'Pit Ponies' about a couple of old nags down a mine who realise life isn't all it's cracked up to be…

Modern folk doesn't come much heartier than London's 'Adem'. This video was a collaboration between Beakus' Steve Smith, Trunk and designer Lynn Hatzius, who created the amazing artwork for the album and the mechanical birds seen here. Combining ghostly live-action of Adem in his 4-roomed crumbling abode and 2D cut-out animation of the tiny birds [...]

To promote and bookend a documentary about Toyota's F1 team on the Discovery Channel, Steve directed a small team of 3D animators to create 4×50-sec spots. Uniquely rendered in outline, the CG car was stripped down from the actual engineer's model. Conceptually, commissioner Andy Fowler from Brothers & Sisters wanted each spot to follow a [...]

Exploding from Domino's stables in 2004 came Archie Bronson Outfit, with a mix of guitar drudgery and belted lyrics. Beakus director Steve Smith and Trunk worked hard to realise a complicated video involving a shoot with instantaneous back-projection and a hefty arsenal of animated and composited effects. The result shimmers with detail and light – [...]

Beakus director Steve Smith was fortunate enough to join the Trunk team in creating the Magic Numbers' first video, which shot them to chart success. "Forever Lost" is an ode to doomed relationships, which is translated through the video in to a story of missed opportunity, and the stupidity of being overlooked. First onboard was [...]

Americana band 'Grand Drive' wanted a follow-up to the successful video for "Firefly", also by Beakus director Steve Smith and Trunk. This time the concept was based around antique automata – Victorian mechanical machines that perpetuate themselves. The location was a dog track, and our hero is a white hare, who is doomed always to [...]

"Firefly" is a beautiful faery tale based on Rapunzel. Created digitally but with a graphic cut-out puppet technique, a story of winsome romance and determination unfolds, taking us from the city to the countryside and back again. Beakus director Steve Smith worked alongside Trunk to craft, animate and composite this highly acclaimed video. Director: Steve [...]

Fantastic director Richard Fenwick's film 'Albert's Speech' needed bespoke sequences of animation to sit in with the live-action narrative about a guy unable to deliver a bestman's speech.. Beakus director Steve Smith provided the titles sequence and subsequent rabbit carnage, all taking place in Albert's summery escapist imagination. Director: Steve Smith Producer: Richard Barnett for [...]

Vessels are, or where, an Americana band featuring love-lorn lyrics and an earthy pop feel. This, their first video, was created by Beakus director Steve Smith and the team at Trunk. A combination of scribbles, diaries, sketches, graphics, photos, and even a spot of super 8 footage, the result is an affable always-changing visual smorgasbord [...]

CBBC Newsround commissioned a small number of animation directors to create bespoke 3-minute sequences to illustrate the stories of several children living below the poverty line in the UK. Beakus directors Leigh Hodgkinson (through Slinky) and Steve Smith (through Trunk) both created work for the programme, which went on to win a BAFTA! Below is [...]