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Cast & Creative
DirectorJohn Stephenson OBE
In 1979, John graduated from the Royal College of Art and joined the unique team of artists and crafts people that were working on Jim Henson's groundbreaking film "The Dark Crystal".
Four years later in 1984 after John had worked on numerous other productions such as "Greystoke" and "Return to Oz" Jim Henson asked him to set up the now world-famous Creature Shop based in London and LA.
John, with a design based approach to art and technology, was the architect of the Creatureshop's early successes, which included "The Storyteller" television series and films such as "The Witches", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Gullivers Travels" and "Babe"(for which the shop was awarded an academy award).
In 1990 John was awarded an academy award for scientific and technical achievement in the film industry
Always being an advocate of technical-innovation he created a Computer-Graphics department at the Creatureshop which was headed by the brilliant Hal Bertram who individually created the Creatureshop's unique ‘Helix‘ system and pioneered real-time animation.
In 1992 whilst still heading up the "Creatureshop" he started his directing career and produced a series of unique commercials for ‘Saatchi and Saatchi‘.
He went on to direct the 2nd unit for Steve Baron's film "Pinocchio" (90 mins. theatrical) and in 1996 directed action and 2nd Unit for Stephen Hopkins's"Lost in Space" (130 mins.theatrical).
John went on to direct the critically acclaimed "Animal Farm" (91 mins). television special for Hallmark and Turner Entertainment which achieved a theatrical release in Europe and Australia, starring Kelsey Grammer and Patrick Stewart.
In 1999 he was awarded an OBE for his services to the film industry.
In 2002 he directed the animation for Christophe Ganns on the very successful film, "Brotherhood of the Wolf" and was made a professor of "Camberwell" college of art and design (part of London University)
Also in 2002 he was made a professor of "Camberwell" college of art and design (part of London University)
John"s directing career had now begun to eclipse his work at the Creature Shop so he relinquished his job as the head of the Creature Shop to concentrate entirely on directing.
In 2004 John concentrated all his directing energy into "Five Children and IT" a unique and charming children"s film which enjoyed excellent reviews and achieved a worldwide release.
John recently completed work on the new family feature film, The Nutcracker, for wihich has was Visual Effects Supervisor and Second Unit Director.
In 2005 John teamed up with Trisha Ward and John Ward to form the unique partnership that has brought the world premiere of Sleeping Beauty to the stage in Dublin. John created all of the Sleeping Beauty workshops, staged at The Venue Leicester Square and Sadler‘s Wells, which starred Amanda Donohoe, Duncan James and Richard Briers, supported by a West End cast.
Be first to see Sleeping Beauty
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