Have you ever wondered what goes into creating a world of talking chickens plotting a daring escape? I certainly have! As a massive fan of stop-motion animation, I’ve always been fascinated by the painstaking craft behind “Chicken Run,” Aardman’s first feature-length film that hatched in theaters back in 2000. Let me take you behind the scenes of this remarkable claymation masterpiece that took years to create but continues to delight audiences more than two decades later.
The Birth of an Idea: From Concept to Green Light
The initial spark for “Chicken Run” came in 1995 when Nick Park and Peter Lord, co-founders of Aardman Animations, were brainstorming ideas for their first feature-length film. They conceived it as a comedic spin on the 1963 film “The Great Escape,” but with chickens instead of Allied prisoners of war.
Nick Park had a personal connection to chickens from childhood. As he recalled “My sister kept pet chickens when we were kids and we’d make up these skits and cartoons where they’d always be the heroes of the story.” Later, at age 17 Park worked at a chicken-packing factory, which left a lasting impression. “One day they sent me to the slaughterhouse and I saw all the live chickens hanging on a conveyor belt, held upside down by their legs – it was horrifying,” he explained.
The big break came when Park and Lord were at the Sundance Film Festival showing “A Close Shave” DreamWorks executives Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg sent a private jet to fly them to Los Angeles for a meeting Park remembered, “By coincidence they arranged for the meeting to take place in a famous chicken restaurant. At that point all we had were a few thoughts scribbled on a scrap of paper, but the idea of chickens plotting their grand escape went down really well.”
Spielberg immediately connected with the concept, mentioning that “The Great Escape” was his favorite film and that he had 300 chickens on his farm. This meeting essentially gave Aardman the green light to proceed with production
Assembling the Team: Writers and Voice Talent
With the concept approved, Aardman secured financing and distribution partners. DreamWorks came onboard in 1997 as their first animated film, with Pathé agreeing to co-finance soon after.
The script went through several iterations. American screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick joined in 1997, adding some key elements that gave the story more Hollywood structure, including the romance between chickens Ginger and Rocky. Additional input came from Mark Burton and John O’Farrell. The result was a story that balanced British eccentricity with emotional depth.
For the voice cast, Aardman assembled an impressive roster of talent:
- Julia Sawalha (from “Absolutely Fabulous”) as Ginger
- Mel Gibson as Rocky (his first voice acting role)
- Jane Horrocks as Babs
- Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels as the rats Nick and Fetcher
- Benjamin Whitrow as Fowler, the RAF veteran rooster
- Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Tweedy
Jane Horrocks recalled the unusual process: “The whole cast got together for a read-through, which was unusual for an animation. I’d worked with Julia Sawalha on Ab Fab and knew Timothy Spall really well. It felt like being with old friends.” She also remembered Benjamin Whitrow’s powerful performance: “He had a really loud voice and nearly blasted our ears off. He was absolutely perfect for the role!”
The Painstaking Animation Process
The actual production of “Chicken Run” was a massive undertaking that showcased the extraordinary patience required for stop-motion animation. The film was produced at Aardman’s studio in Bristol, England over 18 months, with more than 30 animators working simultaneously.
The animation process was incredibly labor-intensive:
- Animators would shape the pliable clay character models into a specific pose
- They would take a picture of that frame
- Then slightly adjust the models into the next pose and take another picture
- When thousands of incremental photos were played in sequence, it created the illusion of movement
On average, animators completed only about 2-3 seconds of footage per week. That means every minute of the 84-minute runtime represented weeks of delicate, meticulous work. The pie machine sequence, which Nick Park cited as his favorite, took around three months to complete!
At certain points in production, there were up to thirty sets or units shooting simultaneously. Each had an animator backed up by camera, lighting, and rigging crews. Dave Alex Riddett and Tristan Oliver gave the film its cinematic edge. At its peak, the crew consisted of about 200 people, with Aardman proudly noting that the majority were recruited locally.
The animation process followed a specific workflow. Before every scene, an animator would “rehearse” it after a visit from Peter or Nick, who would act out each sequence, including movement and facial expressions. This demonstrates why having two directors worked well for animation films. The animator would then be expected, with everything set up, to shoot each scene in a single take.
Cultural Clashes and Creative Decisions
The partnership between British Aardman and American DreamWorks occasionally led to some cultural misunderstandings. Nick Park explained: “There was a problem in that we wanted Chicken Run to feel as British as we possibly could – and of course Jeffrey wanted to make sure it could be understood by American audiences.”
These differences came to a head when Katzenberg objected to a line where Mrs. Tweedy uses the northern slang word “wazzock” (meaning a stupid, annoying person) to berate her husband. Katzenberg argued no one in the US would understand it. Park and Lord countered that it was clearly an insult and an amusing word in its own right. Having made his point, Katzenberg conceded.
That was the dynamic between Aardman and DreamWorks: some battles were lost, some were won. But it was always clear there were two separate factions within the partnership, each with its own distinct agenda and ethos.
Music and Visual Style
“Chicken Run” has a distinctive visual aesthetic that sets it apart from previous Aardman productions. The animators used brighter, more saturated colors in the character design. The plasticine models also had more stylized, exaggerated shapes and features compared to the subdued look of Wallace and Gromit.
The soundscape was equally important. John Powell provided the lively orchestral film score, assisted by Harry Gregson-Williams. Powell incorporated percussion and even kazoos to punctuate the plucky chicken energy. The upbeat soundtrack matched the triumphant tone as the chicken rebels fought for their freedom.
Promoting the Film Worldwide
When production finally wrapped in April 2000, the work wasn’t done. DreamWorks wanted millions of people around the globe to know the film was coming. The filmmakers and lead voice actors embarked on a global publicity tour, visiting major cities in North America, as well as London, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, and Stockholm.
Press junkets involved rapid-fire interviews where journalists had just five minutes each to ask questions. Park and Lord developed different coping strategies for the grueling process. Peter tried to escape to explore each new city for an hour or so, while Nick would “stare inanely at the ceiling” in his hotel room between interview sessions as his brain was “so frazzled.”
One particularly memorable moment came during interviews in LA when an interviewer appeared in a full rooster costume, gave a five-minute monologue in Spanish, and departed. Nick turned to Peter and deadpanned, “Were we just interviewed by a chicken?”
Reception and Legacy
When “Chicken Run” hit theaters in June 2000, it was an immediate success. Critics praised it for its humor, storytelling, and technical artistry. The film earned several awards including a BAFTA nomination for Best British Film and won the Broadcast Film Critics Association award for Best Animated Film.
For DreamWorks, it became the studio’s most successful film at the time. “Chicken Run” remained the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film ever for two decades, until 2020.
Jane Horrocks observed the different cultural receptions: “I was in New York when it came out, so I went to see it in the cinema. The audience didn’t seem to get the irony and there wasn’t much laughter. Back in the UK, I went to see it again. Of course, that was a different cup of tea altogether. The audience responded exactly as I hoped they would and roared with laughter.”
Over 20 years later, “Chicken Run” continues to entertain families and animation fans worldwide. The film’s legacy persists with the release of its sequel “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” in 2023.
Fascinating Facts About “Chicken Run” You Might Not Know
- The film was shot in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with rigging, supporting models and the edges of sets just on the edge of the framing area
- The crew made considerable use of motion-control rigs
- Mel Gibson recorded his lines in Vancouver rather than London due to his filming schedule, and Julia Sawalha was flown out to join him
- When arriving in Canada, Sawalha was held by customs officers for an hour as they questioned why an English actress was coming to Canada to record
- To voice Ginger’s one-on-one scenes with Rocky, having Julia and Mel together was deemed crucial for natural chemistry
- Katzenberg would fly into Bristol’s modest Filton airport every six to eight weeks on his private jet to check on production progress
- At the end of production, Katzenberg immediately asked “So what have you got planned for the next movie?” though Aardman hadn’t had time to think that far ahead
“Chicken Run” represents a remarkable achievement in animation. Through creative vision, technical mastery, and extraordinary patience, Aardman produced a film that continues to delight audiences more than two decades later. As Nick Park reflected, “It’s incredible to me that 20 years have passed since we made that film and it’s still thought of as a classic.”
The film’s success proved that traditional stop-motion animation could compete with computer-generated imagery in the feature film market. It also demonstrated that a distinctly British sensibility could appeal to global audiences without compromising its unique character.
From a simple idea about escaping chickens to an internationally beloved film, “Chicken Run” represents the magic that happens when talented artists push the boundaries of their medium. One frame at a time, they created something truly special that continues to inspire filmmakers and delight audiences worldwide.
I’m still amazed every time I watch it, knowing that each second I see represents hours of painstaking work by dedicated artists. That’s the wonder of claymation – and the reason “Chicken Run” remains such a special film in animation history.
Summary[]
The plot centers on a group of British chickens who see a smooth-talking Rhode Island Red named Rocky as their only hope to escape from certain death when the owners of their farm decide to move from selling eggs to chicken pies.
Plot[]
In the countryside of Yorkshire during the 1960s, Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy run a failing British chicken farm in Yorkshire; the chickens are caged in the style of a World War II prison camp with a high fence and barbed wire, and two dogs patrol the grounds. Chickens that fail to produce enough eggs are slaughtered for food. Frustrated at the generated by the farm, Mrs. Tweedy comes up with the idea of converting their farm into the automated production of chicken pies. One chicken, Ginger, has had long visions of escaping with the help of her hen friends Babs, Bunty, and Mac, and two black-marketer rats, Nick and Fetcher, who help to acquire from the Tweedys to aid Gingers plans. However, she is always caught and put into solitary confinement. While thinking of a new plan, Ginger witnesses a Rhode Island Red cockerel fly over the fence and crash into one of the coops, spraining his wing. Ginger and the other chickens help to hide him from the Tweedys and care for his wing, learning that his name is Rocky. Ginger is particularly interested in Rockys ability to fly and begs him to help train her and the other chickens to do the same. Rocky is coy, but proceeds to try to help train the chickens, unable to fully demonstrate due to his broken wing. Meanwhile, Mr. Tweedy begins assembling their pie-making production line, and the chickens food ration is doubled to fatten them. After Ginger and Rocky get into an argument, Rocky holds a morale-boosting dance party during which it is revealed that his wing is healed. Shortly after, Mr Tweedy finishes assembling the machine, and puts Ginger in it for a test run. Rocky infiltrates the machine to save her, the two eventually escape and sabotage the machine, buying the chickens more time to escape the farm. The next day, Ginger, much to her devastation, discovers that Rocky has left, leaving behind part of a poster that reveals he is in fact part of a “chicken cannonball” act with no ability to fly on his own. Just when all hope is lost, Ginger is then inspired by elderly rooster Fowler’s stories of his time in the Royal Air Force (RAF) to assemble an aircraft to flee the farm. All the chickens, with help from the rats, secretly assemble the required parts for the plane from their coops while racing against Mr. Tweedys repairs. While travelling the countryside, Rocky sees a billboard for Mrs. Tweedys Chicken Pies and is inspired to go back to help. With the machine now fixed, Mrs. Tweedy insists that Mr. Tweedy gathers all the chickens, but the chickens are ready to escape. They knock Mr. Tweedy out and tie him up long enough to complete the assembly of their plane. As the plane approaches the take-off ramp, Mr Tweedy is able to knock over the ramp before being knocked out; Ginger races to reset the ramp, but a now-alerted Mrs Tweedy attacks her. Mrs Tweedy is subdued by Rocky, who leaves with Ginger by holding onto the runway lights, which have been snagged by the departing plane. Whilst taking off, Mrs. Tweedy chases them down and catches onto a Christmas light strand snagged in the wheels. Mrs. Tweedy climbs the strand, intent on chopping Gingers head off, while Ginger races to sever the strand. Ginger manages to trick Mrs. Tweedy into cutting the strand with her hatchet, sending her straight into the safety valve of the pie machine and plugging it, causing the machine to build pressure in its gravy line and explode, destroying the machine and the barn. Mr Tweedy reminds her of his warnings that the chickens were organized and, now fed up with his wifes aggressive and abusive behaviour towards him, pushes the barn door down on top of her. The chickens celebrate their victory after defeating the Tweedys while Ginger and Rocky kiss each other. Later, as the film concludes, the chickens have found a quiet island, which they call Chikin Sanctuary, where they can enjoy their freedom and raise their chicks, while Ginger and Rocky have developed a romantic relationship. Nick and Fetcher decide to start their own chicken farm for eggs but disagree on whether the chicken or the egg came first.
Animating Ginger’s Mouth Shapes Making Of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget #BehindTheScenes #shorts
FAQ
Is Chicken Run claymation or animation?
Hailing from the animation house that brought us such jems as Morph, the Wallace and Gromit series and Rex the Runt, Chicken Run is the first ever feature length claymation ever attempted.
How was the Chicken Run movie made?
Principal photography began on 29 January 1998. During production, 30 sets were used with 80 animators working along with 180 people working overall. The result was one minute of film completed for each week of filming, and production wrapped on 18 June 1999.
Is the new Chicken Run actually claymation?
While there is some use of CGI, Dawn of the Nugget retains Aardman’s trademark stop-motion, clay animation. Sculpting those birds takes time and patience. For crowd scenes, more than 800 chicken wings were made and more than 150,000 feathers were hand painted. Most of the clay puppets each have a set of 14 mouths.
Why did it take 23 years to make Chicken Run 2?
Despite the instant success of the first film, Aardman, its partner on the production, DreamWorks, and the creators were in no rush to make a second one. Sequels weren’t as much of an expectation then as they are today, and the arduous process of Claymation had left the team relatively exhausted and ready for a break.