About Sarah Smith
Before moving into animation Sarah Smith was a Director, Writer and Producer with a critically acclaimed career in British television comedy. Working with talent such as Armando Iannucci, The League of Gentlemen in the UK and Jon Stewart and Michael Moore in the US, she won every industry accolade including BAFTA, RTS and British Comedy Awards and the Rose D’Or.
In 2006 she was recruited by Aardman Animations to build a new slate of projects at the end of their Dreamworks pact. In nine months she developed a package of projects that earned the company a 3-year studio deal with Sony Pictures. She took two films to Greenlight in 18 months, before making her animation debut as Director and Co-Writer of the 3D CG feature Arthur Christmas. The BAFTA, Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice nominated picture was the highest performing animated film at the UK Box Office and was named the best reviewed film worldwide in 2011.