MIKE SMITH
5735, NE Cleveland Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97211
Tel: (503) 360 7295
realmikesmith@hotmail.com
Nationality: British and US Citizen
BAFTA nominated director, experienced in directing, designing and animating, with innovative use of mixed media techniques that include 2D, 3D, puppetry, cut-out, live action and CG.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
In-house Director, Creative Director/Consultant at a number of animation studios including Colossal Pictures, Wild Brain, Vinton Studios/Laika and ReelFX. Providing strong creative leadership to a roster of directors, animators and other creatives, while contributing to these studios during their transitions from short to long-form production.
Design, direction, story and project development with major motion picture studios including Walt Disney, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Turner Pictures, Nickelodeon, Sony, United Artists, EMI Films and Gaumont Studios.
Collaborating both in development and production with directors and producers such as Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone, Zack Snyder, Paul McCartney, Curtis Hanson, Gary Winick, Matt Groening, Harvey Weinstein, Henry Selick. and Bill Joyce.
Director and Producer for ‘1001 Nights’, a 23 minute BAFTA nominated theatrical release, screened with live performance from The Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Designed and Directed hundreds of Commercials, Pop Promos and Idents in the UK, Europe and the USA.
HISTORY
2005 – 2009 Reel FX
Director, Designer, Storyboard and Animator
In-house Director in Development
Creative Consultant, helping to guide ReelFX into feature film production
Feature Production:
Warner Bros.
‘The Tales of the Black Freighter’
Director
(20 minute animated film, working with Zack Snyder)
Walt Disney
‘The Wild’
(CG animated theatrical release feature)
2 minute opening sequence
Co-Director, Art Director and Designer
(working with director Steve Williams)
Paramount Pictures
‘Charlotte’s Web’
(CG animated theatrical release feature)
Storyboards and Animatics for web writing sequences
(working with director Gary Winick)
Feature Development:
‘The Mischieviants’ – proposed feature
Story Development
(working with creator/writer Bill Joyce)
‘Dinosaur Bob’ – proposed feature
Story Development and Written Treatment
(working with creator Bill Joyce)
‘A Cricket in Times Square’ – proposed feature
Designs, Story Development and Written Treatment
Producer: Harvey Weinstien
‘Opus’ – proposed feature
Designer and Story Development
Producer: Harvey Weinstein
‘Pink’ – proposed feature
(Self, with permission from Laika Studios)
Director, Story Development, Designer
and Written Treatment
‘The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay’
5 min trailer for proposed feature for
Paramount Pictures
2004 Matchframe
‘Buddha’ (8 min)
Storyboard
Part of a permanent installation on Lantau Island, Hong Kong, site of the Giant Buddha
2001-2004 Laika Studios / Vinton Studios
Director, Designer, Animator and Storyboard
Creative Consultant/Creative Director:
Helped to create a roster for shorts and feature film development (working with Phil Knight)
Contributed to the creative reshaping of the studio
(also coming up with their new name, Laika Studios)
Commercials:
Honey Nut Cheerios
Wonder Loaf
Honda
Minute Maid ‘Popeye’ (featured on the Daily Show)
Development:
‘Pink’ (proposed short and feature)
Director, Designer, Writer
Written feature treatment
‘Moon Girl’
(CGI short)
Design work and Written Treatment
Short film:
Sony
‘Ananda’ (5 min)
(multi-media short, produced to promote Sony’s Hi Def cameras)
Director, Designer, Storyboard and Animator
1999– 2000 Wild Brain Studios
Director, Designer, Storyboard and Animator
Creative Consultant in Development
Commercials:
Wrigleys, Minute Maid Hi-C, Coca-Cola ‘Super Mom’ (winner of Clio Award)
Film:
‘8 Mile’
Designer and Storyboard
4 proposed animated sequences
(working with director Curtis Hanson)
Development:
‘The Windyrider’
(Self)
1999 Rough Draft Studio
Futurama
Gracie Films/20th Century Fox
Title sequence
Director, Storyboard
(working with creator Matt Groening)
1999 Francis Ford Coppola
‘Pinocchio’
Storyboarding on proposed theatrical feature
1998-1999 Nickelodeon
Director in Development
‘Dreams’ –Designs and Written Treatment
‘Ghosts’ –Written Treatment
1998 Hyperion Studio / BS24
‘1001 Nights’ (23 mins)
Producer and Director
BAFTA nominated, selected for Sundance Film Festival
Screened as a series of live performances with the
LA Philharmonic Orchestra
Dorothy Chandler
Hollywood Bowl
Music composed by David Newman
Conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen
(working with Yoshitaka Amano)
1997-1998 Warner Bros.
Director in Development
‘The Spectre’
Designer and Written Treatment
(working with DC Comics)
1997 Rob Bottin Productions
‘Deep Rising’ (1998)
2D Animation design and movement test for creature
1996 Turner Pictures
Development
‘The Red Shoes’
Designer and Written Treatment
(working with director/script writer Caroline Thompson)
1996 Walt Disney
‘James and the Giant Peach’
Storyboard (titles) and 2D animation character effects
(working with director Henry Selick)
1991-1996 Colossal Pictures
In-house Director, Designer, Storyboard and Animator
Feature Production:
Ixtlan Corporation / Warner Bros.
‘Natural Born Killers’
Animated Sequences
Director, Designer, Storyboard and Animator
(working with Oliver Stone)
United Artists
‘Tank Girl’
Animated Sequences
Director, Designer, Storyboard and Animator
(working with director Rachel Talalay
and creator Jamie Hewlett)
Commercials:
Nike ‘Charles Barkley’; winner of the Silver Hugo at the Chicago Film Festival
ESPN 2 - ident
Pepsi - series campaign
Cheerios – series campaign
1987 – 1991 Felix Films
Owner, Creative Director, Director, Designer and Animator
First London based animation studio to represent Individual directors reels
Studio became known for its creativity and eclectic use of animation
Commercials:
Weetabix, Carling Black Label ‘Cajun’ (winner of Best Irish Commercial), Bowyers,
Levis ‘Roger’ (winner of Clio Award), Ribena
Pop Promos:
Eddie Grant, David Byrne, Grace Jones, Himuro, Bob Marley
‘Beleza Tropical’ Jorge Ben (working with David Byrne)
(winner Best Animation – Holland Animation Awards)
Television:
‘Grim Tales’ with Rik Mayall
Animation for 3 episodes
Creative Director, (Director for one episode), Designer, Animator
Idents:
BBC, BBC 2 and MTV
1986 EMI Films / 20th Century Fox
‘Highlander’
Theatrical release feature
Directior, Designer and Animator
(working with Russell Mulcahy)
1985 MGMM
Animation Director, Designer and Animator
Pop Promos:
Daryl Hall
Queen
Art of Noise
Paul Hardcastle
1984 Gaumont Studios
‘Asterix and Ceasrer’s Surprise’
Theatrical release feature
Lead Animator
1982 Cucumber Studios
Animator for Pop Promo
Donald Fagen
1981-1983 Shootsey Ltd
Director, Designer and Lead Animator
Commercials and Pop Promos
(working with Len Lewis)
1981 Grand Slamm
‘Rupert the Frog Song’ (13 mins)
Designer, Storyboarding and Animator
(working with Geoff Dunbar and Paul McCartney)
1980 Bob Godfrey Films
‘Bio-Woman’ (10 mins)
nominated BAFTA Film Award
Designer, Lead Animator
(working with Bob Godfrey)
1980 First Independent Commercial
Forbidden Planet Book Shop
(for theatrical release)
1980 Dragon Films
Animator
(working with Oscar Grillo and Sergio Simonetti)
1977-1980 West Surrey College of Art
three year animation course
1976 St. Martin’s School of Art
foundation course in art