Published 26th February 2025

Spotlight Series: Richard Beek - Producer

From Runner, to BAFTA-winning Producer, we caught up with Richard Beek to find out more about his career path, proudest projects and the people who've inspired him along the way.

Tell us about your role at Aardman – describe a typical day:

I’m a Producer, and a big part of what I love about the role is how varied it is. I’m not sure there is a typical day! Sometimes you’re in edit, or working on a budget or schedule, or you could be attending voice records, meeting press and influencers… it never gets boring!

How did you get into the industry?

Between 1996 and 1999 I did a lot of work experience - unpaid work on films, TV shows and adverts; basically, I grabbed any opportunity that came up to be involved in filmmaking. It was mostly runner work, but it helped me build lots of contacts and eventually the unpaid work started to turn into paid work.

One of my first paid jobs was on a horror movie called Grim, it really couldn’t be further away from the work we do at Aardman! Check it out on IMDb - the reviews aren’t kind and if you’ve got 90 mins you never want back you could watch it and see my cameo as a security guard who gets attacked by the monster! Fun fact - it wasn’t my acting skills that won me the role, I was the only crew member who fitted the costume that had been hired!

What’s your all-time favourite project that you’ve been involved with and why?

This is a really difficult question! I’m not sure I can pick just one…

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! – that was my first Project Manager role on a feature film.

Shaun the Sheep series 4 and Shaun the Sheep Movie were both really fun to work on and I loved the ‘make do and mend’ approach we had on those projects.

Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas – I’m really proud of how much we achieved with a relatively small budget, it really punches above it weight, and obviously the recent Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

To date, what has been your biggest professional achievement?

The response to Vengeance Most Fowl has been amazing, I can’t really describe how proud I am to have been a part of it.

What are your tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

Ha ha! I’m not sure I’m equipped to answer this question; my work habits aren’t always healthy. Having a senior role is responsibility I take seriously, but what I have learned is that although I take the work seriously, I try not to take it personally – since realising that I’ve felt a lot less stressed and much happier.

Name three people who inspire you and why:

My Dad – he’s responsible for my love of films; Tom & Jerry, Laurel & Hardy, taking me to see a Star Wars double-bill aged 5 – we’d spend hours watching films together when I was younger, often they’d be my choice and lots were probably totally rubbish but he never grumbled, so I assumed he enjoyed them too?

My Mum – I think Mum would make a brilliant Producer – determined and full of energy.

Bob Mortimer – his hairstyle inspires mine.