In this careers series, Martina Mulhall, Gold Star Careers, speaks with high-profile figures across a range of industries to explore the stories behind their success.
From early career choices to pivotal moments, challenges overcome, and advice for the next generation, every interview offers a personal insight into the many different paths a career can take.
Under the spotlight today, following on from last week’s insightful interview with Kevin O’Loughlin, is Barrowhouse County Laois native Seamus Malone, renowned animator, director and writer, whose works have garnered an Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTAs and EMMYs.
His award-winning work includes Shaun the Sheep, Watership Down, Shrek 2, Chicken Run, Arthur Christmas, Flushed Away, Ron’s Gone Wrong, and most recently, the latest Wallace & Gromit movie Vengence Most Fowl.
Seamus wrote and directed the recently launched Shaun the Sheep Series 7, currently broadcasting in 170 territories worldwide.
1 – What was your very first job, and what did it teach you?
I grew up on a farm in Barrowhouse, County Laois, so there was always plenty of work to do at home. But my first job outside the farm was in Pettitt’s supermarket in the nearby town of Athy.
I was about 15 and worked evenings, weekends, and during the summer holidays.
I really enjoyed it, and I’ve always valued the training I received on my very first day — a simple but lasting piece of advice from the (now) manager: “There’s always something to be done.”
The sense of camaraderie among the staff made the job fun, and I even used to draw caricatures of some of my coworkers!
Looking back, I learned a lot of lessons there that have stayed with me: how to deal with customers and clients, the importance of clear communication, how to work well with others, and practical skills like time management and balancing school, work, and later, college life.
2 – Did you always know you wanted to work in this field, or did your career path evolve over time?
As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut, a farmer, or a stuntman — but I always loved doodling, drawing, and making things.
In school, I got into carpentry and architectural drawing, but with some encouragement from friends, I started cartooning more.
Strangely enough, I never took Art as a subject in school, but during the last few years of secondary school, I found myself increasingly drawn to it.
I used to create flipbook animations in the margins of my copybooks, sometimes even illustrating poems to help me visualize and memorize them in English class.
Those early flipbooks sparked my fascination with frame-by-frame animation. By the age of 14, I knew I wanted to work in animation or illustration.
When I was 16, my Mam drove me to an open day at Ballyfermot animation school, and from that moment on, I was hooked.
The Simpsons had just started airing on TV, and with Sullivan Bluth Studios based in Dublin, animation felt like a real and exciting possibility.
Even without formal training, I practiced observational drawing constantly and eventually applied to the animation course at Ballyfermot.
I was offered a place before even sitting my Leaving Cert — though I decided to finish school anyway, just in case!
At Ballyfermot, I studied 2D hand-drawn animation. We also had half-days on Fridays for sculpting and stop-motion, which I loved.
I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, and I found I could apply everything I was learning about animation to stop-motion.
I practiced it as much as I could and quickly realized that stop-motion was what I wanted to pursue.
By the time I finished college, I had a solid showreel of both 2D and stop-motion work.
After a few years I began working on stop-motion films and later taught myself computer animation. As well as numerous stop-motion projects, I’ve worked on five CG animated feature films and several TV specials, both as an animator and in supervisory/directing roles.
I’ve found that once you understand the principles of animation, you can apply them across different mediums — whether it’s 2D, stop-motion, or CG (computer-generated) animation.
It’s also a big plus in terms of job opportunities. In recent years, I’ve been lucky to bounce between CG and stop-motion projects.
3 – Was there a turning point or moment that shaped your career most significantly?
I think there were two key turning points for me.
The first was in 3rd year of secondary school when my friend Vinnie told me about a cartoon competition on the RTÉ TV show Jo Maxi.
He really encouraged me to enter, so I gave it a shot — and ended up winning second place. The judge was the renowned artist Jim Fitzpatrick, and my comic strip was shown on national TV.
I wasn’t even taking Art as a subject at the time, so I never expected to win anything. But that moment made me stop and think: “Maybe I could actually do this as a career.”
It was the first real spark that made animation and illustration feel like a real possibility.
The second turning point came a few years later, when I applied to Aardman Animations in Bristol, UK. They had seen my showreel and invited me over for a test.
I travelled as a foot passenger on the ferry and spent three days there, animating various stop-motion tests.
About a month later, I got a letter from Aardman offering me a position as an animator in their studio. That was a huge break for me — and another big turning point.
4 – What’s one challenge you faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
It’s hard to pinpoint one specific challenge, because in truth, every project comes with its own set of obstacles — and I’ve come to see that as an essential part of the job.
Each new brief, shot, or scene presents its own puzzle to solve. Whether it’s a technical limitation, a creative block, or a tight deadline, challenges are built into the process of animation.
What I’ve learned over time is that facing those challenges head-on is where the real growth happens.
I try to approach each one with curiosity and persistence — to really think through the problem and work it out step by step.
And when something feels especially difficult or unfamiliar, I’ve learned not to be afraid to ask for help. Reaching out to friends, colleagues, or even just getting a fresh pair of eyes on the issue often leads to a better solution than I could’ve come up with alone.
In the end, overcoming challenges is what keeps the work engaging — and it’s often where the most rewarding moments come from.
5 – How important were education and qualifications in getting to where you are today?
Education and qualifications are important — especially when you’re starting out and trying to get noticed. They can open doors, provide structure, and show that you’re committed to learning your craft.
In many ways, qualifications act as a signal to employers or studios that you’ve put in the time and effort to develop a foundation.
That said, in my line of work, experience carries a lot of weight too.
Over time, it’s the projects you’ve worked on, the problems you’ve solved, and the creative challenges you’ve overcome that really define your path.
But of course, you don’t have much experience when you’re just beginning — which is where education and qualifications can really help.
In creative fields especially, it’s often a balance of both education and passion. Qualifications can give you the tools and structure you need — but it’s your curiosity, dedication, and willingness to keep learning that truly fuel your growth.
Even if you don’t follow a traditional path. For instance, I didn’t do Art in school, but I got into animation college with my own determination and practice. The qualification I earned from college then helped me go further.
6 - What does a typical day look like in your role—or is there no such thing?
When I really think about it, I’d lean towards saying there’s no such thing as a typical day — especially in a director’s role. There are so many different aspects to oversee throughout the life of a show or project.
In the early stages, it’s all about development — creative meetings, bouncing around ideas in the writers’ room, shaping scripts, and making key decisions about the visual style, sets, and puppet builds.
Once production kicks off, my focus shifts to working closely with the animators, guiding character performance, acting choices, and the rhythm of each scene.
Later in the process, my attention turns to post-production: editing episodes, directing the musical score, working with sound designers, overseeing visual effects, colour grading — all while ensuring the final product aligns with the overall vision and tone of the show.
Every project begins with a small pre-production crew, builds up during production, and scales back again for post production.
Throughout it all, I’m constantly shifting between departments, tackling new challenges each day. So truthfully, no two days are ever the same — and that’s part of what makes the work so exciting.
7 – Who inspired or mentored you along the way, and what did you learn from them?
As a kid, I loved the Road Runner cartoons directed by Chuck Jones — the timing, the visual humour, the pure absurdity of it all.
When I started drawing, I was drawn to the wit and cleverness of Gary Larson’s The Far Side, and the warmth and storytelling in Norman Rockwell’s paintings.
His portraits of everyday life were full of character — you could read so much from just a facial expression or a bit of body language.
What I learned from all of them is that a single image can hold an entire story. The best work invites you to imagine what happened just before and what might happen next. That idea really stuck with me.
I was also lucky to have a great mechanical drawing teacher in school who encouraged me to keep drawing — whether it was precise architectural work or looser, cartoon-based sketches.
And when Jim Fitzpatrick picked my comic strip as a finalist on a TV competition, it was a huge boost. His feedback and distinctive Celtic-inspired art style inspired me to explore that direction for a while too.
Another big inspiration was Wallace and Gromit’s The Wrong Trousers by Nick Park — still my favourite Aardman film to this day.
A few years later, I was lucky enough to work alongside Nick on the first Chicken Run movie as well as all of the Wallace and Gromit films.
8 – What advice would you give to Leaving Cert students who aren’t sure what they want to do yet? Or to adults seeking a career change?
Be true to yourself. When it comes to your career, there’s almost always something you naturally enjoy — even if you haven’t quite figured out what it is yet. Often, you’ll find yourself gravitating toward it without even realizing. Pay attention to those moments — they can point you in the right direction.
If you’re thinking about a career change, yes, it’s a risk. Stepping into something new always is.
But if it’s something you truly love that passion will give you the courage to go for it — and the resilience to stick with it. The most fulfilling paths often begin with a leap of faith.
9 – If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?
Hmm… that’s a tricky one. Not coming from a traditional artistic background, maybe I’d tell my younger self to trust my instincts a bit more.
But honestly, I don’t think I’d go back and offer just one piece of career advice — because making mistakes is part of learning, and learning is part of the journey.
Balancing your head and your heart is part of being human. That tension, that uncertainty — it’s what shapes you. There are no truly wrong decisions, just different paths.
Each choice you make, even the ones that feel like detours, still moves you forward. You’re still on your path — whatever direction or form it takes.
10 – What’s next for you—any goals, projects, or new challenges on the horizon?
I’ve just wrapped up directing all episodes on Season 7 of Shaun the Sheep — I wrote several of the episodes, animated a few shots myself, and even composed and performed the music for one of them!
Right now, I’m working as Animation Director on a top-secret project. All I can say is that it’s a collaboration between Aardman and Pokémon — and it won’t be revealed until 2027, so it’ll be a big surprise when it lands.
I’m also developing some of my own ideas and writing original material. I’d love to get back in the director’s chair for a feature film next.
That said, animation is a deeply collaborative process, built on the talents of many people — and I’m always grateful to be a part of that creative team.
Your Laois connection?
I’m from County Laois, though I was born in the nearby town of Athy in County Kildare, where I also went to school. I was raised on a farm in Barrowhouse, right beside the River Barrow — a place that’s still very close to my heart.
For over 25 years now, I’ve been based in Bristol, which has become my home and also happens to be where the Aardman studio is located.
While Bristol is where I spend most of my time, my work has taken me around the world — I’ve lived and worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and London, contributing to films with DreamWorks and Sony Pictures. I also spent a year in Mumbai, co-directing a project for BBC and Netflix.
Despite all the travel, I still make it back to Laois a couple of times a year — or for special occasions — to catch up with family and friends.
My Mam and sisters are still based there, and I always try to make time to drive through Portlaoise and head up to the Slieve Blooms.
It’s something I treasure and wouldn’t give up for anything.
SEE ALSO – Check out all of the other Martina Mulhall pieces here
