Sarah Smith (producer)
Sarah Smith is an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. She is the co-founder and former CEO of Locksmith Animation. She is the writer and director of the animated feature films "Arthur Christmas" (2011) and "Ron's Gone Wrong" (2021). Smith began her career in radio before serving as a television producer for live action British comedy, including as writer for "The Friday Night Armistice" (1996-1998). She later served various other assisting production roles in television, and as writer for the adult animated series "I Am Not an Animal" (2004). She then joined Aardman Animations  as creative director, going on to direct her first feature film "Arthur Christmas". She left Aardman and set up Locksmith Animation to direct "Ron's Gone Wrong". Profile. Smith began her career in radio comedy, as producer for "The Harpoon" (1991-1994), "Lee and Herring" (1994-1995), and "The League of Gentlemen" (1997). She also took over as producer for "Just a Minute" from 1992 to 1995. She then became involved in television as producer for "Fist of Fun" (1995), "The Jim Tavaré Pictures" (1995), "Where's Elvis This Week?" (1996), "The Friday/Saturday Night Armistice" (1995-1998), "In the  Red" (1998), the first series of "The League of Gentlemen" (1999), "The Armando Iannucci Shows" (2001), and "" (2001). She was also writer for "Armistice" from 1996 to 1998. Other credits include one episode of "Bob and Margaret" (1999) as writer; "The Awful Truth" (1999) as executive producer; "Brass Eye: Paedogeddon!" (2001) as script consultant; "Nighty Night" (2004) as script associate; "I Am Not an Animal" (2004) as writer; "Dead Man Weds" (2005) as director; and "Thin Ice" (2006) as director. "I Am Not An Animal", an adult animated series, marked her move towards the medium. Smith was approached by Aardman  Animations with a job offer to head their feature department; she had contacted Aardman in prior years with an interest in working on film scripts. Smith said she initially felt uncertain about accepting the role because she only had production experience overseeing live action comedy and drama. She joined the studio in 2006 expecting she would leave after six months, but stayed on believing she was there at an important time where she was able to pick up new projects, saying "[there was] an opportunity to take a whole fresh path and look at what they wanted to do as  a company". As creative director she was co-executive producer for "The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!" (2012), where she secured rights to adapt it from the books it was based on. Smith would go on to direct her first feature film, "Arthur Christmas", which was released in 2011. Smith co-founded the animation studio Locksmith in 2014 with Aardman executive Julie Lockhart, and with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch. She directed the studio's first film, "Ron's Gone Wrong", which was released in 2021. Smith left Locksmith in June 2021 and was replaced by Natalie Fischer  as CEO. Views. Smith expressed disappointment over "Arthur Christmas" not being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature when a film such as "Puss in Boots" did that year, remarking, "you've got to be kidding me". Filmography. As director: