The Snowman
snowman british animated television film symphonic poem based raymond briggss picture book snowman directed dianne jackson channel first shown december immediate success nominated best animated short film th academy award bafta tv award story told picture action music scored howard blake dialogue exception central song walking air orchestral score performed sinfonia london song performed peter auty st paul cathedral choirboy film ranked number greatest british television programme list drawn british film institute based vote industry professional voted number uktv gold greatest tv christmas moment came third channel poll greatest christmas moment broadcast usually christmas eve channel become annual festive event uk sequel snowman snowdog released snowman wordless childrens picture book raymond briggs first published hamish hamilton united kingdom published random house united state november year united kingdom runnerup kate greenaway medal library association recognising year best childrens book illustration british writer united state named lewis carroll shelf award list iain harvey film executive producer publisher hamish hamilton recall book initially sold well second print less successful unsold copy sitting warehouse attribute lack dialogue preventing read bedtime story contacted producer john coates tvc television cartoon idea adapting book animated film gave consent march coates presented animatic storyboard version basic piano track howard blake including early version walking air commissioning executive fledgeling channel new public service television company due begin broadcasting november director dianne jackson worked coates beatles yellow submarine mainly worked short animation commercial first time directing longer animated film result experienced animator jimmy murakami brought supervise film produced using traditional animation technique consisting pastel crayon colouring tool drawn piece celluloid traced hand drawn frame continuity purpose background artwork painted using tool story expanded fill minute include longer flying sequence take boy north pole party father christmas present picture book animator also brought personal touch – static sequence car replaced motorcycle ride one animator keen motorcyclist noted iain harvey sequence kept action flowing fun comedy boy snowman exploring house forming friendship – could better midnight run snowy landscape similarly although boy book unnamed film named james present tag added animator joanna harrison name boyfriend later husband interviewed raymond briggs recall thought bit corny twee dragging christmas snowman nothing worked extremely well boy home appears located south down england near brighton snowman fly royal pavilion palace pier raymond briggs lived sussex since composer howard blake also native county production team contacted howard blake early production difficulty finding right tone adapting wordless picture book blake suggested film feature dialogue instead throughcomposed orchestral soundtrack recall song walking air written year earlier difficult period life song formed main theme work blake told financial time wanted incorporate lyric symphony expressed complete innocence beauty born blake brought religion stating felt though idea came god howard blake orchestral score performed film sinfonia london song walking air sung film chorister peter auty credited original version given credit th anniversary version walking air covered chorister aled jones single peaked number five uk single chart jones sometimes mistakenly credited sung song film blake soundtrack snowman often performed standalone concert work often accompanying projection film sometimes narrator version narrator first performed bernard cribbins summer rural area brighton night heavy snowfall young boy named james wake play snow eventually building large snowman stroke midnight sneak downstairs find snowman magically come life james show snowman around house playing appliance toy bricabrac keeping quiet enough wake james parent two find sheeteddown motorcycle house garden go ride wood engine heat start melt snowman cool luxuriating garage freezer seeing picture arctic packet freezer snowman agitated take boy hand running garden take flight fly south down towards channel coast seeing royal pavilion brighton palace pier north along coast norway continue arctic landscape aurora borealis land snowcovered forest join party snowman eventually meet father christmas along reindeer give boy card scarf snowman pattern snowman return home james sun rise two bid farewell night following morning james wake find snowman melted leaving hat scarf coal eye tangerine nose coal button pile melted snow james kneel snowman remains holding scarf mourning loss friend original introduction channel feature raymond briggs walking field rural sussex describing inspiration story transition animated landscape film idea character older version james film executive producer iain harvey received interest film u network vhs release however noted u programme sponsored sponsored needed big name various name laurence olivier julie andrew suggested request rock star led david bowie involved fan briggss story wind blow later provided song animated adaptation sequence bowie filmed attic childhood home discovering drawer scarf closely resembling one given james towards end film proceeds narrate opening small variation briggs monologue celebrate film th anniversary channel created alternative opening directed roger mainwood raymond briggss interpretation father christmas recounting met james giving variation briggs monologue including heavy snow left even unable fly turn tv watch film opening segue comedian mel smith reprises role opening version also cropped fit widescreen format channel used opening mel smith death bowie opening reinstated turn returned film original aspect ratio film nominated best animated short film th academy award lost polish film tango zbigniew rybczyński bafta best childrens programme entertainmentdrama british academy television award also nominated best graphic grand prix tampere film festival finland named ala notable childrens video list british film institute greatest british television programme list drawn british film institute based vote industry professional listed voted uktv gold greatest tv christmas moment came third channel poll greatest christmas moment snowman originally released vhs palace video rereleased several time palace later polygram video universal studio home entertainment uk palace went business released vhs u columbia tristar home video snowman rereleased dvd special edition dvd bluray th anniversary edition united kingdom november universal studio home entertainment uk special edition peaked video chart home video release includes four extra feature snow business documentary story snowman storyboard introduction used throughout film first year film reentered uk official children’s video chart november eventually peaking december based sale dvd physical format universal dvd snowman father christmas – released united kingdom us bowie opening celebrate th anniversary original short channel minute special titled snowman snowdog aired channel christmas eve produced londonbased animation company lupus film many original team returning sequel made traditional technique first film feature snowman new young boy named billy snow dog flying landmark going another party idea sequel resisted raymond briggs several year gave permission film howard blake one crew member asked return allegedly asked send demo refused citing success original score new film instead feature song light night former razorlight drummer andy burrow incidental music ilan eshkeri sequel dedicated memory producer john coates died september production snowman made stage show first produced contact theatre manchester adapted produced anthony clark full script used howard blake music lyric birmingham repertory company produced version music lyric howard blake scenario blake bill alexander choreography robert north since sadlers well presented every year christmas show peacock theatre book film word apart lyric song walking air story told image movement special effect include snowman boy flying high stage assistance wire harness snow falling part auditorium production several revision – extensive happening major change made second act introducing new character ice princess jack frost quicksilva published official video game zx spectrum commodore msx granpa dianne jackson second animated film channel music howard blake father christmas – briggss earlier two work father christmas father christmas go holiday combined film released feature snowmens party north pole film year film event young boy snowman film seen background segment bear – another book raymond briggs also adapted minute animated version like film conveyed music action list christmas film official snowman website snowman imdb snowman bfi screenonline recording snowman walking air toonhound