Director Steve Small is a true master craftsman and artist, showcasing his versatility across an impressive array of projects. His journey spans from contributing to Disney features to crafting and directing shorts, TV series, and commercials. Steve has left an indelible mark at AKA, where he directed and animated a remarkable slate of commercials for brands such as TELE2, NICKTOONS, ORANGE, TSB, ADMIRAL, and the enchanting SING UP. In recent years, Steve has ventured into animation for more mature themes, starting with a series of BAFTA-nominated animated sequences for the BBC Netflix drama BLACK EARTH RISING. The resulting nine minutes of animation, augmenting Hugo Blick’s mesmerizing drama, depict events around the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath, creatively interpreting violent and tragic events where, as one character puts it, “words would fail.” This exploration continued with an Emmy-nominated title sequence for Ridley Scott’s Sci-fi series RAISED BY WOLVES. Steve designed intricately hand-rendered shots depicting the destruction of our planet and all remaining life departing to find refuge elsewhere in the solar system. Subsequently, this creative exploration into the possibilities for line and brushwork to depict emotional moments and thought-provoking visuals has been further developed in the inserts for Jake Scott’s documentary KIPCHOGE, adding a layer of visual poetics to explanations of beneficial dynamics of track tilt and optimized airflow within running formations. Steve brought the same level of visual dexterity to a series of Emmy-nominated sequences created for “LINCOLN’S DILEMMA,” a historical documentary series for Apple TV+. He has recently wrapped up a sequence contribution to a feature documentary that the studio has been working on, to be announced in 2024.
Steve’s creative universe extends beyond the screen into the world of children’s picture books. The first book he illustrated, ‘I’M STICKING WITH YOU,’ written by Smriti Halls, received nominations for a Nibbie (UK’s largest book prize event) and was shortlisted for a book Oscar and the Klaus Flugge award, ultimately winning a Silver at the Junior Design Awards and an honorary mention at the Ezra Keats awards. Following this success, he continued illustrating and writing books, and was nominated for several awards, including being shortlisted twice in the following year’s book Oscar awards for his next two books. Steve has written and illustrates THE DUCK WHO DIDN’T LIKE WATER, WELLINGTON’S BIG DAY OUT, BRAVE LITTLE BEAR and continued illustrating Smriti Halls’ two sequels, LET’S STICK TOGETHER, and I’M STICKING WITH YOU TOO. Meanwhile, when Steve isn’t immersed in painting and drawing, you’ll likely find him feeding the crows on Blackheath Common or dancing with foxes.