EMAIL// stephen [at] smalltimeinc [dot] com
INSTAGRAM// @stepheniiirwin
Stephen Irwin is a British animation director and writer, and a graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. His films have won multiple awards and been screened at over 100 international film festivals, including three times in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2024, WORLD TO ROAM was one of six films longlisted in the British Short Animation category at the BAFTA Film Awards.
His films have been broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK and Canal+ Spain, and he has received commissions and grants from the BBC, UK Film Council/Film London, Animate Projects/Arts Council England, Channel 4, Rooftop Films and the BFI. In 2018 he wrote his first feature length screenplay with support from Creative England and the BFI NET.WORK through their Emerging Talent Fund.
Awards include: the Grand Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival for MOXIE, and the Silver Dragon at the Krakow Film Festival for THE OBVIOUS CHILD (both Oscar qualifying). THE BLACK DOG'S PROGRESS was awarded Best Short Film at the British Animation Awards. WOOD CHILD & HIDDEN FOREST MOTHER won the Grand Prize at the New Chitose International Animation Festival, as well as both the Best of the Fest and Best UK Film at the London International Animation Festival.
Full list of FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
AWARDS etc//
BAFTA LONGLIST - BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION 2024 (WTR)
SPECIAL MENTION - LIAF 2023 (WTR)
SPECIAL DISTINCTION PRIZE - BIAF 2023 (WTR)
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT - Animatricks 2023 (WTR)
AUDIENCE AWARD – Vienna Shorts 2023 (WTR)
EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE PRIZE - KIFF 2023 (WTR)
GRAND PRIZE, New Chitose Airport Int'l Animation Festival 2020 (WCHFM)
BEST OF THE FEST, London International Animation Festival 2020 (WCHFM)
BEST UK FILM, London International Animation Festival 2020 (WCHFM)
HONOURABLE MENTION, Minimalen Short Film Festival 2021 (WCHFM)
KAYLA THOMAS GRANT 2020, Rooftop Films (WCHFM)
SILVER DRAGON - BEST ANIMATED FILM, Krakow Film Festival 2014 (The Obvious Child)
NTR BEST EUROPEAN SHORT ANIMATION, Go Short 2014 (The Obvious Child)
HONORARY MENTION, Tofifest International Film Festival 2014 (The Obvious Child)
HONORARY MENTION, Multivision, Russia, 2014 (The Obvious Child)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION, New Chitose Int'l Animation Festival 2014 (The Obvious Child)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION, Holland Animation Film Festival 2014 (The Obvious Child)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION, Animated Dreams Festival 2014 (The Obvious Child)
ARTS FOUNDATION AWARD 2012 (Animation) - Nominated
GRAND PRIZE, Ottawa International Animation Festival 2011 (Moxie)
BEST OF THE FEST, Melbourne International Animation Festival 2012 (Moxie)
BEST SHORT FILM (5-15 Minutes), Anifest, Czech Republic 2012 (Moxie)
AUDIENCE AWARD, Ann Arbor Film Festival 2012 (Moxie)
BEST BRITISH FILM, London International Animation Festival 2012 (Moxie)
SPECIAL JURY AWARD, GIRAF Animation Festival 2012 (Moxie)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION Bradford Animation Festival 2012 (Moxie)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION, Riga International Short Film Festival 2012 (Moxie)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION, Etiuda and Anima 2011 (Moxie)
BEST SHORT FILM, British Animation Awards 2010 (The Black Dog's Progress)
DIPLOMA, Krok Animation Film Festival 2011 (The Black Dog's Progress)
BEST ANIMATION, Kinofilm Manchester Film Festival 2010 (The Black Dog's Progress)
DESIGN AWARD, Klik! Amsterdam 2009 (The Black Dog's Progress)
BEST UK FILM, Flip Animation Festival 2009 (The Black Dog's Progress)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION, Milano Film Festival 2006 (Bows and Arrows)
BEST EMERGING TALENT, Emergeandsee 2005 (Dialog)
TV BROADCAST AND THEATRICAL DISTRIBUTION//
THE OBVIOUS CHILD – Canal+ Spain, 2014/15
THE OBVIOUS CHILD – Sundance Animated Shorts tour, various U.S cities, 2014
HIDDEN PLACE – Channel 4, Random Acts series, April 2012
MOXIE – OIAF U.S and Canada cinema tour, 2012/13
MOXIE – 50th Ann Arbour Festival cinema tour, 2013
MOXIE – McLaren Awards tour (w/ EIFF and British Council), 2013
THE BLACK DOG’S PROGRESS – Channel 4, AnimateTV, September 2008
SPECIAL SCREENINGS AND RETROSPECTIVES//
IFFR, Hunting Scenes: Quay Brothers special screening, 2020
Sundance London, 2020
Sundance Hong Kong, Shorts Showcase, 2016
Sundance London, 2014
Art Gwangju, Korea, September 2011
File Anima+ , Brazil, August/September 2011
Craft Council's COLLECT 2011, Saatchi Gallery, London, May 2011
V&A's Friday Late May 2010
Tate Modern, Animate Projects Screening/Q+A, December 2008
LIBRARY OF SMALL TIME INC.//
A collection of inspirational work and miscellaneous titbits (rarely updated these days)