It seems that 2006 is certainly shaping up better than 2005 for Nick Park, creator of Oscar-winning duo Wallace & Gromit.
- Norwich Union helps Wallace & Gromit rise from the ashes of October fire
It seems that 2006 is certainly shaping up better than 2005 for Nick Park, creator of Oscar-winning duo Wallace & Gromit.
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was worth Oscar gold for Aardman Animations, the company behind Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run. But the curse of faulty wiring – the cause of last October’s tragic Bristol warehouse blaze that destroyed many Aardman originals – could have cost Aardman dear.
At stake were exhibition sets, props and models from Wallace & Gromit and other Aardman films including Chicken Run.
Thanks to Norwich Union, though, these British treasures can rise again.
Although the sentimental value and attachment to these figures can’t be measured, there is clearly a lot more to each of Nick Park’s creations than a handful of plasticine. So what’s Wallace worth?
| Item Lost | Value |
| Wallace, Wallace & Gromit | More than £4,000 |
| Gromit, Wallace & Gromit | More than £2,000 |
| The Pie Machine, Chicken Run | More than £100,000 |
Kieran Argo, head of exhibitions at Aardman, commented on what it takes to rebuild these British icons: “The work involved in making a Wallace model is very time consuming for a small group of model makers. A complex ball and socket armature, or skeleton, needs to be made before a hard foam material is used to bulk out the body shape.
“On top of this, different materials such as silicone rubber and foam latex are moulded and used to make items of clothing and shoes. The expressive parts; the face and hands are made from plasticine. All in, this process takes several weeks and costs several thousands of pounds.
“The larger machine-type contraptions such as the Pie-machine from Chicken Run took several months to design and develop and had to have carefully machined moving parts.“
Erik Nelson from Norwich Union, commented: “The fire that ruined many of Aardman’s well-known creations was devastating. We’re thrilled that we could settle the claim quickly, ensuring Aardman could get back to business as usual as quickly as possible.”
Kieran concluded: “We were devastated when the fire occurred and we discovered that our precious exhibition collection had been lost. Norwich Union’s swift settlement enabled us to begin to re-create the assets we had lost to ensure a minimal impact.”
-ends-
For further information, please contact:
Erik Nelson on 01603 682264/07989 427086
Janice Rutledge at Lexis PR on 020 7908 6575
Notes to editors:
Images available upon request.
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