Animator Nick Park

Director/producer Nick Park is the academy award- winning creator of the much-loved animated British characters Wallace & Gromit. Director/producer Peter Lord is Chairman and co-founder of the clay animation studios Aardman, where PARK created his short films featuring Wallace & Gromit (“A Grand Day Out,” “The Wrong Trousers” and “A Close Shave.”) They’ve just collaborated on their first full-length feature film, “Chicken Run” an animated escape film with chickens as the escapers.

Terry Gilliam's new film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, is another entry into his long line of dream-like films. But it's also the final performance of the late Heath Ledger. Gilliam joins host Terry Gross to talk about the personal and professional challenges of creative filmmaking.

Animation director J.J. Sedelmaier is the animator of the TV Funhouse skits which run on Saturday Night Live. They include The Ambiguously Gay Duo, Fun with Real Audio, and The X-Presidents. Sedelmaier and his animation company work on many other projects for TV and commercials. They have worked for MTV and Nickelodeon. He also has his own Cartoon Network series, Capt. Linger.