About
b. 1986, HK.
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My name is Simone Giampaolo and I’m a London-based Director with an insatiable appetite for meaningful storytelling and humorous characters. In 2013 I graduated with distinction from the BA (Hons) Computer Animation Art & Design course at the National Centre for Computer Animation in Bournemouth (UK). Throughout my career I’ve written and directed over ten multi-award winning original short films, including the Oscar®-shortlisted Only a Child.
In the past years I’ve been working on a multitude of commissioned projects (TV series, commercials, short films and specials) for clients such as Sky, Netflix, Google, Cartoon Network, Disney, LEGO, Nickelodeon, Marvel, Pokémon and BBC, while collaborating with world-class studios like Jellyfish Pictures, Axis Studios, Blue Zoo, Ritzy Animation and Aardman (which has been representing me as Short-Form Director since 2018).
I’m also a board member of London ACM Siggraph and View Conference, and between projects I enjoy mentoring young animators and upcoming filmmakers by hosting lectures and masterclasses at international universities, festivals and conferences. My CV is available upon request.
CLIENTS I worked for:
Netflix
Disney
Sky Kids
Google
Nickelodeon
BBC
Lucasfilm
Cartoon Network
Lego
Marvel
Nintendo
+ more
Studios I worked with:
Aardman
Axis studios
Nathan Love
Jellyfish pictures
Ritzy animation
Blue zoo
No Ghost
red knuckles
Nexus studios
Honours & Awards
‘Only a Child’ receives a nomination for Best Animation at the 27th Webby Awards.
2022 BAFTA’s Children & Young People Award Nomination for our 'Only a Child' in the category Content for Change!
I was invited to give a talk about the power of animation as a catalyst for change at TEDx Lake Como, only a few minutes away from where I grew up.
Our ‘Only a Child’ receives the Ray Harryhausen Award for Best Short Film!
‘Only a Child’ receives the Audience Award at the International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS in Riga!
‘Only a Child’ receives the Best Short Film for Youth Award at Anima Cordoba in Argentina!
Only a Child receives the Special Mention at the Hsin-Yi Children's Animation Awards in Taipei, Taiwan (January 2022)!
Incredible! Only a Child gets shortlisted for the 94th Academy Awards® (December 2021)!
We hosted a special behind-the-scenes event about Only a Child, with special guests Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Gabriella de Gara and Kris Pearn (who moderated the event)!
Attending COP26 in Glasgow as one of the One Step Greener ambassadors (November 2021). Both Obki (original series I directed for Sky Kids) and our short Only a Child got screened during this crucial event in Scotland.
After being selected as one of the 26 One Step Greener ambassadors, I was invited by the Prime Minister to a COP26 Reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate young people making a difference to fight climate change (October 2021).
Only a Child receives the Special Achievement Award at View Conference 2021 in Turin, Italy (December 2021).
Thrilled to be selected as one of the 26 One Step Greener ambassadors by COP26 for my environmental and educational animation work.
The story behind the creation of Only a Child becomes part of Google Arts & Culture’s collection for COP26!
Only a Child receives the Audience Choice Award at Siggraph 2021 (August 2021)!
Only a Child receives the Best in Show Award at Spark Animation 2021, which makes our film eligible for the Oscars 2022 (October 2021)!
Only a Child receives the Audience Prize at the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Films (May 2021).
Only a Child receives 3 Awards (including Best in Show) at the Florida Animation Festival 2021 (June 2021)!
Only a Child receives a Nomination from the Swiss Film Academy (January 2021)!
Only a Child receives the Best Animation Award at the International Tour Film Festival in Civitavecchia, Italy (October 2021)!
Only a Child receives the Best Mixed Media Award at the Los Angeles Animation Festival 2020!
I got signed as short-form director by Aardman Animations, which becomes an employee-owned company (November 2018)!
I was welcomed as Guest Professor at Jilin Animation Institue in Changchun, China (July 2018).
Our art-based charity initiative Blindraw Challenge raises money for the victims of the Syrian conflict (2017).
Collaborating with London ACM Siggraph, in 2019 we organized the very first FFS event in Shoreditch (for students and professionals)!
More Stuff receives the Best Animation Award at Setting Sun Film Festival in Melbourne, Australia (2016)!