John Stevenson (born 1958) is a British animation filmmaker and puppeteer best known for directing the 2008 animated feature film, Kung Fu Panda with Mark Osborne. Stevenson has over 30 years of experience with animation, a veteran of DreamWorks PDI who got his start in the entertainment industry via Jim Henson's The Muppet Show.He worked as a story artist on the feature films The Great Muppet Caper, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and Little Shop of Horrors and as a character designer and story artist on shows like The Dreamstone, Count Duckula, and FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue. He also worked as puppeteer on James & the Giant Peach and Motion Capture Performer on The Moxy Pirate Show. In 1991, Stevenson moved to the United States, and in 1998 he was hired as a head of story at DreamWorks Animation. There he worked for many years in the art department on many films such as Shrek, Shrek 2, Madagascar and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, before helming a number of episodes of their animated primetime show Father of the Pride. He worked for four years bringing Kung Fu Panda to the screen.In 2009 Stevenson was nominated for an Academy Award with Mark Osborne for best Animated Feature for Kung Fu Panda and won the Annie Award with Osborne for Directing in a Feature Production.He was originally set to work as director for an upcoming film based on the character created by Mattel, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.In 2011-12 Stevenson directed a six minute animated short film for The Coca-Cola Company produced by Ridley and Tony Scott called The Polar Bears.He is currently working on projects like The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break, We3, Alien Rock Band and Rotten Island. In September 2012, it was reported that Stevenson will direct the sequel of Gnomeo & Juliet, titled Gnomeo & Juliet: Sherlock Gnomes.
Birth date
1955-01-01
Birth name
John Stevenson
Birth year
1958
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