How The Snowman Came Back to Life

The Snowman is one of the most watched and loved British animation films of all time. It appeals to children and parents alike and has become one of the main fixtures in the Christmas schedules. Yet the talent behind The Snowman phenomenon is a unique and distinctive man who is not a figure in the public eye. Raymond Briggs began writing and illustrating children's books more than forty years ago and in 1978, he wrote one of the most popular children's books ever published, The Snowman.

Now thirty years after the original, a new sequel film to The Snowman has been made and Raymond Briggs, a reclusive figure, is giving us a glimpse of his world. How The Snowman Came Back to Life is a brand new one-off film that features Briggs in his Sussex home and visits the animation studios of Lupus Films where a small army of people have been working to produce the new film. Briggs reveals after many years of refusing to sanction a sequel, why he finally relented and gave his approval to the new film.

The sequel's story, The Snowman and The Snowdog, is a closely guarded secret. But we know it will reunite viewers with the world's favourite Christmas character in a brand new adventure with a new set of friends. To try and maintain the feel of the original film, it's being drawn by hand under the direction of the key designers of the original The Snowman film. A huge team of animators has been assembled to create the 17,000 individual frames required to create the sequel to one of the most iconic animations ever made.

In the documentary, we'll see the creative challenges that went into the making of the original film and Briggs reveals the sources of his inspiration. He describes what shaped his extraordinarily successful career and the legacy of creating such a national treasure.

Along with Briggs, we'll meet the creative team behind the sequel including directors, animators and producers - many of whom played a huge part in the original. Others from the literary world such Quentin Blake, Posy Simmonds and Steve Bell also share their thoughts on why Briggs has become a pioneer in the world of graphic books and what makes his work so unique and popular.

The Snowman Documentary is not just a story about a new and modern Christmas classic but the inside story of how Raymond Brigg's fantasy about growing up in Britain has been brought into the 21st century to become a treat for families, old and new.

Production Company - Rare Day
Executive Producer - Peter Dale
Director - Liz Unna