AARDMAN AND ATOMFILMS GET ANGRY OVER THE INTERNET

Aardman launches its newest creation, Angry Kid, exclusively on the Internet at www.atomfilms.com

Seattle - April 10, 2000 -- In a ground-breaking move, world-renowned animation production house, Aardman Animations is delighted to announce that its newest character creation, ANGRY KID, will be released exclusively to audiences world-wide over the internet via AtomFilms’ award-winning entertainment web site at www.atom.com. The first episodes of Angry Kid will only be available to watch via the Internet - the first time that a major production house has launched a new series exclusively on the web. The Angry Kid episodes will be available for download from early May at a specially developed Angry Kid spotlight on the AtomFilms site at www.angrykid.com.

“We believe the Internet could very well prove to be one of the most exciting platforms for entertainment distribution” says Dave Sproxton, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Aardman “and we’re delighted to be working with AtomFilms again to bring this to the web audience worldwide”.

“The work we are doing with Aardman shows what the Internet can offer in terms of an entertainment experience in the future,” continued Michael Comish, Managing Director, AtomFilms Europe. “TV and cinemas limit when and how you watch quality entertainment. The Internet is overcoming these obstacles. By releasing this primarily over the Internet, a potential audience of hundreds of millions of people across the world can enjoy each of Aardman’s Angry Kid episodes the moment they are released.”

Aardman is working closely with AtomFilms to distribute the 60-second episodes via the Internet. The two companies have already partnered to showcase the best of Aardman’s back catalogue of films online from the Aardman Observer Web page designed specifically for Aardman animation fans.

Fans of other Aardman favourites may be in for a surprise when they see Angry Kid. “He’s anarchic, irreverent and definitely not suitable for family viewing - perfect for the internet” says Michael Rose, Aardman’s Head of Film & TV Productions.

Angry Kid has been created and animated by Darren Walsh at Aardman’s studios in Bristol, England.

Dressed in regulation 70’s Parka, Angry Kid shares his life to camera in a series of one-minute episodes. Relentless, idiotic and frequently stubborn, his pre-teen sensitivity has, so far, led to several near car crashes, run ins with the police and considerable experimentation with his own body. His irritable Dad just wants to send him to the ‘Children’s Home’ but mum still loves her ‘little poppet’.

The first episode will be available to download from midnight on Sunday May 7th with the remaining 24 episodes posted up at regular intervals over the forthcoming weeks. Each of the 25 episodes will be downloadable as a Quicktime Movie and will be posted on the www.atom.com site at regular intervals. Using a standard 28.8k modem, each episode will take approximately 6 minutes to download. With a faster modem, download times will decrease dramatically. Aardman will actively encourage free distribution of the animated films via email.

About AtomFilms
AtomFilms is a leading next generation entertainment company focused on redefining the way entertainment is created, distributed, marketed and consumed. AtomFilms has the largest catalog of award-winning animation and live-action entertainment available. A loyal supporter of independent filmmakers and animators, AtomFilms has built a platform for artists seeking worldwide distribution. AtomFilms markets and distributes high-quality short form entertainment to more than 80 partners and to audience's worldwide, with significant presence on major Internet sites, broadband services, television, airlines, home entertainment companies and more recently, handheld and wireless devices. A popular Web destination that is ranked among Media Metrix's top twenty entertainment sites, the two time Webby Award winner in Film and Broadband, AtomFilms was recently selected as the "Forbes Magazine Favorite" short film Web site. AtomFilms was also sited as one of the top ten most trafficked movie-related sites by Entertainment Weekly, and was rated "Best of the Web" for online entertainment by U.S. News & World Report. An independent company founded in 1998, AtomFilms has offices in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and London. More information about AtomFilms can be found on the Internet at www.atom.com.

About Aardman
Aardman is currently recognised as a world leader in model animation. Their award-winning work is often imitated and yet the company continues to lead the field producing a unique brand of independent and commercial productions. The studio has been nominated for an Oscar seven times, and has won three for the internationally acclaimed WALLACE AND GROMIT adventures. Many in the US will be familiar with the studio’s work via the Chevron ‘talking cars’ television commercials. DREAMWORKS SKG will release their much anticipated first feature film, ‘Chicken Run’ in the US on June 23rd 2000.