'Shaun the Sheep' Gives Something Extra in Credits

When the movie credits begin to roll, the most common reaction for a moviegoer is to bolt out of the theater. But “Shaun the Sheep” co-writers/directors Richard Starzak and Mark Burton say sticking around an extra few minutes for their animated film might be worth your time.

“If you miss it it’s not the end of the world because it’s not part of the story, but if you stay, that’s your reward,” Burton explains to Made in Hollywood.

The filmmaker adds that when he watched “Shaun the Sheep” at his local theater, he noticed a rush for the door when the lights turned on, but when the bonus content began to show during the credits, they recoiled. “Some people left, but they were leaving and turned around,” he says.

(If you want to be surprised, stop reading)

Though some filmmakers show gag reels or scenes that did not make the final cut during the credits, “Shaun the Sheep” took a different approach.

“The credits were bespoke,” Burton explains. “They weren’t things that were taken out (of the film). Originally we discussed the idea of having them animated, but we thought it was better to tell them in still pictures.”

One of the moments that played during the credits that received howls of laughter was when a stone-faced character was revealed to be a cardboard cutout.

“I think it’s funnier because you caught that at the end — realizing right at the end that there’s an extra twist to the story,” Burton says. “Building it into the main story would’ve made it too self-aware.”

Starzak agrees, adding that had they included the storyline within the film, it would not have had the same affect. “Too much plot to distract from the main story,” he says.

“Shaun the Sheep” tells the story of the eponymous little sheep that feels weary with his duties on a farm and concocts a scheme that goes awry — that land him, his flock and his master, the farmer, in the big city where they find that they’re not ready for new pastures.

The animated comedy hits theaters Wednesday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQvwiOWpj7o