Mr Bean 25th Anniversary – Hag & Con talk to Animated Series Director Tim Searle and Producer Tom Beattie
When you were a kid did you have a teddy bear you took everywhere with you like Mr Bean and what was his name? Hag age 10
Tim Searle – I had Loppy, a long eared dog and a Teddy, called,… Teddy.
Tom Beattie – I didn’t have a teddy that I took everywhere but I had two teddies called Rosie and…Teddy.
What was the funniest show you watched as a kid? Con age 8
Tim Searle – Tom & Jerry also Laurel & Hardy.
Tom Beattie – I loved the classic Looney Tunes cartoons like Road Runner and Bugs Bunny. I also loved The Flintstones and Animaniacs.
What’s the most awkward thing you’ve ever done where people just stared at you? Hag age 10
Tim Searle – Recently I learnt that it’s not a good idea to try and use a mobile phone while riding your bike. I ended up head first into a thorn bush. Not a good look! Was with my son, who did really well to not laugh at the time. He’s enjoyed telling everyone since though,…
Tom Beattie – Recently I fell off the pavement right outside work. I’m 6ft 2 and don’t often fall flat on the floor so a lot of people were looking at me. Probably because I was pulling a funny face in pain. It really hurt!
What made you want to make a cartoon of Mr Bean? Con age 8
Tim Searle – Mr Bean was always very physical cartoon-like comedy, moving onto animation made real sense, allowing for situations that you just can’t do in live action. Animation means you can really control the timing of the comedy, and Rowan loves working on the detail to get the funny moments to really work. Timing is so important with comedy and it’s all about detail. Detail is what animation is all about!
Tom Beattie – Mr Bean started off as a live action TV program. In that series Mr Bean didn’t say very much but was very animated in his body and facial expressions. Because of this he already felt very cartoony. You can also have much more fun with the character and do things you can’t when filming.
Did you use any moments from the original show in the cartoon and what were they? Hag age 10
Tim Searle – There’s a moment where Mr Bean gets to the top of an escalator, it’s like he’s never been on one before, just standing there at the top, before finally stepping off. It works SO well that when we had an escalator scene we couldn’t resist referring to it, and ended up using EXACTLY the same timing! All the animators refer to the live action Bean all the time, for the way he moves. It’s so excellent, it’d be rude not to!
Tom Beattie – Yes. We have a couple of moments that are directly copied from the series. There is a new episode in the second series (Bean Shopping) where Mr Bean is locked in a department store. He uses the escalator and stops at the top as he doesn’t know what to do. We matched the timing of the animation to the TV series exactly.
Do you know anyone like Mr Bean in real life and who are they? Con age 8
Tim Searle – We’ve all worked on this for a long time. All of us acting out little moments, and doing the voice while we work on the scripts, the animatics, the animation, the sound effects. It’s hard not to!
Tom Beattie – I think I had a couple of teachers who we’re like Mr Bean. I’m also becoming a bit like Mr Bean. As I’ve worked on the program for over 2 years I’ve started to act a bit like him! In fact I’m part of Mr Bean. Whenever you hear Mr Bean burp in the second series, that’s me! Rowan can’t burp on demand so I’m happy to help out 😉
In real life is Rowan Atkinson more like Mr Bean or Johnny English? Hag age 10
Tim Searle – I suppose it’s fair to say that Johnny English is closer to a ‘real life’ character than the large character of Mr Bean. It’s so funny watching the quiet Rowan jump into character as Mr Bean during the voice recording sessions. It’s so hard for me to focus on my job and not laugh too much!
Tom Beattie – Rowan is a bit like both of them. He’s a clever funny man so I think that covers both Johnny English and Mr Bean.
On 15th September 1990 one of the world’s most infamous comedy creations was born, and now the icon that is Mr. Bean is celebrating 25 years in an extra-special fashion. Adored around the world for the past quarter of a century for his unique outlook on life; his trusty sidekick ‘Teddy’; and his ever reliable Mini Cooper, he is celebrating this milestone with the release of three new DVD collections: Mr Bean’s Ultimate Collection, the long-awaited second season of the Mr Bean Animated Series, and Mr Bean Funny Faces.
· Celebrate 25 years of Mr. Bean with the Mr Bean Ultimate Collection: 14 discs packed full of exclusives, the full original TV series, a double bill of Mr Bean comedies: Bean Disaster Movie (1997) and Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007) as well as Volume 1-8 of Mr Bean: Animated Series. Will be available to own on DVD on 7th September
· Mr Bean Funny Faces – a bean-tastic collection of the funniest faces from the animated series and hilarious original live action show – is available to own now on DVD
· The long-awaited second season of the Mr Bean Animated Series sees the return of the eccentric loner and his slapstick adventures. Mr Bean Animated Series volume 7 is available to own on DVD from 7th September
Mr Bean The Animated Series Season 2 airs weekdays on Boomerang at 6:30 pm!!!
Mr. Bean – See Rowan Atkinson in action for the series voice recording sessions!!!
