Barry’s theatrical and often controversial films have won more than sixty international awards. His work is known for its innovation, passion, elegance, lush visuals and fresh interpretation of familiar subjects.
Barry’s animated films
- Next – the complete works of Shakespeare in five minutes Read more >>
- Screen Play – the Willow Pattern story told through Kabuki Read more >>
- Rigoletto – a version of Verdi’s opera Read more >>
- Achilles – a very adult retelling of the Iliad Read more >>
- Gilbert and Sullivan – their words and music used to retell the story of their stormy relationship Read more >>
- Hamilton Mattress – a film about an aardvark’s attempt to survive in the corrupt world of showbiz Read more >>
- Plume – With little more than a puppet and a pool of light, this unsettling film questions how one copes and moves on after a trauma. Read more >>
- Tchaikovsky – an Elegy Using Tchaikovsky’s music and pieces from his diary and letters, this reflective and melancholy film sees Tchaikovsky wondering if he has achieved enough in his life. Read more >>
The first six of his films have been released on a compilation DVD: Barry Purves – his intimate lives.
Feature films
Barry has worked in significant roles on Mars Attacks! directed by Tim Burton and King Kong, directed by Peter Jackson.
TV Series
Barry has been involved with many well known and beloved series for television as animator or director. These include: Rainbow, Chorlton and the Wheelies, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Wind in the Willows, Rupert Bear, Postman Pat and Bob the Builder.
Barry directed 52 episodes of the children’s series Toby’s Travelling Circus, screened on Channel Five.
He was supervising director on 100 episodes of Ragdoll’s hugely successful production ‘Twirlywoos’ for the BBC.
Commercials and other work
Since 1986, Barry has directed and animated some 70 commercials, title sequences and animation inserts for films and pop promos, through Aardman Animation, Redwing, overseas agencies, the BBC, and through his own company, Bare Boards.
He has also made a film with the animators at Staffordshire University based on Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.