Tim Bain

Animator, TV Writer

Tim has written for some of children’s television’s biggest stars, including Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, the PJ Masks and Bluey. He is the creator of animated ABC Kids series Kangaroo Beach, airing in 2020 and has performed voices in Go Jetters and Thomas & Friends. As a speaker he shares the tricks of the trade – conjuring exciting stories, creating characters with heart, writing nail-biting action sequences, and above all, making a young audience wee their pants with laughter. He won an Australian Writers Guild Award (AWGIE) for Best Animation, which he dedicated to his twins – his biggest source of hilarity.

Where were you born?

Freshwater Creek, Tidy Town winner 1987

What other jobs have you had?

Cinema ice-cream seller, supermarket shelf stacker, party clown, singing gorilla gram and hairy fairy

What themes are recurring in your work?

Rib-tickling comedy, edge-of-your-seat action, a beating heart

What have been the highlights of your career?

Seeing Aardman Animation’s Wallace & Gromit films were a huge inspiration for me as a teenager, so it’s been a big thrill to work as a writer with Aardman on a couple of projects. I even got to meet Wallace and Gromit and totally geeked out.

Where have your works been published?

I’ve written for shows seen on Disney XD, Nickelodeon and Netflix, as well as ABC, Channel Seven, Nine and Ten. I’ve even been paid to write animated shows for YouTube.

What are you passionate about?

Every script I write, every line of dialogue, every joke, I’m always thinking about the audience. I’m absolutely passionate about delivering the most entertaining and enthralling story for my viewers.

Haven’t I seen you before?

Not seen me… but you can hear me do voices in Go Jetters and Thomas & Friends.

Audience

Location

New South Wales

Sessions

In addition to the sessions below, all speakers present general talks on their books and topics of expertise.

TV Scriptwriting in Action
As an extension to my talk about my experiences writing for children’s television, this is a second session in which I lead the group . . .
Writing Television for Kids
An entertaining talk about how I fell in love with animation as a boy, tried and failed as an animator, then turned to writing animation . . .