The of things to come

that for about a year and a half, you end up with a feature film.”

Most challenging for animators is to make the characters show emotions, particularly in a film without dialogue.

Carmen explains: “Shaun doesn’t have eyebrows but eyelids make a difference to show if he’s angry or sad.”

And the animators also use old-fashioned techniques to create water and fire. Even the bins are made out of cola cans.

Carmen says: “People use cling film for water and bubbles are glass beads.

“Although we’re a huge company, we keep things low-tech. It’s the closest thing to magic that I can do.”

Next, we head to the puppet-making

The box office takings for original Shaun The Sheep Movie, released in 2015.

Countries where first Shaun movie was released, making it Aardman’s biggest brand. TV series sold to 170. Different sets on new movie, and up to six versions of each set. studio. While I desperately grapple with plasticine in a bid to make my own Lu-la, Will Harding, who has worked in the business for 15 years, makes it look easy.

He says: “Models can take anywhere between a couple of weeks and a month to make.

“We do quite a lot of research into the materials and test them to see if they work on camera. So, for Shaun’s wool we actually had to stiffen the material as we didn’t want it to become too fluffy.”

The film has already been compared to Stranger Things and ET. Producer Paul Kewley admits: “We love all those references, but, we want to be unique and feel like Farmageddon is its own thing. “My favourite new character is Lu-la – she is engaging, warm and exciting.

“It’s really hard finding actors for characters that don’t have much dialogue and a lot of actors who have tried it found it harder than they expected. “Justin Fletcher and John Sparkes, who play Shaun and Bitzer, are just brilliant.

Height of a typical Shaun the Sheep model, of which there are around 22, weighing about 100g. “Baa” sounds in the original film.

Age Shaun is designed to be, but he first featured in Wallace and Gromit’s A Close Shave, in 1995. You tell them something and they come up with the sounds. It’s an extraordinary thing to see”

Yes, that’s children’s TV superstar Justin Fletcher – aka Mr Tumble – who voices (bleats) Shaun.

These aren’t the only sounds in the film which are unique – with the soundtrack being headed up by big names such as Kylie and The Vaccines.

And look out for a few starry cameos. Paul says: “Joe Sugg agreed to play the pizza boy and is fantastic.

“We’ve also got Professor Brian Cox, who does a cameo.”

Directors Will Becher and Rich Phelan, agree the inspiration for the storyline – apart from the alien presumably – comes from “their own lives”.

Rich says despite the aliens it has a much more human meaning. He adds: “The core of the story is just about two best friends having an adventure.”

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is out in cinemas tomorrow.