Mark Herman attended England's National Film and Television School in the hopes of working in animation. After spying the unbeatable accomplishments of fellow students like renowned animator Nick Park, the filmmaker decided instead to try his hand at live action. His thesis short, "See You at Wembley, Frankie Walsh", received a Student Academy Award and he followed with the 1987 short "Unusual Ground Floor Conversation". As a screenwriter, Herman spent two years in the BBC's employ, and he also had a stint as a lyricist, penning The Christians' British chart-topper "Ideal World". In 1992 the
