When I was a teenager, my dad watched my films and told me I could go to art college and study animation. He made me see that I could do this for a living.

Gromit was the name of a cat. When I started modeling the cat I just didn't feel it was quite right, so I made it into a dog because he could have a bigger nose and bigger, longer legs.

There is something about the Australian psyche that seems to like films that are slightly offbeat.

If you respect the audience enough, they can take onboard many things.

Like my father, I would never as a child throw anything away, keeping old toys, electric motors and bits of broken machines under my bed in what I called my Box of Useful Things.

My father, an architectural photographer, was an incurable tinkerer, maker and mender.

I'm always there at home thinking of Wallace and Gromit ideas.