Flat-e are film makers Matt Bateman, Robin McNicholas and Rob Slater. We make films and animation for music promos, advertising, feature films and live events.

Years ago, two friends from the North created the shambolic eighties BMX buddy movie Rad Riders. This was followed by a brief and utterly accidental foray into pornography when they borrowed a friends Dads video camera only to discover it contained a tape full of the poor sods Mum committing unmentionable acts of autoerotism. Despite the acute mental discomfort this episode caused, the voices in their heads convinced them to pursue a career in film.

Some time later the duo met a fellow Northern urchin, and released the 1998 classic short Today I went Shopping which explores the day to day life of Terry Swire, a man who, due to budgetary constraints at his Local Health Authority is forced to fashion his own prosthetic limb out of a Pringles tube.

The success of this short convinced the trio to join forces permanently and in 2002, Matt Bateman, Robin McNicholas and Rob Slater began collaborating under the name Flat-e. Early animation work for the satirical comedian Chris Morris lead to animations and visuals for the pioneering music label Warp Records. Their hand made approach to film and animation saw them commissioned to create films for two ground breaking collaborations with the London Sinfonietta described by the Daily Telegraph as, “The beginnings of a quiet musical revolution”.

They followed this with innovative music videos for Junior Boys and indie rock band The Cribs and their film and music installation My Secret Heart which picked up a Royal Philharmonic Society Award.

Last year Flat-e transitioned to work on animation and visual FX for feature films including Bunny and the Bull from the mind of Mighty Boosh director Paul King. Most recently they collaborated with the legendary Sir Peter Blake, to create the animated title sequence and end credits for the BAFTA nominated Ian Dury biography, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.

Over the years Flat-e have developed an incredibly organic working practice based on the often overlooked decision making technique of paper, scissors stone. They adopted this system in 2005 after the bagsie system which they previously employed lead to Robin watering the office plants for a whole year after someone spontaneously shouted ‘Bagsie not watering the office plants for a whole year’.

Flat-e continue to apply their unique approach to film making and animation on feature films, music promos, advertising and live events. They are based in their ‘bohemian’ (mouse infested) studio in London’s ‘vibrant’ (higher than average crime rate) East End and are always on the lookout for new and interesting projects.