▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁fre el ance ▁career ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁he ▁worked ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁as ▁Production ▁Ad vis er ▁for ▁Oscar ▁and ▁Fri ends , ▁and ▁wrote ▁and ▁directed ▁ 1 3 ▁episodes ▁of ▁R ex ▁the ▁R unt ▁for ▁BBC 2 , ▁winning ▁the ▁Carl ton ▁Award ▁for ▁International ▁An imation ▁at ▁The ▁Ind ies ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁directed ▁Rob bie ▁the ▁Rein de er ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁for ▁BBC ▁An imation ▁Unit . ▁Rob bie ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁ 1 9 ▁international ▁awards ▁including ▁a ▁British ▁Academy ▁of ▁Film ▁and ▁Television ▁Arts ▁award ▁( B AF TA ). ▁Following ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁Rob bie , ▁Star zak ▁worked ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁on ▁a ▁project ▁for ▁A ard man ’ s ▁feature ▁film ▁department ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁direct ing ▁and ▁writing ▁the ▁second ▁series ▁of ▁R ex ▁the ▁R unt . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Star zak ▁was ▁hon oured ▁with ▁the ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁TV ▁Special ▁for ▁Rob bie ▁the ▁Rein de er : ▁Ho ov es ▁of ▁Fire ▁at ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁International ▁Festival ▁of ▁Anim ated ▁Fe ature ▁Films ▁and ▁TV ▁Spe ci als . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁directed ▁two ▁series ▁of ▁Cre ature ▁Com fort s ▁– ▁ 2 x 1 3 ▁episodes ▁for ▁I TV ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award ▁winning ▁Nick ▁Park ▁short ▁film . ▁The ▁first ▁series ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁ 1