British animation studio Aardman, responsible for creating Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, are back and this time they’re in 360 degrees as they debut they’re latest short film ‘Special Delivery’ via Google’s 360 film initiative ‘Spotlight Stories.

Aardman Animations are one of the most well respected in their fields, having specialised in animated entertainment since the company’s inception in 1972. They’ve consistently pushed boundaries (both technical and creative) and their most beloved franchises, Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep have delighted families worldwide with their unique sense of style and wit.

Now, the studio takes to immersive entertainment with the release of their latest short, Special Delivery, a film debuting on YouTube’s 360 showcase ‘Spotlight Stories’. The 4 minute story is an ingeniously constructed tale of Santa Clause and a curious Caretaker’s quest to find and secure his building from the interloper.

It’s an interesting piece, carefully shot with the action drawing your attention around your 360 view as you try to spot where Santa will turn up next. It’s a delightfully animated, comedic short that’s typical of Aardman in many ways. And, although the action is primarily front and centre, as is the case with most of the company’s work, don’t neglect the real 180 degrees as there are plenty of lovely touches and Easter eggs to find outside of the main story.

A nice extra is the Aardman talking about the making of Special delivery and the challenges and creative opportunities the new 360 format brings.

You can watch Special Delivery now on YouTube, using the dedicated app on mobile platforms for use in Cardboard headsets or via your Chrome or Firefox browser on desktop (embedded above).