Animation student’s sound bites about animation industry will be appearing in the radio 4 programme next Friday 8th March, Radio 4. If you fancy listening..

The Bristol School of Animation (UWE) is delighted to announce the 10th anniversary of our film project with the Royal Academy of Music (RAM).

Over the past ten years over 80 short films have been made by UWE students in collaboration with composers from RAM’s graduate programme in Music Composition.

 
" Working together from the outset, Filmmakers and Composers develop a shared language…the ‘Ramifications’ often carry on beyond        this project, with composers providing scores for our students’ later        films, and animators working on music videos for the RAM composers. " Julia Bracegirdle, Senior Lecturer at UWE

Beyond the project, ‘RAM Films’ have regularly featured in international short film festivals and won awards including Encounters Film Festival.

RAM10 films will receive their premiere during the Academy Composers Concert at The Forge Venue, Camden Town, London on Tuesday 5th March.

http://www.forgevenue.org 

UWE Animation Graduates  Chang Woon Bing (Moon) and Monisha Banerjee were hired to work on the Oscar Nominated film The Life of Pi. MA Animation graduate, 2008, Monisha Banerjee was production coordinator.  Chang Woon Bing, BA(Hons) in Graphic Design with Animation graduate, 2009 created work for the Malaysian branch of the international visual effects studio Rhythm & Hues. Chang Woon Bing, 26, one of Rhythm & Hues KL's 150 team members involved in Life of Pi, said the nomination could be the team's gateway to bigger and better things. 
Well done, we are so very proud of you both. 

Beakus are proud as punch to announce a new addition to their animation director line-up! They have signed up UWE Animation graduate Mr Daniel Binns.

Steve Smith, Producer at Beakus says

"We have welcomed the inhumanly talented Mr Binns to our roster of talent.

Mr Binns is a great animator, but also a fine director and designer, moving seamlessly between 2D and 3D. His attention to detail, sublime characterisation, and solid storytelling all work in harmony throughout Mr Binns' animation. We were drawn to Mr Binns for his range - from cute characters to dark subjects, from high-end CGI to hand-painted grit, and from commercial and corporate work right through to art pieces and short films.

Since joining Beakus Mr Binns has created new work for Google, pre-titles for Series 3 of An Idiot Abroad (released soon), and an upcoming infographic piece for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. But it's worth checking out his design work, and his captivating 'Vimeo Staff Pick' short Control. Go to http://beakus.com/blog/director-mr-binns to see all his work."

Pitch Fest and Talent Showcase brings students together with leading creatives

As part of the growing partnership with Aardman Animations, BA and MA Animation students at the Bristol School of Animation, University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) are invited for the first time to take part in Aardman's annual Pitch Fest for Broadcast and Digital.

A group of seven talented students will take part in 15-minute sessions with one or more of the Aardman Development Team to pitch comedy series ideas for children and adults that build on Aardman's tradition of outstanding character comedy. Students will pitch story ideas, storyboards and designs. The students have the opportunity to talk through their ideas, find and focus on their key strengths and discuss how their ideas could be developed. The Broadcast Pitch Fest runs alongside a parallel session being organised by Aardman Digital, an award-winning department on the vanguard of multiplatform content development around the world.

All current and past Aardman employees are welcome to take part in the Pitch Fest, during October 2012. And this year, Aardman graciously extended the invitation to Animation students at UWE Bristol, the only University partner in the UK.

Rachel Robinson, (UWE Animation Senior Lecturer and Associate Head of Department: Design) says, “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students. It enables them to experience pitching their ideas to this world leading company. Developing the ability to professionally present their ideas, and respond to questions that draw on their experience, skill and imagination is a vital part of our teaching at UWE Bristol. This is why we are delighted to be linked with Aardman in this new initiative, and happy to be supporting our students in this excellent opportunity.”

Every year, Aardman's Show & Tell showcases the incredible talents of its creative staff through their independent projects and commissions. This highly anticipated internal exhibition highlights the rich and diverse talent pool that makes up the Aardman family. This year, a selection of UWE Bristol students and recent graduates are invited to exhibit alongside some of the top creative talent in UK animation. Invited guests include friends, family and creative industry leaders from Bristol and around the country.

UWE Bristol and the Bristol School of Animation are proud of these students and graduates, and the on-going development of collaborative opportunities with Aardman Animations.

We will be showcasing the courses at the Bristol School of Animation during Encounters week. Animation has a fringe event at the Scout hut.

Schools, Colleges, Individuals can find out more about the Undergrad, Postgrad and short courses on offer at the Bristol School of Animation, UWE.

Thursday 20th September 2012
10am - 12.30pm

Benjamin Perry BoatHouse ('The Scout Hut')

Phoenix Wharf, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol BS1 6TJ. 
Find the Scout Hut: Google map link

Please feel free to drop in and meet staff and students. A short screening will take place at 10.30am. 

In the evening we will be inviting local creative industries to a private view.

Animation Staff and Student Achievements 2012.
Student Achievements
L2 Animation students produced 10 pieces of animation on the subject the art of listening for the BBC. They choose a soundtrack on this theme and had 3 weeks to pitch, create and complete a 40 second piece of animation in a style of their choosing. The work was pitched to the BBC and students responded to the producers feedback. The animation was shown at the BBC More than words Festival throughout the Festival weekend and some of the students shared their creative development and work with a live audience. 

RTS  - Media Practice and Animation students from UWE Bristol have swept the board with nominations for finalists at the South West Regional Television Student Awards. All of the finalists nominated for this year's competition, an annual event, come from UWE Bristol, this is the first time that this has happened. In the Animation section - the three winning finalists films were all produced by final year BA(Hons) Animation Students in 2011. Fell by David Dymond; You May Now by Dane Winn and Daniel Keeble and Kami by Sharifah Nadia Syed Ahmad. David Dymond, Fell, Won the regional and went on to represent at the National competition.

'You May Now', an animation by Dane Winn and Daniel Keeble has also been shortlisted this year for a prestigious British Animation award for best student film 2012.

117 challenge/ 4 teams of 27 were comprised of UWE animation students. This is encouraging in that or students are very willing to take part and have a go at opportunities presented.

depict 2011 - ex students David Gilbert and Maxim Lucas qualified for final shortlist (14) with their film Plasma from Heaven.

Ricardo Rigguzzi - was selected to be on animation Sans Frontières 2011/12. (one of 16 places), Animation Sans Frontières is a lecture/workshop-based supplementary training programme designed to give European graduate-level animation film and production students an understanding of the fine art and business of getting an idea onto screen. He has had a great experience.

Some Students worked commercially whilst on their courses;

Max Martin produced two adverts. Hywel Roberts made a commercial for the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Summer 2011. The video was created to promote the results of the CRASH 2 Trial, which studied  how a clot stabiliser reduces death in trauma patients with significant haemorrhage. The video was released in November 2011 in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian and Japanese , and Tav Flett worked on the up coming Tim Burton film, Frankenweenie.

Two students went on Exchange to Tokyo.

BSA attended the Monstra animation Fesitval in Lisbon this March and a student group self arranged trip to animafest in Csech republic sees an adventurous spirit emerging.

Staff -

Julia continues to work with Denmark. And research project with Bristol University.

Arril has had 3 shows of photography and sculpture this year.

John has continued working with the Audible Picture show. He went to Rio to present at a forum on the future of animation education.

Chris has been to China with a British council delegation of UK animation schools, and is returning there in the Summer to teach for two weeks. He has published a study of action analysis with focal press.

Mary has worked the last two summers at MOME Budapest and is returned again this year on their specialist puppet and modelmaking course.

Rachel has been working with Aardman to strengthen our industry partnerships.

BRISTOL SCHOOL OF ANIMATION 
presents 
ANIMATION FRINGE EVENT

Thursday 20th September 2012 

6pm – 8pm 

Benjamin Perry Boathouse (Scout Hut), Phoenix Wharf, below Redcliffe Parade, Harbourside, Bristol

Free Refreshments

Invites to Industry guests will be sent shortly. 

Animation industry guests are welcome to join us for the Fringe event, an opportunity to view and celebrate over 6 years of Animated films produced at the Bristol School of Animation. 

This event will run during Encounters week on the fringe. Encounters is a short film and Animation Festival. This year is the 18th Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival, taking place from 18 - 23 September 2012 at Bristol's harbourside and across the city centre. Check out their exciting programme.

Show Me The Animation has partnered with Encounters Film Festival to bring you the 48hr AniJam at this years festival in September.

48hrs to create an animation from start to finish? Sound Crazy? Well it probably is, buy hey that’s the whole fun of it. At Encounters Film Festival this year, Show Me The Animation and Encounters Film Festival are bringing you The AniJam, a 48hr creative mission in which animators and artist are challenged to create a short film in just 48 hours. To make that sound less daunting thats a whole 2880 minutes.

Animators are invited to participate in this years AniJam which will take place over the festival weekend between noon on Friday 21st September and noon on Sunday 23rd September in the Arnolfini Gallery. All successfully completed films will then be screened during the Sunday afternoon. Participants in the AniJam will be encouraged to create an original animation based on a specify theme which will be announced at the event briefing at 11.30am on Friday. Then as soon as the clock ticks 12 its time for the creative juices to start flowing along with probably a whole host of sweat and tears.

Participation in this years AniJam is limited to 16, with teams invited to participate with between 2-4 members, so if your up for the challenge be quick to sign up. Please use the registration form over on Show Me The Animation. Registration will be taken on a first come first served basis. You will receive a confirmation email shortly after your registation to confirm your teams place.

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND
ANIMATION WORKS 2012 
 
Open to all  9th July  - 12th July , 10am - 6pm

Paintworks, Bristol 

Private View  by invite – Monday 9th July  
6pm – 9pm Paintworks, Bristol

Please join us for the AnimationWorks event, a showcase of final films, showreels and interactive installations. This exciting event offers a fantastic opportunity to celebrate 2012’s exciting new UWE Animation talent entering the Animation industry.

Admission is free and no registration is required.

For more information please visit the website