Animex 2016

 

This year I had the pleasure to be invited at Animex Festival with Dan Lund to give a talk about our Global Barn, how we made "Aria for a Cow" and to have some of the art  Amos Sussigan and myself  had made displayed at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.

The festival runs for a week with speakers coming in to give lectures about their different field of work and experiences, networking events with the students/attendees, and workshops. I had gone for 2 days in 2014 but this year was to outdo anything I have had the chance to go to before. This wasn't only because of the range and quality of the talks, the various events that went on each day, a special screening of Zootropolis, and even an engagement to round up the week, but mostly for the people I have had a chance to get to know. I was told about the "Animex family" before hand but I now really understand it's meaning, and I was welcomed with open arms into it. I have left the festival with many new friends, stories that inspire me from people with their individual journeys and just happiness enjoying how much fun it was to all hang-out and share our joint passions.

Aria's display at MIMA

Aria's display at MIMA

Dan bringing the audience to tears

Dan Lund and Renato Dos Anjos handing out school's animation prizes

Daffy, Renato Dos Anjos and myself

All the speakers introduce themselves at the networking night

The crowd

One of the many family meals

Derek Sakamoto and myself on a day trip to Durham

MIMA

The week ended on a intense game of Mafia in the hotel bar.

Here are some of the inspiring people I have had the chance to meet:

Andrew Whitehurst Vfx supervisor/double Negative
Daffy VFX Supervisor / Director
Elizabeth Rega Professor of Anatomy
Pascal Etangsale  Environment Lead / The Moving Picture Company
Renato Dos Anjos Head of Animation/ Disney
Gabrielle Kent Festival Director / Author
Jez Hall Director/ Brown Bag Films
Louise Bagnall Director & Artist/ Cartoon Saloon
Austin Wintory Composer Musician
Christine Phelan Animator/Valve
Ken Wong Lead Designer/ Ustwo
Will Byles Executive Director/ Supermassive games
Louise O'Connor Incubation Director/ Rare LTd
Emil Kraftling Senior Game Designer/ Avalanche Studios
Gary Napper Lead Game Designer/ Sony
Michel Koch Art Director/ DONTNOD
Raoul Barbet Co-Game Director/ DONTNOD
Derek Sakamoto Lead User Interface Designer/ Blizzard Entertainment
Bianca Iancu Games Artist at Stainless Games Ltd