August 2011 - Updates & New VL Info

The University of Bedfordshire have just offered me another year of work as a Visiting Lecturer, this time taking on extra responsibility in teaching hands on 2d exercises in addition to my usual 3d tenure in A421. I have also updated the content of the site with a new showreel and new sample work in order to facilitate my Masters application at the University of Hertfordshire.

July 2011 - Accident Interest

Our animated accident venture may be getting it's much due second chance with a new client approaching. Samples have been prepared and we'll be ready to give the necessary presentation if (or hopefully when) the need arises.

June 2011 - Further Education

I've just submitted an application to the University of Hertfordshire to try for a place on their MA Animation program. This is something I'm going to need if I intend to progress any further in my lecturing, or teaching in general.

June 2011 - Assessment

I've been made Primary Marker on all second year practical work and third year final major projects, so I must be doing something right. I will be responsible for awarding the primary grade on all practical work for these year groups, and I'm also acting as Secondary Marker on research & contextual work.

May 2011 - Final Major Projects

The present third year projects are progressing very well, with some excellent 3d projects in the works from Scott Bartells and Pierre Joshua.

March 2011 - Double Negative

I'll be leaving shortly to sit in on the Double Negative presentation and tour. Quite excited, and with notepad and business cards in hand!

January 2011 - Industry Visit

We learned today at the Uni that representatives from the studio Double Negative have expressed an interest in visiting our course and presenting some of their wares, presumeably for graduate employment links. I will be looking forward to this with keen interest as D-Neg have their name in quite a lot of places!

November 2010 - University Projects

This term I have helped co-write a second year project introducing lipysync in a joint media format. The second years will spend 6 weeks working in 2d drawn animation to a sound sample preparing keyframes, character designs and layouts before transferring the entire lot into Maya and learning how to do the same digitally.

September 2010 - Further University Work

The University of Bedfordshire have kindly offered me another years placement as a Visiting Lecturer, once again teaching Maya to second year students followed by third year tutorials and assessment in the second term. A payrise to boot, always welcome!

July 2010 - Accident Potential Grows

The animated representation aspect of my work continues to grow with samples being sent to further clients. Our own demonstration site is now online at http://www.elocus.co.uk.

April 2010 - Showreel and Projects Update - Coming Soon!

Over the next week or two it is my intention to update both the Projects page and my Showreel. Between my insurance work and teaching time at the University, I'm hoping to have a good amount of new content to show, both of my own and of my students.

April 2010 - Animated Accidents

The animation insurance side of life is continuing to spread, with a meeting with another of our existing customers showing interest in this new offering.

One of the most important things I learned in my final year was that prettier isn't necessarily better. I've had to adapt to the needs of the client with the cases I have handled so far (around twenty since July 2009), with quite a few new a better quality ideas I've had being turned down to stay within specifications. Less is more, or more importantly - the more accurate I try and make something visually, the more scope there is for error. Ultimately, whoever pays the bills, decides how it is!

March 2010 - Further University work

It's been a while since posting anything, but it's also been a quiet winter. The animation/insurance work is growing slowly but steadily (introducing computer animations to an industry that likes things being done with pen and paper takes time!), and with University being on christmas break things slowed down there too. I've got ten further hours of teaching timetabled in over the next few months, but that changed today.

Mark, my former tutor, has been selected to do some form of research for the department, meaning his regular five days a week teaching will have to be cut heftily. This is where I step in! I'm due to take over the practical lessons for first years, covering 2D drawing of a walk cycle and animating their characters to a layout/background. I'll be taking over the main tutorial sessions for the third year productions for a month, and also taking over the portfolio preparation and consolidation work for the second years.

It's been a very energising time at the University and I've been given word of hopefully ongoing and growing opportunities there.

October 2009 - Job offer from Bedfordshire University

I recently received a phone call from my former tutor/course leader back at Luton University (or as they call it now, University of Bedfordshire - Luton Campus), quite surprisingly offering me a job. I say surprisingly as it was something we had already discussed, with the result that his higher ups would probably say no as I don't as of yet have the letters "MA" after my name.

Something obviously changed though, as I've got a solid contract offer for 6 weeks of teaching. I'll be taking the second year students in two groups and going over the basics of Maya with them. The plan is to cover the basics of the interface, some modelling, and then a couple of animation exercises - a ball bounce, walk cycle and a lift (probably combining the latter two somehow).

Can't help feeling I'm in over my head a bit, but great news all the same!

July 2009 - New venture

So, with university done and results firmly in hand, I knew it was time to get on with some work. I also knew that I'd be working for the family business until I could find something animation related. My parents operate their own small business doing traffic accident investigation for various Insurnace firms around the UK, something that allowed me very flexible working hours around my studies.

I asked my father if I could have a go at doing what I do, with what they do. In short, trying to animate one of their accident cases. Although the early efforts were very, very basic, they apparently had some immediate value.

Cue a meeting with one of our larger suppliers, Absolute Partnership (albiet the morning after my graduation night out, painful). They were very excited with what I had to offer, coupled with rapid turn-around times and affordability. A very exciting day!

July 2009 - Results

Last Thursday (9 July) I found out that I'd attained a First Class award for my final result, leading to me spending the day grinning from ear to ear accordingly.

My CV is now updated to account for this and I'll shortly be sending it out again now that I have something concrete to show.

July 2009 - Virgin Media Shorts

Although I wasn't able to enter this competition myself (it has a 2m20s duration limit, which What Goes Around exceded), a couple of my classmates did submit their films.

Check out the links below for Chris Butchers "Rewind" and Barry O'Briens "No Ball Games". A section of Rewind features in my own film with Chris's permission and also spent a couple of weeks as Editors Choice at Virginmediashorts.co.uk

http://virginmediashorts.co.uk/films/film/rewind/

http://virginmediashorts.co.uk/films/film/no-ball-games/

June 2009 - Hello!

Welcome to Benimation, home of all my work and showcase of all my efforts.

Whenever I or any of my classmates would try and explain what we do to non-animators, the first reply always related to not having the patience to do what we do. Animation truly is a labour, but a labour of love, for I personally feel nothing matches the enjoyment you get when your creation finally comes to life.

So, please, feel free to look around my own labours of love and see if you enjoy viewing them as much as I have had creating them.