University Showcase an Animated Success

[Tami]

PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY SHOWCASE AN ANIMATED SUCCESS

The University showcased student expertise in animation, games development and multimedia technologies at its inaugural 'Digital Futures' event at the Glasgow Science Centre on 8 June 2005.

The University's innovative programmes in Computer Animation, Computer Games Technology and Multimedia Communications are producing graduates of outstanding quality. The free event - Digital Futures [Computer Animation and Games Showcase] - provided the chance to talk to students about their work and view showreels of their exciting 2-D and 3-D animation and games technology.

The event was particularly relevant to prospective students considering careers in areas such as the games industry, computer animation, multimedia, product visualisation and virtual environment generation. Digital Futures enabled them to gain an insight into how Paisley's courses can help them to achieve their goals.

Paisley's graduating students of 2005 showed their final year project work, which included a diverse range covering multimedia, animation and virtual environments. And, in addition to showreels of animation work, there were computer games displays and demonstrations of state-of-the-art 3-D camera technology.

The event also provided an opportunity for businesses to talk with University staff and students about how digital media can be used to best effect for marketing and promotion to enhance their commercial impact.

This showcase also saw the judging and presentation of the University's Media Prize 2005, which is sponsored by Associated Newspapers. This annual award, which is in its eight year, is designed to reward excellence displayed by students on the University's media-related courses.

The best Year 4 student work was judged by a panel, comprising staff from the BAFTA-nominated company Axis Animation and the Oscar-nominated company Studio Django. The winner, Computer Animation and Digital Art student, Stephen Donnelly, received a cheque for £500 for his animation short, Love and Loss. Stephen won this award for his technical proficiency, sophistication of the story, and animation technique.

Stephen Donnelly, 22, who graduates this July, said: "Winning this award makes all the hardwork worthwhile and is a great addition to my CV.

"I originally created the animation short as part of my Honours year project and it was an added bonus that I was able to enter it into this competition and showcase it at 'Digital Futures'."

Additional prizes of animation software, courtesy of Toon Boom Animation Inc, were also awarded at the showcase event to students for their work in a variety of categories. Winners included David Miller, Best Environmental Modelling; Fraser Davie, Best Character Modelling; Raymond McCartney, Best 2D Animation Feature; and Peter Murphy, Best Overall Animation.

Dr Chris Halsall, Dean of the School of Computing, said: "This event was the perfect opportunity for our students to showcase their practical expertise to industry.

"It was also the ideal chance for prospective students to find out more about the practical nature of our courses and the opportunity for members of industry to discover how digital media can aid their commercial development."