Lincoln graduate makes a bang at international film festival

Last weekend a short documentary film made by BA (Hons) Contemporary Lens Media graduate, Cory Marsh whilst at the University of Lincoln, 'Sleight of Hand' was screened at Bang! Film Festival in Nottingham.

The festival selects films to highlight important contemporary issues within today’s society, and ‘Sleight of Hand’ provides a unique glimpse into the life of Walter Sleight, a renowned 90 year old magician from Lincoln. Described as “charming and poignant”, the film combines vintage television footage, magic tricks, jokes and heart breaking intimacy.

Celebrating the spectacle of the short film genre from across the region, country and globe, bang! is the East MidlandsPremier Film Festival and Cory’s short documentary was showcased alongside established and upcoming filmmakers and directors from around the world.

Following his graduation from the University of Lincoln, Cory successfully completed an internship at award-winning production company, Partizan Pictures, and has been working on exciting freelance projects, including a project with celebrity chefs Mike Robinson and Valentine Warner. Cory has now been offered a prestigious role with one of the largest post production companies in the UK.

He said: “Now I am very much looking forward to the future, and am confident that I can use all of the skills that I developed at the University of Lincolnand apply them to the real world, when I'm working with great production teams in London.”

On Cory’s achievements, Adam Verity, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Contemporary Lens Media, said: "Cory proved to be an excellent student, and his final year film work in particular demonstrated not only great creative and visual talent, but also technical expertise. We are not surprised that his work is doing so well at international film festivals such as Bang! In Nottingham, and that his career in London is progressing so well. It's fantastic to see our talented graduates achieving their career goals - and we wish Cory and all of our Alumni continued success." 

Pictured above is Cory with Walter.  Cory's film is now available to view on Vimeo.  The rest of above stills are all taken from the film itself.

Illustration graduate featured in Creative Boom

The online magazine and community of Creative Boom is currently featuring the artwork of recent BA (Hons) Illustration graduate, Sarah Dawn Galley, in the Inspiration section under Illustration.  Sarah graduated last academic year with a First Class Honours Degree.

More of her work can be viewed by following this link.

Book Launch showcases work from Illustration and Animation students

Illustrator Sally Townsend, (below), recent BA (Hons) Illustration graduate, was one of the stars of yesterday's official book launch of A Boy Arrives, which was hosted jointly by local publisher Hawkwood Books, and the Lincoln School of Art and Design.

A Boy Arrives is written by local author Stephen Meek (shown below), and tells the story of Grimwood Streep and his ancient butler rattling about Dunnydark Hall. But things soon become a lot more interesting when a little boy called Jimbo turns up to put the sparkle back in their lives.

Stephen, who was long-listed for A Boy Arrives in The Times/Chicken House competition for Best Children’s Book, said: “It’s a story about redemption and how this little boy teaches the adults how to live again. Sally’s done a great job with the front cover - it really grabs your attention. I sent it along with the book to Hawkwood and they got back to me immediately to say they’d like to publish it.”

Sally, who has also recently completed a series of illustrations for Bloomsbury publishers, said: “I met Stephen purely by chance as he came to the end of year BA Illustration show. He came over and started talking about his book saying he didn’t have a cover for it. He sent me the first few chapters and I really loved the story. Stephen gave me full creativity which is fantastic. It’s been quite a long process so it’s great to finally see the finished product.”

Commissioned especially for the event was an animation of one of the opening scenes created by current third year BA (Hons) Animation student Mat Dame (above right).  After the screening, Mat described how he put the short animation together, with the help of his storyboards which he also screened, and talked about the characters he had selected to animate.

"Jimbo"

"Molesbury"

"Grimwood"

He said: “I am a big fan of children’s books as I think a lot more consideration into the design is given. Animation for children is something I would ideally like to go into once I graduate. The great thing about this project is that Stephen gave me free reign and the story was a fantastic source to work from.”  To view Mat's animation, you can see it on Vimeo.

Other recent graduates who have worked with the publisher also attended, such as Ian Purdy (shown above and below) who graduated back in 2007 from BA (Hons) Illustration, and who has gone on to illustrate several book covers for Hawkwood Books, including one adult title. Another recent graduate who was unable to attend is Felix Leone, who has illustrated two covers for Hawkwood, including Byte the Computer Mite (below).

The Lincolnshire Echo kindly sent Commissioning Editor Adam Moss (below left) to conduct a live interview with author Stephen in front of the audience, asking about his inspiration for the book, as well as how Stephen turned from studying zoology to writing children's fiction.

Opening the book launch, Professor Norman Cherry Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Arts, said: “The University is delighted to be associated with Hawkwood Books. It’s the cover that persuades people in bookshops to actually pick a book up and open the pages. The combination of illustrator, author and sympathetic publisher is desperately important and that is what has been a huge success in this instance.”

Also attending was a group of third year BA (Hons) Illustration students, who were all very encouraged to hear about the increasing opportunities for illustrators in the changing world of publishing, which was the theme of keynote speaker Dr Karen Maitland, Penguin International Author.  At the end of the launch, both Stephen and Sally were happy to sign books for those who attended.

To get your hands on your copy of A Boy Arrives visit Hawkwood Booksfor more information. Also available from most good booksellers.

Lincoln Animator working on Snowman 2

2012 BA (Hons) Animation graduate Lara Carvalho, who was awarded Best Student in Animation 2012, joined Lupus Films earlier this summer.

Lupos Studios have been working on Snowman 2, and Lara was selected, after Animation's visiting tutor and Lupos' lead animator, Peter Dodd, put her forward. Lara is based on the production as a junior Artist / Animator.

Snowman 2 will be screened later this year as a Christmas special for Channel 4.

The Snowman 2

The magic begins again!

“From the team that brought you the original Snowman comes a new half hour Christmas special featuring the worlds’s favourite Christmas character.  The film will re-unite viewers with their beloved Snowman, this time in a brand new adventure with a new set of friends.  The new film will use the same hand-drawn animation technique as the original, to best replicate the beautiful illustrative style of Raymond Briggs’ drawings.  The film will be completed in time for broadcast at Christmas 2012, which is the 30^th anniversary of the original Snowman film” (Lupos Films).

Graphic Design graduates talk about life in the world of design

Meera Mistry has always shown a creative streak and following her recent graduation from BA (Hons) Graphic Design, she is now tackling the design industry head-on, gaining agency experience in her pursuit of a career in app & tablet design and video/ social marketing.

“My passion for the arts, design and media motivated my secondary education choices, and I continued with BTEC Foundation Studies in Art & Design followed by a BA (Hons) degree in Graphic Design at the University ofLincoln, which saw my work recognised by the International Society of Typographic Designers (pass) and the RSA (shortlisted) assessments, and the opportunity to exhibit my work at D&AD New Blood 2008.

“Knowing that professional experience would promote learning, development as a designer, awareness of and exposure to the reality of the design industry, my summer vacations during university and upon graduation were busy: I pro-actively knocked on studio doors for opportunities and sent out handmade self-promotion goodies to kick-start conversation. Travelling to various design agencies across the country for internships encouraged me to take new challenges and step out of my comfort zones.

“My work has therefore been wide-ranging since my position at Alight Digital Design Agency working on name and brand identity for new companies; brand guidelines; graphic design; digital strategy; web design (including User Experience and User Interface) for showcase; E-commerce; CMS and portfolio websites across small to large clients. I am currently freelancing print, web and personal projects, as well as self-training in video and animation production.

“I take inspiration from many sources when generating ideas and designing: random conversations with friends and family; society; moaning; photos; quirky social events; films; fashion; food packaging; music; media; personal experiences. In short, the more random and wittier, the better!  As for the present, I am continuing to explore new areas in graphic and web, gaining broader agency experience and working towards a future in app/tablet design, video and social marketing.”

Fellow Graphic Design graduate Dan Haigh had this to say about his experience on Graphic Design at Lincoln: “At Lincoln I learnt to broaden my horizons and focus more on the concept behind a piece of work rather than just producing work that will look good and sell stuff.  Having just finished University, I needed a new challenge, some new/different experiences and have managed to get a job in China to broaden my horizons.

"Having rekindled my love for drawing on a recent project, drawing famous musicians, now I can’t put my sketch book down! I’m interested, and can work within all areas of design. I’ve used my education to work in different aspects of design to not pigeon-hole myself.”

Young Fashion manufacturing star

Charlotte Bryan, a graduate from BA (Hons) Fashion Studies in 2010 and from Sleaford in Lincolnshire has been announced as one of thirty young rising stars of the manufacturing world by Business Minister Mark Prisk.

The Make it in Great Britain ‘30 Under 30’ come from all walks of manufacturing and were selected by a panel of expert judges. As well as Charlotte Bryan who is a trainee designer at David Nieper in Derbyshire, they include young talent from companies such as Pendennis Shipyard and GlaxoSmithKline as well as SMEs including The Paper Cup Company and Vantage Power.

Charlottewas selected for being a true high-flyer, standing out from her peers and demonstrating passion, enthusiasm and ambition in her role.  She joined David Nieper straight from university after winning a paid internship at the fashion house and has been employed full-time ever since.  Based in Alfreton in Derbyshire, David Nieper designs and manufacturers all its women’s clothing and lingerie in the UK. 

Charlotte will now go on to act as an ambassador for the Make it in Great Britain campaign, which aims to challenge outdated opinions and transform the image of modern manufacturing.  She will have a special role in engaging with other young people, to ensure that the next generation is aware of the great jobs and careers in the industry.

Business Minister Mark Prisk said:

“There’s a huge range of different job opportunities in modern manufacturing, in design, in engineering and in production.

“We need more talented, enthusiastic people to fill these roles, and we hope that the 30 Under 30 will inspire the next generation to consider a career in manufacturing.”

Paul Jackson, CEO of Engineering UK and one of the 30 Under 30 judges added:

“I am always impressed at the level of young talent present in manufacturing and engineering, and over the years have met countless young people brimming with potential who have gone on to achieve great things.

“That is one of the reasons why I am supporting Make it in Great Britain, and why I was happy to be a judge for the 30 under 30.

“We need to be encouraging more motivated, ambitious young people to consider careers in manufacturing to ensure that the industry continues to grow. The 30 Under 30 finalists are all enjoying successful careers, and I believe that they will inspire other young people to follow in their footsteps. I look forward to meeting them.”

Successful entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den Star Deborah Meaden is backing the Make it in Great Britain campaign, and is particularly supportive of the 30 under 30.

She said: “It’s important to encourage young people to see the value of manufacturing careers. The 30 under 30 will be a valuable asset to the campaign by offering a fresh perspective on what it takes to start up a business or launch new ideas.

“I look forward to working alongside them to help inspire the next generation of youngsters about a future in manufacturing.”

Charlotte Bryan from David Nieper concluded: “It is a great privilege to be chosen especially as I’m the only person representing the fashion manufacturing industry.  I got my big break after winning a paid internship, and know first hand the importance of getting experience in a real-life manufacturing environment.  We’ve already been working with local schools to pass on fashion manufacturing skills, so this is a great opportunity to hopefully inspire more young people to consider a career in manufacturing.”

The Make it in Great Britaincampaign will culminate in an exhibition at the Science Museum, taking place from 24 July until 9 September.

To find out more about Make it in Great Britain, please visit the Make it in Great Britain website.

For more information on David Nieper, visit the David Nieper website.

Interactive Designer lands job with world renowned Erik Spiekermann

Former BA (Hons) Interactive Design student and graduate Mike Smart has just landed a position with world renowned German typographer and designer Erik Spiekermann (shown above). Internationally renowned graphic designer, typographer and type designer, Erik founded the multidisciplinary design consultancy MetaDesign in Berlin in1979, opening a major San Francisco office in 1992, and another in Zurich.

Mike will join the team at the edenspiekermann strategy design communication office in Potsdamer Straße Berlin later this month.  Edenspiekermann also has offices in Amsterdam.

Clive McCarthy, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Interactive Design said that "Mike has joined the agency as part of a recruiment drive by edenspiekermann to bring talented developers into their Berlin office under the title "We are busy building awesomeness and we want you" proving that Interactive Designers are much in demand as all round designers for today's digital world.  

Below image shows Mike with Clive at Mike's graduation in 2010.

Clive and the Interactive team at Lincoln wish Mike every success in his future design career in arguably the hippest city in Europe, BERLIN.