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LIAF presents the 2024 UK Animation Industry Event – 8 panels giving insider access to some of the hottest topics of the year. We’ve gathered together some of the most passionate, honest and insightful experts from a wide range of different areas and backgrounds who are ready to cover all manner of vital topics to give you much food for thought.
Animation doesn’t stand still; and debates and discussions with animators and creative experts are the best way to get in touch with what’s happening. The panels will be chaired by Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire and Julian Scott, animation consultant at Film London.
For anyone currently working in the film and animation industry, thinking of working in the industry or just plain curious, these 8 events are indispensable. They are free to everyone and take place live and online on our streaming platform over the 2 days of Saturday November 30 and Sunday December 1.
Talks with the UK Animation Companies conquering the world: BlinkInk
Come and hear about the UK’s best animation companies, what they do and how they consistently create such great work.
BLINKINK are a BAFTA/Emmy winning production company specialising in mixed media film-making and craft-centric animation. They’ve created commercials for the likes of the BBC, John Lewis, Nike, O2 and LOEWE, music videos for Dua Lipa, Elton John, Iron Maiden and Coldplay and we are now expanding into video games and film. Their long form division, BLINK INDUSTRIES produced the cult TV show Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared for Channel 4, Dead End Paranormal Park for Netflix, and specials for HBO Max and David Fincher’s Love, Death and Robots. They are currently in production on three TV series, The Sunny Ridge 3 for Disney, Make that Movie for Channel 4 and an unannounced comedy series for Netflix.
Hear what Founder and Executive Producer Bart Yates and his team have to say about creating quality animation and the challenges and opportunities working in such a dynamic industry.
Curated and Chaired by Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire.
Panellists
Chair: Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire
Saint John Walker is the Programme Leader for postgraduate media at the UK’s University of Hertfordshire and a leading VFX educationalist with over 25 years of experience of teaching and training in the games, animation and VFX industries. Most recently Saint was Dean and Director of Industry Engagement at the UK’s Escape Studios and previous to that he designed, initiated and ran the VFX degree course at Norwich University of the Arts for four years. Saint is an active member of Access:VFX. Saint is also the convenor, designer and chair of the popular Industry panels at the London International Animation Festival each year. In 2024 he has chaired and taken part in panel discussions at the View conference in Turin, the Viborg Animation Festival and FMX, Stuttgart.
Bart Yates, Executive Producer and Founder
Born and bred in Brisbane, Australia, Bart started his career in the music industry before moving to London in 1999. In 2002 he joined Blink Productions as a producer and founded their dedicated animation division BlinkInk in 2005. He co-founded Blink Industries, their long-form entertainment arm in 2012 and recently started Blink Games to focus on video game development. Blink are mixed-media specialists, renowned for telling unusual stories in innovative ways across TV, films, commercials, music videos and video games.
James Studholme, Chairman & Partner, Blink Productions, BlinkInk, BlinkIndustries
West country boy, occasional sheep farmer, talent spotter and folk musician, James Studholme started Blink, with director Bob Lawrie in 1985. Blink began as an animation company specialising in character animation (Colin Curly for Quavers) and hybrid, stop frame and mixed media work. Blink evolved from the early 1990s into visual and comedy live action, winning Campaign magazine’s Production Company of the year for the first time in 1996. As more of the new breed of animation directors coalesced in the company, in the early 2000s, Blinkink was launched to champion them. James has worked most closely for the last 25 years with Dougal Wilson, whose debut movie Paddington in Peru is out now.
Courtney Arumugam, Head of Development & EP, Blink Industries
Courtney joined Blink Industries earlier this year as its new executive producer of animation and development. Prior to joining Blink, Courtney was responsible for the creative development of LEGO content and served as Executive Producer, as part of the company’s hugely successful global slate of short-form, long-form and feature-length productions. Before joining LEGO, Courtney served as Vice President at Gaumont, managing development for their Animation & Family division. Prior to this, Courtney has held positions in development, production and commissioning, for companies including Mattel, Fremantle, Channel 4 and the BBC.
Nina Gantz, BAFTA winning Director
Nina Gantz is a Dutch Brighton-based Animation Director. She graduated from the National Film and Television School with her animated short film Edmond, which received 38 awards including a BAFTA and the Sundance award for Best Animated Short. Nina currently works as a freelance director and directs commercials for BlinkInk. Her latest short film Wander to Wonder (screening in competition at LIAF) premiered at the Venice Film Festival and is now showing at festivals around the world, having picked up several awards including Best Animated Short at SXSW. She finds inspiration in combining different techniques, such as stop-motion, puppetry and live action. Nina is currently developing two feature length films.
LIAF presents the 2024 UK Animation Industry Event – 8 panels giving insider access to some of the hottest topics of the year. We’ve gathered together some of the most passionate, honest and insightful experts from a wide range of different areas and backgrounds who are ready to cover all manner of vital topics to give you much food for thought.
Animation doesn’t stand still; and debates and discussions with animators and creative experts are the best way to get in touch with what’s happening. The panels will be chaired by Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire and Julian Scott, animation consultant at Film London.
For anyone currently working in the film and animation industry, thinking of working in the industry or just plain curious, these 8 events are indispensable. They are free to everyone and take place live and online on our streaming platform over the 2 days of Saturday November 30 and Sunday December 1.
Talks with the UK Animation Companies conquering the world: BlinkInk
Come and hear about the UK’s best animation companies, what they do and how they consistently create such great work.
BLINKINK are a BAFTA/Emmy winning production company specialising in mixed media film-making and craft-centric animation. They’ve created commercials for the likes of the BBC, John Lewis, Nike, O2 and LOEWE, music videos for Dua Lipa, Elton John, Iron Maiden and Coldplay and we are now expanding into video games and film. Their long form division, BLINK INDUSTRIES produced the cult TV show Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared for Channel 4, Dead End Paranormal Park for Netflix, and specials for HBO Max and David Fincher’s Love, Death and Robots. They are currently in production on three TV series, The Sunny Ridge 3 for Disney, Make that Movie for Channel 4 and an unannounced comedy series for Netflix.
Hear what Founder and Executive Producer Bart Yates and his team have to say about creating quality animation and the challenges and opportunities working in such a dynamic industry.
Curated and Chaired by Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire.
Panellists
Chair: Saint John Walker, Postgraduate Media Programme Leader, University of Hertfordshire
Saint John Walker is the Programme Leader for postgraduate media at the UK’s University of Hertfordshire and a leading VFX educationalist with over 25 years of experience of teaching and training in the games, animation and VFX industries. Most recently Saint was Dean and Director of Industry Engagement at the UK’s Escape Studios and previous to that he designed, initiated and ran the VFX degree course at Norwich University of the Arts for four years. Saint is an active member of Access:VFX. Saint is also the convenor, designer and chair of the popular Industry panels at the London International Animation Festival each year. In 2024 he has chaired and taken part in panel discussions at the View conference in Turin, the Viborg Animation Festival and FMX, Stuttgart.
Bart Yates, Executive Producer and Founder
Born and bred in Brisbane, Australia, Bart started his career in the music industry before moving to London in 1999. In 2002 he joined Blink Productions as a producer and founded their dedicated animation division BlinkInk in 2005. He co-founded Blink Industries, their long-form entertainment arm in 2012 and recently started Blink Games to focus on video game development. Blink are mixed-media specialists, renowned for telling unusual stories in innovative ways across TV, films, commercials, music videos and video games.
James Studholme, Chairman & Partner, Blink Productions, BlinkInk, BlinkIndustries
West country boy, occasional sheep farmer, talent spotter and folk musician, James Studholme started Blink, with director Bob Lawrie in 1985. Blink began as an animation company specialising in character animation (Colin Curly for Quavers) and hybrid, stop frame and mixed media work. Blink evolved from the early 1990s into visual and comedy live action, winning Campaign magazine’s Production Company of the year for the first time in 1996. As more of the new breed of animation directors coalesced in the company, in the early 2000s, Blinkink was launched to champion them. James has worked most closely for the last 25 years with Dougal Wilson, whose debut movie Paddington in Peru is out now.
Courtney Arumugam, Head of Development & EP, Blink Industries
Courtney joined Blink Industries earlier this year as its new executive producer of animation and development. Prior to joining Blink, Courtney was responsible for the creative development of LEGO content and served as Executive Producer, as part of the company’s hugely successful global slate of short-form, long-form and feature-length productions. Before joining LEGO, Courtney served as Vice President at Gaumont, managing development for their Animation & Family division. Prior to this, Courtney has held positions in development, production and commissioning, for companies including Mattel, Fremantle, Channel 4 and the BBC.
Nina Gantz, BAFTA winning Director
Nina Gantz is a Dutch Brighton-based Animation Director. She graduated from the National Film and Television School with her animated short film Edmond, which received 38 awards including a BAFTA and the Sundance award for Best Animated Short. Nina currently works as a freelance director and directs commercials for BlinkInk. Her latest short film Wander to Wonder (screening in competition at LIAF) premiered at the Venice Film Festival and is now showing at festivals around the world, having picked up several awards including Best Animated Short at SXSW. She finds inspiration in combining different techniques, such as stop-motion, puppetry and live action. Nina is currently developing two feature length films.