Animated Andy returns to his University

Renowned international animator Andy Lomas is to return to the University of Teesside, the institution that helped launch his career. Andy is one of the keynote speakers at Animex, the international festival of Animation and Computer Games, now in its eighth year. Organised by the University of Teesside, the festival runs from Monday 5-Friday 9 February.

Andy Lomas graduated from the University of Teesside’s MSc Computer Aided Graphical Technology Applications course in 1992 and progressed to a successful animation career. He spent five years in the US during which he worked for leading studio Dreamworks. In 2000 he was Head of 3D at Framestore CFC, the London-based computer animation company responsible for the popular TV series Walking with Dinosaurs.

By May 2006, Andy was Head of Computer Graphics for Framestore CFC. The company is currently working on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and The Tale of Despereaux (the largest computer-generated feature animation project ever undertaken in Europe). Andy will be talking about animation and his venture into digital art when he returns to the University at 3.45pm on Friday 9 February, to give a keynote speech. The University has already purchased twelve of his artworks to stage a permanent exhibition. Andy was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Teesside in 2004.

Andy Lomas will be available for pictures and interviews at 12.30pm in the Green Room (OL2), Europa Building, off Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough, on Friday 9 February. for more details please call Stephen Laing on 01642 342962, e-mail s.laing@tees.ac.uk

Chris Williams, Animex Director, said: “Animex promises to be a terrific event once more and the return of Andy Lomas is bound to generate a lot of interest.”

The region’s young film-makers will also be honoured during Animex week, at Middlesbrough’s Cineworld, Marton Road, on the evening of Thursday 8 February starting at 7.00pm.

Chris Williams added: “We will have eight awards honouring some of the best young student film-makers in the world. We're rolling out the red carpet and hope to create the kind of atmosphere people see at the Oscars.” The people of Middlesbrough and the rest of the North-East can get involved in the festival by going to a series of film screenings at Animex Screen at the University of Teesside, Cineworld in Middlesbrough and at Saltburn Community Theatre, Albion Terrace, Saltburn. For details visit www.animex.net

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