World-renowned experts to headline Teesside University’s Animex Festival

An exceptional line-up of speakers from the world of animation and computer games, who have worked on global titles such as Barbie, Beauty and the Beast, and Dune, are set to visit our region for Teesside University’s renowned Animex Festival.

Animex is an annual international festival celebrating the very best of animation, VFX and games.

This year, the event will feature insights from professionals who have contributed to well-known franchises, including the popular Netflix series Wereworld, the acclaimed HBO show The Last of Us, as well as beloved titles including Bob the Builder and Raa Raa the Noisy Lion.

Now in its 24th year, Animex is one of the world’s biggest festivals of animation and computer games and will be taking place at Middlesbrough Town Hall and Teesside University between Monday 6 November and Friday 10 November.

Renowned games studio Double Eleven, which has a long-standing relationship with Teesside University and has provided numerous internship and employment opportunities to students and graduates, has been confirmed as the headline sponsor for Animex this year.

Animex features screenings, workshops, and exhibitions, as well as an exciting line-up of animation, games and VFX expert speakers, who will share their unique insights into the industry.

Curtis Jobling is a BAFTA-winning creator and designer of many beloved children’s shows, including Bob the Builder, and is one of the guest speakers. He has also worked on the major animated series Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf on Netflix.

Also joining this year’s talented line-up of professionals is Nick Marshall from DNEG, who worked on blockbuster films including Dune and Uncharted.

The Animex Exhibition is also set to feature the work of Pre-Production Supervisor Kaya Jabar, whose team helped build the perfectly pink world of Barbie. Her previous credits also include Game of Thrones and Star Wars.

Magdalena Osinska, from Aardman Animations, will also discuss her work on creating Star Wars Visions ‘I Am Your Mother’ - from the pitching process, through writing, design, animation and VFX.

Matthew Lake, from Fallen Leaf, will deliver a talk which will dive into the technical animation pipeline of the Fort Solis, covering how Unreal Engine 5 helped breathe life into the characters for Fallen Leaf's debut title.

Current Teesside University students will also have the chance to showcase their work during Animex, with a range of screenings, portfolio workshops and networking opportunities available.

Dr Jo Noble, Principal Lecturer, External Events, at the University’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, said: “Teesside University has an exceptional reputation globally for animation, games, and VFX.

“We are really looking forward to our Animex Festival once again, which has garnered an international reputation for excellence since it was founded in 2000.

“We are delighted to welcome an eclectic range of speakers who have worked on some of the biggest titles around and who will be able to give a unique insight into their work.

“The Animex Festival is one of the highlights of the year and is open to everybody – we hope that members of the community get involved and come along to sample some of the great activities that will be taking place.”

As well as Double Eleven as headline sponsors, additional sponsors for this year’s event include Wacom, Protoge and Epic Games.

Animex takes place between Monday 6 November and Friday 10 November 2023 and there are a range of ticket options available.

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