Tag Archives: Adam Redford

BU NCCA featured in 3D world magazine

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A feature article about Bournemouth University was published in 3D world magazine highlighting the success of its National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) courses.

BU “has garnered a reputation as one of the best schools in the UK for anybody with an interest in VFX, animation and creating games. There is nothing more telling than the accolades that graduates and lecturers receive, and Bournemouth is proud to boast more than a few awards for projects it is connected with”.

“Most recently many members of the staff and student body have worked on the Oscar-winning blockbuster Gravity”. Over 60 BU alumni worked on the visual effects for the film at London-based Framestore.

Framestore’s Anna Swift says “we are so thrilled to be celebrating Gravity’s success, which is testament to the commitment and skill of our talented staff, including Bournemouth University graduates”

Adam Redford, Senior practice fellow of the NCCA at Bournemouth University said “A lot of the tools and techniques used in the creation of the VFX for Gravity are being taught in NCCA classrooms every day. The NCCA at BU has a great reputation for producing graduates that go on to achieve amazing success in the feature film VFX industry all over the world”.

BU offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes specialising in computer visualisation and animation. For more information please visit the NCCA website.

Coverage roundup for BU’s Gravity success

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Following a successful Oscar night for Gravity, in which they picked up seven Oscars, local and national press centred on the 60 Bournemouth University graduates who worked on the visual effects for the film – which subsequently took the Achievement in Visual Effects nod.

Current Bournemouth University lecturer Adam Redford also worked on the visual effects for the film and was quoted in a number of media outlets about the success.

The Guardian led with a feature about how films like Gravity can kick-start the careers of many university graduates. The article focusses on Bournemouth University with comments from both Adam Redford and BU graduate Sam Salek. Similarly, The Independent reported on how Bournemouth graduates were celebrating Oscar glory for their work on Gravity.

ITV Meridian led with footage about Gravity’s win before talking about the involvement of Bournemouth University graduates, while the story was also highlighted in the hourly bulletins of BBC Radio Solent, Heart South Coast, Wave 105 and FIRE FM.

Adam Redford was interviewed at length on BBC Radio Solent and BBC Dorset about the film’s success and his involvement and the Bournemouth Echo also interviewed Adam, along with current Bournemouth University students, about BU’s successful graduates.

Gravity’s success extends further than the Oscars, with the movie also picking up several high-profile awards at this year’s BAFTA ceremony. BU graduates involved in the BAFTA win also received widespread local coverage. MA TV Production graduate Ben Mallaby was also nominated for a BAFTA this year in the Short Film category for his work directing the film Island Queen.

Gravity was not the only Oscar-winning film to have involvement from a Bournemouth University graduate as Vanessa Salas Castillo was part of the Disney team that worked on the film Frozen, which picked up the Best Animation award.

At least one BU graduate is also currently working on visual effects for The Hobbit trilogy – which was nominated alongside Gravity in the visual effects category at this year’s Oscars.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on 5 March 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron was quoted as saying, “Bournemouth University has excellent courses that have helped to build up the British post-production and facilities industries, which are busy helping to create blockbuster films. It is very good news not only that are we winning Oscars for British films but that British studios are full to bursting point making movies.”

Bournemouth University graduates celebrating Oscar success

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Bournemouth University graduates were celebrating last night as their work on the film Gravity was highlighted with an Oscar win.

Graduates and lecturers from BU’s National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) were part of the team that worked on the visual effects for the blockbuster.

Gravity picked up the Oscar for Achievement in Visual Effects at an eventful awards ceremony in Hollywood, Los Angeles hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

The film picked up a total of seven Oscars on the night, including nods for Best Director (Alfonso Cuarón), Achievement in Cinematography and Achievement in Film Editing.

The movie, which also picked up high-profile awards at this year’s BAFTAs, stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, but the majority of the space-themed film was created digitally.

London-based effects house Framestore worked on the special effects for the film – with the help of around 60 alumni from BU’s animation and visual effects courses.

Adam Redford, a Senior Practice Fellow in Computer Animation at BU, was a senior texture artist at Framestore. He worked for around six months on the film, helping to paint some of the interior and exterior sets and props seen in the film.

Adam said, “”The NCCA at Bournemouth University has a great reputation for producing graduates that go on to achieve amazing success in the feature film visual effect industry all over the world.  A lot of the tools, techniques and processes used in the creation of the visual effects for Gravity are being taught in NCCA classrooms every day, this will give our students the necessary education and understanding of visual effects to enable them to achieve great success in the feature film visual effects industry of the future.”

Anna Swift, Recruitment & Talent Development Manager at Framestore, said, “We are so thrilled to be celebrating Gravity’s success, which is a testament to the commitment and skill of our talented staff, including Bournemouth University graduates”.

It is not the first time that NCCA alumni have had their work recognised with high-profile awards.

More than 50 graduates and former BU academics worked on the Oscar-winning visual effects for Avatar, while MA Visual Effects graduate Andy Lockley won an Oscar in 2011 for his work on the special effects for Inception.

The NCCA’s contribution to world-leading excellence and pioneering development in computer animation was even recognised with a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2012.