Glammies 2011
The University of Glamorgan held its seventeenth annual Glammies awards in June 2011 at Cineworld Cardiff. The awards recognise the best and brightest new animation and computer games talent produced by the university’s Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries.
The awards are open to students on all of the university’s animation courses including BA (Hons) Animation, BA (Hons) Computer Animation and BA (Hons) Game Art and Animation.
Michaela Edmunds, 22 from Bridgend won the Special Achievement award at this year’s event.
“It was a huge surprise – I really didn’t see it coming” said Michaela. “When they began reading out the list and I recognised that what they were saying related to me I was in shock. It was a really nice surprise, it felt like all my hard work this year had paid off.”
Michaela’s award was well deserved according to Head of Animation Pete Hodges. “As well as finishing her final year film she has overseen two collaboration projects, been shortlisted for an internship with Disney and commissioned by a company in Singapore to do illustrations off the back of her major project blog.” explains Pete. “On top of this she hasn’t missed a tutorial this year, is always in the studio working, has a great attitude, and works so hard.”
Michaela is keen to pursue animation as a career. “I would like to become an animator or illustrator on a children’s TV series. I’ve loved every minute of the course and I think it will be a massive help in achieving my ambition.”
Tom Lucas, 22 from Swansea, was also a winner at the event, taking home two awards – Best 2D animation and Best 3rd Year for his film Botanical Nightmare.
Winning also came as a shock for Tom: “I was very surprised to win either award. The quality of work from the competition in each category was very daunting. The high production values made it very difficult to tell that they were student films.”
Tom now works for an animation studio Dinamo. “In the short time I’ve been working there, I know that this really is what I want to do for a long, long time.”
Major names in the animation and games industries judged many of the awards, including Dinamo Productions, Aardman Animations and this year’s principal sponsor Evolution Studios. New companies such as Glamorgan graduates Sun & Moon also participated.
“As per usual The Glammies 2011 firmly raised the bar when it comes to the spectrum and standard of work being produced on the course” said judge Romano Marenghi, Head of CGI at Dinamo Productions. “It was a pleasure to be invited and an honour to present an award to best 3rd year. Bring on next year’s event!”
“Every year the work produced by the students pushes the standard higher across all the aspects of our courses” agreed Pete Hodges. “The Glammies provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate animation, computer animation, and computer games within the University. I’d like to thank all the students and staff for all their hard work, and congratulate them on such a fantastic event.”
The winners in full:
- Best 2D – Thomas Lucas
- Best Stop-Motion – Reuben Loane
- Best CG/Animator/TD – Milan Kolar
- Best CG Artist – Liam Grice
- Best Dissertation – Alex Townley
- Most Promising 1st Year – Ryan Jones
- Best 2nd Year – Elizabeth Hall
- Best 3rd Year – Thomas Lucas
- Special Achievement Award – Michaela Edmunds
