Top experts specialising in visual effects and animation hit Bournemouth in September to spread their knowledge at the BFX Festival organised by Bournemouth University. Guests to the festival enjoyed a series of workshops, expert talks and screenings of films such as Maleficent. The event celebrated the British talent in visual effects, animation and games whilst educating its guests.
The director of the event, Sofronis Efstathiou, was ‘delighted’ to be hosting the second BFX Festival after the success of last year. He encouraged the local community to visit the festival saying: “There is truly something for everyone from industry experts to hobbyists, animators to technical directors.” The event was held in the Bournemouth International Centre from the 24th to 28th September.
Other masterminds present at the festival included graduates from BU who were part of the team behind the visual effects in the Oscar-winning film ‘Gravity’. The brilliance behind Disney’s animation was also revealed in exhibitions held over the course of the festival with artwork from Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent.
Naturally, the event sparked interest among many media outlets such as BBC Radio Solent and ‘The Daily Echo’. Gaming blogs such as ‘The Bearded Trio’ also ran stories on the event. The event was also mentioned in the online gamer’s website ‘Gamasutra’ where Bournemouth Council Councillor Lawrence Williams says: “We are delighted to support the BFX Festival. It was a fantastic opportunity for people starting their career to speak to the experts and gain insight and inspiration to enter the industry.”
By Charlotte Cranny-Evans
Charlotte is a graduate of Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. She joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from the college with work experience for four weeks over the summer.
