Glamfest New Media Show


 

Every year the Glamorgan Centre for Art & Design Technology (GCADT ) presented their Glammie Awards at the Glamfest New Media Show

This website was created to promote the Glamfest New Media Show & celebrate the winners of the Glammie Awards.
Content is from the site's 2004-2008 archived pages.

The Glamfest New Media Show 2004

This year, the Glamfest New Media Show 2004 is kicking-off on Friday 18th June, at:

9:00am The Coal Exchange
Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay
, UK

This year its different … this year its bigger … this year, alongside our prestigious Glammie Student Awards, celebrating new, young animation talent, the likes of which created the special effects sequences of Hollywood blockbusters such as The Harry Potter Films, Minority Report, Tomorrow Never Dies, & Lost in Space and coming releases like The Thunderbirds & Spiderman 2; the spectacular TV productions of Dinotopia, Walking with Beasts & Walking with Dinosaurs; and well-known family favourites such as Chicken Run, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam & The Cramp Twins

…this year were getting in the big guns.

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, the Glammie Awards has blossomed into an all-day New Media conference event based in and around the prestigious Coal Exchange building, in the exciting media centre area of Cardiff Bay.

Register with us now.

…. and prepare to be amazed by speakers from such illustrious institutions as:

WETA Digital
Dreamworks
Aardman Animations
a-Productions
Glassworks
Siriol Productions
Rare (Games) Ltd

Wander the exhibition halls where you'll find demonstrations and stands from cutting-edge new media animation and post-production companies showing-off their wares. Come along to watch the show and help support the grass roots of a hotbed of animation talent many of whom can now be found working at such prestigious studios as Framestore, Pdi (Dreamworks), a-Productions, Aardman Animations, Cosgrove Hall, Hot Animation, Warners Bros, Siriol Productions, Telemagination, Honeycombe Animation, HRA Associates, and Peppers Ghost as well as cutting edge computer games companies like Rare, Muckyfoot, Free Radical Design, Mind's Eye Productions, Jester Interactive, and others too numerous to mention.

 



 

SPEAKERS

 

Robin Lyons
Siriol Productions

Robin Lyons made a record with Decca, reviewed jazz for The Guardian and wrote and performed in two comedy series for BBC2 before moving into animation in 1981.

He is the Managing Director of Siriol Productions, in Cardiff, and a director of Entertainment Rights plc.

He has numerous credits as a writer and producer of animated films and series, most notably "SuperTed", for which he won a BAFTA award, "Under Milk Wood" a film which uses the voice recording made by Richard Burton, and the award winning series, "Hilltop Hospital".

He has written over a hundred scripts for animation, mostly with his writing partner, Andrew Offiler, as well as several technical manuals for the European Media Programme.

Robin is the chairman of the Welsh Animation Group.

 



 

Shelley Page
Dreamworks Feature Animation

Shelley Page is currently European Representative for DreamWorks Feature Animation. Originally trained as an illustrator, Shelley has been working in the field of Feature Animation since 1986 when she was Backgrounds Supervisor on 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' (Disney).

Following the success of "Roger Rabbit", she joined Steven Spielberg's Amblimation Studio in London as background supervisor. In January 1995 she moved to Los Angeles to participate in the creation of the new DreamWorks Animation studio, co-founded by Steven Spielberg,
Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen.

As Co-Head of Artistic Developement at DreamWorks, Shelley supervised the hiring and training of artists in preparation for DreamWorks epic first animated project "The Prince of Egypt". In 1997 Shelley was one of the initial team of visual development artists working on SHREK, winner of the first ever Academy Award for an animated feature.

Shelley's film credits include: 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?', 'An
American Tail 2', 'We're Back', 'Balto', 'The Prince Of Egypt', 'The Road To Eldorado', 'Antz', 'Shrek', 'Spirit', and 'Sinbad'.

Current DreamWorks projects include 'Shrek 2', 'Shark Tale', 'Madagascar' and 'Over the Hedge'.

Shelley was appointed DreamWorks European representative for Feature Animation in 1998 and moved back to London.

Shelley has a particular interest in student animation and hosts student events at all the major European animation festivals. She sits on the graduation juries of leading French animation schools Les Gobelins and Supinfocom and on the advisory boards and selection juries of the following animation festivals: LEAF(London), Imagina (Monte Carlo), Angouleme (France), 3D Festival (Copenhagen), FMX (Stuttgart), Animated Encounters (Board of Directors)(Bristol), Animex(Teeside) and SAND (Swansea).

 



 

Bruce Steele
Glassworks

Bruce Steele is a founder member of Glassworks London where he is Head of Special Projects and Director of Visual Effects. His background is 3D computer graphics, computer programming, TV production and musician. In CG, he has previously worked for Click 3x in New York, Complete Video and Snapper Films.

Glassworks provides digital animation and visual effects expertise for the production of award winning commercials, music promos and immersive marketing tools for clients around the world. The company's' expertise is built around a core team of specialists in computer animation, digital effects and compositing, supported by in house team of R&D programmers who develop pioneering software and unique tools used for generating digital content.

Some well-known examples of Glassworks work include "Bjork - All is Love" promo, "Aero Mouse" and "Sprite" commercials.

 



 

Mark Taylor
A Productions

Mark Started out as a Rostrum cameraman in 1984 working on children's series for ITV. In early 1986 he set up A For Animation, an animation studio in Bristol producing animated titles, commercials, series work and other stuff.

Work included titles for 'Antiques Roadshow', 'Really Wild Show', 'The First Eden', 'Playbus', 'Trap Door', 'The Orville and Cuddles Show'! Pop promo work for Madonna, Elton John, & Rod Stewart. The studio moved into series production, creating and producing 'Rubbish...King of the Jumble!' for CITV plus series work for Disney, C4 and the BBC.

More recently the studio merged with Elm Road studios and changed it's name to A Productions. Expanding into stopframe, Flash and CGi work alongside the traditional 2D. Later work includes 52 x 10' of 'Boo!' for the BBC, plus work on 'Sprogs' for Tell-tale Productions. Currently starting on another 52 episodes of 'Boo'.

 



 

Rue Sakayama
RueSakayama.com

Rue Sakayama is a visual artist and photographer based in Providence, RI. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), she specializes in portraits, architectural and wedding photography. But her work extends beyond images - her fabric art has been exhibited in both galleries and commercial settings.
 



 

Jane Davies
A Productions

Jane Davies started at A for Animation as an assistant animator in 1996 after graduating from GCADT, she is now a Director.
 



 

Barry Purves
Freelance Animator

After pursuing a career in acting and stage management, Barry Purves moved into animation. His distinct style reflects his love of the arts, and throughout his career he has also directed and designed several plays as well as contributing to the arts through a prestigious and prodigious animation career.

1978 - Cosgrove Hall Productions The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Wind in the Willows. 1989 - Aardman Animation Next. 1990 - Bare Boards Screen Play, Rigoletto, and Achilles. 1995 - Original animation director of Tim Burton's Mars Attacks.
1998 Gilbert & Sullivan - the very models (with producer Chris O'Hare). 2001 Hamilton Mattress (with producer Chris Moll).


2003 in New Zealand as Previz Animation Director on Peter Jackson's film King Kong. Barry was also involved in the last stages of Lord of the Rings; Return of the King, advising the animators. Barry's films have won over 60 major awards, including BAFTA and Oscar nominations, and have had retrospectives around the world, and been the subject of many articles and documentaries. Barry also writes many articles about animation, and has directed and designed several successful plays.

 



 

Michael Cawood and Ryan Stephenson

Rare Ltd. (part of the Microsoft Game Studios Group)

Veteran UK developer Rare is one of the most prominent and influential names in the videogame industry, with a 20-year pedigree extending from 8-bit Ultimate classics Jetpac, Knight Lore and Sabre Wulf all the way up through critically acclaimed 90s hits such as Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct, GoldenEye, Perfect Dark and Conker's Bad Fur Day.

Rare today, in its custom-built HQ deep in the English countryside, is bigger and more active than ever. Following its acquisition by Microsoft Games Studios in 2002, the company's resources are now tightly focused on Xbox development. The first fruit of these labours, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, was released in 2003; highly anticipated titles Kameo: Elements of Power, Conker: Live & Reloaded and Perfect Dark Zero are among those still on the release schedule.

Michael Cawood studied a degree in animation specialising in traditional hand drawn 2D animation at GCADT. He started at Rare in 1999, when they where making games for the Nintendo 64 and his first game was Dinosaur Planet, which later became Starfox Adventures (released in 2002 on the Nintendo Gamecube). Today he is the senior animator on Kameo:Elements of Power being developed for the Xbox.

Ryan Stevenson studied a degree specialising in alternative animation at GCADT. He joined the computer games industry and worked on several games before joining Rare in 2001. As part of the Gameboy team at Rare he worked on ‘Banjo Grunty’s Revenge’ and ‘It’s Mr Pants’ for the Gameboy Advance. He is currently working as the concept artist and modeller on an as yet unannounced project on future Microsoft hardware.

 



 

Events and presentations will run all day…. and the fun late into the night!!

Every year Glamorgan Centre for Art & Design Technology holds its Oscars-style awards ceremonies to showcase, highlight and celebrate the outstanding work produced by its most talented students.

The award categories and Winners for this year were as follows:

 

 

· Best 2D Animation

Judged by A-Productiions

  • Ewen Stenhouse: Birdie *WINNER*
  • Paul Coulthard: Urizen
  • Kerry Irvine: My Old Man
  • Gemma Jones: Pet Idol
 

 

· Best 3D Animation

Judged by Aardman Animations

  • Rhodri Lovett: Showreel *WINNER*
  • Sobrina Lloyd: Will
  • Elizabeth Wakefield: Jinete Nomada
  • Nikos Kelis: The Pit & The Pendulum

 

· Best CG Animation

Judged by Glassworks

  • Romano Marenghi: Showreel *WINNER*
  • Matt Morgan: Hope
  • Nick Gunn: Derek & Clive
  • Kevin Ngan: Going Up
 

 

· S4C/ROSCOW Award

Judged by S4C/ROSCOW

  • Matt Morgan *WINNER*
  • Vikki Goy-Smith & Oliver Knowles
  • Anna Leybourne
  • Nick Gunn & Peter Woods

 

· Most Promising 1st Year

Judged by Siriol Productions

  • Kinwai Lee *WINNER*
  • Lucy Artiss
  • Craig Jacob
  • Andy Shackleford
 

 

· Best 2nd Year

Judged by Rare Ltd.

  • Steve Crook: Dangers of Falling Sea-Life *WINNER*
  • Cailiegh Bickley: Demons
  • Edd Palmer: Pride & Prejudice
  • Joelle Brindley: Margo's Hamper

· Best 3rd Year 2D/3D

Judged by DHot Animation

  • Oliver Knowles: Triangle *WINNER*
  • Rhodri Lovett: Showreel
  • Chris Bowles: Choose your own adventure
  • Nikos Kelis: The Pit & The Pendulum

 

   

 

· Best 3rd Year CG

Judged by Dreamworks SKG

  • David Matthews: Bean Juice *WINNER*
  • Andy O'Neil: Tempo
  • Matt Morgan: Hope
  • Anna Leybourne: The Adventures of Myles and Space Tortoise

 

Special Achievment Award

Judged by GCADT Animation Course Team
Awarded to RHODRI LOVETT

Best Digital Film (awarded by the Film Academy)
Gavin Williams *WINNER*

Best Effects Work
Jonathon Kerr-Smith *WINNER*

· Best Motion Graphics
Neil Gittins & Chris Cooper*WINNER*

 



Glamfest
New Media Show 2005


Friday 17th June 2005
UGC Cinema
& Coal Exchange
Cardiff

News

  • Glamorgan wins Skillset Accreditation
  • Glamorgan Graduates clean-up at the Welsh BAFTAs
  • Marc Craste of Studio AKA & "Jojo in the Stars" fame to headline Glamfest

Marc Craste of Studio AKA & "Jojo in the Stars" fame to talk at Glamfest

    The BAFTA Award winner Animation Director at Studio AKA and creative force behind 2004s Best Animated Short for the visually stunning "Jojo in the Stars", Marc Craste is confirmed to talk at this years Glamfest. In addition to screening and discussing the delights of Jojo, Marc will also showcase some of the commercials he has directed at Studio AKA and give an insight into the creative process and inspiration behind his distinctive style of work.

    Joining Marc at Glamfest will be: Jane Davies, Animation Director at a-Productions, the Bristol-based animation company behind the hit kids CG TV series "Boo" and digital 2D series "BB3Bs"; an Industry Advice Panel featuring Bruce Steele (Glassworks Ltd), Frank Kitson (EA Games), Helen Brunsdon (Aardman Animations), Joanna Quinn (Beryl Productions Int.); a Welsh BAFTA Cymru Winners 2005 Panel consisting of Jem Roberts (Winner - Best Animation), Arjan Wilschut (Best Animation nominee), Matthew Morgan (Best Animation nominee), Simon Griffiths & Marcus Stevens, Crumble Creative (Winners - Best TV or Film Related New Media), Phil Real, Boomerang (Winners of Best Youth Programme), & Paul Nicholas, No.Brake (Winners Best Graphics/Titles).

    So the stars really are out in force again this year. To join them click here and register now, while you still can.

Glamorgan Graduates clean-up at the Welsh BAFTAs

    GCADT students of past and present were well represented at this years prestigious Welsh BAFTA Cymru Award Ceremony. A host of awards were collected by Glamorgan Graduates from a variety of categories. Ex-students (and staff members) Simon Griffiths and Marcus Stevens of Crumble Creative picked up the BAFTA for Best TV or Film Related New Media award for their excellent Sali Mali website for Siriol Animation; Glamorgan graduate Phil Real of Boomerang was part of the editing team behind the award for Best Youth Programme;and the Best Graphics/Titles award went to No.Brake, Co-Director ex-student Paul Nicholas, for their work on the S4C TV show Bandit.

    Perhaps the most inspiring and impressive accolade for GCADT, however, went to Matthew Morgan for simply being nominated in the first place. Matt's Glamorgan Graduation film " Hope" so impressed the judges that it beat off a host of other professional animated works to be one of the top three works in Wales shortlisted for the Best Animation BAFTA. Which we suspect was the first time a student entry has ever made it through to the final selection in the history of the entire event. Just goes to show what a kick-start to your career studying at GCADT can be.

    If you missed the BAFTAs, fear not...there's still time to register for the Glammies.
    Sign up here to check out what this year's crop of award-winning animators have been up to lately.

Glamorgan wins Skillset Accreditation

    The Animation & Computer Animation courses at GCADT have recently been officially recognised as one of the top three in the country. Glamorgan was amongst the first ever animation courses to receive the industry's official seal of approval announced by the government training-standards in education watchdog Skillset. The pilot accreditation scheme of degree level animation courses was devised in consultation with both industry and education providers. Speaking at its launch at Animated Encounters in Bristol, Marion Edwards, Independent Animation Producer and Chair of Skillset's Animation Forum, said:

    "The need for an industry-backed accreditation scheme became apparent over recent years as more and more employers began to voice concerns over a lack of some basic, but crucial, technical and production skills displayed by recent graduates. The scheme recognises animation courses throughout the UK which have passed a rigorous assessment process, and as a result, are felt to be providing their graduates with the sufficient skills and experience to ensure a swift transition into the working community. Congratulations to the first three successful institutions. They have each earned their accreditation which highlights to everyone - employers and students - where industry has identified best practice."

    The only other two institutions accredited in the entire UK were Bournemouth University and the Arts Institute at Bournemouth.

 



 

~~~~~~~~~

Relevant: My cousin, Jamie, went to The University of Glamorgan. FYI: In 2013 University of Glamorgan merged with University of Wales, Newport, that formed the University of South Wales. Cardiff was where one of its campuses was located. The University of Glamorgan was founded in 1913. Between 2003 and the 2013 merger, the university was engaged in an active "growth strategy", merging with Merthyr Tydfil College in 2004/5 and forming a "strategic alliance" with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2006, so that the Royal College became part of the 'Glamorgan Group' of institutions. In 2007, "ATRiuM", a new facility for teaching and research in media, design and the arts was opened in Cardiff city centre.

My cousin attended the ATRiuM initially majoring in animation. Unfortunately he never graduated. He had to return home and take care of his father whose excessive drinking caused all sorts of problems for the family. I wish some of the new approaches to alcoholism that are available today were available for my uncle. I think the new programs that use pharmacotherapy, specifically baclofen, and psychotherapy have great appeal because they treat the person not as having a disease, but rather as having larger psychological issues that result in excessive drinking. I learned about baclofen when I was creating the graphics for a new website. Apparently, baclofen is, for some people, an effective medication for alcohol cravings. While commonly used to treat multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, baclofen is now undergoing testing as a treatment for alcoholism. Scientists have discovered that Baclofen's action on the GABA receptors in the brain may help lessen cravings and withdrawal symptoms for alcohol. It may also help people remain abstinent from alcohol. Doctors in Europe have been prescribing baclofen as the primary treatment for people who drink excessively. Unlike 12 step programs in the US that require abstinence such as AA, doctors in Europe are trying a new approach. My cousin Jamie now works as a music critic for some British magazine. He still draws on the side and with such 2D animation software like Toon Boom Harmony, CelAction2D, Synfig, Opentoonz, Tupi, or Pencil2D he creates his own art. I am encouraging to get out there and find a paying outlet for his art. Now a days you don't have to have a degree, particularly in the arts.

~~~~~~~~~

 

GLAMMIES 2008 NEWS

Glamorgan Student Wins Ffresh '08 Animation Award

Glamorgan graduate, Jenny Clements, recently won the BEST ANIMATION category at the annual
Ffresh "student moving-image festival' awards based in Aberystwyth, West Wales. Now in its sixth year, Ffresh is the moving image festival of Wales for up-and-coming talent.

Jenny won for her film, "The Gangster and The Nuns" which she created whilst on her third-year of the BA (Hons.) Animation Degree course at Glamorgan in 2007. View the Award-winning film here.

If you are interested in following in Jennys' footsteps, take a look at our Animation course details.



Glamorgan Environmental Animation Selected for BBC Film Network

An animated advert drawing attention to the effects of Global warming by Glamorgan Student, Keziah Bailey, has been shortlisted to appear on the BBC's Film Network website. The short film was created by Keziah as a second year project on the BA(Hons) Computer Animation course and depicts there effects of global warming on a polar bear’s environment – followed by a clever visual message reminding us how we can all help in reverting the effect. The advert was created in reponse to a Friends of the Earth’s “60 Second Green Film Competition” launched in April 2007. The objective of the competition was for filmmakers/green people at heart, to explore the theme of how we should look after our planet and use it with tomorrow in mind.

 

The genre and style were left open and up the entrant. All that was specific was the length and the ability to keep the films creative and engaging whilst still communicating an effective environmental message that could raise wider public awareness.Friends of the Earth say the response to the competition was overwhelming with entries flooding in from around the world and consequently led to their YouTube channel being ranked as the number one most viewed not-for-profit channel of all time. Even Morph, the 80's children’s TV favourite, came out of retirement to promote the competition and call for entries. Prizes awarded included lunch with Andrew Macdonald (who also judged the competition in conjunction with Lord Puttnam) and editing software equipment.

 



Fancy an MA in Animation at Glamorgan?

Applications are now being considered for the University’s brand new Production-based MA in Animation, which will be based at the ATRiuM Campus from October 2008. For more details click here or contact the Award Leader; Gerald Emanuel

 



BA(Hons) Computer Animation Now Officially“One of the Best Courses in the World”

The Computer Animation course at the University of Glamorgan has again been voted one of the top courses on the planet by an international panel of experts from the Film, TV and Computer Games industries. For a second year running 3D World, the leading trade magazine for Computer Animation, featured a shortlist of the 30 top courses in the world, chosen with advice from well-known animation and special effects companies such as Pixar, Dreamworks, Sony Imageworks and Aardman Animations as well as some of the world’s leading Computer Games Studios such as EA Games, Blitz Games and Sony (Playstation) Entertainments. Over 300 courses were analysed by the industry insiders, from which the best ten were highlighted from the UK, USA and further afield. The course was officially listed as the 4th best in the United Kingdom.*

* 3D World Magazine November 2007

 



Glamorgan Transforms into Glamorgan

The Animation and Computer Animation courses at Glamorgan are part of a suite of degree courses that will transfer to ATRiuM - a brand new, state of the art campus based in Cardiff city centre.Students currently studying on the Animation & Computer Animation courses at GCADT will become students at the University’s spectacular Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries from this October. The £35 million purpose built campus brings together the creative disciplines including design, arts, media, performing arts and music.Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan, Prof David Halton added, “As a result of this transfer we as a University are gaining a valuable resource in terms of highly skilled staff and successful ongoing programmes which will be an asset to our portfolio. I look forward to welcoming the staff and students to the University.”For more details visit ATRiuM

 



Glamorgan Wins with Skillset

Both the Animation and Computer Animation courses at Glamorgan have been officially recognised by the Skills and Training watchdog Skillset for the training they provide for animators wanting to enter the industry. The Computer Animation Course at Glamorgan has also been accredited as one of the top two courses in the country for training Games Artists. This now makes us the only course in the whole of the UK with two Skillset ticks for training both animators and artists…. three if you also count the one we also get for being part of the Skillset Screen Academy Wales.For more details click here: Skillset Games Accreditation and here: Skillset Animation Accreditation and here: Screen Academy Wales.

 



Glammies 2008 Lifetime Achievement is awarded to...

 

The inaugural 'Lifetime Achievement' award was presented to Pete Hodges at this year's "Glammies '08" ceremony on June 6th at Cineworld Cardiff. Pete received a warm standing ovation from the 250+ gathered Industry representatives, students and graduates as he collected his award for services to the Animation and Computer Animation courses and the UK animation industry in general.

"From the development of the animation courses in 1994 to becoming Head of Professional Design Studies at GCADT, Pete has immeasurably influenced the school’s content and vision. During his term as Head of School, the courses have attained three SkillSet awards, the college gaining the highest honours in teaching and learning, as well as being consistently voted in the top ten of teaching colleges in the UK. The students’ work has won numerous awards and nominations from Ffresh and Bafta Cymru as well as being shown at festivals around the world. Those students going on to work on such TV and Film as Walking with Dinosaurs, Frankenstein’s Cat, Peppa Pig, Creature Comforts, Happy Feet & Spiderman 3 and Games such as Viva Pinata & Grand Theft Auto 4 in a variety of studios around the world. Pete’s presence and vision have constantly guided the creativity and professionalism that is a mainstay at GCADT."

Thanks Pete

Course Team - Animation / Computer Animation

 



 

More Background On GlamFest.net

 

For a number of years during the early 2000s, GlamFest.net served as the online home of one of the United Kingdom's most ambitious university-led animation and new media events. More than simply promoting a student awards ceremony, the website documented a rapidly growing conference, exhibition, recruitment event, and industry gathering that connected aspiring animators, visual effects artists, game developers, filmmakers, and digital designers with some of the world's leading creative companies.

Operating primarily between 2004 and 2008, GlamFest chronicled the annual Glamfest New Media Show and the prestigious Glammie Awards, organized through the Glamorgan Centre for Art & Design Technology (GCADT), part of the University of Glamorgan in South Wales. While the website itself no longer functions as an active event portal, archived versions preserve an important chapter in the development of Welsh animation education and the broader UK creative industries.

What Was GlamFest?

GlamFest was an annual showcase celebrating the best work produced by students studying animation, computer animation, visual effects, motion graphics, digital film, and related creative disciplines at the Glamorgan Centre for Art & Design Technology.

Unlike a typical university exhibition, GlamFest deliberately blurred the boundaries between education and industry. Students screened their films alongside presentations from internationally respected animation professionals. Recruiters from major studios attended to identify emerging talent, while established artists shared practical advice about building careers in animation, games, visual effects, and digital media.

The website itself was created to promote these events, celebrate award winners, publish speaker biographies, announce industry news, and maintain connections with alumni working throughout the creative sector. Rather than functioning as a commercial business, GlamFest.net served as the public face of an educational initiative designed to showcase student achievement while strengthening relationships with professional studios.

Ownership and Organization

GlamFest was organized by the Glamorgan Centre for Art & Design Technology (GCADT), then one of the University of Glamorgan's flagship schools for creative education.

The University of Glamorgan itself had developed from educational institutions dating back to the early twentieth century before evolving into one of Wales' largest universities. During the 2000s the university invested heavily in media, animation, design, and digital production, recognizing the growing importance of the UK's creative industries. This investment ultimately culminated in the opening of the modern ATRiuM campus in Cardiff, which became home to many of the university's creative programs.

Following the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport in 2013, the institution became today's University of South Wales. Although GlamFest itself belongs to the earlier University of Glamorgan era, its legacy continues through the university's ongoing animation and creative media programs.

Cardiff: An Ideal Location for a Creative Festival

One reason GlamFest grew rapidly was its location.

The principal events were held in Cardiff Bay, one of the UK's largest urban regeneration projects. Once dominated by shipping and heavy industry, Cardiff Bay had transformed into an expanding center for television, film, digital media, and creative businesses by the early 2000s.

Many GlamFest events took place at prestigious venues including:

  • The Coal Exchange
  • UGC Cinema
  • Cineworld Cardiff
  • later the new ATRiuM campus

These locations reflected GlamFest's increasing ambition. Rather than remaining a campus-based student exhibition, it positioned itself within Cardiff's growing professional media district, making it easier for studio executives, recruiters, producers, and animation professionals to attend.

From Student Awards to Industry Conference

The earliest Glammie Awards primarily celebrated outstanding student work. By 2004, however, the event had expanded considerably.

Instead of simply presenting awards, GlamFest became an all-day conference featuring keynote presentations, technical demonstrations, exhibitions, networking opportunities, recruitment activities, and evening celebrations.

This broader format reflected changes occurring throughout the animation industry. Studios increasingly sought graduates who possessed not only artistic talent but also production experience, collaborative skills, and familiarity with modern digital workflows.

GlamFest therefore became a bridge between education and employment.

Students could present their graduation projects while meeting recruiters from companies that produced blockbuster films, television series, commercials, and video games. The event's structure anticipated many of today's university-industry showcase festivals, where networking opportunities are considered just as valuable as academic recognition.

International Industry Participation

One of GlamFest's most remarkable achievements was its ability to attract internationally respected speakers.

Rather than inviting only local educators, the organizers assembled professionals from some of the world's leading animation and visual effects companies.

Among participating organizations were:

  • DreamWorks Animation
  • Weta Digital
  • Aardman Animations
  • Rare Ltd.
  • Glassworks
  • Siriol Productions
  • A Productions

These companies represented virtually every corner of the digital entertainment industry.

DreamWorks had recently released major animated features including Shrek, The Prince of Egypt, and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

Weta Digital had gained worldwide recognition through its groundbreaking visual effects work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Aardman Animations had become internationally famous through productions such as Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run.

Rare remained one of Britain's most influential game developers, responsible for titles including GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark, Banjo-Kazooie, and later Xbox-exclusive productions.

The presence of representatives from these companies gave GlamFest an international profile that extended well beyond South Wales. Students were receiving advice directly from professionals working on Academy Award-winning films and globally successful video games.

Major Speakers and Industry Professionals

One of the defining characteristics of GlamFest was the caliber of the professionals who agreed to speak. Rather than limiting presentations to university faculty, the organizers invited leading figures from animation studios, visual effects companies, television production houses, and video game developers. This gave students a rare opportunity to hear directly from people creating some of the world's best-known animated films, television programs, commercials, and games.

The speaker lineup also reflected GlamFest's goal of exposing students to the many different career paths available within digital media. Rather than focusing exclusively on traditional animation, the conference embraced computer animation, visual effects, motion graphics, game development, production management, and digital filmmaking.

Shelley Page – DreamWorks Animation

Among the most distinguished speakers was Shelley Page, who served as DreamWorks Feature Animation's European Representative. Her career spanned some of the most influential animated productions of the modern era.

Before joining DreamWorks, Page worked on Disney's groundbreaking Who Framed Roger Rabbit, later moving to Steven Spielberg's Amblimation studio in London. She became part of the original team that established DreamWorks Animation in Los Angeles, helping recruit and train artists for the studio's earliest productions.

Her film credits included:

  • The Prince of Egypt
  • Antz
  • The Road to El Dorado
  • Shrek
  • Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
  • Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

By the time she appeared at GlamFest, DreamWorks was developing films such as Madagascar, Shark Tale, and Over the Hedge. Her involvement demonstrated that GlamFest had earned recognition well beyond Wales and was attracting professionals from the highest levels of the international animation industry.

Robin Lyons – Siriol Productions

Robin Lyons represented another important dimension of the conference: the strength of the Welsh animation industry.

A writer, producer, and managing director of Siriol Productions, Lyons had worked on numerous acclaimed animated productions, including SuperTed, which earned a BAFTA Award, as well as Hilltop Hospital and Under Milk Wood. His experience as chairman of the Welsh Animation Group also gave students insight into the regional industry that had helped establish Wales as an important center for television animation.

His participation underscored GlamFest's commitment to supporting Welsh creative talent while simultaneously connecting students with international opportunities.

Bruce Steele – Glassworks

Visual effects supervisor Bruce Steele brought expertise from Glassworks, one of Britain's leading digital effects studios.

Glassworks had built an international reputation through award-winning television commercials, music videos, and computer-generated visual effects. Steele discussed how digital compositing, animation, and proprietary software tools were transforming commercial production.

For students interested in careers outside feature films, his presentation illustrated the growing opportunities within advertising, broadcast graphics, and digital marketing.

Mark Taylor and Jane Davies – A Productions

Bristol-based A Productions had become one of the UK's most successful independent animation studios, producing children's programming for the BBC, Disney, Channel 4, and ITV.

Founder Mark Taylor shared the company's evolution from a small animation studio into a respected television production house responsible for projects such as Boo! and numerous broadcast title sequences.

Equally inspiring was director Jane Davies, herself a graduate of GCADT. Her return as a featured speaker demonstrated one of GlamFest's recurring themes: successful alumni returning to mentor the next generation of students.

Barry Purves

Independent animator Barry Purves represented the artistic side of stop-motion animation.

Purves had worked with Aardman Animations and served as the original animation director for Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!. His award-winning short films had received BAFTA nominations and international recognition, while his later work included advising animators on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and serving as Previsualization Animation Director on King Kong.

His career demonstrated that artistic storytelling and commercial filmmaking could coexist successfully within animation.

Rare Ltd. and the Video Game Industry

Recognizing that many graduates pursued careers in games rather than film, GlamFest regularly featured speakers from Rare Ltd., one of Britain's most influential video game developers.

Representatives Michael Cawood and Ryan Stevenson were both graduates of GCADT who had gone on to successful careers at Rare after working on projects including:

  • Star Fox Adventures
  • Banjo-Grunty's Revenge
  • It's Mr. Pants
  • Kameo: Elements of Power

Their return illustrated the practical career pipeline that GlamFest hoped to foster, showing students that graduates from the University of Glamorgan could find employment at internationally respected game studios.

The Glammie Awards

At the heart of every GlamFest celebration were the Glammie Awards, often described as the university's equivalent of the Oscars.

The awards recognized excellence across numerous creative disciplines, including:

  • Best 2D Animation
  • Best 3D Animation
  • Best Computer Graphics Animation
  • Best Motion Graphics
  • Best Digital Film
  • Best Visual Effects
  • Most Promising First-Year Student
  • Best Second-Year Project
  • Best Third-Year Animation
  • Special Achievement Award

Unlike many student competitions, the judging panels consisted of professionals from respected studios rather than university staff. Companies such as DreamWorks, Aardman Animations, Glassworks, Rare Ltd., Siriol Productions, and other industry leaders evaluated the entries, giving the awards genuine professional significance.

This external judging process provided students with valuable exposure to industry expectations while adding prestige to the awards themselves. Winners could point to recognition from established animation studios rather than solely from their academic institution.

Celebrating Graduate Success

Another important function of GlamFest was celebrating the achievements of former students.

The website regularly highlighted graduates who had gone on to successful careers throughout the animation, television, games, and visual effects industries. By showcasing alumni accomplishments, GlamFest demonstrated that its programs could lead directly to employment at respected studios.

Several former students contributed to productions including:

  • Walking with Dinosaurs
  • Harry Potter
  • Creature Comforts
  • Peppa Pig
  • Happy Feet
  • Spider-Man 3
  • Grand Theft Auto IV
  • Viva Piñata

These examples reinforced GlamFest's role not simply as a student showcase but as an annual celebration of an expanding professional community whose graduates were contributing to internationally recognized creative productions.

Glamorgan's Growing Reputation

By the mid-2000s, the University of Glamorgan's animation and computer animation programs were gaining national and international recognition, and GlamFest became one of the primary ways the university showcased that success.

The GlamFest website frequently reported on achievements beyond the annual festival itself, highlighting awards won by students and graduates, improvements to academic programs, and recognition from the wider animation industry. These news updates reinforced the idea that GlamFest was more than a one-day event—it was part of an ongoing effort to position the university among the UK's leading institutions for animation and digital media education.

Skillset Accreditation

One of the most significant milestones promoted through GlamFest was the accreditation of the University's Animation and Computer Animation degree programs by Skillset, the United Kingdom's industry skills council for the creative media sector.

At the time, Skillset accreditation was highly selective. Degree programs underwent rigorous evaluation by industry professionals to determine whether graduates possessed the practical skills employers expected. Accreditation therefore served as an independent endorsement that a university's curriculum met professional standards rather than simply academic requirements.

The University of Glamorgan became one of only a handful of institutions in Britain to receive this recognition. According to contemporary announcements, the animation programs were among the first in the country to earn official Skillset accreditation, placing them alongside well-respected institutions such as Bournemouth University and the Arts Institute at Bournemouth.

The significance extended beyond prestige. Students graduating from accredited courses often enjoyed stronger employment prospects because studios recognized that the programs had been designed in consultation with employers. For GlamFest attendees, this accreditation reinforced the credibility of both the university and the annual showcase.

Recognition by 3D World Magazine

Another achievement celebrated on GlamFest.net was the international recognition received from 3D World magazine.

Widely regarded as one of the computer graphics industry's leading professional publications, 3D World periodically evaluated animation and visual effects education worldwide with input from major studios and production companies. More than 300 educational programs were reviewed, with recommendations from professionals representing companies including Pixar, DreamWorks, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Aardman Animations, EA Games, and Sony Computer Entertainment.

The University of Glamorgan's Computer Animation course was selected among the world's leading programs and ranked as one of the best in the United Kingdom. This independent recognition provided strong evidence that GlamFest was showcasing work produced by students studying in an internationally respected academic environment.

BAFTA Cymru Success

The GlamFest website also celebrated the growing number of graduates receiving recognition at the BAFTA Cymru Awards, Wales' equivalent of the British Academy's regional television and film honors.

Former students earned awards and nominations across several categories, including animation, television graphics, youth programming, and digital media. Notable successes included graduates working with companies such as Crumble Creative, Boomerang, No.Brake, and Siriol Productions.

Particularly noteworthy was the nomination of graduate Matthew Morgan's animated film Hope for a BAFTA Cymru award while it was still essentially a student production. GlamFest highlighted this achievement as evidence that work produced within the university could compete alongside projects created by established professionals.

These accomplishments strengthened the reputation of both the university and GlamFest itself, demonstrating that graduates were making meaningful contributions to Wales' expanding creative industries.

Moving to the ATRiuM Campus

As the University of Glamorgan expanded its investment in creative education, many of the programs associated with GlamFest relocated to the newly constructed ATRiuM campus in Cardiff city centre.

Opened as a purpose-built facility for media, design, music, performing arts, and creative technologies, ATRiuM represented a major investment in Wales' creative economy. The modern campus brought together disciplines that had previously been spread across multiple locations, encouraging collaboration between animators, filmmakers, designers, musicians, and digital artists.

The move also aligned GlamFest more closely with Cardiff's growing media sector. By hosting graduate exhibitions, networking events, and recruitment activities at ATRiuM, the university created stronger links between students and employers while reinforcing Cardiff's reputation as a center for digital creativity. Independent announcements from Animation World Network likewise noted that later GlamFest events incorporated graduate recruitment activities within the new ATRiuM facilities, reflecting the festival's increasingly professional orientation.

GlamFest's Audience

Although GlamFest celebrated student achievement, its audience extended far beyond family members and university staff.

Typical attendees included:

  • Animation studio executives
  • Visual effects professionals
  • Game developers
  • Television producers
  • Motion graphics specialists
  • Recruiters
  • Industry journalists
  • Prospective students
  • University alumni
  • Creative professionals from across Wales and the United Kingdom

This diverse audience helped create an atmosphere that resembled a professional industry conference as much as an academic exhibition. Students not only screened their work but also developed valuable professional contacts, received feedback from experienced practitioners, and learned about emerging trends in animation and digital production.

For employers, GlamFest offered an efficient opportunity to identify talented graduates before they entered the broader job market, making the event an important recruitment venue as well as a celebration of student achievement.

Press Coverage and Industry Recognition

Although GlamFest was organized by an academic institution, it received attention from organizations well beyond the university itself. The festival appeared in industry calendars and event listings published by professional animation organizations, helping to raise its profile among studios, educators, and prospective students. Animation World Network (AWN), one of the animation industry's best-known publications, listed GlamFest and the Glammies as significant events within the professional calendar, highlighting the festival's conference sessions, graduate showcase, and recruitment opportunities. This independent coverage demonstrated that GlamFest had become more than a local student exhibition—it was recognized as a noteworthy event within the UK animation community.

The website itself also served as an ongoing news portal, announcing faculty achievements, graduate awards, course rankings, and industry partnerships throughout the year. These updates reinforced the impression that GlamFest represented an active and evolving creative community rather than a single annual celebration.

Cultural Significance

GlamFest emerged during a transformative period for both Welsh higher education and the United Kingdom's creative industries.

Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, animation, computer graphics, visual effects, and digital games experienced rapid expansion. Productions increasingly relied on sophisticated computer-generated imagery, while video games evolved into one of the world's fastest-growing entertainment industries. Universities responded by developing specialized degree programs that combined artistic creativity with technical production skills.

Within Wales, GlamFest became a visible symbol of this transformation. It showcased not only student talent but also the country's growing role in animation, television, and interactive media. By bringing together educators, employers, graduates, and internationally recognized studios, the festival helped demonstrate that Welsh institutions could compete with established creative schools elsewhere in the United Kingdom and internationally.

The event also encouraged collaboration between academia and industry at a time when employers were seeking graduates with practical production experience. Rather than treating education and employment as separate worlds, GlamFest created opportunities for direct interaction through portfolio reviews, networking sessions, presentations, and recruitment activities.

Why GlamFest Mattered to Students

For many participants, GlamFest represented their first opportunity to present work before respected industry professionals.

Students could:

  • Screen their animated films before professional audiences.
  • Receive feedback from experienced artists and studio representatives.
  • Meet recruiters from leading animation, television, and game companies.
  • Learn about career paths directly from successful alumni.
  • Observe current production techniques and emerging technologies.
  • Build professional networks before graduation.

The Glammie Awards added another level of motivation. Recognition from judges representing companies such as DreamWorks Animation, Aardman Animations, Rare Ltd., Glassworks, and Siriol Productions carried significant weight within the animation community and provided graduates with valuable credentials as they entered the job market.

The Decline of GlamFest.net

Like many event-focused websites from the early internet era, GlamFest.net eventually ceased operating as an active portal.

Several factors contributed to this transition:

  • The relocation of animation programs to the new ATRiuM campus.
  • Organizational changes within the University of Glamorgan.
  • The 2013 merger creating the University of South Wales.
  • The migration of university communications to newer institutional websites.
  • The increasing use of social media and digital marketing platforms to promote student work and university events.

Although the standalone website disappeared, much of its content survives through archived versions preserved by the Internet Archive. These historical snapshots document speaker lineups, award winners, event schedules, news releases, and photographs, preserving an important record of Welsh animation education during a period of rapid growth.

Legacy

Today, GlamFest is remembered less as a website than as an influential chapter in the history of animation education in Wales.

Its legacy can be seen in several lasting achievements:

  • Helping establish the University of Glamorgan as one of the UK's leading institutions for animation and computer animation.
  • Building strong relationships between higher education and the creative industries.
  • Providing students with direct access to internationally respected animation professionals.
  • Showcasing graduate work to recruiters from major film, television, visual effects, and game studios.
  • Celebrating alumni who went on to successful careers throughout the global entertainment industry.
  • Contributing to Cardiff's emergence as an important center for creative media education.

Many graduates highlighted through GlamFest subsequently worked on internationally recognized productions for film, television, advertising, and video games. Their achievements remain one of the festival's most enduring measures of success.

 

Although GlamFest.net existed for only a relatively short period, its impact reached well beyond its archived webpages. The site documented an ambitious educational initiative that successfully connected university students with some of the world's most respected animation studios and creative professionals. Through the annual Glamfest New Media Show and the Glammie Awards, the University of Glamorgan demonstrated its commitment to preparing graduates for careers in an increasingly competitive creative industry.

The combination of internationally recognized speakers, professional judging panels, industry recruitment, award-winning student work, and independent recognition through Skillset accreditation and 3D World rankings established GlamFest as one of the most significant university-based animation showcases in the United Kingdom during the mid-2000s.

Today, the archived pages of GlamFest.net offer more than nostalgic snapshots of past events. They provide a valuable historical record of a period when Welsh animation education gained international recognition, Cardiff emerged as a major creative hub, and a generation of students began careers that would take them into some of the world's leading animation studios, visual effects companies, and game developers. For anyone interested in the history of animation education in Wales, GlamFest remains an important and fascinating piece of that story.

 



GlamFest.net