Guest Speaker - University of Hertfordshire

littleclaude

Hello

The University of Hertfordshire is looking for industry guest speakers to talk on any Wednesday 1-2pm from now until mid May 2013. If you are interested then give me a PM and I will book you in.

Showreel - http://uhanimation.co.uk/showreel-2d3dvfxgamesart-digital-animation/

Talks normally last 45 minutes and then we have a little Q&A. If you wish to stay longer then you are welcome to come before and or after the talk where you are welcome to help out in the students professional practice lesson. We are based 22minutes train ride from St Pancras International/Kings Cross central London.

We are happy to have any subject covered at any level from junior up. If you have strong academic standing, award winning books, lots of Ph.D’s, over 20 honorary doctoral degrees then that’s a bonus but really not essential, students see practitioners as rock stars the philistines! so just being here and talking to them really does make them very very happy.


- Character Animation
- Motion Capture
- Visual FX
- Environment Modelling
- Character Modelling
- Technical Art
- Technical Animation (Rigging, etc)
- Cutscene Animation
- Facial Capture

This might help you make your mind up about coming to talk to the students, quotes from the Industry about the University of Hertfordshire Courses.

Jolyon Webb | Art Manager | Blitz Games Studios
“We found the University of Hertfordshire students well-informed and focused; we were impressed with what we saw.”
http://www.blitzgames.com/

John Laws | Head of Art | Frontier
“UH is one of the few Universities teaching the correct fundamental skills required by the games industry – you have the right mix of traditional theory and cutting edge digital art creation, and understand that the tech is a tool rather than the end in itself. I’m impressed.”
http://www.frontier.co.uk/

Ian Yarwood-Lovett | Lionhead | Franchise Art Director | Microsoft Games Studio
“Visiting the UHanimation course was a real eye opener for me; the quality of work produced coupled with the enthusiasm of the students makes this course one we’ll be watching very closely in the future.”
http://www.lionhead.com/

Louise Ridgeway | Head of Animation | Rare Ltd | Microsoft Games Studio
‘What a pleasure it has been visiting the University of Hertfordshire for film day again this year. They again proved that they are one of the top uni’s for the industry at the moment, with another outstanding show of effort and commitment by a great bunch of enthusiastic students. A diamond in the rough.’
http://www.rare.net/

Tara Saunders | Studio Art Manager | Sony Computer Entertainment | London Studio'
"The University of Hertfordshire has provided our studio with some talented graduates in recent years. It's definitely one of the courses to watch for upcoming talent"
http://www.scee.presscentre.com/

Hans Bacher, Art Director For Disney
“Great student films, and a great showreel! you have some very talented students”.
http://www.disneyanimation.com/

Shelley Page, Dreamworks.
"The animation students I met at Hertfordshire were both talented and articulate with some very good work - and I'm looking forward very much to seeing the completed final projects this year"
http://www.dreamworksanimation.com/

Aidan Gibbons, Senior Visual Effects artist, The Mill London "The University of Hertfordshire’s Visual Effects work really impressed us on the live projects we ran with them; we feel that their students are the ones to watch at graduation time."
http://www.themill.com/

CLICK HERE TO SEE a Polycount thread about our courses BA,MA & PhD and a little about out institution.

Here are some examples from past years talks and debates.

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P.S. If this help, 3DWorld wrote a nice article on the top places to study 3D in the world, here we are next to some fantastic institutions, we feel very proud and honoured just being on the same page as Cal Arts, Supinfocom and Gnomon.



I just wanted to thank Polycount and the following companies for getting in contact and helping the future talent.

Frontier Developments,

Crytek

Blitz

Splash Damage

Rock Steady Studios

Eurocom

Sony Cambridge

MephistonX

might just be me - but none of these are loading...

ahtiandr

yeah. Cant see any pictures

littleclaude

All fixed, teaches me for posting at 1am

littleclaude

Thank you

Frontier Developments,

Crytek

Splash Damage

I love polycount, keep them coming please

d1ver

I don't suppose you're going to fly someone all the way from Canada?)

And in any case thumbs up for the initiative

littleclaude

d1ver wrote: »

I don't suppose you're going to fly someone all the way from Canada?)

And in any case thumbs up for the initiative

Not just yet, maybe one day, more resources and staff is coming our way all the time due to the great students coming through the door, 800 applicants for 78 places on the course.

If you are ever in the UK and fancy a bus mans holiday then give me a buzz

d1ver

Thank you very much LittleClaude, I'll make sure to do so. All the more reasons to visit UK. I know my GF would totally love to, so who knows

I'm happy you have so many people wanting to get in. That's a great proof of you guys doing a lot of things right. keep up the good work:)

littleclaude

You could tell your boss that your game needs to go on display at Eurogamer

wink wink nudge nudge......party time in London.

http://www.eurogamer.net/expo/

d1ver

Ha-ha-ha:D that would be so awesome and I totally could, but it usually helps when your game is at least announced.)
But I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for future London parties...ugh, I mean events!

littleclaude

Thanks you

Rock Steady Studios

Eurocom

seth.

Hey littleclaude.

I would be interested, but I'm not for two reasons, firstly as you mentioned in your other thread the uni doesn't take into account learning difficulties when looking at grades for admission and I couldn't support any organisation that discriminates in that manner let alone an arts based course. Secondly I fear that if I did sign up that you would throw my studio name in this thread as though I had their official backing and support ....something that I'm not keen on.

Best of luck with it anyway chap, its just not for me I'm afraid.

Andreas

Uneccesary Seth, not sure what you are trying to achieve there. I don't see the problem with publicly thanking studios for helping out.

seth.

And l have no issue with a studio helping at all, but if an artist does this of their own accord I don't agree with their place of work being posted up as though they are endorsing the course. If i got the wrong end of the stick then i apologize, but to put out the call for individuals and then list a bunch of companies just gives me that impression.

Andreas

I am absolutely sure an employee would require his companies permission and blessing to take the day off to be a guest speaker and train future prospective hires. So yes, I assume you got the wrong end of the stick.

seth.

I would have thought that thanking the individual for taking the time to do it rather than their studio would be more appropriate in that case, but I guess that a list of names doesn't sound as impressive a list of studio's does it...hence I have no interest in doing it as I don't want to be seen as representing the studio and the pressure that would bring to not do something daft (which I probably would)

sheckee

I think it's more to show prospective students the studios in which people are coming from to teach. It just helps them sell the course more Seth. I understand why you wouldn't want that though; It makes sense from both sides

littleclaude

seth. wrote: »

Hey littleclaude.

I would be interested, but I'm not for two reasons, firstly as you mentioned in your other thread the uni doesn't take into account learning difficulties when looking at grades for admission and I couldn't support any organisation that discriminates in that manner let alone an arts based course. Secondly I fear that if I did sign up that you would throw my studio name in this thread as though I had their official backing and support ....something that I'm not keen on.

Best of luck with it anyway chap, its just not for me I'm afraid.

I think you got the wrong end of the stick Seth, I was talking about the UK grade point entry system into Universities?



I was saying it is a shame about the grade point entry system in the UK as to get onto our course the UK government have made it that students have to have grades higher then C Maths and English and have 280 points. This makes it hard for dyslexic students which have been some of our best students to date, and I mean like the very best by a long way.



Also I have spent days in debate with government and management over the summer and as a result I may be able to select a few that have outstanding artistic talent over grades but this is obviously a very contentious issue that will be ongoing for some time.



I would be happy to pass on your thoughts to the higher powers in UK policy on how to resolve the issue. It would have some weight coming from industry rather than myself who worked for over a decade in the industry but I am now growing cobwebs as this is my 5th year lecturing.

littleclaude

And thank you Sony Cambridge

littleclaude

seth. wrote: »

I would have thought that thanking the individual for taking the time to do it rather than their studio would be more appropriate in that case, but I guess that a list of names doesn't sound as impressive a list of studio's does it...hence I have no interest in doing it as I don't want to be seen as representing the studio and the pressure that would bring to not do something daft (which I probably would)

I have no idea which individuals the companies are sending but as soon as they come I will ask the guest speakers in person when they arrive if I may publicly thank them on relevant forums so they get just deserved recognition.

If they wish to have no praise and are doing it off their own back then I will respect that as well. Most of the time people have to go through PR before coming to give a talk and the power points are vetted to make sure nothing gets leaked. Sometimes the speaker says things “like the studio have given me permission to show you this but please no photos or sharing the information.” So far our students have been mature enough to respect their wishes but if I ever found out any different then that, then the student would soon find that they are having an official warning. Also if that is the case no videos would come out of the talk until the game is published.

Seth, I hope that clear's up those matters and I have not put you off coming to give a talk in the future, you're a fantastic artist and one the students would love to hear what you have to say.

littleclaude

Hello, we would love any small indie games development studios. Maybe the students might be able to help you guys out?