For nine hand-picked media graduates, the creative and physical journey from Wales to Budapest to Paris begins next week as the exclusive Transform@Lab cross-platform development programme is brought to life.
With MEDIA support and coordinated by Skillset Media Academy Wales, Transform@Lab is a 17 day programme which will take place over six months at three prestigious European media schools: The University of Wales, Newport; Maholy-Nagy University of Art & Design (MOME), Hungary; and Gobelins, L’École de L’Image, Paris.
The nine participants will travel to each of the host universities for an eclectic programme of masterclasses, development labs, networking events and studio visits, with hands-on support and mentoring from the leading names in new media practice.
“We are delighted to announce the participants selected for Transform@Lab”, said Skillset Media Academy Wales project manager, Anna-Lisa Jenaer, coordinator of the programme. “The graduates selected bring a wealth of different experiences and skills to the programme, from animation to scriptwriting to producing. The scheme was promoted through the UK-wide Media Academy network, and we are pleased to include five participants from the SMAW network in Wales.
“Nick Clackett and Miriam Lewis are skilled animation graduates from the University of Glamorgan. Also from an animation background is Richard Blades, a graduate of the University of Wales, Newport whose experience lies in stop-motion. Joining him from Newport Film School are Leyla Pope and Chiara Carbonara, who bring scriptwriting and live action experience respectively.
“From England we have selected Jake Hobbs, a talented animation graduate currently working for Wonky. From MOME, Budapest, we welcome two highly skilled animation graduates, Bella Szederkenyi and Kati Glaser, to the group. And from Gobelins, Paris, we have Francois Klein, whose background in producing will be an interesting addition to the group.”
The first week of the programme will take place at the impressive new City Campus, University of Wales, Newport, on Monday 20th June. Here, the participants will hear from some of the leading names in UK cross-platform development, including Iain Tweedale, BBC Interactive, Mark Taylor, former Head of Networked Media, Sky Movies, and Saint John Walker, Computer Games, Animation and Facilities manager, Skillset.
Aside from visiting new countries, the participants can look forward to working with the top multiplatform content creators in Europe, as well as making new contacts for future co-productions. Glamorgan BA Animation graduate, Miriam Lewis commented: “It goes without saying that to gain a job at the end of this programme would be excellent, but my priority is with gaining every bit of knowledge I can. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and visiting new places as well as learning about just what a cross-platform project means to this particular course and seeing what we can come up with as a team.”
Two lecturers from each university will play an active role in the four week-long sessions. Speaking on their behalf, programme leader for the BA Animation course at Newport Caroline Parsons said: “In the Transform@Lab, we have created a space where a diverse range of practitioners, trained in conventional media, can come together to explore new digital production and distribution methodologies. The applicants certainly fit the bill, coming from disciplines such as live action, stop motion, and 2D drawn animation.
“With input from professionals working in convergence media, who have a variety of experience in bringing media concepts to market, the students will work together in groups to develop prototypes, which will be pitched to a panel of judges at the end of the programme.”