Following the overwhelmingly positive response to our Summer edition of BAM, Skwigly Online Animation Magazine, Rumpus Animation and Sun & Moon Animation will be returning to the King Street Brew House for our next Bristol Animation Meetup on September 28th.
This time around things will be a little different, as eventgoers can schedule in one-to-one chats with local animation professionals spanning a variety of industry roles, who will be on hand to offer any advice, feedback, guidance or just have a friendly natter.
10 minute slots are available between 7pm and 8:30pm on a first-come, first-served basis and can be requested via email: bristol.animation.meetup@gmail.com
Otherwise it’s business as usual, so come on over to catch up with friends new and old, clink glasses, mend rifts and spin yarns. BAM welcomes all members of the Bristol animation community, professionals, students, hobbyists and enthusiasts alike.
See you on the 28th!
INDUSTRY GUESTS
LOUIS JONES
Louis Jones is the Co-founder/Creative Director of Sun & Moon Animation, an award-winning and creative-led, full-service animation studio, that has been producing animation with character since 2008. Louis has worked in animation for over 20 years, starting out as 2D generalist for the likes of Aardman and A Productions. Louis oversees all of the younger audience content at the studio and helps guide the studio strategically and showcase the company at industry events and markets.
During his career, he has directed hours of animated content for BBC Bitesize, Saturday Night TV spots for BBC One, Global TV adverts for Clarks Shoes and bumpers for Fisher Price on Channel 5’s Milkshake. In 2018 he directed the 2D animation for 52 x 5” episodes of CBeebies’ Kit & Pup. Louis also directed the 2D animation across four lost episodes of Dr Who: The Macra Terror and helped to gain the studio a 2020 Best Animation RTS Award.
Louis wrote and co-directed a series of tips and advice animations for BBC Tiny Happy People. In 2022 he directed a series of 15 animations to help teach Phonics to EYFS school children for BBC Bitesize, writing several episodes, including two songs.
Louis has been a professional voice actor since 2005 and has supplied the voice of many characters across TV, short films, games and educational content, most notably as the lead character of Timmy the Lamb from CBeebies/Aardman’s Timmy Time. Louis was on the panel of judges for 'Best Voice Performance' at the 2022 British Animation Awards.
Key discussion areas:
- Portfolio/reel feedback
- Voice reels
JANE DAVIES
Jane Davies is a freelance animator and director who has been working in the animation industry for over 27 years.
Jane has worked on long-form and short-form projects for Aardman Animations, A Productions, Sun & Moon Studios, Rumpus Animation, BBC, BBC Worldwide, Reflective Films, TedED, World of Arthur Cox, Disney, The Brothers McLeod, Wonky Films and Daily Madness to name a few.
Her work has included The Tweenies, Robbie the Reindeer Hooves of Fire, Frankenstein's Cat, A Liar's Autobiography, Dr Who - Shada, and a music video for Anna Meridith.
More recently she has worked at Aardman as the Co-Director and Voice Director for Lloyd of the Flies, Aardman's new CG and 2D hybrid series that is playing on ITVX and around the world.
Jane has just completed a short series for Aardman as the Director that is due to premiere on YouTube in October.
Key discussion areas:
- 2D animator, editor, storyboard artist, animation director, director, and voice director as well as budgeting and scheduling long-form and short-form projects.
- Jane has also hired crew for many projects so can also help with any questions about the best ways to market yourself to companies.
BEN MITCHELL
Ben Mitchell (hey, that's me! Who'da thunk it) is a multi-disciplinary animation freelancer, independent filmmaker and industry writer. Alongside 15+ years of freelance experience in character animation, motion graphics and post-production (for CBeebies, Channel 4, WildBrain Spark, A Productions, Rumpus Animation, Shy Guys Studios, Slurpy Studios, Plymptoons, Animortal and Wonky Films among others), as an independent director he has made six multi-award-winning short animated films that have been screened at 200+ festivals and touring programmes across the world.
As an animation industry writer and researcher, Ben is the Editor in Chief of the UK’s largest animation industry resource Skwigly and author of the book Independent Animation: Developing, Producing and Distributing Your Animated Films (Taylor & Francis/CRC Press), whose Second Edition was published this year. Ben has also worked with and alongside many international industry events (including the British Animation Awards, Encounters, ITFS Stuttgart, Animafest Zagreb, Manchester Animation Festival, Cardiff Animation Festival and Fredrikstad Animation Festival) in a variety of capacities spanning preselection, jury participation, panel hosting and programming.
Key discussion areas:
- Skwigly is always on the look out for established and aspiring writers; Ben is happy to discuss the workings of the magazine and opportunities available to those interested in getting involved.
- Being self-employed in the animation industry
- Independent film production and distribution
- Navigating the contemporary animation festival landscape
JOANNA HEPWORTH
Joanna Hepworth has worked in the animation industry for 16 years, initially as a freelance 2D animator for studios including Aardman Animations, Sun & Moon Studios, World of Arthur Cox, Wildseed, Calling the Shots and Wonky Films.
For the past several years she has worked as a Director at A Productions in Bristol, with recent projects including the half-hour television specials Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets A Puppy and the 2023 Best Animation RTS Award-winning Sesame Street's the Nutcracker Starring Elmo & Tango as well as two series for Sesame Street with Sesame Workshop for HBO Max.
Working as a director, Jo is involved in all aspects of the pipeline, from scripts to music and everything in-between. Her daily roles see her working closely with all departments to guide the team and keep everyone on track creatively.
Key discussion areas:
- Jo is happy to discuss any aspects of working in the industry regarding animating or directing, for those who are just starting out or interested in specific insight into various roles within animation.
- Jo is also available to discuss/look at showreels and portfolios.
STEF BOWSKILL
Stef Bowskill began her animation career in Bristol at Aardman Animations in 2005. Working across stop-motion broadcast, commercial and feature productions, she has worked in feature development, model making and art departments. From Runner to Production Assistant and Coordinator, her credits include Creature Comforts USA, Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death and Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists.
In 2012 she joined the Art Department and VFX team producing the long running pre-school series Chuggington. Production was an international operation with teams in Shanghai, New York and Bristol.
After project managing a creative arts incubation programme at Falmouth University, Stef joined Rumpus Animation as Creative Producer in 2019. She manages client communications, proposals, budgets and schedules across a range of sectors. Her most recent work includes animation for Greenpeace International, Disney’s Illusion Island and Cbeebies YolanDa’s Band Jam.
Key discussion areas:
- Routes into production.
- What you can bring to different roles.
- CV review and interview preparation.
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