SWGfL is organising a regional Film Animation Competition across the south west at the end of 2008/9.  There will be three categories: KS1, KS2 and Special. Entries from schools will first go forward to your local authority event, and then on to regional finals. To support teachers with this, we have funded full day animation workshops for teaching staff with Oscar Stringer. Click here for information on how to book a place on the training, in your local authority.

We have arranged for Oscar Stringer to run a full day film animation workshop in each local authority. Oscar will go through the technical aspects of animation, especially sound; techniques that ensure success when using animation with children and lots of advice gained from years working in this creative medium. He proposes using, as far as possible, the particular equipment that the the teacher uses in school to teach with, so teachers should bring this with them to the workshop. Teachers will work collaboratively, in the same way as children in the classroom will do. The course is not just for teachers new to animation, there will be many opportunities to reflect on current practice and improve in an approach to teaching with animation. Oscar is based in the south west and has run many of his hugely enjoyable workshops with south west teachers. See his Animation for Education website for more details on how he works.

Find out more about all the Regional Film Animation Competition and the resources available from our partners TAG Learning, Kudlian, TTS, 2Simple and Newplast Products at our competition minisite.

Junior animators and film makers from schools across North Somerset flocked last night to the Winter Gardens for a glittering awards ceremony. All in evening dress, and joined by parents, teachers and professionals from the industry, they were in for a treat of an evening. With entries on a history theme this year, the audience were entertained with a wealth of different animation styles, ranging from the Titanic Disaster to David Beckham’s Career. St Andrews School, Congresbury won the KS2 award with their very amusing Life of Van Gogh. Local radio covered the event and a camera crew from Points West filmed the day. Watch the films here. With generous sponsorship and support from Aardman and Dreamworks, as well as TAG, RM and other suppliers, the winners took away fabulous prizes, including Apple laptop first prizes. Apple were there too. Anybody who is anybody in animation, it seemed, was there! Congratulations to the organisers and all who took part.