Visual Effects Artist guru Simon Brown who was Senior Artist on Star wars III, Avatar, Matrix Revolutions, & Transformers II feature films, visited the Institute of Technology Tralee recently as a guest lecturer to speak with animation students. Simon Brown gave an intensive workshop to students within the area of Visual Effects and Compositing Live action with 3D.

Simon spoke to students about how Ireland is now an international hub for animation and global industry leader.

Simon Brown has experience of working with major film studios Paramount, Universal & Pinewood while also working global brands such as Apple, Audi, Cisco, Lyft, Blue Moon, Blackberry, Gatorade, Microsoft and Mercedes as a visual effects artist.

Ireland is facing a shortage of skills within the animation sector. There are extensive job opportunities within the animation industry and he expressed that many companies are finding it extremely difficult to fill these positions. Simon said, “We are now in a situation where the industry has grown so quickly that we have to search internationally for graduates equipped with the skills to be successful in the animation industry.”

The Institute of Technology, Tralee offers a pioneering B.A. (Hons) in Animation Visual Effects & Motion Design, which equips students with the hybrid skills required for the many employment opportunities in Ireland and abroad. Course content within this programme has been designed with extensive input from industry animators including Simon Brown, in order to make sure graduates have the skills that employers need. Our degree is designed to foster creative talent in a technology-driven environment, enabling our students to design and develop animation content while working with the latest industry-standard software. Students get hands-on, practical, applied training, and an appreciation of relevant theories underpinning the evolution of animation, visual effects and motion design.

The Dingle Animation festival, which is organised by Maurice Galway, is one of the largest animation festivals in Europe and is right on our doorstep. This festival offers fantastic opportunities for our students at the Institute of Technology Tralee.

It provides a major platform for our students to meet with the industry giants in the animation sector worldwide making the IT Tralee the perfect place to study animation.

For further information regarding the BA Hons in Animation Visual Effects & Motion Design please contact the programme leaders Marty.Boylan@staff.ittralee.ie or Rosie.Dempsey@staff.ittralee.ie