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Double Oscar winner attends University Animation Festival

Two-time Academy Award winner Phil Tippet will be helping to bring a touch of Hollywood to Middlesbrough as a confirmed guest at the University of 海角直播鈥檚 international animation conference early next year.

Phil Tippet has over 20 years experience in film animation and won Oscars in recognition of his work on the blockbusters The Return of the Jedi and Jurassic Park. He is also the founder and president of the USA-based Tippet Studio and has worked on Starship Troopers, RoboCop, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. Held on Thursday 31 January and Friday 1 February 2002, Animation 2002 is the University鈥檚 third annual celebration of all things animation and is the focal point for Middlesbrough鈥檚 Animex International Festival of Animation - a four day animation extravaganza in Middlesbrough town centre and local schools.

Chris Williams, Principal Lecturer in Computer Animation and co-organiser of Animation 2002, said: 鈥淭he whole festival is a celebration of what makes animation such a great art form. It is a fantastic way for the public to learn more and for people within the industry to meet and make new contacts. With animation being used in most Hollywood effects-heavy films, it鈥檚 clear that it isn鈥檛 just kid鈥檚 entertainment and we鈥檙e proud to have leading animation experts attending the event.

鈥淪ecuring Phil Tippet鈥檚 commitment was a major coup for us as he is simply one of the most influential, famous and in-demand animators in the world today. When Stephen Spielberg has your home phone number, you must be doing something right!鈥�

Partnered by Middlesbrough Council, which will be taking animation workshops to local schools the University will be hosting screenings, workshops and lecturers.

Confirmed guests at Animation 2002 include:

Phil Tippet, whose work has been seen in many Hollywood films
Paul Driessen, multi-award winning animator from Holland
Bill Plympton, an independent filmmaker responsible for many animated short films and several feature films

The Festival will also include free screenings of some of the best British animation as it hosts the 鈥楤ritish Animation Awards Public Choice Screenings鈥� at the University鈥檚 cinema, while the workshops will cover traditional animation techniques and practice as well as newer developments such as three dimensional and two dimensional computer animation.

The University of 海角直播鈥檚 Animation 2002 Festival will be held on Thursday 31 January and Friday 1 February. Other Animex events will take place in and around the town from Wednesday 30 January to Saturday 2 February.

Cost per ticket: 拢85 for a two-day conference pass
Concessions: 拢45 for a two-day conference pass (students and unwaged)

The Animex web site (www.animex.org.uk) is now live and contains full details of the entire festival, including a complete programme of events and an on-line ticket purchasing system.

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