Date: Wednesday 14 November – 10.30am-5.30pm
Venue: National Media Museum, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK, BD1 1NQ

Animation remains a key creative medium for the film and television industry. With the ever increasing diversification and expansion of multimedia platforms and global markets animation has been a key medium in particular in relation to television channels such as Cartoon Network. The global appeal for animation has opened larger markets beyond the domestic front, leading to broader international appeal for animated content and secondary merchandising. The success of British studios such as Cosgrove Hall, Hot Entertainment and Aardman are examples of the creative dynamism of British animation studios. Aardman also present another particular example of animation studios in relation to the conservation and archiving of non-filmic material. In 2005 the release of the first Wallace and Gromit feature film was overshadowed by a fire at the studios archive which led to the loss of a significant amount of original puppets, sets and artwork. The loss of these artefacts has been seen by many as not just a loss for the studio but also for the cultural and social history of animation. Within the United Kingdom alone significant examples of animation heritage has been lost and continues to decay. The symposium offers the opportunity for those involved and connected with animation directly or indirectly to establish a platform in which to discuss and to drawn together examples of best practice for the conservation and archiving of animation.

The symposium aims to bring together representatives from the creative industries (particularly animation and game design studios), museums, archives, academia, conservation to discuss the future of conserving and archiving animation. The event offers the opportunity to debate the need to conservative animation in relation to wider cultural heritage, historical and academic interest and how this can be balanced in relation to the commercial reality of the animation studio.

Keynote Speakers

Professor Paul Wells is a leading researcher and writer on the history, theory and creative practice relating to animation. He is currently the Director of Animation in the Animation Academy at Loughborough University School of Art & Design. Mette Peters (Netherlands Institute for Animation Film) will discuss the findings of their research for their forth coming book “Animation Archives”

Tom Vincent is the Archivist at Aardman Animations. He is the first archivist to be employed by Aardman, where he is currently developing archive strategies and procedures.

Andy Wyatt is a practising animator working as creative director of Fictitious Egg (which he established in 1997) in Bristol and a series director at Aardman Animations. He is currently course leader for Digital Animation at Falmouth. Vivien Halas is a practising graphic designer and manages the Halas & Batchelor Collection which represents over fifty years of her parents, John Halas and Joy Batchelor, creative output.

Rate: £40 or £20 for BAF delegates – includes tea/coffee and lunch

Reserve your place on line at www.baf.org.uk or by phone 0870 70 10 200

10.30 Registration + Coffee
11.30 Welcome
11.50 Introduction – Jim Walker
12.20 Key Note Speech – Paul Wells and Mette Peters
1.30 Lunch
2.30 Andy Wyatt
3.00 Tom Vincent
3.45 Vivien Halas
4.30 Coffee
5.00 Panel Discussion and Round up
5.30 Close