Animation by Chris Burden

I have played games on many different games consoles. I was fascinated by the way they had been designed. This interest developed while I was in Secondary School, but there was a lack of software in school and the teachers at school only taught I.T. The school’s career advisor was aware of the NMC and the types of computer study that were available there, and eventually I attended the NMC 1 day per week over a period of three years. It was here where my horizons widened! I became adept at designing and producing posters, leaflets etc. Upon leaving school I went to Hereward Residential F.E. College, which was primarily for disabled people. It was here where my graphic skills went to a new level, and I was working from briefs and working to deadlines. It was at Hereward that I got certificates in design and graphics.

I stayed at Hereward for three years. I have to say I enjoyed every minute of my time there, not only learning about graphics, but I learnt how to live independently, and the social life was excellent. After leaving Hereward I returned to my family home, and Knowsley Council appointed a social worker (Ruth Jones) to me. She persuaded me to continue my studies. I visited a few local F.E. colleges, Knowsley Community College and Hugh Baird College in the borough of Sefton. I chose Hugh Baird College because it had a wider range of courses that would add to my graphic skills. The course was Art & Design leading to a H.N.D. The course was a ‘condensed one year course’, but I completed it over two years. The reason why I completed the course over two years was because my work rate was quite slow due to my disability, and my tutor wanted to assess what equipment and software I could use to help me complete the course. It was the teaching assistant at Hugh Baird who got me to try creating animation. I produced a short animation and I also developed directing skills which was useful in producing diary type videos depicting everyday activities. I had to produce a portfolio of work in support of my H.N.D. At the end of the course all the students displayed their portfolios to the general public.

I went to Hugh Baird with no intention of doing a degree in Animation, but whilst on the course the tutors used gentle persuasion to get me to do the degree course. It helped that I enjoyed the H.N.D. Course in Art and Design, so I applied for an animation degree course at Edge Hill University.

One of the criteria for the degree course was G.C.S.E. in English language. I studied for this in parallel with my H.N.D. Course. I was accepted by Edge Hill onto the animation degree course. I lived on campus throughout my degree. I learnt how to produce animation to a professional standard and learnt how to write scripts and introduce the necessary elements that go into producing an animation.

For my final project I had to produce a promotional video for a company. So I contacted Matthew Lanham, the Chief Executive at the NMC, and discussed producing a video promoting the Centre and to install it on their website to attract new clients.

Upon Graduation I contacted Dee Valkering (Head of Training at the NMC) to suggest teaching my animation skills to any of her students who may have been interested in learning about the subject. I presented a ‘tester workshop’ to gauge the level of interest in the course, and there appeared to be a keen interest from the students. So now I am teaching one lesson per fortnight at the NMC!

My life at the NMC has come full circle from a student to a teacher! At the end of the course the students will have produced a ten seconds animation. Different students work at different paces, which is understandable, but all the students appear to enjoy being on the course.