Mark Wickham
Mark is Associate Professor and Programme Director for Games, Animation, VFX, and Creative Computing courses.
My work encompasses a range of artistic and technical creation practices, focusing on the design, sculpture, animation, and rigging of digital characters for game/film. I have over 15 years’ experience creating digital art and rely on an understanding of technical constraints in computing, combined with an enthusiasm for creative problem solving to enhance production methodologies.
The digital arts continue to develop at increasing rate given advances in science & technology. As such, I perpetually evaluate technique and process to inform teaching strategies, enhancing the student experience with erudition.
My research looks at the convergence of technology and anatomy to introduce a novel method of developing unique digital characters. Resulting processes aim toward an optimized, and highly efficient and production-ready pipeline, maintaining the highest level of creative freedom.
I have been able to directly influence course structure and its content from the outset. I also have been privileged to introduce VFX to the institution and continue to develop its’ integration to the Faculty of Media.
Practice
- June 2013: Co-ordination of NUA Faculty of Media Collaborative VFX project
- February 2012: PGCert in Teaching & Learning
- October 2012: ‘Arms Race: Escalation’ – Web series. Technical Director, Modelmaker, VFX Animator
- December 2011: Apple Certification Final Cut Pro 7 End User
- July 2011: www.ashens.com – VFX Animator
- Dec 2009 – Big Nerd Ranch iOS Programming boot-camp
- December 2008: ‘Charlie Brooker’s Screen Wipe’. BBC4 – Sculptor; replica ‘Noseybonk’
- December 2008: ‘Snails‘ – Viral Animation
- October 2008: Creative Norfolk Creative Industries Student Convention – Guest Speaker
- August 2008: ‘Go Elephants!’ – Viral Campaign; Technical Director, Modelmaker, Animator
- May 2007: ‘Under the Stairs’ short film – Director/Co-Writer/Animator; UK Film Council, Festival de Cannes, Cambridge Film Festival
- February 2005: Maxim ‘I Don’t Care’ – MTV Promo (Technical Director/ VFX Animator)
Other Activities
- December 2012 to date: – Member of Research Committee, NUA
- Feb 2012 to date: – External Examiner, BA (Hons) Animation, Hull College Group
- November 2011 – To date – UKIE Member