ANIMATION ACADEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Illustrator and Director )
Job Titles:
- Researcher, Loughborough University
Gill has been making and exhibiting her own ceramic design and sculptural work for over 30 yrs, alongside working freelance in the animation industry and part-time lecturing work. Notable freelance contracts have include working as a model-maker and specialist mould maker on film and TV projects including 'Chicken Run', 'Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were Rabbit', 'Creature Comforts', and 'Timmy Time' for Aardman Animations (1997 - 2010): and 'Gogs', 'Tales of the World and 'Canterbury Tales' for Aaargh Animations (1996 - 2000).
Part-time lecturing work and Visiting Lecturer projects has included working on BA and MA courses in Animation, Illustration and 3D Design at Worcester University, UWCN (Newport), PCAD (Plymouth), Wolverhampton University. In recent years she has been involved with ‘Animated Exeter', running workshops in model making and stop motion animation, particularly for ‘First Light' schemes for 16-25 yr olds wishing to take a first step into media industries. As an independent animator, Gill made two short animation films with a grant from S4C, under their ‘Short-Shorts' scheme: ‘Child's Play' (2000) and ‘In the Garden'(2001). Education: BA (1978) and MA (1995) in 3D Design - Ceramics undertaken at UWIC. Gill was awarded a studentship by the School of Art at Loughborough University and began full time PHD research in 2011.
Job Titles:
- Lecturer in Animation, Loughborough University
Melanie Hani's research investigates the effectiveness of the Animation process as a therapeutic, remedial and educational device for service users from statutory (health, education, social care, probationary services) and voluntary sector organisations, in particular with vulnerable, marginalised and socially excluded groups. Her work spanning 20 years has resulted in the development of a practical working model; The Good Heart Model (GHM).
Her work has been celebrated by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace for making a ‘significant contribution to local and national life'. She has won the NHS Innovation Award, and received a commendation by the Duke of Gloucester for her work with the bereaved and by Baroness Morris of Yardley for using animation to help children excluded from mainstream education. She has been awarded a Community Fellowship Award for working with children who are bereaved.
Hani has been a mentor for professionals working in participatory practice (Artworks) and has worked for such organisations as: the BBC, Redpath Productions, Tailwind Productions, Techniquest, Wrexham Arts Agency, Concept for Living. She is founder of HEART (Healing Education Animation Research Therapy), a member of the Animation Academy, ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d'Animation) and the SAS (Society for Animation Studies). She is a member of the Bradford Animation Festival (BAF) Steering Committee.