I had the great pleasure of returning to my old college yesterday. I studied animation at West Surrey College of Art from 1989 to 1992, back when the course was run by Roger Noake. We were lucky to have many visiting lecturers, including Emma Calder, Gillian Lacey and Margit Rüminnen, to name just a few. I met some wonderful classmates there who later went on to work in film, such as Darren Walsh, Helen Brunsdon and Vivienne Jones.
They were great days, right at the moment when so many animation institutions were just beginning to take shape. I still remember attending the 1989 Bristol Animation Festival and meeting people like John Lasseter and Nick Park, back when they had only made their first short films.
I also taught on the course in 1997/1998. I used to teach Robert Morgan who of course is the genius horror director. Trevor Hardy was there as well lot’s of lovely people who I see round and about.
Today the university is known as UCA Farnham, and I had the great pleasure of talking about my journey from animation into graphic novel writing to BA(hons) Animation students. The enthusiasm and creativity on campus were fantastic, and it was inspiring to see Farnham’s 50-year history continuing with such energy. It was a powerful day where I thought about the past and the present. Old friends. I remembered the butterflies I had in my stomach when I first had when I got off the train in 89. One student asked what advice would I have for my younger self? That question really got me thinking.
A big thank you to William Bishop-Stevens, Jim Le Fevre and Stephen Featherstone for inviting me. Check out more about UCA Farnham’s BA(Hons) Animation course here.
I wandered around the town to have a look and ended up outside my old house — 22 Abbey Street, Farnham. My bedroom was the top front window, where I spent countless hours working away on my early animations. Farnham hasn’t really changed all that much. When I lived there it was deep Tory heartland, and coming from the Socialist heartland of Liverpool was a bit of a shock. I still remember speaking to my local MP, Virginia Bottomley, in the street. She heard my accent, turned her back on me, and walked off. Class act.
Back then the street lights went out at 10pm. I’m not sure that still happens, and there’s even a fish and chip shop there now. One thing, though, has changed. My house used to look out onto the Lamb pub — that’s closed now, leaving Abbey Street looking more like 80s Liverpool than ever. It was strange and a bit funny to see it all boarded up.
Okay – so the next book event will be at the Overlap Animation Show and Tell in Birmingham. I will be show a film and will have some copies of Anfield Road which I can sell. Book tickets here.
In the meantime, fresh stock has just arrived in the Etsy shop. And yes, I can send you a signed copy to start off your year.
Click through to find out more, or head straight to the purchase page to see your options.
