Allingham Festival

I was unfortunately unable to attend this weeks lecture due to going to the Allingham Festival in Ballyshannon, So for this blog piece I have decided to write about my experience there and the things I have learnt. There was a lot of information being thrown at me that, from current and past students
on the the design course, as well as a comprehensive list of talks from tutors as well other people who in different fields of the industry. But I get to them later. Mean while I got the opportunity help some third years for do a workshop on stop motion animation for other students. This was my first time doing any animation and I understand that stop motion is kind of basic when it comes to animation so it wasn't hard to understand help out the students when it came to creating their animations.

After lunch we got stuck into a couple of talks, some from tutors from Magee like Anthony Hutton and Mark Cullen, then others from people from within different areas in the design industry. Mark was talking about his Dumbo in Donegal project where he is looking to bring investors/ producers and designer closer together. Creating a better community within the industry so that investor and producers can find the designers with the right skill set for their project within Donegal. But not only that the idea gives designers more creative freedom allowing them to choose what projects they would like to work on. Its a great idea and very grandiose one at that, I have also heard of Dan Luvisi (Creator of the comic Last.Man.Standing) trying to do the same in America. However

personally I'm not to sure how it would work out, I think when it comes to certain businesses money trumps creativity and I don't think that is going to change. Anthony's talk had this over arching theme that if machine makes is it still art. The type of thing if a designer designs a model to be 3D printed is it still the art. Which I think it is, I mean technology is a tool which we should utilise much in the same way a paint brush is a tool for Painter and nail gun is to a builder.

Later in the day we got listen to some more talks. There was a panel talking about how design is growing in Ireland and that we need to make more opportunities in order to make young designers who are finishing university stay in Ireland. I couldn't help but feel slightly cynical about what they were saying due my course being cut, not only that but a lot of the older course I have done either being cut or not fairing well due the lack of funds going to the education system these days.

However my favourite talk that we had was by Wes Sewell from Spin VFX about where he started in visual effects and how he got to where he is today. It felt like a lot it was him patting himself on the back but to be fair I don't think anyone won't if they had his career. He started off explaining about how when he was young he was fascinated by special and visual effects (Moive Magic) and how he got opportunities to work with the first ever version of photoshop. And with his comprehensive knowledge of movies and digital software he was able to make and supervise the visual effects for many films as well as working for directors such as Ridley Scott. It's quite amazing what some determination and a fascination for your own craft can bring you in life. While I'm still
undecided about want direction I want to take my life in (obviously in deisgn) it gives me a lot of motivation that if I work hard and maybe with a little bit of luck I could make a name for myself.

Overall the Allingham festival was a huge eye opener for me about what is going on in the design industry but where it might be heading in Northern Ireland.