NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a short-film competition urging people to share their organ donation wishes with their family and friends. The competition, ‘Organ donation through A Lens’ will focus on the importance of having ‘The Donation Conversation’ and will culminate in the launch of National Transplant Week which runs 8 to 14 July. The winning film will encourage more people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and more crucially highlight the importance of talking to family and friends about your wishes. [More]

Shorts on Walls is back, and we want your animated short films to screen!

Animation Forum West Midlands' very own screening event, Shorts on Walls, gives West Midlands' animators and animation companies the chance to screen their latest animated efforts to their peers in a relaxed, bar atmosphere (where exactly will be announced closer to the time).

NTI Birmingham is launching a new two-day course that you might be interested in.

If you’re a graduate who’s currently or planning to be a broadcast freelancer and are looking to professionalise your career, then this course is perfect for you.

Animation Forum West Midlands has partnered with Young Animators West Midlands, a new community for younger animators and creatives founded by young AFWM member Nathan Wilkes. "Young Animators WM (YAWM) is a group set up by myself with the help of another local young animator Sam George," says Nathan, 16. "In setting up YAWM, we aim to help anyone under 16 years old to understand and participate in the excitement and joy of animation. [More]

Our Shorts on Walls screenings will be returning once more to this year's Flatpack Festival (14th-18th March 2012), which naturally means one thing: we need your animated short films sharpish.

Shorts on Walls gives Midlands animators and studios the chance to screen their latest animated works and mingle with fellow animators over a beverage of their choosing.

Long-time Animation Forum WM members, The Brothers McLeod recently picked up a BAFTA Children’s Award for their work on a BBC Learning animation.

AFWM caught up with writer of the duo, Myles McLeod for a quick chat about the win. 

"If there is no change, the UK’s animation sector is likely to continue to contract. More players will exit the business, and the survivors will gradually do a diminishing number of projects," according to a new report on the state of the British animation industry and the case for its support by Animation UK.

Animation UK was formed in 2010 to represent the UKs animation industry. They campaign for fairer trading conditions for UK animators and to help protect or increase the ownership if IP. Its aim is to work with the Government to get the best possible trading conditions for UK producers.

Red Bull is offering animators the chance to have their own creation showcased in cinemas nationwide.

Canimation is a nationwide, multi-genre, creativity contest to find undiscovered talent. Not only do animators get the chance to win a screening of their production, there are many more prizes up for grabs.
There are three categories of animation; stop-motion, CGI and drawn animation. In addition, there are two ways of entering the competition; student or ‘open’ route.