The VFX Festival 2018

What's on?

Over three jam-packed days we will present the most dynamic and enterprising films, games and animations of the past year. The festival assembles industry leaders through a range of talks, workshops, panels and interactive exhibition spaces.

The VFX Festival will be housed in arts and cultural hub, Rich Mix in vibrant Shoreditch.

Escape Studios created the VFX Festival to support the creation and development of world-class, studio-ready talent for the VFX, Games and Animation industries. Escape’s degrees (undergraduate and postgraduate) and suite of short courses in VFX, Game Art, Animation and Motion Graphics are designed and delivered by industry professionals. Escape Studios’ 4000+ alumni spans some of the most celebrated and award winning names in the industry.

Diversifying the creative industries

As a wealth of changes take place in our industry, the 2018 festival theme, will focus on how all elements are diversifying and changing, to adapt to the future.

At the heart of the festival will be a series of discussions and demonstrations from the leading VFX, Gaming, Animation and Motion Graphic companies. Exploring new trends and changes in the use and application of technologies such as VR, AR & motion capture across VFX and games studios. Analysing how this impacts the skillset required for the next generation of VFX and gaming practitioners.

A series of panels, workshops and talks, will explore different sides of this diversification, from industry and education, to technology and broader cultural issues.

Schedule

The countdown is officially on; the VFX Festival is back for 2018, celebrating the very best and brightest in the creative industry, in London.

Spanning four floors over three jam packed days, the festival will feature dedicated interactive exhibition hubs, with exhibits from leading industry talent.

The schedule will include a series of headliner talks and showcases from across the VFX, animation, games and motion graphics sectors.

Stay tuned for further announcements, schedule updates and news.

Day 1 - VFX, Games and Animation Newcomers - 6th February 2018

Headliners

Framestore (VFX)

Framestore has worked with some of the greatest storytellers in film today. This exclusive talk on a new and upcoming 'secret' project, will explore how they bring this storytelling to life on the big screen. Get your wellies and your hat, this is one talk you won't want to miss! Further detail to be announced in December, watch this space!

Creative Assembly (Games)

Creative Assembly will be presenting at the festival. Led by their passion for quality gameplay, Creative Assembly are passionate about bringing stories to life and crafting some of the most renowned gaming experiences.

Wider range of workshops and key showcases

To be announced

Day 2 - VFX, Games and Animation Enthusiasts, Graduates and Professionals - 7th February 2018

Headliners

Framestore (VFX)

Presenting on a ‘top-secret’ project, Framestore is an Oscar-winning creative studio, dedicated to creating extraordinary experiences and combining world-leading craft and relentless creativity with tomorrow’s technology. Watch this space to find out more when further details are announced on this headline talk in December...

Wider partners who will be featuring include

MPC Film (VFX)

MPC’s VFX team lead worked alongside Director Ridley Scott to create more than 700 stunning shots for Alien: Covenant. As lead studio, MPC’s work included the creation of the movies terrifying creatures, alien environments, vehicles and complex FX simulation work. In the session Dan Zelcs will go into more detail about the work that went into the film to create the iconic creatures that appear in this prequel to Ridley Scott’s classic Alien series. The presentation will look at the artistic and technical challenges of bringing to life creatures including the Neomorph, a new addition that makes a debut appearance in this movie.

Cinesite (VFX)

Climax Studios (Games)

Blue Zoo (Animation)

Blue Zoo co-founder Tom Box and Director Ben Steer will be showing the studio's latest short film "Mamoon", created using projected CG animation onto miniature polystyrene sets. They will be speaking about how the project came about, the process by which it was made, and how their chosen medium both inspired and restricted the story and visuals.

Day 3 - VFX, Games and Animation Graduates and Professionals – 8th February 2018

Headliners

Creative Assembly (Games)

Creative Assembly will be presenting at the festival. Led by their passion for quality gameplay, Creative Assembly are passionate about bringing stories to life and crafting some of the most renowned gaming experiences.

Wider partners who will be featuring include

Fire Without Smoke (Games)

Director and VFX Supervisor Hugo Guerra talks about the making of the "The Walking Dead March to War", "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle" and "Heroes Arena" reveal trailers made by Fire Without Smoke.

DNeg (VFX)

Double Negative will once again be sharing behind-the-scenes insights into their incredible work at The VFX Festival 2018. Watch this space for confirmation of sessions and speakers from this multiple Academy Award winning VFX studio.

MPC Advertising (VFX)

REWIND

The Mill (VFX)

Venue

We're pleased to announce that we'll be back at Rich Mix for 2018! Did you know that it was once a vast leather factory, and was transformed into a multi-arts venue, all 62,000 feet of it, 11 years ago. Spread over five floors, and housing three cinema screens, there are a multitude of flexible performance spaces where Rich Mix work with both emerging and established artists, not to mention creative businesses, to support them to deliver and develop their artistic practice. It is truly a perfect venue to host The VFX Festival 2018.

Where is Rich Mix?

RichMix
35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road
London
E1 6LA

Partners

The VFX Festival 2018 will run in association with arts and cultural hub, Rich Mix in vibrant Shoreditch. Rich Mix is East London’s independent arts venue, currently celebrating its first 11 years in the capital. Having created a public space of welcome and inclusion, a place for the creative industries to thrive and for people to come together to make and experience world-class art, Rich Mix is committed to delivering excellent art to increasingly diverse audiences.