Ray Harryhausen animates Teesside

Movie legend Ray Harryhausen, the Oscar-winning pioneer behind the monster-effects of Jason & The Argonauts, Clash of the Titans, One Million Years BC and Sinbad & the Eye of the Tiger, will deliver a special public talk about his career at the University of Teesside on Wednesday 28 January 2004, 6.30pm - 8pm. The talk is free of charge.

Ray Harryhausen, 83, delivered the keynote address for 2001’s Animex conference, Middlesbrough’s annual celebration of animation and in 2002 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University in recognition of his achievements in the movies. His talk in January will be a curtain raiser to 2004’s Animex event at the University. Animex 2004, held from Monday 26 - Friday 30 January 2004, will feature talks from industry experts, special screenings, community animation events and much, much more. Along with Ray Harryhausen, previous speakers at Animex have included Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, Phil Tippett, the animator behind the original Star Wars trilogy Jurassic Park, Starship Troopers and the RoboCop films, and Jason Schleifer, Lead Animator on The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Ray Harryhausen will be discussing his amazing career, from his early days of experimenting with stop-motion animation in his parent’s garage, right up to his final film, Clash of the Titans. There will also be the opportunity to ask this legendary special effects pioneer questions at the end of the lecture. Want to know what he thinks of computer effects or what he sees in store for animation in ten years time? Then come along and ask him yourself!

Places at Ray Harryhausen’s talk, held at the Centuria Building, Victoria Road, Middlesbrough, will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

For further information (including location map), contact: Sarah Buckley, University of Teesside Alumni Officer, on 01642 384255, e-mail: s.buckley@tees.ac.uk

Speakers at 2004’s Animex will be announced in the future. To find out more about last year’s event, visit: www.animex.net

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