Award winning animated tribute to the Transporter

Animation students at Teesside University have unveiled short films celebrating the 100th anniversary of Middlesbrough’s iconic Transporter Bridge.

The films were produced through a partnership with the BBC, which set the challenge to around 80 students to create films with the theme Bringing the Bridge to Life.

Around 15 films celebrating the centenary of the Transporter Bridge were submitted as part of the students’ work on two degrees, BA (Hons) Computer Animation and BA (Hons) Computer Character Animation.

The students pitched their ideas towards the end of last year to a judging panel comprising Chris Williams, head of animation and visual effects in the University’s School of Computing, BBC Tees Breakfast and Boro match day presenter Alastair Brownlee, and BBC Outreach senior producer, Helen Amess.

The winning team has now been named as Emil Bachvarov, Matt LeFevre, Karl Marshall, Florent Rubio and Xin Zhao.

Speaking on behalf of their teammates, Florent, 23, from France and Xin, 21, from China, both second year BA (Hons) Computer Character Animation students, said they were thrilled to have won.

Florent said: 'We did a lot of research about the buildings around the bridge and in the town as we wanted to bring them to life in the film.

'I decided to come here to study after hearing a lecturer from Teesside speak at my college in France. The degree has been really good and I’m hoping to pursue a career in animation.'

Xin said: 'We made an animated storyboard and researched the Transporter, looking at its history. We’re all really please to have won the BBC award.'

She added: 'I’d been studying fine art in China and wanted to combine this with computing, to bring the two together, which the course at Teesside has enabled me to do.'

Chris Williams said: 'We have students in the School of Computing from all over the world and this project has helped them to understand how important Teesside's industrial past is to the development of the whole country.

'During their research for the project students visited the Dorman Museum and other facilities such as Teesside Archives to immerse themselves in the town's history. It brilliant that they’ve created animated films to demonstrate the town’s past, using the art of something which will be part of the town’s future.'

He added: 'Working to a live brief like this really helps to motivate students, so if there are any companies or organisations out there who would like to work with us on projects next year, we'd love to hear from them.'

Helen Amess said: 'We were really impressed by the animated films produced by the students. Involving them in the Transporter's centenary celebrations has provided a real opportunity for them to showcase their work, while celebrating an iconic part of the town’s history.'

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View the winning film