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Atomic Fiction to Feature at the University of Ulster

28 July 2011

A highly acclaimed, California-based visual effects studio will bring its tech-savvy talents and production expertise to the University of Ulster on Monday August 1.


Building upon past experiences working on award-winning, blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, War of the Worlds, Harry Potter and Superman Returns, Atomic Fiction has created a modernised model for top-end work using up-to-date technologies.

The company specialises in cutting edge, visual effects for today’s highly charged entertainment landscape and its most recent projects include Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill and Michael Bay’s Transformers 3.

And next Monday Atomic Fiction experts will be distilling their experience, skills and tricks of the trade and concentrating them into an exciting and informative seminar at the University’s Belfast campus.

The event is open to the public and should appeal to anyone interested in visual effects – producers, line managers, production assistants, animators, artists, programmers, software developers and students.

Greg Maguire, Professor of Animation at Ulster (pictured), said: “Atomic Fiction’s seminar is a wonderful opportunity to hear, first hand, what it takes to have a career in this industry from one of the best visual effects companies in the world.

“In collaboration with the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland Screen and the Skillset Media Academy, Atomic Fiction will also follow up the seminar with a four-day series of master classes, aimed at highly motivated individuals.

“These classes will form part of the University’s new animation programme, which is geared towards the needs of Northern Ireland’s digital industries and creative talent.

"And if anyone is interested in following a career in computer animation or wants to up-skill using industry standard software, we are offering Maya Foundation Studies in part-time mode in September 2011.

“In 2012 the University will also be offering a BDes Hons Design for Interaction and Animation and an MFA in Computer Animation.

"Two of Atomic Fiction’s top names, Kevin Baillie and Laura Livingstone, will host the free Visual Effects Pipeline Seminar in the Conor Lecture Theatre at the Belfast campus on August 1 from 11am until 5pm."

Kevin Baillie is President, Visual Effects Supervisor and Co-founder of the company and has supervised work on numerous films including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Superman Returns, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, A Christmas Carol and Hellboy.

Laura Livingstone, a former Production Coordinator at Northern Ireland Screen, relocated to California in 2005 and joined Atomic Fiction last year, where she is responsible for production, sales and marketing coordination.

She has worked on a number of films, commercials and TV series including Iron Man 2, Transformers 3 and Jack and Jill and is actively supporting the development of the visual effects and animation industry in Northern Ireland.

Laura also continues to organise collaborative projects between the experienced team at Atomic Fiction and a number of Northern Ireland’s local artists.

The seminar is being sponsored by the University of Ulster and Northern Ireland Screen. No registration is required and entrance is free. 

Background notes Founded in 2010, Atomic Fiction is a combination of world-class talent and groundbreaking technology.

The studio specialises in visual development of content, digital characters and effects for today’s biggest blockbuster films, animated features and commercials.

With a team of talented artists behind them, they have forged new ways to experiment, innovate and create by utilising cloud computing, low overhead and a generalist approach.