Enterprise at Bucks - animated by Anton Alfimenko

Enterprise at Bucks is the department of our University which is dedicated to helping students learn real-life skills. Stuff like how to set up a business, how to invoice a client, and how to survive in the commercial world. Many of our students will launch their own freelance careers (even if they also have a day job) when they leave uni - and a good working knowledge of the realities of the marketplace is a vital tool for survival.

To help get their message across about how they can help our students, Enterprise at Bucks has created a short film to communicate clearly what it is that they do. The animation was done over the summer vacation by our very own Anton Alfimenko - now entering his second year of studies at Bucks. Scroll down to see the finished film.





Partnerships like this between staff and students are one of the many ways that we build on relationships within our university. It also helps to get our students experience on live briefs for clients. Every time you do a freelance job, you get better at it, and you gain a better understanding of what it takes to launch a freelance career.

Enterprise at Bucks

To see more about Enterprise at Bucks, and how they can help you start up your own small business (no business too small!) visit their page here.  You can also email Lydiah Igweh at Lydiah.Igweh@bucks.ac.uk


For more impressive work done by our students and recent graduates here at Bucks, check out the work of Jens Kopke,  Ben Gray's Moonbeam, and the architectural visualisations of Sabah Masood and Anton Alfimenko. Also take a look at the work of Andy Thomas here, see our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan. And don't forget to see the simulation work of our students done in RealFlow. To see our student demo reel, click here.

Bucks student wins prize for animated short

One of our first-year animation students recently won a prize at the Bristol Festival of Football Ideas, for a short film created here at Bucks.

Bucks animation student Anton "Alfy" Alfimenko was awarded a prize at the Bristol Festival of Football Ideas for "Super Fergie in 3D", his animated tribute to retired Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who appears as a video game character winning endless footballing triumphs. Anton's film, hosted at YouTube, scored over 300,000 hits, and won him international attention from fans of Manchester United. Now he has seen his work recognised by the judges of FOFI, the Festival of Football Ideas.

To see Anton's prize-winning film, click on the link below. And to find out more about Super Fergie, read our interview with Anton here.





Here at Bucks we encourage all our students to enter animation and film competitions whenever possible. Even if you don't win, you learn a huge amount by entering, and the mere fact of competing helps every artist to raise their game and strive to be the best.

To Anton, we offer our warmest congratulations, and we look forward to seeing what he does next. We have many talented students here at Bucks, competing at the highest levels in international competitions and in many disciplines around the world.

---Alex

(Editor's Note: For more impressive work done by our students and recent graduates here at Bucks, check out the work of Jens Kopke,  Ben Gray's Moonbeam, and the architectural visualisations of Sabah Masood and Anton Alfimenko. Also take a look at the work of Andy Thomas here, see our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan. And don't forget to see the simulation work of our students done in RealFlow. To see our student demo reel, click here.)
 

Student Showcase - Graphic Design and 3D Visualisations by Luke Winn

Treehouse project by Luke Winn

Luke Winn has just completed his studies at Bucks, specialising in graphic design, 3D models and architectural visualisations, and recently exhibited his best work at the Bucks end of year show. We asked him to talk about his work, and what he learned during his time at Bucks.

Design by Luke Winn

Bucks: What kind of work have you specialized in during your final year at Bucks, and what are you most proud of?

Luke: During my first two years at Bucks I did not really know what I wanted to specialise in, so heading into third year I definitely put some pressure on myself to decide. I really enjoy Graphic Design and I think that is what I feel I'm most effective doing. At the same time I enjoy 3D work as well; combining the two helped me to complete all three of my final year projects this year.

Out of all three, I am probably most proud of the Tree Pod. This project definitely combined both areas of interest I have.  I also created a brochure to advertise the Tree Pod itself, as a graphic design project.

Architectural visualisation by Luke Winn

Bucks: What software have you used to create it?

Luke: I used mainly 3DS Max to create the structure itself, using inspiration from other sources, mainly a similar treehouse I discovered online by Joel Allen named the "Hemloft" which I used as a major influence when designing an alternate version of a tree pod. I also used Photoshop to merge the object into the background image with a little help from fellow classmates Sabah Masood and Anton Alfimenko. I also created a small animation to show the construction of the pod from start to finish.
You can find that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqseVyzs-CI
Or better, yet, watch the video below:


Bucks: What have been the highlights of studying at Bucks?

Luke: Wow - there have been a lot! I took the role as student rep for our course during the last two years of the course. This worked out really well, as I felt like I could help make a difference when other students on our course had issues or questions. all in all it was a very good experience. I have made some excellent friends here at Bucks, and many I will keep in touch with for future projects. Also, I became so much more confident by working at my first real retail job during the last two years. There were so many more highlights - too many to list here.

Graphic Design by Luke Winn

Bucks: What sort of work do you hope to do now that you are about to graduate?

Luke: I think first I'm going to work on my portfolio, and then look for some graphic design work or some 3D design work whilst doing it. I also have a lot of side projects I'm going to work on, such as maybe filming some sketch comedy with others, as well as some small individual design projects.

Graphic Design by Luke Winn

Bucks: What advice would you give to a first student at Bucks to get the most out of their time at Uni?

Luke: University is such a change for some people, and it can be a struggle to adapt. If this is the case then I encourage any student with any issues to go to the counselling department. I went for different personal reasons during my time at university and it was probably the best decision I've ever made. They are supportive, flexible and just there if you need them. It's definitely worth it, even for an issue you may not think is overly important - if it's effecting you, then try and get it sorted.

I would also say - don't get too caught up in the workload. Split it evenly and organize it, then spend the rest of the time going out to the SU, sports, whatever. That doesn't mean don't work at all... it just means don't get too absorbed in it so that you lose all ability to communicate with the outside world.

Also, don't always rely on others to finish their part when the final deadline comes around. If you are in a group project, do you own part to make it work, but also make sure the rest pull their weight. Take control of the group if you have to and tell others to communicate to you on a regular basis on their progress. If not, then the whole project might fall apart.

You can see Luke's work at his website here. For more impressive work done by our students and recent graduates here at Bucks, check out SuperFergy in 3D by Anton Alfy, see the work of Jens Kopke,  Ben Gray's Moonbeam, and the architectural visualisations of Sabah Masood and Anton Alfimenko. Also take a look at the work of Andy Thomas here, see our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan. And don't forget to see the simulation work of our students done in RealFlow. To see our student demo reel, click here.)

Anton Alfy introduces Super Fergy in 3D

Anton "Alfy" Alfimenko was honing his skills as an animator and a digital artist long before he came to study Bucks, creating (among other projects) his online hit "Super Fergie", starring Sir Alex Ferguson as a video game character winning endless footballing triumphs. Anton's film, hosted at YouTube, scored over 300,000 hits, and won him international attention from fans of Manchester United. Now he has animated Super Fergy in 3D, working hard to showcase the new digital skills he has been learning here at Bucks. We asked him how he put it all together.







Bucks: Tell us about Super Fergy in 3D. What is the premise?
 
Anton Alfy: The Super Fergy story is the same as the original film about Sir Alex Ferguson which I created last year using AfterEffects. I tried to match the original as close as I could, which was quite a challenge in itself. I started making the film for the Bristol Festival of Football Ideas, which just started recently. I'm going to Bristol on Wednesday 4th of June to the final of their Short Film competition.

Bucks: What inspired you to make it?

Anton Alfy: I think it was when I got an email about the Bristol competition - I thought straight away that I should do something new in 3D. I wanted to involve more people in the project, but most students were busy with graduation projects here at the university, so I decided to work on a 3D update of my original Super Fergie video.

Bucks: What software did you use to make it? 

Anton Alfy: All the 3D work was made in 3DS Max, and I used Photoshop and After Effects to finish it off.


Bucks: Will there be a game we can play, and if so when? 

Anton Alfy: I never thought about it really, but if the opportunity comes, why not?


Bucks: Why hasn't Manchester United hired you to make their videos? 

Anton Alfy: I don't know, that would be a great experience. Even though I don't want to spent the rest of my life doing videos about Manchester United. I think they must be waiting for me to finish the course at Bucks!

Bucks: What's next for Super Fergie? 

Anton Alfy: At the moment it's the end. Of course you never know, but I think it's time to let it go and start working on something completely new! I just want to thank again people who helped me during 2 months of production, Scott Benson for great soundtrack, and of course all the third years, especially Sabah, Luke, Daniel and David who were in a class with me everyday, and kept me going even though it was a really frustrating project at times.

Editor's note: You can see the original Super Fergie video, which gathered over 300,000 hits at YouTube, below.




---Alex

(Editor's Note: For more impressive work done by our students and recent graduates here at Bucks, check out the work of Jens Kopke,  Ben Gray's Moonbeam, and the architectural visualisations of Sabah Masood and Anton Alfimenko. Also take a look at the work of Andy Thomas here, see our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan. And don't forget to see the simulation work of our students done in RealFlow. To see our student demo reel, click here.)
 

Rocketseed Salesforce - our students' latest commercial project

One of the most effective ways that we can ensure that our animation and visual effects students at Bucks find work when they graduate is to get out there and find work on their behalf. Last year we launched Nano Films, a small animation business making short films for commercial clients. The budgets are not large but then neither are the films, and there is nothing like client-facing projects to give our students the vital experience they need to build a successful career.

www.nano-films.org

The video shown above was made for Rocketseed, an email company that specialises in clickable banners that supply sales data to businesses, helping get better and smarter at targeting new customers. Our students didn't shoot the live action but we did everything else: the motion graphics, the sound mix and the final edit. The job was designed and directed by Bucks graduate Monika Dzikowicz, the motion graphics was done by first year undergraduate Anton Alfimenko, and the music was by Bucks graduate Kris Allen.

Many congratulations to the three of them for doing an excellent job. We hope to bring in more jobs like this so that more and more of our students can start to polish their skills on live briefs, bringing in excellent experience and some extra income as well.

(Editor's Note: For more impressive work done by our students and recent graduates here at Bucks, check out Anton Alfimenko's recreation of Old Trafford, Ben Gray's Moonbeam, and the architectural visualisations of Sabah Masood. Also take a look at the work of Andy Thomas here, see our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan.)

Student Showcase - Anton Alfimenko re-creates Old Trafford

Old Trafford stadium by Anton Alfimenko

Anton Alfimenko is one of our first year undergraduates, studying on our new Animation and Visual Effects course, launched in September 2012. One of the reasons that Anton came from Kazakhstan to study in the UK is his passion for Manchester United, and you can see the excellent "Super Fergie" animation he did as a tribute to the retiring club legend Sir Alex Ferguson. As part of his first year studies, he has re-created a digital Old Trafford club stadium. Here at Bucks we salute Anton's digital skill and his enthusiasm for the club.

Part of the trick with studying animation and visual effects is to pursue your passions. The medium involves a lot of hard work and it can be tough to go the distance, to create a portfolio that competes with the very best international competition. By picking a subject close to his heart, Anton ensured that he would complete the project to a high standard.

As well as the modeling, Anton has also demonstrated a strong grasp of textures and lighting to create a final result that feels believable and technically accurate.

(Editor's Note: For more impressive work done by our students and recent graduates here at Bucks, check out Ben Gray's Moonbeam, and the architectural visualisations of Sabah Masood. Also take a look at the work of Andy Thomas here, see our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan.)

How to Go Viral on YouTube - Anton Alfimenko shows how it's done

Anton Alfimenko is one of our talented freshmen students here at Bucks, having come all the way from Kazakhstan to study on our new Animation and Visual Effects course.

Anton impressed us at all his interview last Spring, for which we used Skype to reach him in distant Almaty. One of the most impressive parts of his digital portfolio was a short film he made titled "Super Fergie", a Nintendo games parody starring a digital Sir Alex Ferguson as a cartoon character winning endless football competitions and prizes. Needless to say, Anton is a huge Manchester United fan.

The film is very well done, executed in Photoshop and After Effects and it matches perfectly the style of retro video games like Super Mario. And, amazingly, the film has had almost 300,000 hits at YouTube - not bad for a first-time film-maker.



Anton describes Super Fergie as his "first real animation video" - which makes it all the more impressive.

So, what made him do it? Anton made the video after Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this year. He searched YouTube for different styles of videos, and eventually he got the idea to put Sir Alex in a Super Mario style animated video.

Next, he researched the motion of Mario, to get all the tiny details just right. Making the film took about 3 weeks - "and the animation was the hardest part". He did walk cycles, and then animated Sir Alex through the whole environment.

Anton got great feedback, and was surprised by the huge response. He even got interviewed on Norwegian TV.

---Alex

(Editor's Note: For more excellent work done by our students here at Bucks, check out our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of some of our recent graduates, such as Monika Dzikowicz, Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and Mike Swan. )