Bradford College

Superblogger Students Look Set to Blog Their Way to Millions…

Uniquely compelling and highly addictive - weblogs have gained huge followings in recent years with widespread media coverage reporting that people are blogging their way to millions and becoming blogillinaires.

In a recent edition of Marie Claire magazine, three women have made a successful career out of blogging, turning their passion for fashion, weddings and celebrity gossip into hard cash and glittering careers.

Three Bradford College students – Zara Hussain, Alison Smith and Ayesha Farrooqur look set to follow in their footsteps after being specially selected by National Media Museum bosses to report on the eagerly anticipated Bradford Animation Festival (BAF), now in its 18th year.

The internationally acclaimed Bradford Animation Festival (BAF) is renowned for its screenings, workshops and the hotly contested BAF Awards, which celebrate the best in new animation from around the world. Packed with legends from the world of animation and gaming, Bradford College students will provide an alternative perspective to the mainstream media.

Course Tutor, Paul Holmes, has actively encouraged his Graphic Design, Illustration & Digital Media students to provide a raw, subjective and honest account of the subject they are passionate about - and the screenings available during the internationally renowned festival.

Paul’s philosophy on blogging is in keeping with blogillinaire Lisa Sugar’s.  Lisa Sugar founded popsugar.com in 2005, a blogging site devoted to pop, culture, beauty, fashion - and all things celebrity.  The company is estimated to be worth over $10 million, according to Marie Claire magazine, (August 2011) and has a turnover of millions of dollars a year and over 200 staff.   

Lisa attributes her success to blogging about a subject she’s passionate about, as well as being true to her instincts and brand.

Commenting on how it felt to be selected to blog during the Bradford Animation Festival (BAF), Student Ayesha Farrooqur said: “I feel really honoured and excited to have been chosen to blog on a subject I’m passionate about.  I will be giving an honest account of what I see!”

During the prestigious festival, guests attending will include Pixar and Disney layout and set designer Scott Caple (The Incredibles, Tarzan, Mulan) who will join Fraser MacLean and Roy Naisbitt, who both worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, to deliver a masterclass on animation layout. Award-winning film maker, illustrator and author Geoff Dunbar, who will collect the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Festival with a selective retrospective and a screening of his new film The Tap.

Student Zara Hussain added: “I’m delighted to have been given this amazing opportunity to provide a personal account on the festival - from an animation student’s perspective!”

Deb Singleton, Director of Bradford Animation Festival said: “We are delighted to be working with the students recommended by Bradford College on the National Media Museum blog. We have fantastic guests attending BAF including senior animator from Pixar Andy Schmidt; film maker, illustrator and writer Richard McGuire and award-winning animator and director Barry Purves. It will be a great experience for the students to attend the sessions, hear about the careers of professional animators first-hand and then post their reviews of the events online.”

Seasoned blogger and Bradford College student, Alison Smith concluded: “I’m hoping to offer greater insight into what’s happening during the festival…adding an extra layer of information for people interested in (BAF).”

The Bradford College students will report on the events they witness first hand during the festival, offering analysis, background and commentary on newsworthy topics, including revealing online who the winners of the Bradford College animation competition will be.  

The competition has been developed in partnership with the National Media Museum, which will see six Bradford College students vying for the opportunity to impress a panel of award winning judges with their short animation clips, as they embark upon a career in the industry.

To take a look at the blog posts online visit: http://nationalmediamuseum.blogspot.com/

For full BAF and BAF Game listings visit www.baf.org.uk