MEET THE TEAM
The team are professionally experienced and continue to work in the industry. Having worked across all sectors of VFX and Motion Graphics in Film, TV, advertising, online and social media content. Credited on award winning films and television series, as well as working with high-profile advertising brands such as Google, BBC and Sky.
Geraint Thomas COURSE LEADER
Course Leader of the Visual Effects & Motion Graphics course at USW. Geraint has over 15 years industry experience, and has had the pleasure of working on a wide range of projects on a variety of platforms, from multiple TV series to high-budget TV Commercials such as Clash of Kings, Nationwide, The Idle Man, AX Paris, Watchshop, Ancestry, Glasses Direct and Legoland, as well as creating social media motion graphic content for high-profile corporations such as Google, NowTV and Sky. Geraint has worked in numerous areas of the Visual Effects & Motion Graphics field; from large television production pipelines, to online digital content teams, to working with television advertising and promotional material.
The diversity of these roles has given him an insight into how greatly the industry differs depending on the nature of the work at hand, with substantial experience in a vast range of areas within Visual Effects. Geraint’s technical expertise lies within After Effects, 3D and Motion Graphics, although has a working knowledge of all areas of the course.
Kris Francies Technical Instructor
Kris is the technical instructor for Film & Visual Effects and is one of a team of technical instructors that will deliver training with regards to green screen production, on set lighting and camera usage and correct filming practice. Kris has years of experience in many facets of production and has a huge amount of technical skills and knowledge with regards to cinematography, lighting and project production which are essential to supporting any practical modules. Kris has extensive knowledge and experience from production sets such as; The Reverend, Ironclad, Winston, The Gospel of Us, The Green Hollow, To Provide All People, as well as tv shows such as Grandpa in my pocket, Casualty, HAHA Hairies, Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor. For the past 10 years Kris has also worked with the Iris Prize Festival and has undertaken key roles in each of the winner’s films, several of which have been recognised for their excellence with Sundance and Bafta. Kris actively continues to work on short films and features with the Iris Prize Festival in addition to his USW commitments.
Dr Pete Hodges Lecturer
Pete has developed the progression of the Animation & Visual Effects courses since the 1990’s. His main teaching duties on the course are for the Critical Studies, Critical Research & Supervision modules for years 2 and 3. Pete’s PhD was entitled ‘Towards a definition of the dialogical interactions between image and sound effects in animated film’. His expertise and interests are focused on Animated Film, Sound and Image in Film, Interactive/Non-Linear Narratives, Animated Infographics, and Believable Visual Effects. Pete thinks peanut M&M’s have no calories and are full of protein, although this may not be true.
