Each June, the Norwich School of Art and Design (NSAD) present their end of year show - a chance for more than 400 students to showcase their work to the public and industry alike. Tom Simmons, the school's lecturer in sound, said the standard of work is particularly high this year: "I think we've reached a stage where the film making, the visuals and sound design have become equally important," he said. The work in the exhibition celebrates a real diversity of interests and a range of animation techniques. 
Punch by Dan Hanton |
"Dan Hanton from Great Yarmouth has done a puppet animation based around the Mr Punch story. "His attention to detail in the lighting and shooting of the film has paid great dividends," said Simmons. "Dan Upton's film based on Chapter 9 of Life, The Universe and Everything is a great example of 3D animation with incredible attention to the environmental construction, model design and rendering," he added. View works from the end of year show
Click the film title to watch animation  |  Blown Away (extract)
Sex dolls Sadie and Brenda have feelings too. They dream of escape to a new life in a land of sunshine and inflatables.
By Hayley Morris |  | After The Journey (extract)
An old man travels through memories towards an idealised past in the Old West that presents a full stop in his story.
By Benjamin Sanders |  | Chapter 9 (extract)
Marvin the robot and Zem the mattress have a conversation in the swamp on the planet Sqornshellous Zeta.
By Dan Upton |  | Punch
The end of a showbiz life for Mr. Punch. All he wants to do is entertain, but is haunted of the memories of his past.
By Daniel Hanton |
This year more than 20 films will be screened during the end of year show, showing a range of ideas and talent from the final year BA students. Ben Sanders' film After The Journey is inspired from a childhood fascination with the Old West. 
Scene from After The Journey by Ben Sanders |
"I always thought it would be a great period to visit," he said. "I then decided that this notion of memory and looking back on things, be they real memories or ones you wished to have lived, would be an interesting area to explore. "What do I want people to take away from the film... that there's a beauty in sadness, the loss of love and the memories of it (whether they are real or idealised), and that there is something uplifting about it. "Much as in the way the paintings of Edward Hopper make us identify with these lonely characters in motel rooms, or cafes at night, and by that very nature of identifying with them breaking down some of our own barriers of loneliness." The Norwich School of Art and Design' animation department continues to push the boundaries in both creative content and production. 
Scene from Blown Away by Hayley Morris |
A number of students from the NSAD have gone straight into work with directors like Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam and working in Jim Henson' puppet workshop in London. Add your comments now Now take a seat in the critic's chair. Watch the films and then add your comments. Please start the comment with the title of the film you're reviewing.
Gareth Davies, Surrey
Dan Upton's work is absolutely breathtaking. He's such a talented man with a great future in animation, I bet Brian, Bristol
It's great to see puppet animation is still alive with young film makers. Dan what a great film. Chris, London
It's really good to see that there are still graduates producing good hand-drawn animation out there. There is too much focus on CGI, which has neither the magic or the beauty of traditional animation, even when it's done well – which most isn't. Well done Ben. Doug, London
The cgi animation in Chapter 9 is amazing. Martin, Norwich
After The Journey: What a great film. Beautiful landscapes and a touching simplicity in a story about love and loss. Well done Ben.
See more work from the NSAD end of year show 2004 | 
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