It has been a rollercoaster month for Blacknorth with one of the biggest highlights being Nominated for a BAFTA. We were stunned to hear the news and slightly overwhelmed, it really is a incredible honour to have you film selected as one of the 3 best films made in the UK. Stunning.

Read more on the BAFTA Guru blog...

http://guru.bafta.org/blog/short-stuff-here-fall-1

February 18th 2013

Blacknorth are hiring for our new highly innovative and very creative project, Forest. We are looking for people in a number of disciplines for an almost immediate start. We are looking for modellers, matte-painters, texturers, XSI animators, and some character design. You must either work in the Republic or Northern Ireland and be available to be in studio.

Please send CVs and showreels to studio@blacknorth.tv with the Subject: Forest Opportunities

October 10th 2012

The FICC jury awarded the Don Quijote award to Here To Fall for its high quality of animation especially in the facial expressions of the main character, the way its storyline leaves you in thought and its effective use of a strong score.

check out the trailer at.

www.heretofall.com

August 4th 2000

We're looking for a couple of talented interns to join us for a few months if you're interested more details can be found here under the motion graphics heading. http://tinyurl.com/c45wc7u

May 1st 2012

We've been back from Austin for about a week now, time does sure flies when you're having fun.

Feels like it just yesterday we we're jetting off, we had such a awesome time at the film and interactive conference wish we stayed for the music one too. Maybe next year? If you get a chance you should definitely head over.

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March 27th 2012

We had a blast at the previous Offset conference, unfortunately this year we'll have to give it a miss since we'll be popping over to the States for a bit. Yes we're trading Dublin for Austin.

Whilst we're away we have some of the best talent from our team of animators and VFX artists holding down the fort, so if you still need a bit of animation or any VFX drop us an email.

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March 8th 2012

We are on the look out for a VFX / CG generalist to join the team on a short term contract spanning the coming two – four months. Interested read more below.

We have a number of exciting commercial and creative projects and we are looking for a person with a keen eye and good range of CG skills including modeling, roto, matte painting and animation, to join the team.

You will work directly with the Creative Director team to create sequences and VFX for a number of projects including a feature film. Candidates must be able to conceive and create exceptional work under tight deadlines and maintain clear communication through-out production. You will be a creative person with a keen eye, driven and focused open personality, and will be expected to offer input and solutions for the team.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
> Visual skills / language degree - Computer graphics, fine art, design or relevant degree/experience
> Strong skills in 2D and 3D CG techniques and software including modeling, texturing, lighting, sculpting, rendering, compositing and animation
> Good understanding of Motion, rotoscoping, and camera tracking skills
> Good understanding of CG workflows
> Proficiency/experience with NUKE a definite advantage
> Ability to interpret artistic direction in a range of creative styles and original concepts
> Aesthetic sensibility and practical appreciation of art, film, photography and cinematic lighting
> Proven creativity, organizational and problem solving skills

Please send CV and reel to studio@blacknorth.tv with the header CG Generalist

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December 9th 2011

A fantastic talk with the brilliant and very entertaining Gavin Strange. He is the senior online designer for Aardman animations by day but by night he's known as the alias Jamfactory...

who has dived into many adventures from designing logos, illustrating skate board decks to creating websites and online game. He's even got his own documentary called "Boikzmoind" and created his vinyl toy Droplets. A man with many talents indeed, even if he's got no experience in something he will still jump right in and "give it a go" and "why not" is right. You never know where it might lead so let's all "build, break, do, make" as quoted on his poster.

Big thanks to Build, Web Standardistas and Culutral Skill Set/NI design alliance for hosting the night. Also i can forget my thanks to Simon Mills for his awesome photographs of the night for the thumbnail of this. Pop on over and check out some of his work at www.photosby.si

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September 30th 2011

Blacknorth can confirm that we are creating all the VFX studio for Belfast latest feature film 'Good Vibrations'. The story of Terri Hooley, Belfast's punk godfather, and the Good Vibration... Directed by Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn.

September 15th 2011

Artist Allan Hughes has decided that Blacknorth is his choice of facilities for grading and mastering his latest piece of video art 'Enemy Blue'. More to come.....

August 12th 2011

We're literally just back from a two day course down in Dublin, it was a intense session focusing on business strategy.

It was a two day session with the amazing Angela Kyle. It was great to be able to take the time out to discuss the business and its momentum, with someone so experienced and generous. A big thanks to Angela and Screen Training Ireland, now we just need to action it all!

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July 20th 2011

Over the last few months we've been busy from head to toe hence the lack of updates. Between the commercial projects, our animation short Here to Fall, attending seminars and conferences such as the Elliott Grove's Raindance weekend

workshop and more recently Offf conference in Barcelona we haven't had a moment to spare but had a blast all the way.

We're happy to report that we're in the final stages of finishing the short; a few more final touches and we're ready to hit the festivals. Hopefully we'll cut a trailer soon and let you have a preview of it; but if like me you want a sneak peak right now head on over to heretofallfilm.tumblr.com the production blog where you'll find concept art and storyboards along with a few tester videos.

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June 28th 2011

We've been expanding, so we have had to move studio. Pictures can be seen on our Facebook page

Well we've moved, only downstairs and along the corridor, but we now have the proverbial corner office.

It's beautiful looking out on Belfast's Bedford street, the noise, the rushing around, feel a little exposed to be honset.

We've been joined by Winnie Shek, our new super duper intern, and Shaun and Daniel are making huge headway into the modeling and rigging for Here To Fall.

So busy !

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March 21st 2011

There was always a loose plan to attend Offf this year, but when we found out it was in Barcelona we simply couldn't miss it. Great line up of Artists and Designers in one of best cities in Europe. Roll on June.

February 15th 2011

It’s here, you’re on it. We have finally taken down our year old holding page and have delivered an actual site that shows stuff and how we did it. Take a look. Now you can see what we have been blathering on about... Pictures speak a thousand words especially when you make pictures not words for a living.

We’re delighted to finally launch our new site showcasing some of the work the studio has been secretly beavering away on for the past year. And it’s been an incredible year.
We are showcasing as much as possible but highlights have got to be the in-depth gaming project – Galactic Racer for local games studio WeeMan; collaborating on everything from story arcs to character designs to full in-game-cinematic. Working with the incredibly talented Lizzy Lambley on BBC’s Children’s Bafta Award Winner, Living with Alcohol, was another one, and winning the competitive funding awards from IFB for our short Here to Fall and NI Screen for Rout’d.

Summer last year, Brian Falconer and Jonathan Beer approached us to work on Yuki, possibly the only Sino-Northern Ireland production. We looked after all their special effects including flying origami ninja stars. Shot by Conor Rotherham and edited by Jim Munroe, it was a privilege to work with the guys on the post and grade of this beautiful film.

Another highlight late in the year was the competition of the promo for Rory’s Story Cubes, now running for Toy of Year against Lego. A small production the long form commercial was a delight to shoot and edit over a couple of snowy weeks in November.

Sprinkle on top of that commercial campaigns for Bank of Ireland and Google and all in all 2010 was a creative and rewarding year. We feel incredibly lucky to have worked with the people we have done.

But its not all looking back, 2011 looks likes it’s going to take the baton and run with it. Over the next couple of months we deliver Here To Fall, premiering at the Galway Film Fleadh this summer, we kick off production on Rout’d our music-running-app-lifestyle-nerd digital gadget. We’re not sure where that will take us, but we are starting with SxSW in March.
The work is here so look for yourself, and keep in touch we’ll be updating with progress on all BlackNorths’ projects over the coming months.

Follow us on twitter, if you know of something creative going on, post it to Blacklisted.

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January 17th 2011

Post production on Yuki draws to a close this week with roughs now completed for most of the shots and the titles sequence pretty much there. We are delighted with how it’s coming together. Who knew origami could be so deadly?

Blacknorth is Irelands newest animation studio and evelyn and neil are going to find something interesting to say here that sums us and our aims, ambitions, skills etc....Blacknorth is Irelands newest animation studio and evelyn and neil are going to find something interesting to say here that sums us and our aims, ambitions, skills etc....

Blacknorth is Irelands newest animation studio and evelyn and neil are going to find something interesting to say here that sums us and our aims, ambitions, skills etc....Blacknorth is Irelands newest animation studio and evelyn and neil are going to find something interesting to say here that sums us and our aims, ambitions, skills etc....

Blacknorth is Irelands newest animation studio and evelyn and neil are going to find something interesting to say here that sums us and our aims, ambitions, skills etc....Blacknorth is Irelands newest animation studio and evelyn and neil are going to find something interesting to say here that sums us and our aims, ambitions, skills etc....

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October 22nd 2010

In November 2010 we headed to Power To The Pixel, an offshoot of the London Fim Festival.

As a fairly small studio it's easy for us to keep our heads down and get on with the work that luckily seems to becoming our way. But in fairness it doesn't take much to lever us out of our arm/design chairs to get to these, and weren't disappointed.

For anyone who hasn't been, PTTP is a conference come market place for transmedia (new phrase) directors, producer and developers. Sitting on the intersection between straightforward digital media, interactive media and broadcast, transmedia is trying to push how we deliver and consume our entrainment, news, comedy, drama and education.

One of the really exciting things about PTTP this year was how it placed transmedia within a larger Europe/Canada/US context. And the fascinating thing is that despite all these emerging technologies and developing understand of audience, a lot of projects are still trying it out.

Where OFFSET stuck our heads firmly into the creative possibilites, PTTP leveled us with some serious data about media delivery and consumption, co-production, funding and marketing, in fact all of the business end, and future business end of the sector.

An incredible few days and well worth the trip, what a perfect accompaniment to OFFSET's blast of creative inspiration.

PTTP is hitting NYC in April, mmm might be a nice trip.

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November 3rd 2010

After a weekend at OFFSET dublin, we returned home to (almost) take part in Belfast's second Pecha Kucha evening in the Black Box.

We were a little conflicted, delighted to be asked and to be part of PK Belfast, and completely at a loss as to what to say or do. We hadn't seen one of these before and wanted to stay away from the portfolio presentations.

We tried to outline our creative/working process as a design/animation/aesthetic partnership... it was confused but crystalised in the end, much the way our working process is. So more revealing than probably we expected.

Anyway some fantastic speakers there including the very talented Paul Kelly of PK Design. So great to see a professional. Check out the pictures, but not of us.

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October 6th 2010

We took the darkness south in October to meet up with the ROI designers and get some serious inspiration from a range of local UK, Ireland and International designers, illustrators and media ones, at OFFSET 2010.

We felt like proper veterans having gone the year before and this now being our second year, and theirs, in a row.

OFFSET did not disappoint. A full line up of outstanding talent spoke, created played over the three days. Favorites for us were David O'Reily of course, apparently everyone in Ireland hates him, dying to know why, and Studio AKA, especially Phil Hunt's run through for the production for Lost and Found.

For me a highlight was the very personal talk given by Bob 'Espo' Powers, I love his stuff, and he has a sleep-fighting baby-boy, me too! The didn't-think-that-was-going-to-be-so-good was Mark Farrow, a lesson in (no)compromise and persuassian. Outstanding contribution to the event, design and life in general was of course George Lois, while David Carson almost made me want to stop listening, seeing, breathing, oh lord!

Unforeseen highlight, Kris exposing more than his talent at Rory's Story Cubes draw-off.

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October 2nd 2010

HERE TO FALL successful at Frameworks

Well it's been a while in the process but we have got the green-light on Frameworks support for HERE TO FALL. We couldn't be happier to have this vote of confidence from a very discerning panel and a funding program that has seen Oscar Nominees pass through its hands.

HERE TO FALL is a self scripted short about a lot of things and also maybe not that much as well; a child and her Father play in the world he creates, until it begins to crumble as he loses interest.

We have some incredible talent lined up to help with the production and can't wait to get started. We hope to push the studio to create something pretty special with this one, it's such an opportunity to be able to spend this kind of time developing and creating a piece of work.

The piece will interwork 2D and 3D characters in an every changing digital world, in flux and constant creation and disintegration. It's ambitious, especially in time frame but we think it will be a beautiful piece.

It premiers at the Galway Film Fleadh 2011. And congratulations to the other filmakers including And Maps And Things, and Still Films.

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August 4th 2010