Ian Friend

Programme Leader

Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer in Animation, Ian has wide ranging professional animation and games production experience, having worked in the animation industry for over 20 years. He has performed duties such as 2D/3D Animator, Compositor, Character Designer and Storyboard Artist for many animated series and commercials (Tweenies, Jellykins and Frankenstein’s Cat) and has produced work for companies such as Sony, BBC, Channel 4, Dreamworks and Fox Kids.

Ian began teaching on the under graduate and post graduate animation programs at the University of the West of England as a digital animation specialist in 2008 and later joined the University of Gloucestershire BA animation program in 2014. Ian now works full time at UWE as a senior lecturer on UWE’s animation courses. He has recently presented papers discussing animation production techniques at Anifest, CFP Media Journeys and the Manchester Animation Festival. Ian has recently written a chapter for Bloomsbury’s Animation Key Films series on Disney’s live action referencing process and an article for the Society of Animation Studies about animated character design for international audiences.