Recent BA (Hons) Animation alumni Faye Craig, James Willan and Emma Drake's animation Are You a Cop or What? was selected for this year's NAHEMI National Student Film Awards, and has won their Creativity Award 2022.
NAHEMI showcase a selection of students’ productions at national festivals such as Encounters and Aesthetica Short Film Festival. They organise competitions for student filmmakers including the prestigious Nahemi/Kodak Student Commercial awards with 16mm stock donated by Kodak, and live briefs set by the advertising industry.
Faye, James and Emma's short animation will be included in the NAHEMI showcase of the best student films made by NAHEMI institutions. This showcase will be shown nationally at different festivals and events throughout 2022.
"I’m super great full to receive this creative award at this years NAHAMI National Student Film Awards! My team and I worked tirelessly (quite literally) week in and week out to get this film to the highest quality possible."
Reflecting on her collaboration with her fellow students, she says: ‘Working with my close mates James Willan and Emma Drake on our 3rd and final collaboration at Leeds Arts together, we saw this film as an opportunity to test the capacity of our creativity and we are over the moon to see how our efforts have paid off.’
When asked what inspired their animation, Faye replied: ‘An important asset to me was the illustration of animation, as a form, being a tool that can explore more diverse topics and explorations of advanced experiences using complex techniques. Animation is a multifaceted practice that allows the blend between reality and imagination which is what I think is so beautiful about the medium. It provides space for conversations intertwined with visual exploration.’
Faye, James and Emma have plenty to look forward to in their careers, and say of the future: ‘We can’t wait to see the development of the contemporary animation scene and ‘Are You A Cop or what’ is only the beginning of our contribution to this evolution.