AWUK | Board

Louise is an Executive VFX Producer at ILM.  She began her career in TV Post and then into CG Animation. This led to Rushes where she was a VFX Producer for the Film & TV VFX department and in 2013, moved to Double Negative as part of the Senior team that set up the DNEGTV VFX division.

She was Executive Producer for the VFX teams on the BAFTA award-winning 'Metalhead' and Emmy Nominated 'Altered Carbon' and left in June 2018 to move to ILM.

Over the years, a desire to help develop new talent led Louise to the Creative Skillset Animation Council, and she is now on the BAFTA Learning and New Talent Committee, which supports new talent and education initiatives.

Dara started her career at Disney Feature Animation in 1997, and over the course of 13 years worked in a variety of departments including Production, Technology and Effects on films such as Dinosaur, Chicken Little, Tangled and Frozen.   But being a bonafide anglophile, she jumped at the chance to move to London in 2010, working as an Artist Manager for DNEG VFX.

A few years later, DNEG opened a Feature Animation division with Dara as the Artist Manager, helping to grow and shape the team from its nascent days of 12 people to a global team of 700.  She now serves as the Operations Manager for DNEG Animation.

A deep desire to support and grow the animation industry in the UK has led Dara on a quest to find and nurture young talent and ensure they have the skills and knowledge to succeed in our industry.

Debra Wootton founded Webra Multimedia Ltd in 2007 whilst at University, establishing the business at Pinewood Studios in 2008 going on to graduate as a digital animation specialist in 2009 when she was then invited to sit on the board on Alumni for UWL in January 2010.

As well as her philanthropic activities Debra has also gone on to build up a portfolio of businesses; joining Terry Ackland-snow at FDI (Art Direction Training) in 2009 and establishing Webra as a group with Webra Productions, Webra Training and Webra Events joining Webra Multimedia Ltd in 2013.

Helen Piercy is a multidisciplinary filmmaker, award winning children’s author and professional educator. With degrees in Graphic Design (BA Hons) and Animation Direction (MA-The National Film and Television School) Helen began her career working as a freelance animator in London before launching her own business as a filmmaking educator in 2012.

Her passion for supporting young people led her to become a student mentor for Central Saint Martins MA Character Animation Course. In 2016, she joined the BA (Hons) Animation Course at Norwich University of the Arts as a full-time lecturer. Helen completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education in 2017 and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Jules is a solicitor at Simkins LLP and advises clients on commercial and corporate work in the audiovisual sector. As an experienced film and television lawyer she advises clients across a variety of genres and platforms (both traditional and new media) and her client bases includes individual rights holders (such as writers and authors), production companies (of varying sizes) and financiers. She has extensive experience advising clients on the full range of audio-visual productions (both scripted (live action and animation) and non-scripted) from development, production, and financing, through to the distribution and exploitation of films, television programmes and other content. Before converting to law, Jules completed a Master's in Television Journalism and has experience working for television companies in England and Germany. She has in-house experience having undertaken a three-month secondment at Lionsgate and a secondment at The Blair Partnership/Pottermore during her time at Simkins.

As a media specialist senior manager at Moore Kingston Smith, Jenni looks after a portfolio of clients within the marketing, media and film sectors. Most of her clients are owner-managed businesses ranging in size from start-ups to international groups. Jenni enjoys the day-to-day challenges of working with businesses and individuals within the media sector and she offers advice that is tailored to each client’s specific need.

Jenni has a passion for developing the next generation of accountants and works closely with the trainees and junior managers, to develop them and guide them in their potential.

Jenni enjoys being part of an organisation which brings women together from a predominately male industry, allowing them to share knowledge, experience and nurture talent.

Debra is a VFX veteran and the founder of Open Frame Coaching, providing coaching and leadership training to VFX and screen industry professionals.

Debra has enjoyed over 25 years working in the Visual Effects industry, progressing from Runner at Cinesite to Global Head of Compositing at DNEG, compositing on 25+ films and closely overseeing delivery of 100+ projects by hundreds of artists. Along the way, she has been involved with winning 3 Oscars and 3 BAFTAs, worked overseas, been a craft judge for both British Arrows and the Royal Television Society, is a proud parent and an advocate for women in VFX/screen industries.

Niki is a London based 2D animation professional. She has a BA Hons Degree in 2D Animation. She started her career in Dublin, Ireland where she worked with studios like Boulder Media, Giant Animation, Jam Media, Treehouse Republic, and Kavaleer Productions working mostly as an animator, 2D character rigger and designer. She has worked in the UK multiple times and has most recently worked as Pipeline Director for Blink Industries in London and Assistant Director for Dog Ears in Derry on a Cartoon Saloon collaboration. Niki is currently back with Blink Industries working on their 2D projects.

Outside of work, Niki loves live music and theatre, finding great food spots and watching the rugby!

Nia Alavezos is an animation director, writer, and producer based in South Wales. Originally from America, she made the great pilgrimage across the pond in 2019 to pursue her dreams of living abroad. Previously working at DreamWorks Animation, you can now find her in the production trenches at Sun & Moon Studios as a Creative Production Manager.

Her first short film, Passenger, was commissioned by Ffilm Cymru Wales, BBC Wales, and BFI Network Wales in 2022. Just recently, Nia finished producing another Ffilm Cymru funded film, Spectre of the Bear, which is now making the festival circuit. When Nia isn't binge-watching anime, studying Japanese, or thinking about her next film idea, she continues to spend her time collaborating with local Welsh talent and helping them get their TV pilots and short films made.

Victoria graduated as an animator in 2006 from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee. Since then Victoria has worked as Producer / Director in live action and all forms of animation. She has worked on a number of short films, commercials and television series, for clients such as Netflix, BBC, Disney, etc. In 2017 Victoria joined Rhona Drummond in running Eyebolls.

Eyebolls is an award-winning all singing, all dancing, full service studio based in Edinburgh. We create and produce content for TV shows, films, creative advertising and experiential agencies. We are passionate about collaboration and specialise and take pride in pulling together the right team for each individual project. We actively seek out new and fresh talent to compliment existing collaborators, and we morph workflows, push boundaries and adapt styles so that no two eyes are the same.

Victoria's short film she co-directed in 2018 Ladder To You was longlisted for a BAFTA and was part of the BFI Animation 2018 program that aired on BBC FOUR.

She is currently co-directing another stop motion short funded by Sharp Shorts called Distance To The Moon.

Jane is an animation consultant and producer. She founded Valley Moon Consultant Ltd in 2013, supporting business and production activities of European animation studios and organisations in their collaborations with Chinese partners, including financing, co-production, licensing, distribution, film festivals, etc.

Jane has credits on 2 Oscar-nominated animated features, The Breadwinner and Wolfwalkers. Her latest involvements include the animated feature Puffin Rock and the New Friends with Cartoon Saloon and Dog Ears, and the animated short Amy and Frog, which is currently on the festival circuit.

Jane is also the founder of the Stardance Animation Festival, aiming to encourage more diversified non-mainstream European and Asian animated films to UK audiences.

Bimpe is a Concept Artist at Industrial Light & Magic in London. She started her career in VFX as a Runner before working her way up to the role of Concept Artist, working on films including Avengers: Endgame and Spiderman-Man: Far from Home.

She is passionate about continuing the important discussions surrounding racial diversity in the visual effects and animation industries and has participated in panels for Animated Women UK, Manchester Animation Festival, and podcasts for Access: VFX and Visible in Visuals.

Access VFX
Animation UK
Industrial Light & Magic
Simkin
UK Screen
Webmadness

A huge thank you for all of their contributions over the years.

Anna Gregory
Beth Parker
Georgina Hurcombe
Helen North
Kavita Hayton
Lindsay Watson
Lucy Cooper
Rosemary Klein
Val Cazalet

Alison Doggett, Alison Warner, Amy Backwell, Carrie Mok, Kate Derrick, Lucy Crewe, Marcia Mihotich, Oana Nechifor, Ria Brown, Xenia Moliner-Roldan, Zoe Verrier-Stunt