Kingston Uni Graduate Secures Award Win

A former graduate of Kingston University has been named as one of the winners at this year's 43rd Student Academy Awards.

Alicja Jasina, 26, graduated from Kingston University in 2013 with a BA (Hons) degree in Illustration Animation. At the ceremony, she won the award for her 'Once Upon A Line' animation.

The seven-minute animation, which Jasina produced as part of her MA at the University of South California, tells the story of a man who is living a monotonous life and never straying from the norm until, one day, he falls in love and discovers that there is another line to walk – one that is full of hope.

Alicja commented: "The narrative itself isn't particularly revolutionary. I think what appealed to the panel, though, was the way I created a visual language using a line to represent the story. The creative process is very detailed – as if you are drawing it on paper. Each frame is created individually using a software programme called Toon Boom Harmony and then I do the compositing with another programme called After Effects."

The final part is when sound is added, an element that is central to the narrative. "My Kingston University tutor Martina Bramkamp used to say that sound was 50 per cent of an animated film, and this definitely applies to Once Upon A Line," she added. "I worked with a colleague Katie Gately on the sound design and my composer Aaron Gilmartin wrote an original score for this film. We skyped for six hours a day during a three-week period working on the music and I'm really pleased with the result."

Martina Bramkamp, Senior Lecturer at Kingston University, commented: "One of the main goals on the BA illustration animation is to develop the individual strengths of our students so that they are industry-ready to perform as visual artists and communicators in the 21st century. When she was studying with us Alicja focused on ways to engage an audience through animated story-telling and she is a great example of a designer who doesn't shy away from asking direct questions and pushing boundaries."

As a Student Academy Award winner, Alicja is eligible to be nominated for the 89th Academy Awards and the win enables her to pitch herself against the best in the industry for an Oscar.

Alicja, who is now freelancing in Los Angeles, has recently compiled and submitted her application for the Oscars' animated short film category. She will find out soon if she has been shortlisted.

Image: Kingston University graduate Alicja Jasina who won the gold medal in the animated film category of the 43rd Student Academy Awards ©A.M.P.A.S.

(JP/LM)