Students set a fantastical challenge

WHEN it comes to creating fantasy creatures, Glen Southern is something of a past master.
His computer wizardry and imagination have added a touch of magic to Sky Atlantic’s Penny Dreadful and ITV’s Frankenstein Chronicles and his team have also worked on many other prestigious, international projects.
Now he’s passing on his knowledge to Computer Games Design students at Priestley College who were challenged to create their own fantastical beasts.
Glen, of SouthernGFX, said: “They come at this kind of challenge with such fresh ideas that it makes it a lot of fun for me.
“They already have the vivid imaginations and the great technical grounding developed at college so I am just helping them take it to the next level.”
Glen was piloting a new course with the sixth formers, which was partly developed by former Priestley student Matt Le Quesne.
Together they have imagined another world with its own extreme climates and biomes. The students’ challenge was to create creatures for this world considering how they would have evolved to suit their
environment.
Using software used in the film, video and games industries – they had to build their beasts from the skeleton out.
“Everything has to work anatomically,” said Glen. “There isn’t a fantasy creature that isn’t created this way because they have to have some grounding in reality in order for people to believe in them.”
After a day-long tutorial on the software, Glen was impressed by the progress made by the students.
“They really have got their heads down and created some detailed and anatomically impressive creatures,” he said. “We are going to print 3D models of their work once it is finished.”
Tutor Matt Wilson said Priestley College’s partnership with the company was invaluable for its students’ careers.
“To have someone with that kind of experience working with the students is a real privilege,” said Matt. “For them to see that a former Priestley student is now working for a company such as SouthernGFX is
also incredibly inspiring.”
Pictures: Glen Southern with Lewis Bibby, who is studying Computer Games Design at Priestley College and a Frankenstein visual produced by Glen.