Eliana Whitcomb, who's studying a level three interactive media course at West Suffolk College, entered her stop motion film Brontë into the Young Animator of the Year competition and was selected as one of six finalists in the 15 to 18 category from over 2,000 entries.
Why it matters: The achievement highlights the exceptional talent emerging from Suffolk's creative education sector and demonstrates the calibre of animation training available locally.
The big picture: Stop motion animation is a filmmaking technique seen in productions such as Wallace and Gromit and Fantastic Mr. Fox. The Young Animator of the Year competition is a prestigious national platform for emerging animation talent.
What happened: Eliana travelled to the Manchester Animation Festival with her best friend and father, where her film was announced as the overall winner of her category.
"The awards took place in a cinema, and I saw my work on the big screen for the first time. It was crazy, and my heart was racing. I was overwhelmed, and my best friend was bawling her eyes out," she said.
"When I was announced as the winner, I was speechless. Luckily, I didn't have to say anything. Although if it had been an Oscar-type moment, I would have thanked my parents, my friends and Krystie from the college."
The details: Eliana's winning film Brontë was inspired by the music of Gotye. She received a trophy and will visit Aardman Studios in Bristol, the animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run.
"It's really amazing to win national acclaim, and people know of my work. Some of the judges were well-known animators, and two of them have followed me on Instagram," she said.
What they're saying: Ruth Whitcomb, Eliana's mother, said: "My husband Barry and I are extremely proud. It's been wonderful to see Eliana progress and see her discovering her talent. She has really blossomed, and I see all the hard work and sacrifice that goes into it.
"If she were to get an Oscar or Bafta in the future – that would be an extra bonus – but we just want her to be happy in what she does. Making beautiful things for people to enjoy."
Krystie Hall, a lecturer in art and design at West Suffolk College, said: "Eliana's film is incredible. It's emotionally intelligent, stunningly shot and beautiful to watch. What a talent – we are so proud of her."
What's next: Eliana plans to focus on her college course, with her ultimate dream being to establish her own animation studio.
The bottom line: A young Suffolk animator has achieved national recognition for her creative talent, demonstrating that world-class animation skills are being developed right here in our region.
