Robert Allen is an animation generalist and Senior Lecturer for the BA (Hons) Animation course at Leeds Arts University. He holds an MSc in Information Technology from the University of York and, after working as a software engineer and project manager, studied animation at The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark. His combined interest in CG, traditional model-making and stop motion animation make for a broad creative practice and the accumulation of experience at a variety of studios. This comprehensive technical background and industry experience is brought into the classroom, giving the students the tools and preparation they need to work both on their own projects and in a studio pipeline.

In his research and personal creative practice Robert is fascinated by the interplay between the digital and the hand-crafted, with 3D scanning, rapid-prototyping and CAD technologies increasingly forming an essential part of the fabricator’s toolkit, and with AI assisted concepting and art-production emerging rapidly into the mainstream.

Over the course of his industry practice so far Robert has directed and worked across the whole animation pipeline on a variety of commercials, games, VR experiences and corporate projects. His work has been shown internationally at film festivals such as Aesthetica, Encounters, KLIK, SCAD Savannah, Anim'est, Odense International Film Festival and many more. His short film Whale Heart was selected for over 25 festivals, won Best 3D Animation at Banjaluka International Animated Film Festival and was awarded a Vimeo Staff Pick.