THE North-East’s animation and digital companies will be shown how the technology used to develop Hollywood blockbusters such as Avatar can benefit their business.

Next month’s Animex, Teesside University’s international festival of animation and computer games, is reaching out to the business community in a special one-day event.

Speakers at Animex Business, aimed at new or established animation or games companies, will include Gareth Edmonson from Ubisoft Reflections, which produced the Avatar computer game based on the film.

Mr Edmondson will be speaking about the convergence of games and animation in the production of the worldwide box-office hit.

Other speakers include Max Howard, president of the Exodus Film Group, who was previously senior vice-president of Disney Feature Animation and president of Warner Bros Feature Animation. He will be speaking about producing independent animation films.

The day will be concluded by Jim Terkeurst, from Teesside University’s Institute for Digital Innovation.

Chris Williams, Animex director, said: “Animex Business is a new facet to the festival and one that is being supported by some of the leading lights of the animation and games industries.

“We really hope that the North- East’s creative industries sector sees the benefit of this event.

“We would also like to think that by bringing people together in this way we can help to encourage the development of the industry as a whole in the region.”

Animex Business takes place at the Tyneside Cinema, in Newcastle, on Wednesday, February 10, from 9am to 5pm.

For more information, contact Jane Hutchinson on 01642-738196, or email j.hutchinson@tees.ac.uk Animex runs from Monday to Friday, February 8 to 12.

For more information go to animex.net