Mr Jack McGrath
Lecturer
School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci
From the lecture theatre to the big screen
Jack McGrath’s childhood love for stop-motion animation is now helping filmmakers explore new creative frontiers, merging traditional filmmaking techniques with the latest technologies.
Stop-motion is a filmmaking technique that’s been around for well over a century, giving us classic movies such as Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. Since its beginnings, the technique has been constantly evolving. University of Newcastle lecturer, Jack McGrath, is on the forefront of this evolution through his work in education, research and as the founder of Sydney-based production company, Conceptavision.
“Stop-motion animation involves taking photographs of a subject, one frame at a time, then stitching them together to create a film,” explains Jack.
“I love how it brings together so many art and design mediums into the one field: from miniature set design, drawing, photography and sculpture to lighting and sound design.”
Jack’s frequent cross-disciplinary collaborations have allowed for traditional and modern techniques to collide in new ways. He works with a range of artisans, from glass artists to sound designers, to push the creative boundaries.
“I’m interested in how new technologies – such as virtual reality and 3D printing – are being merged with traditional techniques. My work is focused on how the physical material processes of animation stay relevant while incorporating these new practices.”
Collisions of old and new
Jack’s collaborative research has resulted in first-of-their-kind films and received global attention. In partnership with glass artist Mark Eliott, Jack produced one of the world’s first glass stop-motion animations. Another recent collaboration sees Jack working with media artist and academic at the University of Sydney, Andrew Robards, and director and academic at the University of Technology Sydney, Matt Gidney, who has worked on big budget feature films such as the Lego Movie and The Clone Wars series. The trio are experimenting with new and emerging technologies such as 3D printing and stereoscopic installations using 3D movie technology.
“For this new work, we are investigating how the materiality and sense of touch inherent in stop-motion animation can be harnessed and perhaps even strengthened by new technologies as we move into the future.”
Together with his international colleagues, the stop-motion practitioner’s work is also raising questions about how we value hand-crafted and physical objects in our increasingly digital world.
“With the rapid escalation of technology away from the physical, tactile, and tangible, what does the experience of the handcrafted, the material and the haptic mean to us? What is the advantage of keeping such art-making practices alive in the twenty-first century for artisans and audiences?”
In his role as university lecturer, and in animation workshops he has run in the past with school students, Jack often sees how stop-motion’s tactile nature provides a unique and valuable learning opportunity.
“Combining the handcrafted with modern-day technologies provides an accessible point for people of all ages and skill levels to get involved in the filmmaking process and communicate with audiences effectively.”
Movies with meaning
Many of Jack’s films aim to raise awareness of current global issues such as health and wellbeing, or environmental protection. He’s helped schools share health messages with their students, helped communities tell their stories, and recently collaborated with a Denmark-based charity for his film Dr Mermaid and the Abovemarine to screen on an “art ship”: raising environmental awareness among young people.
“The art ship sailed from town to town in Denmark and invited young students on board to learn about art and the importance of protecting deep sea life. In addition to being an educational film, Dr Mermaid showcases the value of working with tangible materials.”
For his stop-motion animated film Dr Mermaid and the Abovemarine, Jack and Mark Eliott created a novel way to inform children and adults globally about the dangers of plastic pollution. The duo developed techniques that fused glass flamework with stop-motion animation and digital image capture. The film was screened in galleries in Australia, New York and Denmark.
“By combining modern-day digital and other technologies with the craft and storytelling art of stop-motion animation, my research has allowed for new ways to tell important stories.”
From his small beginnings as a curious 12-year-old experimenting with clay stop-motion animation, to a renowned stop-motion practitioner whose work is watched and loved around the world, Jack continues to push the boundaries of stop-motion. Jack currently has several film projects on the horizon and continues to welcome industry collaborations that allow messages to be told in creative, effective, and meaningful ways.
“There is something very exciting about bringing a film into the world: all of the ideas, frustrations, craft and emotions behind the film consolidate and appear as one, on the screen. The film then has a life of its own.”
From the lecture theatre to the big screen
Jack McGrath’s childhood love for stop-motion animation is now helping filmmakers explore new creative frontiers, merging traditional filmmaking techniques with the latest technologies.
Career Summary
Biography
Jack McGrath has a background in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and has lectured in film and animation for a number of years at the University of Sydney, Australian Film Television and Radio School and The University of Technology Sydney. McGrath’s background in fine arts has led to a unique experimental style of animation, working and collaborating with other artists in different disciplines has given birth to a different perspective and aesthetic in animation. He has written and directed a wide range of short films that have been screened around Australia and internationally, and has founded the company Conceptavision; a Sydney based production company that creates animation and video content for academic institutions, non for profit organisations and businesses.
Qualifications
- Master of Fine Arts, University of Sydney
- Bachelor of Visual Arts Honours Class 1, University of Sydney
Keywords
- Animation
- Director
- Documentary
- Drone
- Miniatures
- Motion Control
- Stop Motion
- Stop Motion Animation
- Time-lapse
- UAV
- Video Production
- Visual Arts
Languages
- English (Mother)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
360502 | Computer gaming and animation | 100 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|
Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Creative Industries Australia |
Academic appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
24/9/2014 - 24/10/2014 |
Guest Lecturer Video editing classes for Photomedia 3rd year and honors students. |
National Art School Photomedia Australia |
Professional appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
10/10/2015 - 10/11/2022 |
Chief Controller UAVs (Drone Pilot) In charge of safety and chief of all UAV operations. Certified by CASA as chief controller. |
Conceptavision Conceptavision Australia |
24/9/2008 - |
Director • Developing, co-managing and growing animation and video production business, Conceptavision • Projects completed to date have included animation and video production for documentaries, conferences, promotion, major launch events, not-for-profit health education and online course content • Networking and development of collaborative opportunities with universities and not-for-profits • For more information visit www.conceptavision.com.</p> |
Conceptavision Conceptavision Australia |
Teaching appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
24/9/2016 - 24/10/2017 |
Guest Lecturer Stop-motion animation guest lecturer. |
University of New South Wales Faculty of Art and Design |
1/10/2015 - 31/8/2019 |
Lecturer • Undergraduate lecturer for studio animation within the Bachelor of Animation |
University of Technology Sydney Design, Architecture and the Built Environment Australia |
1/1/2015 - 24/10/2015 |
Lecturer Lecturing in animation fundamentals, game design and game theory. |
JMC Academy Animation Australia |
1/1/2015 - 24/11/2015 |
Lecturer Stop-motion animation workshops. |
Sydney Film School Film and Animation Australia |
24/9/2014 - 1/8/2019 |
Guest Lecturer Guest master class lecturer for Global Media course, Centre for International Security Studies. |
The University of Sydney Economics and Political Science Australia |
24/9/2013 - 24/10/2015 |
Tutor Lecturing 3D animation and game design as part of the AFTRS Open Program. Students aged 13 – 17. Lecturing stop-motion animation and video production and editing in schools to high school students on behalf of AFTRS. |
Australian Film Television and Radio School Film, Television & Digital Media Australia |
24/9/2008 - 24/10/2018 |
Lecturer Lecturing in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs in a number of different subject areas including stop-motion animation, 2D animation, digital effects, digital editing, foundation concepts, animation history, film theory, installation, photography, motion graphics, sound design and video craft. Course Coordinator of various programs. |
The University of Sydney Sydney College of the Arts Australia |
Awards
Nomination
Year | Award |
---|---|
2019 |
Finalist Excellence in Innovation NSW Business Chamber Business Awards Regional 2019 Sydney city region |
2019 |
Finalist Excellence in Micro Business NSW Business Chamber Business Awards Regional Sydney City |
2018 |
Finalist Excellence in Innovation NSW Business Chamber |
2018 |
Finalist Outstanding Young Entrepreneur NSW Business Chamber |
2018 |
Finalist Excellence in Innovation NSW Business Chamber |
Prize
Year | Award |
---|---|
2020 |
Grand Challenge Winner I2N |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (2 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 |
See ZS, Matthews B, Day J, Carroll N, McGrath J, Amin M, 'Inclusive virtual simulation space: Digital technologies and design thinking process', Virtual Creativity, 13 49-67 (2023) [C1] This article demonstrates a case study in research-creation based on the extended reality (XR) placemaking initiative, and reports on the development of two iterations that are pa... [more] This article demonstrates a case study in research-creation based on the extended reality (XR) placemaking initiative, and reports on the development of two iterations that are part of a digital technologies (DT) project. Various studies with a focus on restorative and relaxation applications have shown positive findings in improving mental wellness and self-awareness. We speculate that combining physical activity and exposure to digital nature can provide additional health benefits compared to restorative activities alone. The first iteration, Mind Space XR, is a virtual reality (VR) project that has the initial goal of supporting users to experience emotion-focused skills training based on mindfulness, emotion regulation and compassion in a low-risk environment. In this iteration of the DT project, we have focused on interaction design aspects and the research-creation process required to develop the information architecture framework of an early prototype. This ongoing research then informs the development of a second iteration, the ¿inclusive virtual simulation space¿ ¿ a VR learning simulation initiative that supports users to experience customizable content in an inclusive environment. Combining Australian Curriculum areas from DT and the humanities and social sciences, this study will experiment with the human¿computer interaction process with the goal of configuring a modular high-fidelity virtual environment to achieve perceived ease of use by user groups including creators, educators and students. This will lead to a proof-of-concept platform with the flexibility to integrate digital content that permits the co-creation of digital prototypes driven by inclusive virtual and physical placemaking and simulation learning. This educational inclusive virtual simulation project focuses on experimenting with and introducing education technology and XR skills and knowledge to educators and creators, which is broadly applicable to education-based DT contexts.
|
Nova | ||||||
2020 | McGrath J, Gidney M, 'Story Prospecting: The Value of Outdoor Field Research in Animation Pedagogy', Animationstudies 2.0, (2020) |
Conference (10 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 |
Drummond J, Minichiello M, Egglestone P, Wright R, McGrath J, Scott N, et al., ''House We Build': Design Communication and Urban Planning', Peer Review Proceedings of the Sixteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices, Newcastle, N.S.W (Virtual) (2024) [E1]
|
Nova | ||||||
2023 | McGrath J, 'Miniature Atmospheres: Capturing a Stop Motion City', Miniature Atmospheres: Capturing a Stop Motion City, Caldas Da Rainha (2023) [C1] | Nova | ||||||
2023 | McGrath J, 'Title: The Miniature in Motion: expanding the screen', Rowan University, USA (2023) | |||||||
Show 7 more conferences |
Creative Work (6 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 |
McGrath J, Carson S, Shadbolt J, Bailey K, Pool Party, https://hunterprimarycare.com.au/storysong/ (2020)
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2020 |
Kenke R, Anelli L, Wright R, Minichiello M, Drummond J, O'Donnell L, et al., The House We Build, Newcastle City Council and GPT Group (AU) (2020)
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2019 | McGrath J, Eliott M, Dr Mermaid and the Abovemarine, Exhibition window display at 107 Projects Redfern, Sydney, 107 Projects Redfern, Sydney (2019) | ||||
2019 |
Foulcher N, McGrath J, Shadbolt J, Lightscape, Break Block Park, Newcastle, Australia, Break Block Park, Honeysuckle (2019) [J1]
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2016 | Eliott M, McGrath J, The Flame-ation Project: A look behind the scenes of glass animation, documentary., Screened at the 2016 Glass Art Society Conference in Corning, New York (2016) | ||||
Show 3 more creative works |
Media (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 |
Chand A, McGrath J, ''Big Mouth, an animated series about periods, masturbation and anxiety. What's not to like?', The Conversation', (2021)
|
Presentation (2 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | McGrath J, Eliott M, 'Screening of glass animation documentary material', (2014) | ||
2013 | Eliott M, McGrath J, 'Screening and presentation of original artwork and glass stop-motion film.', (2013) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 9 |
---|---|
Total funding | $267,870 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20211 grants / $57,364
Lighting Animation for James Street Plaza$57,364
Funding body: Newcastle City Council
Funding body | Newcastle City Council |
---|---|
Project Team | Mr Jack McGrath, Doctor Nicholas Foulcher, Doctor Jane Shadbolt |
Scheme | Small Research Consultancy |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | G2101192 |
Type Of Funding | C2300 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Own Purpose |
Category | 2300 |
UON | Y |
20207 grants / $149,500
Media and Entertainment Research Centre MERCury) establishment program$70,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Dr Simon Weaving (Lead); A/Prof Craig Hight; Dr Simone O'Callaghan; Dr Jane Shadbolt; Dr Ben Matthews; Dr Stuart McBratney; Mr Jack McGrath; Dr Zi Siang See; Claire Pasvolsky; Karen Nobes; Prof Richard Vella. |
Scheme | Research Programs Pilot Scheme |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
House We Build - City of Newcastle$40,000
Funding body: City of Newcastle
Funding body | City of Newcastle |
---|---|
Scheme | Industry funding - Smart Cities |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Story Songs Animation Project With Hunter Primary Care$15,000
Funding body: Hunter Primary Care
Funding body | Hunter Primary Care |
---|---|
Project Team | Sue Carson, Jane Shadbolt, Kylie Bailey |
Scheme | Innovation Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | C3112 - Aust Not for profit |
Category | 3112 |
UON | N |
RAPID$10,000
Funding body: School of Creative Industries, Factulty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
Funding body | School of Creative Industries, Factulty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Zi Siang See, Jamin Day, Benjamin Matthews, Jack McGrath |
Scheme | RAPID |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Grand Challenge Winner$7,500
Funding body: I2N
Funding body | I2N |
---|---|
Project Team | Benjamin Matthews, Evan Gibbs, Jack McGrath |
Scheme | Grand Challenge |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
Faculty of Education and Arts New Start Grant$5,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
---|---|
Scheme | New Start Grants |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
FEDUA Conference Travel Grant$2,000
Funding body: FEDUA - Faculty of Education and Arts, UoN
Funding body | FEDUA - Faculty of Education and Arts, UoN |
---|---|
Project Team | Jack McGrath |
Scheme | FEDUA Conference Travel |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20191 grants / $61,006
Lightscape: Brake Block Park$61,006
Funding body: Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation
Funding body | Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Nicholas Foulcher, Doctor Jane Shadbolt, Mr Jack McGrath |
Scheme | Newcastle Port Community Contribution |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | G1900438 |
Type Of Funding | C2400 – Aust StateTerritoryLocal – Other |
Category | 2400 |
UON | Y |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | PhD | Examining Audio-Visual Correspondence through Abstract Animation | PhD (Design), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Research Projects
Mindspace XR 2020 -
This human-computer-interaction (HCI) research will lead to the creation of assistive technology based virtual reality (VR) simulations that supports XR users and also school-age children to learn new emotion-focused skills based around mindfulness, emotion regulation and compassion in a low-risk environment.
Collaborators
Name | Organisation |
---|---|
Mr Jack Joseph McGrath | University of Newcastle |
Doctor Jamin John Day | University of Newcastle |
Edit
Mr Jack McGrath
Position
Lecturer
School of Creative Industries, Design
School of Humanities, Creative Ind and Social Sci
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
jack.mcgrath@newcastle.edu.au | |
Mobile | 0423911772 |
Links |
YouTube YouTube Personal webpage Personal Blogs Personal webpage |
Office
Room | X4 |
---|---|
Building | NewSpace, Level 4 |
Location | NewSpace , |