Our expertise

Zuby Ahmed

Programme & Creative Director Video Game Design & Production

Zuby is a seasoned game developer and manager, with a career spanning over 20 years, 15 years of which have been focused within the Games Industry. Starting as a freelance writer for Edge , Zuby went onto work for Digital Image Design , Warthog Games , and EA Games . In 2006 Zuby founded SmashMouth Games (SMG), with a...

Mark Brill

MA Creativity, Making and Innovation Practice Course Leader, MA/MSc Future Media, BA Digital Marketing Senior Lecturer

Mark Brill brings over 25 years experience in digital channels, creative innovation and emerging technologies. He is a leading innovation strategist working with global brands, start-ups and third sector organisations. Mark’s focus is on the creative application of technology, in which he is researching and developing concepts...

Chaka Jones

Course Leader, Digital Marketing

With over 12 years’ qualified experience in digital, Chaka’s career spans major high street and online department stores within the designer accessories market including Fiorelli, John Lewis, Debenhams and ASOS. Prior to becoming an academic in 2017, Chaka was the Web and Digital Manager for Higher Education provider GSM...

Sion Lenton

Course Director

Sion Lenton is the Course Director for Ba (Hons) Video Game Design and Ba (Hons) Video Game Digital Art for the Games Film and Animation School at Birmingham City University. In addition he also teaches Game Design & Production at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level. Prior to joining BCU, Sion taught Game Design at the...

Shaun Magher

Course Director BA (Hons) Digital Animation, BA (Hons) Video Game Digital Art and MA Feature Film Development

Shaun has spent 30 years working as a Director, Creative Director and Animation Director within the UK and International Film and Television industries. A graduate from St Martins school of Art (1985) and the National Film and Television school (1989). Shaun’s work spans Feature films, TV series, commercials, station branding...

Frank Mannion

Senior Lecturer Film Distribution and Marketing / Movie Producer, Swipe Films

Frank Mannion runs the award-winning production, sales and distribution company, Swipe Films. The company has built up a valuable library of over 25 films, winning over 100 awards at major festivals around the world, including the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals. Frank Mannion's movies include: 'Get Lucky' starring...

Andrew Ashab Martin

Senior Lecturer

Ashab has worked as a visual development artist in the Film, TV and video game industry for 20 years. He has been fortunate to travel and work around the globe and is always planning the next adventure to gather experience and reference to aid in his personal and work development. A strong believer in the creative foundations...

Alan McQueen

Specialist Lecturer Film Business

Alan McQueen has spent the last 30 years working with the most important and influential UK film companies. He started his career in the film and home entertainment industry in 1983 with MSD Holdings. He then joined Palace Pictures, headed by Nik Powell and Steve Woolley. Palace Pictures were the most inventive, influential and...

Professor Xavier Mendik

Institutional Lead for the BCU Film Futures/BFI Partnership | Director of BCU Film Futures | Professor of Cult Cinema Studies

Xavier Mendik is a Professor of Cult Cinema Studies at Birmingham City University, where he also runs the annual Cine-Excess International Film Festival ( www.cine-excess.co.uk ). He is the author, editor and co-editor of nine volumes on cult cinema traditions, including Bodies of Desire and Bodies in Distress:...

Kirstie Smith

Senior Lecturer

Kirstie has extensive experience in B2C markets and currently works for clients in the marketing agency, fashion lifestyle, automotive, leisure, hospitality and food sectors. Her work focusses on driving revenue through co-ordinated social media and digital strategy, consultancy and training. Before setting up her own ...