"Neville should not pursue
a career in art!"
Mrs Evans, Art Teacher, Whitby County Comprehensive School, Whitby, Ellesmere Port. 1984
I have worked in the industry for over 30 years now and been apart of quite an incredible evolution in the design/production world. From creating black and white artwork with a rotring pen for a repro camera, to animating large scale projection shows.
As an apprentice at Quick Brown Fox, I was able to learn from the best in each department, which varied from fontographers, typesetters, artworkers, rostrum camera operators and computer artists. In return, my first task was to educate each of them about the new era of desktop publishing that was on the horizon. Highlighting how specialist high end equipment, would eventually be engulfed by the new digital revolution, of single off the shelf computers. It is a basis that has served me well throughout my career, teaching me how to be disciplined, adapt to circumstance, be aware of many alternative techniques (past, present and future), keep the upmost patience and most importantly, to always be friendly.
In 1993, I co-founded Imagine-CGA Ltd with Karl Edginton. We started predominantly in the corporate world of conferencing and information design. Through time we branched out into exhibitions, motion graphics & video. CG animation came along via Studio Liddell, who we shared office space with. In 2006, I went on to join them as Head of Post Production, and for the next four years, we produced two Children's TV shows completing around 120 episodes. When the commissions were over, the time came to re-assess my career, deciding to go back to creating exhibition software and work as a freelancer.
After a 20 year commute to Manchester, technology has now made it possible for me to base myself in Chester and work globally.
Creatively, I'm able to work alone, with other trusted freelance production staff, or, as overflow for studios who require a dependable extra pair of hands, without the need to make any outlay, as I supply my own hardware and software.
If you'd like to get in touch, please feel free to do so at nev@raygun-media.co.uk
art/design/graphic education
1985 - 1986 - Art Foundation - Northwich Art College, Cheshire
1986 - 1988 - Graphic Design - Hartford College, Cheshire
1988 - 1989 - Computer Art and Design - Gloucester College of Art and Technology, Gloucestershire
professional History
1989 - 1993 - Computer Art - Quick Brown Fox (Later to become The Caption)
1993 - 2006 - Imagine-CGA Ltd (Director)
2006 - 2010 - Studio Liddell (Head of Post Production)
2010 - 2018 - Nev Howell Production (Freelance)
2018 - Raygun Media Ltd (Director)
Honors at college
1988/89 Readers Digest - Young Illustrator of the Year Finalist. First digitally created image to achieve final selection in the history of the competition.
Honors at Imagine-cga Ltd
2003 48Hr National Film Challenge “The Painter” - Winner of the North West Heat, 2nd place in the National Final
Honor’s at Studio Liddell
2008 BAFTA Childrens Awards - Nominated for Roary the Racing Car, Pre-School Animation
2009 RTS North West Centre Awards - Nominated for Fifi and the Flowertots - Dandelions
2009 RTS North West Centre Awards - Winner for Roary the Racing Car - Hellie's a Winner
2009 RTS Innovation Awards - Winner for the Bug Bears Website - BBC Children's
2010 Big Chip - Winner for the Bug Bears Website - BBC Children's
2010 RTS North West Centre Awards - Nominated for Peter Kay's Animated All Stars - Best Production
2010 RTS North West Centre Awards - Nominated for Peter Kay's Animated All Stars - Best Post Production (Craft)
Honor’s as Nev Howell Production
2013 BP Showcase Pavilion, London 2012 - Museums & Heritage Awards
2013 Titanic Belfast - Museums & Heritage Awards, Highly Commended for the Permanent Exhibition Award Winner of the Bond Trophy for Trading & Enterprise
2013 Mishkat, The Kingdom of Sustainable Energy - Museums & Heritage Awards, Shortlisted for the International Award
2013 BAFTA Nomination - Strange Hill High series 2, Best animation
2014 Kidscreen Winner - Strange Hill High series 2, Best animated series
2014 RTS Winner - Strange Hill High series 2, Best Children’s Programme (School Age)
2014 BAFTA Nomination - Strange Hill High series 2, Best animation
2014 International Emmy Nomination - Strange Hill High series 2, Best animation
2015 BAFTA Nomination - Strange Hill High series 2, Best animation
2016 British Animation Awards Nomination - Scream Street Best Kids Series
2016 Titanic Belfast, Named the Worlds Leading Tourist Attraction
2017 Kidscreen Nomination - Strange Hill High series 2, Best animated series
2018 Saudi Pavillion - Astana Expo 2017 won third place in Exhibitors magazine for the AV presentation at the Expo
Honor’s as Raygun Media ltd
2021 RTS North West Nomination - Scream Street series 2, Best School Age Children’s Programme
2022 The Ray Harryhausen Awards Winner - Scream Street series 2, "The Noisy Place", Best Animation