Dr Henry Melki

Overview

Henry is the lecturer in Animation and VFX and currently co-directing the undergraduate animation course at Ulster University.

Coming from a computer graphics and design background, Henry started out on projects with studios based in Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Beirut. His practice includes Graphic Design, 3D modelling, and motion graphics for TV and advertisements. He lectured at the University of Balamand, before developing a deeper interest in character design and develop and pursuing his PhD in Northern Ireland.

He completed his PhD in 2019 which developed a model to enhance creative processes in generating believable characters for film and VFX. During his PhD, Henry joined the Society for Animation Studies and presented a paper titled “Beauty and The Beast: A dynamic Relationship Between 3D animation and the Adaption to Change”, looking at workforce politics and compares a historical creative process in Gothic Architecture to the visual effects pipeline. This paper was published in the Society’s Animation Studies journal in 2020.

Henry’s research interests include design theory, character design and development, character believability, 3D modelling techniques, photorealism, Virtual Production, Visual Effects, perception theory, empathy, and aesthetic theories.

Henry has delivered workshops focusing on animation, 3D modelling, Sculpting, Photogrammetry and Real-time rendering. He has also been involved with community outreach activities such as 3D Dojo, a course aimed at teaching the basics of computer animation, and Toody Threedy, the local animation community group.