Lead animators from Pixar, the American studio responsible for such movies as Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc, will be among the guests at this year’s Bradford Animation Festival.

The 18th Bradford Animation Festival (BAF), running at the National Media Museum from November 8 to 12, features big names from the world of animation and top international studios.

There will be screenings of more than 120 films from around the world, workshops and the BAF Awards, celebrating the best in new animation.

Guests include Andy Schmidt, lead animator at Pixar – who has worked on animated blockbusters including Up, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc – and Pixar and Disney layout and set designer Scott Caple, who has worked on The Incredibles, Tarzan and Mulan. Scott will join Fraser MacLean and Roy Naisbitt, who both worked on cartoon classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, to give a masterclass on animation layout.

Geoff Dunbar, film-maker, illustrator and author, who has worked with Sir Paul McCartney on a musical short based on Rupert the Bear and a children’s book, will collect the BAF Lifetime Achievement Award, and there will be a screening of his new film, The Tap.

Oscar and BAFTA-nominated animator and director Barry Purves, puppet animator on television classics such as Postman Pat and Chorlton and the Wheelies and Hollywood blockbusters King Kong and Mars Attacks!, will be screening new films, Plume and Tchaikovsky, and presenting the BAF Awards.

Other guests include comic art writer Paul Gravett and Richard McGuire, who directed animated film Micro Loup and has written and illustrated children’s books and experimental comics.

Atsushi Wada from new Japanese label CALF will present the work of innovative directors and challenge the notion of ‘Japanese animation’. The Association of British Animation Collections (ABAC) will screen British animated shorts and there will be a retrospective of the work of Studio MIR, a Russian animation studio.

BAF Game, taking place at the museum on November 8 and the University of Bradford on November 9, showcases up-to-date computer games technology and animation, with guests including Brendan McNamara, founder of Team Bondi, creators of LA Noire, and Nick Adams, design head at Blitz Games.

Festival director Deb Singleton said: “We are delighted to bring such big names from the worlds of animation and gaming to Bradford. The programme offers something for everyone, from fans of animated films and gaming to students and industry professionals.”

The principal sponsor of BAF 2011 is Bradford College, which provides facilities for animation, film, games technology and photography in further and higher education.

The University of Bradford’s department of creative technology has co-organised BAF Game, providing venues for events and talks.

l Tickets for Bradford Animation Festival events are available on 0844 856 3797 or baf.org.uk.

e-mail: emma.clayton @telegraphandargus.co.uk