Fay McConkey Wins An Oscar!

Former Bablake pupil, Fay McConkey, was part of the Double Negative team that won an Oscar for its Visual Effects work on the film, Ex Machina.

Fay started her education at Bablake where she was a keen netball player; she then went to Leeds where she studied Business and Media at Trinity and All Saints College (now Leeds Trinity). She has worked for Double Negative on some huge films including Total Recall, Angels and Demons and Bridget Jones's Diary.

The Oscar winning film, Ex Machina, a 2015 British science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Alex Garland, was one of the lowest budget films Fay has worked on, but the specials effects wowed Oscar judges and the team at Double Negative beat blockbuster competition from the likes of Star Wars to take home the Oscar.

Fay's mother, Janet, wrote to Headmaster Mr John Watson after Fay won the award, saying:

'I am a very proud parent today. Fay, an ex-pupil of Bablake, won an Oscar for Double Negative for its Visual Effects on the film Ex Machina. As parents we wish to thank Bablake for all of the support and encouragement so many years ago.'

Fay was recently invited back to the Midlands to speak at the March Coventry and Warwickshire Champions meeting. The Champions attendees were treated to a behind the scenes look at the world of visual effects and a night at the Oscars. She even started her talk with a picture of her in the paper as a Coventry Champion representing Bablake in our netball team!

Huge congratulations to Fay from all of us at Bablake!

(#BablakePupilsEverywhere - No.15)