Niki Wakefield

Niki Wakefield is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, affiliated with the Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries and the School of Film, Media and Creative Technologies. She is also a member of the Centre for Creative and Immersive XR, where she contributes to advancing creative applications of extended reality and virtual production technologies.

Her educational background includes:

• MA in Creative Writing, University of Surrey (2016–2018)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (awarded 2018)

Niki's research and teaching focus on the intersection of narrative and technology. Her primary research interests include:

• Visual effects (VFX) and photo-realistic compositing
• Real-time compositing and virtual production
• Mixed media animation aesthetics
• Immersive and interactive art experiences

She actively explores how emerging technologies such as AI and XR can enhance creative storytelling and artistic expression.

Her recent research output centers on virtual production pipelines and mixed-media animation, reflecting a strong trend toward real-time, immersive content creation. These works contribute to broader fields of digital media, creative technology, and virtual arts, with applications in film, education, and cultural exhibitions.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• UK Film Festival 2018 3 Minute Script Competition (awarded 2019)

Niki is deeply involved in student development and industry engagement. She teaches visual effects and compositing across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, particularly on the BSc (Hons) Computer Animation and Visual Effects course. She fosters resilience and adaptability in students by encouraging problem-solving and exploration of new specializations. She actively develops industry projects, work placements, and employment opportunities, currently collaborating with Dark Cosmos Creative to provide students with real-world client briefs. Additionally, she has served as an external advisor for the BA (Hons) Post Production and VFX program at the University of Salford and as an external examiner at the University of Suffolk.

Niki leads and contributes to several innovation and research projects, including:

• Sprint Project: VFX in-camera workshop with Dark Cosmos Creative
• Enabling XR Enterprise (collaborative innovation in immersive technology and tourism)
• Photorealistic Asset Creation (AI-enhanced film production assets)
• House and Garden virtual production projects

She is a key figure in the XR Network+ initiative, exploring AI and virtual production in content creation, and has presented at events such as 'Unbuilding Animated Spaces' and 'Unveiling the Silent Senses', focusing on generative art and sensory impairment.