Insider Media Limited

A Staffordshire effects specialist nominated for an Oscar has told Insider there should be more opportunities to get involved with creative industries in the West Midlands. Peter Bebb, nominated for his work on Hollywood blockbuster Inception, said the prospects of breaking into the industry were weighted far more heavily towards those willing to work in London.

Bebb, who studied at the University of Wolverhampton, will attend the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.

He was part of a team of four visual effects specialists who worked on Inception.

The creative team already has a BAFTA under its belt for their work on the film’s effects, and is now hoping to add to its awards haul with an Oscar in the visual effects category.

Bebb, originally from Loggerheads in Staffordshire, graduated with a BA (Hons) Wood, Metals and Plastics (3D Design) from the University of Wolverhampton. He now works in London, having moved to the capital to work for Soho-based special effects specialists Double Negative after graduating from university.

He said: “There could definitely be more opportunities to break into the industry in the West Midlands – and the companies that do offer the job roles could be more spread out. Opportunities in the creative industries are very heavily concentrated in London now.”

However, he said there were now more routes into the creative world than ever before.

“I think it’s fair to say that there are an awful lot more courses at universities now than ever before – there was very little around when I was growing up. Especially with visual effects, there was this huge wave of interest which has really taken off,” he said.

Bebb said that the experience he gained at the University of Wolverhampton was “invaluable” to his career.

“The degree from the University of Wolverhampton introduced me in to the world of CGI and the endless possibilities it can achieve - it was the catalyst that started it all. It really introduced me to high-end computing,” he added.

The 35-year-old said he thought attending the Oscar ceremony on Sunday would be a great experience.

He added: “It feels great and it's a real honour to be nominated. It's a real testament to all the hard work and effort the team put in for the show.

“It will be an amazing experience whether we win or not.”

Bebb has worked on a variety of big-name films which are notable for their visual effects, including Batman Begins and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Inception was the 21st film that he helped create effects for.

His next project will be creating effects for Hollywood blockbuster Captain America, starring Johnny Depp.

Inception, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, has been nominated for a total of eight Oscars.