Animators picture a future here.

Four Teesside graduates scooped the top title of Best New Company at the DigitalCity Fellowships 2005 exhibition.

moShine was set up by Alan Barber, 24, of Chester; Stephen Caie, 25, of Hertfordshire; Satish Shewhorak, 24, of the Wirral; and Michael Siu, 25, of Leeds, who met on the university's MA computer- animation degree. They set up the digital media company after graduating last year.

Now, having pitched to redesign the graphics for a television chart show, the four have set their sights on expanding.

Satish said: "We looked at the TV show and thought we could improve the graphics, so we contacted the makers of the show. The UK office loved our ideas and supported us, but even though the American branch didn't feel able to use them, we're not too disappointed.

"We valued the experience of working with a broadcasting client and it gave us the inspiration to set up our own animation company. It taught us a lot about dealing with customers and how to prepare pitches to clients.

"We recently did the graphics for the DigitalCity promotional DVD and we've also been commissioned to create the graphics for the Best New Business Awards ceremony.

"And we are currently work- ing with a children's author who has asked us to develop images for a television series featuring her characters."

Through that they met ani- mation mentor John Bullivent, of Kent, who is helping them.

Satish said: "Digital media is coming to the forefront in this region and the university has given us essential support during the critical phase of our business start-up.

"We now aim to go beyond being simply an animation company and evolve into other areas and take advantage of the wealth of talent here and promote the area as a hub of digital talent."