AN Oscar-winning special effects company is headhunting the next generation of possible Academy Award winners — in Bolton.

Double Negative, one of the world's biggest visual effects companies, is currently scouting at the University of Bolton.

Students from the Visual Effects course in the School of Creative Technologies are putting together a presentation which they will deliver at Double Negative’s London studio as part of a career development assignment with the company.

Double Negative —which won an Oscar for its work on Inception in 2011 - starring Leonardo DiCaprio - and Interstellar in 2014 and have films shortlisted in this year's awards — already employs several Bolton graduates.

Rosie Draper joined the company after graduating from the University of Bolton in 2013. She has now risen through the ranks to become a Match Move Supervisor.

The company's Harriet Edge-Partington and Artist Manager Chris Jaques visited the university.

Mr Jacques said: "We have eight or nine Bolton graduates working with us at DNeg now and they have all done really well.

"For example, Rosie is working on is the new Harry Potter series-spin off currently being developed under the code name Boswell.

"This project will give the students experience on what it is like pitching their work and how they’ll evolve it, based on feedback.

"It is a really useful experience for them.

"We’ve got two films in the running for Oscars this year — Ant-Man and Ex Machina. Both are amazing."

Simon Wiggins, Head of the School of Creative Technologies, said: "We have been working with Double Negative for a number of years now, establishing a strong relationship with an industry leader that has given our graduates a great start to their careers.

"We’ll be cheering for them on Oscars’ night, for sure."