How Can You Tell Where is the Best Place to Study Animation?

Gateway Building at Bucks - modern media hub

One of the most important decisions that anyone makes is what to study at University, and where. How do you choose? Even if you know you want to study animation and the digital arts (good choice!), there are at least 80 courses in the UK to select from.  There are a number of ways of making the right decision, but we think these are the most important questions to ask:

Jedi animation by Lyuboslav Angelov

1. What Have Previous Students Done?

First, check out what other students on the course have already done. If they have done excellent work, the chances are that you will too. Why? Because few students produce great work by themselves.  Most of us require motivation, inspiration, and the discipline of a well structured curriculum to guide us through, and help us do the best work we are capable of.

3D Lizard by Charlotte Richardson

Students are pushed by their tutors to succeed, and are inspired by the excellent work done by their peers to do better themselves. This is a virtuous circle in which standards get raised all the time. All the images posted here are by our students and recent graduates.

Costume Design by Monika Dzikowicz

2. Is There a Demo Reel of Student Work?

We cut a new demo reel for the student work done every year at Bucks. Below are our 2013 and 2014 demo reels. We want all our students to do work at least as good as this - and preferably do even better.  Come to Bucks and help us to raise the bar next year!

3D VFX comp by Jens Kopke

Below: 2013 Student Demo Reel




Below: 2014 Student Demo Reel





3. What Kind of Work Have The Tutors Done?

Are the tutors skilled in animation and digital media? Are their skills up to date? This is an industry which is in a state of constant change and upheaval as new technology drives the market. Traditional art skills matter, but so does having the right software and the ability to use it.

Animation by Bucks tutor Alex Williams. Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of The Dawn Treader

Below is the Visual Effects Reel of Bucks Lecturer Alex Williams:





To see the excellent demo reel of Broadcast Graphics tutor Rob Kelly, follow this link.

All our tutors at Bucks know their stuff. We're proud of what we do, and we are proud of teaching practical, industry-level skills that will help our students find jobs in an every-changing and highly competitive market.

Gateway: Modern Media Hub

4. What Are The Facilities Like?

Are you going to be stuck in a room with ageing computers and little technical support? Here at Bucks our Gateway building is still brand new, and boasts a huge array of state-of-the-art equipment. We are proud of the facilities we have at Bucks, and by the very broad range of creative disciplines going on here. To see more, take a virtual tour, or better yet visit us on one of our open days. The next one is in February - come and see us!


5. Are Graduates Finding Work in Industry?

Our graduates are getting stronger and stronger every year, and our track record of placing our students in industry is improving all the time. To see some of the success stories of our recent graduates, follow this link.


-----Alex

To see the excellent work done by Bucks tutor Rob Kelly, check out this post. To see more examples of our students' work, check out the first exercise done by our new students here. Also, take a look at the animation of Jack Strood, as well as our latest commercial project for Rocketseed, our short film done for a global aid agency, and take a look at the excellent work of some of our recent graduates, such as designer Monika Dzikowicz, architectural visualisation specialist Krsytof Michalski, Alex Whitfield and the 3D artwork of Mike Swan.