Why Eye Lines Matter in Animation

Eye Direction Matters

One of the most common mistakes made by junior animators is getting the eye lines wrong - the characters on screen just aren't looking at each other. 

This was a problem on Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - a film I worked on back in 1987 (it was my first animated film).  One of the biggest challenges on the film was getting Roger and the other cartoon characters to look directly at Bob Hoskins and the other live action actors. 

Without clear believable eye direction, the characters didn't seem to be looking at each other, and the illusion failed. 

And if the illusion failed, the whole suspension on disbelief failed. 

Why Animators Need a Change of Expression

"Ruber" animation by Alex Williams

One of the most common mistakes made by junior animators is the “frozen face.” A character might be moving beautifully through space—walking, talking, gesturing—but if their expression never shifts, the scene feels flat and lifeless. 

Why? Because real people don’t hold one expression for long.  In real life, our faces are in constant, subtle motion. Even when listening quietly, tiny changes in the eyebrows, mouth, or eyes reveal attention, doubt, curiosity, or impatience. These micro-shifts keep us alive and believable. In animation, a lack of change reads as stiffness or, worse, lifelessness.

Find Work with the UK's 2,500 Animation Studios

The UK alone has around 2,500 animation studios.  Can't find work? It's easy for graduates to apply to the big names: Framestore, Blue Zoo, Aardman, DNEG. But it takes a little more imagination and hard work to apply to the smaller studios that are less well known and harder to find.  The wise animation graduate searches out opportunities that others have overlooked. Start by making lists of obscure studios, make sure your demo reel is fit for purpose, and then start applying. Somewhere out there, right now, is a studio in need of animation talent.

Sole Trader -v- Ltd Company - Which is Best?

Which is best? Sole Trader or Limited Company? For most animators, especially those starting out for the first time, selling your services as a sole trader is by far the simplest solution. As your business grows, and you start to bring other people in to help deliver the best quality product, you might want to consider becoming a limited company. Watch this video to find out more. 

Vital Tip for Animation Graduates

What's the single most important thing that animation graduates need to do when applying for work? Of course, the main thing a professional animator needs is a great demo reel, which is why we spend so much time at BNU focusing on helping our students to prepare a great demo reel. But that reel is no good unless a future employer can find it quickly. To make sure the person doing the hiring can find your work easily, make sure to embed your demo reel at the top of your CV or resume. And, it goes without saying, check that the embedded link actually works. 

Happy Birthday Blue Zoo!

Blue Zoo 25th Anniversary Party

Last week the BAFTA-winning animation studio Blue Zoo celebrated their 25th birthday with a huge party that brought together past and present team members, collaborators, and friends of the studio.

The event celebrated a quarter-century of award-winning creativity, from groundbreaking children’s TV shows to acclaimed commercials.  

The Best Books To Learn Animation

The Animator's Survival Kit

What are the key books that animation students  should buy to learn the craft of animation?

Books may be a bit old school these days, but a good book is still a great place to start learning about and exploring the world of character animation.

The best books will teach you, immerse you - and inspire you to do your very best work. So, what are the top five books?

Why Animators Like Assymetry

Mickey Mouse from "The Illusion of Life"

One of the most common mistakes made by junior animators is for their character poses to be too stiff and symmetrical.  One of the fastest ways to make a character feel stiff and lifeless is to pose them symmetrically.  

Perfectly mirrored limbs, identical angles, and evenly balanced weight all scream “mannequin,” not “living being.” Real life — and good animation — is full of asymmetry.

Why Animators Need to Hold Poses Longer

Animation by Mark Masters

One of the common mistakes made by junior animators is the “default face.” A character smiles, frowns, gasps — and then, almost instantly, snaps back to a bland neutral expression.  It’s as if the performance forgets itself. 

This also happens in lipsync; where the character will make a vowel or consonant; then snap back into a default mouth shape much too quickly. Much better to hold the vowel or consonant longer, and really get the most out of the pose. 

ScreenSkills Animation Trainee Finder 2025

Apply at Screen Skills' official site

On September 1st Screen Skills launched a new paid placement scheme for graduates, The "Animation Trainee Finder". Applications for the scheme are now open, and close on Friday 26th September 2025.

"Animation Trainee Finder" places trainees on animation productions and aims to ensure a steady supply of talent for the UK animation industry. 

COM7025 (Professional Prep) Starts 6 Oct 2025

Animation by BNU graduate Robin Herrmann

Module COM7025 (Professional Prep) Starts 6 Oct 2025.  In this module, which aims to get students ready for the animation industry, students put together a professional-level animation demo reel, and also write a report on the animation industry.   

The theoretical Assignment (Animation Industry Report) is due on Friday 12th December 2025, before 2pm.  Demo Reel & Portfolio is due on Friday 9th January 2026, before 2pm. 

Letters of Recommendation for BNU Graduates

For animation graduates, a Letter of Recommendation is often requested when applying for jobs, internships, or postgraduate opportunities.  Here at BNU we write such letters on a regular basis.

Employers and studios want to know what you’re like to work with, and a letter from a trusted tutor or mentor can help convey that.  Are you a team player? Do you show up on time? These are the "soft skills" that employers look for.

Here are some tips to make the process of getting a reference or letter or recommendation as smooth as possible:

A Guide to Taxes for Freelance Animators

This short video offers a short introductory guide to taxes for freelance animators.  At BNU we can't offer our students formal legal or tax advice, but we can explain the basic rules of freelancing.  Freelancing need not be complicated. You don't need a license to offer your services to clients and, as long as you pay your taxes to HMRC at the end of the tax year, doing small freelance animation jobs can be a great way to get started in the animation industry. 

Eight Rules for Success with a New Client

Above is a short video setting out what we believe to be the eight rules for success when dealing with your first client.  For our students at BNU studying on the MA in 3D Animation for Professionals, dealing with their first client is part of our academic program.  During Module COM7028 "Client Brief" our students seek out a client (this could be a friend, a company, a charity, or a small business) that needs a short piece of animation.  The video above explains how to make the experience of working with a new client as smooth as possible. You can also find out more by reading this blog post.

Why Animation Grads Still Need a Website

Why do animation graduates need their own blog or website? Because it remains the case today that having your own blog or website is still the best way to own your own professional slice of the internet. Your blog or website is your showcase for your talent; you can style it and curate it any way you want, and show the world what you are capable of.  The video above explains why our animation graduates still need their own online space to show their work. 

Why Animation Graduates Still Need a CV

Do animators still need a cv or resume? We think so. Animators still need a cv because employers will need a brief summary of all the relevant detail about your skills, academic qualifications, citizenship (this matters for your right to work), job history and - crucially - all your contact details. Contact details should include your email address, your phone number - and also your physical address. 

Why BNU Animation Grads Still Need Linkedin

Animators need Linkedin because now more than ever Linkedin has become the default platform for animation graduates looking for work. Linkedin is a "one stop shop" for animation recruiters, who can find fresh talent, see their job history, watch their demo reel and - crucially - forward the link to their clients. The video above explains why our animation graduates need Linkedin, and how to take advantage of its features. 

MA Animation Now Recruiting for Sept 2025

Animation by BNU graduate Neil Whitman

It is time to book your place on our MA in 3D Animation for Professionals, now recruiting for September 2025.

The online MA in animation at BNU was launched in 2015 and was the very first of its kind - the first online MA in animation which could be undertaken by students anywhere in the world.  

Our MA 3D Animation for Professionals continues to partner with the online animation school www.animationapprentice.org, ensuring that all our MA Students graduate with industry-level skills.  Teaching starts in September 2025.

COM7024 Animals & Creatures Starts 7 July 25

COM7024 Animals & Creatures Starts 7 July 2025

For our MA students studying for their Online MA in Animation, Module COM704 (Animals and Creatures) started on Monday 7 July 2025. This is the fourth module tackled by our students on our Online MA in Animation.

COM7024 focuses on animal and creature animation, with an emphasis on the kind of photo-realistic animation in which London VFX houses specialise.  COM7024 PR1 is due on Friday 12th September 2025 at 2pm.

COM7023 Performance Starts 7 April 2025

Animation by BNU Student Joshua Reynolds

COM7023, the third animation module on our online masters' degree in 3D animation, starts on Monday 7 April 2025.

The module is titled COM7023 - Character Performance, and builds up to an entry into the Eleven Second Club competition.  

In this module students learn how to tackle character performance, dialogue and lipsync.  COM7023 PR1 is due on Friday 13th June 2025 at 2pm.

COM7028 "Client Brief" Starts 6 Jan 2025

Module COM7028 "Client Brief" started on 6 January 2025 (you can see a full list of academic deadlines here).  In COM7028 students learn how to complete a short piece of animation for a client, and also contextualise the practical outcome with a written assignment of 1,500-2000 words. 

 

The deadline for the Client Project is Friday 14th March 2025, before 2pm.  The deadline for the Written Assignment is Friday 11th April 2025 before 2pm.

2025 Animation Masters' Demo Reel

We're proud to present the latest edit of the best work done by our animation masters' degree students (MA Animation for Professionals) at Buckinghamshire New University over the past year.  Our 2025 Animation Masters' Demo Reel is a selection of the best work completed on our MA in 3D Animation for Professionals, delivered in partnership with the online school Animation Apprentice.  Congratulations to all our students on their excellent work.