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.

COM7023 Character Acting Starts 8 April 2024

Dialogue Shot by Mark Masters

COM7023, the third animation module on our online masters' degree in 3D animation, starts on 8 April 2024.

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 14th June at 2pm.

Character Animation by Muhanad Al Dasoqi

Above is an excellent piece of character animation by BNU animation masters' student Muhanad Al Dasoqi.  Having a great character animation piece on your demo reel is an important step in landing that crucial first job in the animation industry.  Animation studios are looking for animators who have good technical skills - but can also create genuinely entertaining work - the animation "X factor".

"Is It Good?" by BNU Animation Grad Lee Caller

"Is it good?" from Lee Caller on Vimeo.

Above is a fine acting shot animated by BNU animation graduate Lee Caller, who now teaches animation at Escape Studios in London.  The shot above is one of a number of pieces of animation that Lee has started as a student demo, but - as he puts it - "rarely gets to finish".  In this case, the purpose of the demo was to show students that great animation it not always all about over-the-top super-exaggeration, but more about subtle facial expressions and understated, believable acting choices. 

Nine Ways to Create a Great Pose

How do you create a great pose in animation? Creating great poses is a necessary skill for all animators to learn. In the video above, I suggest nine ways that an animator can create a great pose - the key starting point for a great acting scene. 

DA702 Character Acting Starts 10 Jan 2022

Animation by Alex Southcombe

Starting in the New Year our masters' students tackle DA702, the second animation module on our online masters' degree in 3D animation. Classes start on 10 January 2022.

The module is titled DA702 - Character Performance, and builds up to an entry into the March 2022 Eleven Second Club competition.  

On March 1st 2022 the club's official line of dialogue will be released, and our students have until March 30 to submit their finished work. DA702 PR1 assignment is due on Wednesday 30th March 2022 at 2pm.

Stanislavski's Questions for Actors & Animators

Constantin Stanislavski

Constantin Stanislavski was a Russian actor and theatre director who was one of the first to set down in writing the principles of great acting.

Many actors credit him with inventing "the Method" - the means by which actors immerse themselves in a character. 

Animators are actors with a pencil or a mouse, and we need to give a performance that is just as credible as anything that a stage or screen actor will create.

So, what can animators learn from Stanislavski's seven questions for actors?

DA702 Character Performance Starts 5 Jan 2021

11 Second Club Entry by Victoria Bailey

Starting in the New Year our masters' students tackle DA702, the second animation module on our online masters' degree in 3D animation. Classes start on 5 January 2021.

The module is titled DA702 - Character Performance, and builds up to an entry into the March 11 Second Club competition.  

On March 1st 2021 the club's official line of dialogue will be released, and our students have until March 29 to submit their finished work.

DA702 - Character Perf Module Starts 6 Jan

11 Second Club Entry by Victoria Bailey

Starting in the New Year our masters' students tackle DA702, the second animation module on our online masters' degree in 3D animation. Classes start on 6 January 2020.

The module is titled DA702 - Character Performance, and builds up to an entry into the April 11 Second Club competition.  On April 1st 2020 the line of dialogue will be released, and our students have just under 3 weeks to animate their shots.