DreamWorks' Simon Otto Interviewed

We're enjoying this excellent video interview with DreamWorks Head of Animation Simon Otto on animating dragons - and on animation in general. It's pretty long; runs about an hour, but if you've got some time, get yourself a cup of tea and some decent headphones and settle in for an hour of animation instruction from one of the masters.  If you want to be a great animator, following in Simon Otto's footsteps is a great place to start.

What Our Students Have to Say

I am the social rep for the animation and VFX course here at bucks and recently; got the chance to collaborate with the other social media reps to record some interviews with existing students on the 3 media courses, Animation & VFX, Film & Television Production and Audio and Music Production. The purpose of the videos is to help prospective students to get an insight into what it’s like to study her at Bucks. 

Applying to Study Animation at Bucks? What Should Go in Your Portfolio?

Life drawing - excellent training for animators

One of the most common questions we get asked by students applying for the Animation and Visual Effects course here at Bucks is: What should go into my portfolio? The answer is - a bit of everything. Drawings, Painting, Life drawing, sketches, scribbles. But most especially - 3D digital artwork.

How to blow a job interview in 9 easy steps

Interview, a short animated film by Mikkel Okholm and Mikkel Brons-Frandsen

By the time you get to being interviewed for a job, most animation and visual effects companies probably already want to hire you. Why? Because the thing that counts for most in getting hired is your demo reel. They are not hiring you for your good looks or charming conversation - they are hiring you for your skill and talent in digital media.

That said, interviews do matter. They are important mostly because this is the point at which many otherwise excellent candidates blow it, and throw a great opportunity away. How does this happen? Below are some of the most common reasons why candidates screw it up and fail to get hired. Read on and learn from other people's mistakes.

Getting your first job in the Animation industry - 12 rules for success

How animation graduates find work in the animation industry? There is no simple answer to this question. Jobs in the entertainment industry have always been highly competitive, and the supply of trained graduates competing for the best entry-level positions has never been greater. Official jobs postings, word of mouth, rumours in the pub, personal contacts, even cold-calling - all of these can be effective ways to find work in the business. Below are the twelve key rules we think are vital for success.

Clearing! It's still not too late to find a place at Bucks....

Exam results are now in and the process known as "clearing" has begun. Clearing is the great re-shuffle, when students who didn't necessarily get the results they anticipated start to scramble for a place at University.

According to Wikipedia:
"The Clearing process helps applicants without places to find institutions with courses that still have places available. However once UCAS's clearing operation is complete, institutions with available places do advertise publicly, and some students find places by direct application at that stage. "

The key point is, it isn't too late to find a place to study in September.

Interview etiquette - technical Do's and Don'ts

A memory stick. And a minefield

Here at Bucks we love seeing plenty of evidence of digital artwork at interview. Even more than a traditional hand-drawn portfolio or sketchbook, digital artwork shows that an applicant is comfortable with computers and, even more important - knows what they're getting into. Our course focuses mainly on digital skills, reflecting the increasingly digital demands of the job market.

Maya Taster Day at Bucks

Free Maya Training at Bucks

Hi Everyone!  I'm Dave and I may have met some of you at your interviews here at Bucks.  We are always excited to see what you've been up to on your courses and in your own time.  We've seen some great work!  What we have noticed is that many of those at interview don't have 3D experience.  One of the great things about our new course is the hands on nature of the projects. We'll be doing a lot of 3D work - animating, modelling, texturing, lighting, dynamics - the list goes on!

The Interview Process at Bucks

Dave Creighton and I have been interviewing candidates today at Bucks New University, and we are delighted with the high standard of the applicants for our new Animation and VFX course. Almost all of our interviewees have strong artistic and digital skills, the crucial combination for a successful career in the digital arts.