Dragon in Flight Animation Tutorial

Dragon in Flight Tutorial 

Our MA animation students are currently tackling Module DA703 - Animals and Creatures, the third module on our Online MA in Animation.

We've been adding new animal and creature tutorials to our animation library, to offer as wide as possible a selection of teaching materials for animal and creature animation. 

This latest tutorial shows how to animate a dragon in flight. The tutorial uses the free Jaemin Dragon rig by Truong, which can be downloaded here.  The dragon flight tutorial can be found here (it is password-protected), and is free for all our currently enrolled students. 

How to Animate Quadruped Transitions

Free tiger rig from Truong

How do you animate quadruped transitions? That is to say, how do you animate the change from a walk to a trot to a run, and then back again?

Quadruped transitions are a tricky thing to get right, which is why all our MA students have access to video tutorials at Animation Apprentice showing step by step how to do it. 

Our MA animation students are currently tackling their third module, DA703 Animals and Creatures, mastering the art of quadruped locomotion and performance.

Online MA in 3D Animation - Still Time to Apply

Transformer animation by Amedeo Beretta

We are still taking applications for our online MA in animation, recruiting for September 2021.

Our online MA in animation 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.

Since 2015, our students have been learning how to animate to a professional industry standard using Autodesk Maya, the industry-standard software, and also engaging with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

Royalty-Free Music Licenses at Bensound

One question that animators often ask when making a short film, or compiling their demo reel, is where to get Royalty Free Music either for free or at low prices.

One very useful resource that we recommend at Bucks is Bensound. At Bensound.com you can download royalty free stock music for animation, YouTube and multimedia projects.

BAFTA Scholarships for Post-Graduate Study

BAFTA is now taking applications for three UK based post-graduate scholarships in film, TV and Games (and animation, of course) worth up to £12,000 each. The deadline is May 26.

The BAFTA scholarships are supported by Warner Bros and the Duke of Cambridge, and include a work placement and also free access to BAFTA events. They can also be used to help finance post-graduate study in the creative arts.

What Do Recruiters Want? Find out on 25 May

Tiffany Feeney

What Do Animation Recruiters Want? What are studios looking for? Find out on Tuesday 25 May at 12:30pm, when veteran animation recruiter Tiffany Feeney will offer her perspective on what exactly recruiters are looking for in animation talent.

Having recruited for Dreamworks, Reel FX and Blue Sky Studios, Tiffany Feeney knows what studios want and need.  

The event is taking place on 25 May at 1.30pm, with a Q&A to follow. This is especially recommended for all our students graduating this summer, or for any students looking for jobs and internships in animation and vfx.

Win a Dell Workstation at the 11 Second Club

Next month we're recommending that all our student animators enter the monthly 11 Second Club Competition. 

In May 2021 Epic Games, creators of the Unreal Engine real-time renderer, are launching a special prize challenge with The 11Second Club, in association with Dell Computers.  First prize is a Dell Workstation.

Kristis Bandzevicius Motion Designer Quadmark

Kristis Bandzevicius

Bucks New University congratulates animation masters' student Kristis Bandzevicius on his new job as a Motion Designer at Quadmark.

Quadmark is a creative training and enablement agency that builds learning experiences for companies.

"Motion Designer" is really another way of saying "animator", and we're delighted that Kristis is using the skills learned at Bucks to forge a career in the creative industries.

BNU Graduate Priya Chitnis Layout Artist at ILM

Priya Chitnis

Many congratulations to BNU Graduate Priya Chitnis who has a secured a new position as a Layout Artist at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).

Priya took our online MA in 3D Animation and Bucks, and this is her first role in the animation and VFX industry.

ILM is a global powerhouse in animation and vfx, the pioneering studio that created the animated dinosaurs for Jurassic Park and has since gone on to create the Star Wars franchise of films. 

BNU "No Detriment" Policy

Last year Bucks New Uni introduced a "no detriment" policy in response to the Corona Virus Pandemic. The policy remains in force, and - in effect - gives students an extra 10 working days (two calendar weeks) to hand in assessments, beyond the formal deadline.

"No detriment" means that the work submitted will not suffer any detriment, ie it will still be graded as if it were handed in on time.

Cartoon Forum Returns in September

Save the Date! Cartoon Forum is back - Europe's biggest TV pitch-fest for animation takes place in Toulouse, France, from 20 – 20 September 2021.

For all our students and graduates with an idea for an animated TV or web series, Cartoon Forum is the place to pitch it.

The deadline to submit your series project this year is in May. So, there is plenty of time to sharpen your pencils, fill out some forms - and make your pitch perfect.

Apply Now for our Online MA in Animation

Animation by Victoria Bailey

We are now taking applications for our online MA in animation, recruiting for September 2021.

Our online MA in animation was launched in 2015 and was the first of its kind - a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

Students learn how to animate to a professional industry standard using Autodesk Maya, the industry-standard software, and also learn to engage with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form. To apply, follow this link.

Alex Cullinane-Carrasco Technical Artist at 3Finery Ltd

Alex Cullinane-Carasco

Many congratulations to Bucks New Uni animation graduate Alex Cullinane-Carrasco for starting a new position as Technical Artist at 3FINERY LTD. 

3FINERY is an Augmented Reality spin-out from Edinburgh Napier University that brings objects to life in mobile devices.

Alex used the skills he learned studying animation and VFX at Bucks, building a portfolio of work and ultimately finding work in his chosen field. 

BNU Grad Craimer Jones CG Artist at Hogarth

Craimer Jones

Many congratulations to Bucks Animation & VFX graduate Craimer Jones who has recently been hired as a CG Artist at Hogarth Worldwide.

Hogarth describes itself as "the largest creative content production specialist in the world"; their work crosses "all media and industry sectors" and "partners with the world’s top brands to deliver complex solutions to today’s content challenge".

Craimer joins Hogarth as a digital artist specialising in 3D Automotive work. 

Charlie & Yip Wins "Best Trailer"

I'm pleased to announce that my short film "Charlie and Yip" has won another festival award - Best Trailer at the Fantastic Film Indie Film Festival of Los Angeles.

Charlie and Yip is a short film about a kid who takes his pet to school for Show and Tell, which turns out to be a bad idea.

The short is really a teaser/trailer for my indie feature film project "My Haunted House", which is still in development. 

2020-21 BNU Master's Animation Reel

We're proud to present the 2020 Buckinghamshire New University Animation Masters' Reel. All the work shown above was completed by our Masters' degree students, who study online at Animation Apprentice, which delivers the practical content for the master's degree at Bucks. Many congratulations to BNU students and graduates Michael Davies, Kente Sunde, Adam Sale, Kristis Bandzevicius, Lisa Springett, and Lee Caller on their excellent work.

DA703 Animals & Creatures Starts 19 April

Hermit crab animation by Joe Gamble

Module DA703 - Animals and Creatures - starts on 19 April 2021, and is the third module tackled by our students on our online MA in Animation.

DA703 focuses on animal and creature animation, with an emphasis on the kind of photo-realistic animation in which London VFX houses such as Framestore, MPC and DNeg specialise.  

DA703 PR1 is due on Friday 4th June at 2pm.

Video Introduction to DA702 PR1

Above is a short five minute introduction to DA702, the second module in our Online MA in 3D Animation. DA702 PR1 is the practical assignment in the module, with a 70% grade weighting, and involves entry into the monthly 11 Second Club animation competition. To see more about this module and how to get the best out of it, read this blog post. 

Apply Now for our Online MA 3D Animation

Transformer animation by BNU Masters' student Amedeo Beretta

We are now taking applications for our online MA in animation, recruiting for September 2021.

Our online MA in animation is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

Students learn how to animate to a professional industry standard using Autodesk Maya, the industry-standard software, and also learn to engage with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

Webinar with Animation YouTube Entrepreneur Charlotte Gimbird on 26 January 2021

QC Animations at YouTube - the future of animation?

On Tuesday 26 January at 11.30am I'll be interviewing Charlotte Gimbird, one of my most entrepreneurial animation students. 

The webinar is hosted by Escape Studios, and features undergraduate animation student Charlotte Gimbird, creator of QC Animations.  QC Animations is a YouTube Channel with over 80,000 subscribers, and hundreds of thousands of views every month.  To see how Charlotte has created her own successful animation business out of thin air, sign up for the free webinar here. 

Second Marking with BNU Tutor Sydney Padua

Over the Christmas break I have been marking the MA work done by our Master's Degree students at Bucks and also ensuring that the students' animation has been second marked, in accordance with BNU Academic Regulations.

Second marking at Bucks is an important part of the marking process; it is  how we ensure that our academic standards are being rigorously applied. Was the marking fair? Was it reasonable? Were the correct criteria applied?

Looking at your students' work through the eyes of another lecturer is an important exercise; it is a reminder of how important it is to apply objective criteria. We don't always get it right first time, which is why 2nd marking - also known as moderation - is so important.