Mark Masters Ranks No 3 in March 11 Sec Club

 

Many congratulations to BNU Animation Master's student Mark Masters on his successful entry into the March 11 Second Club - you can watch his animation "Visitor in Nature" above.  Mark's entry was ranked no 3 in this month's 11 Second Club (out of 126 entries) - a very impressive result.  "The 11 Second Club" competition is a monthly contest in which animators compete to animate the most inventive and entertaining take on a piece of dialogue.

Cartoon Forum Welcomes Back UK Animation

Cartoon Forum - Toulouse 18-21 September 2023

The European film agency "Cartoon", organisers of "Cartoon Forum" and "Cartoon Movie", has announced that UK animation will return to Cartoon Forum this year in a special initiative titled "Animated UK Meets Europe", led by Animation UK, and supported by the BBC, Disney, and other major UK Partners. 

BNU Animator Ranks No 4 in 11 Second Club

Many congratulations to BNU Animation Master's student Marc Stevenson on his successful entry into the March 11 Second Club - you can watch his animation "Horsin' Around" above.  Marc's entry was ranked no 4 in this month's 11 Second Club (out of 126 entries) - a very impressive result.  "The 11 Second Club" competition is a monthly contest in which animators compete to animate the most inventive and entertaining take on a piece of dialogue.

UK Introduces 39% Tax Relief For Animation

One less-reported aspect of the Chancellor's Spring budget here in the UK was an increase in the tax relief granted by HMRC for UK animation to a generous 39%. 

This appears to be in response to lobbying by the UK creative industries, who have long argued that the tax credit encourages UK animation production, and nurtures domestic talent and creativity.

Here at Bucks New University we are delighted that the Government is supporting the UK animation industry, and we welcome the news, which will surely boost UK animation production, and create a jobs pipeline for animation graduates in the UK. 

What is the Future of AI and Animation?

In the Ted Talk above, DNEG Animation's Andrew Schlussel explains why, even though AI can now automate many jobs - such as concept art - we should not fear it.  Andrew explains how changes in animation and vfx technology over the years have increased the size of the industry - not shrunk it.  He suggests that AI will be no different, and that the "net sum" of jobs in the Creative Industries will continue to increase, even though certain processes can be done by machine learning.  What should we do with AI instead? - embrace it, and use it. 

2023 BNU Animation Demo Reel

Above is our latest edit of the best work done by animation students at Buckinghamshire New University, specifically those enrolled in our MA in 3D Animation, delivered in partnership with the online school Animation Apprentice. Many thanks to all our students on their excellent work.

Why Our Students Need "The Rookies"

We're encouraging all our animation students at BNU to create their own page at The Rookies, now one of the leading platforms for connecting students to the creative industries. 

Creating an individual page at The Rookies helps our students to showcase their work to the wider VFX and animation community, with a view to maximising their future prospects and employability.

Being visible to industry, easy to find, and easy to hire, is one of the core professional skills learned by our students at Escape Studios.

Online MA in 3D Animation Returns Sept 2023

"Journey of Life" by Robin Herrmann

We are now taking applications for our online MA in Animation - recruiting for September 2023.

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.  

Our MA in animation partners with the online animation school www.animationapprentice.org.

2023 New Year's Resolutions for Animators

Happy New Year to all our staff and students at BNU!  The New Year brings new challenges but also opportunities - the animation and VFX industries continues to thrive, with remote working now fully established as an alternative to the traditional in-house model. 

This year, top of our list of New Year's Resolutions, is to experiment with the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as  OpenAI and MidJourney.  AI is changing the face of the animation and vfx industries in a way that challenges everything we do, offering new opportunities - as well as threatening to make obsolete many of the traditional ways of doing things. 

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. 

"Red Whisker Bird" by Joshua Reynolds

Above is an excellent example of bird animation by BNU animation student Joshua Reynolds, using the "Red Whisker Bird" rig by Truong.  Joshua has used live action reference to excellent effect, creating a charming and believable piece of avian animation.  Being able to tackle photo-realistic animal and creature animation is one of an animator's core skills, as studios ramp up production on films with photo-realistic animal animation such as The Jungle Book and The Lion King.

VFX Festival Starts 21 February 2023

2023 VFX Festival is Coming Soon

The VFX Festival is back in London from 21-23 February 2023. 

The 2023 VFX Festival returns to Escape Studios in Central London and, like last year,  will run as a hybrid event, both online and also in person. The event runs from 21-23 February. 

The 2023 VFX Festival will be hosted at Escape Studios at their midTown Campus at 190 High Holborn, and also online. To book your tickets, follow this link to thevfxfestival.com.

DA703 Starts on Monday 3 April 2023

Quadruped animation by BNU graduate Amedeo Beretta

Module DA703 - Animals and Creatures - starts on Monday 3rd April 2023, 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 2nd June 2023 at 2pm.

"Artifact" Wins "Golden Merlion Award"

Congratulations to BNU Animation student Kristis Bandzevicius whose animated short "Artifact" has won a Certificate of Achievement at the World Film Carnival Singapore Golden Merlion Awards. 

"Artifact" is an animated short film written, produced and directed by Kristis, studying at BNU for his MA in 3D Animation.   

"Artifact" was created as part of the final module of the Master's Degree in 3D Animation at BNU, Module DA704, which involves the creation of a final project and demo reel. 

Artifact is the story of a lonely robot in a desolate world, searching for signs of life.

This is the latest of many festival awards for Artifact. 

UCAS Now Open for 2023

UCAS - now open

If you're thinking of applying to Bucks to study on our BA in Animation, the official UCAS application system is now open.  Applications for our undergraduate courses are due by 25th January 2022, but MA applications can be made at any time. However it's always a good idea to get your application in early.

Young Cartoonist of the Year Competition 2022

The Young Cartoonists of the Year Competition is back. This year the deadline for submissions is 22 January 2023.

Hosted by the Cartoon Museum in London, the annual competition seeks to reward rising cartoon talent. 

Judges include Martin Rowson (The Guardian), Christian Adams (Evening Standard), Banx (FT), Peter Brookes (The Times), Nick Newman (Private Eye), and Matt Pritchard from the Daily Telegraph.  Entry is free. 

Entries can be mailed in (via old school Royal Mail) to the Cartoon Museum,  at 63 Wells St, London W1T 3PT, or emailed to hello@cartoonmuseum.org.

As always, we encourage all our students at BNU to enter competitions such as this one. 

How to Get Started in Animation

Animation Studio by Helen Piercy

One question we often get asked at BNU is this "My child loves animation - what subject should they study at school?".

And also - "how can I teach my child animation?".

Parents tell me that their 13-year old is really into animation, but doesn't know what they should do to realise that goal.

Today, animation is a mix of art and technology.  So, art subjects, such as Art GCSE or Art A level, will help, as will tech subjects, such as IT or computer studies.

Julien Rashti Animator at MPC

Julien Rashti

Congratulations to BNU graduate Julien Rashti, who is working as an animator at MPC, one of the UK's leading animation and VFX houses, responsible for hits such as "Jungle Book" and "the Lion King".


Julien took our MA in 3D Animation at Bucks, graduating in 2018.  Since then he has worked on animated film such as Disenchanted, Pinocchio, and the forthcoming Snow White - due out in 2024. 

While at BNU Julien learned the art and craft of character and creature animation, polishing his demo reel and preparing himself for a career in industry. 

"Mouse: Impossible" Wins "Best Super Short"

"Best Super Short" at the Future of Film Awards

Congratulations to BNU animation student Robin Herrmann, whose short film "Mouse: Impossible" has won "Best Super Short Film" at the Future of Film Awards.

"Mouse: Impossible" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation at Bucks.   

"Mouse: Impossible"  was completed during the course of Robin's studies at BNU; this is the film's fourth festival award.

Should BNU Graduates Work as Runners?

Running - is it just about making coffee?

Should our animation graduates work as runners? Working as a runner is a standard entry-level position in our industry, but is it really necessary?  And should our students and graduates do it - or perhaps hold out for a more creative entry-level role?

Here at BNU we support our students who take running positions.  Running isn't glamorous, but it can - and often does - lead to better things.  

Hang in there, put up with a bit of drudgery, and it can pay big dividends.