Aardman Animation's film competition: 'Success against the odds'.

National Accident Helpline has teamed up with Aardman Animation to run an animation competition called 'Success against the odds'. Aspiring animators are invited to create a short animation on this theme, for a chance to win a tour of the Aardman studios, a 'Make a Morph' workshop, an original Morph artwork signed by Peter Lord, plus paid travel expenses and accommodation. The winner and shortlisted entrants will also get personalised feedback on their animation from Aardman.

The Brief to animators is as follows:

• To create a short animation on the theme of 'success against the odds' 
• Entrants can use any discipline of animation you choose (2D drawn, 3D CGI, traditional stop motion animation etc.)
• Animations should be 10 seconds or under in length
• Entries should be submitted by 18 May 2014 at 10.00pm

Anyone interested in entering should request an entry pack by entering their email address on this page: http://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/success-against-the-odds

The prize:

• A personal tour of the Aardman Animations studios in Bristol for you and a friend including ‘Make a Morph’ workshop (approx. 2 hours in total)
• Framed original Morph sketch signed by Peter Lord (Aardman co-founder and creator of Morph)
• Accommodation the night before or after the tour (TBC), and travel to and from Bristol

More information and entry pack available here: http://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/success-against-the-odds

As ever, here at Animation Apprentice we strongly encourage our students to enter competitions such as this. You might win, or get shortlisted, and the experience of entering and competing is hugely useful in itself. nothing teaches you the skills of film-making like the focus of entering your project into a competitive race. And nothing makes you more employable than competing in and winning competitions to create fresh animated content.

---Alex

(Editor's note: for more information on finding work in the animation business, read our post on how to find a job in the animation industry, and check out our post about what not to do at a job interview. Also see our post on starting your own small animation business, and see how we are helping our students find work through our film co-operative Nano Films.  Take a look at how awn.com can help you find a job, and read our piece about how to survive as a freelance animator. Also, find out what Cinesite look for in a student's demo reel.)