"Young Arrows" Animation Awards Now Open

The "Young Arrows" animation awards are open

Calling all Animation Apprentice graduates working in the advertising industry - The "Young Arrows" animation awards are now open, and entry is completely free.  Up to three entries may be submitted. The "Young Arrows" awards are judged by media professionals in the UK.  To find out how to enter, download the PDF of the entry rules and regulations.   The deadline is September 3rd. 

Young Animator of The Year Competition 2025

Young Animator of the Year Competition 2025

There is still time to enter the Young Animator of the Year Competition 2025.  

The Competition, created by Access VFX and supported by Screen Skills, BAFTA and the BAA Awards, is judged by professional animators. Winning films will be announced and premiered at the Manchester Animation festival.  Entry must be completed by September 1st, and is open to animators in the UK aged 11-22.  You can find more about it here: https://younganimator.uk/competition #animation #YAYUK

Why Animators Should Hold Their Poses Longer

Character pose by Mark Masters

One of the common mistakes made by junior animators is the “default face.” A character smiles, frowns, gasps — and then, almost instantly, snaps back to a bland neutral expression.  It’s as if the performance forgets itself. 

This also happens in lipsync; where the character will make a vowel or consonant; then snap back into a default mouth shape much too quickly. Much better to hold the vowel or consonant longer, and really get the most out of the pose. 

Why Animators Choose Asymmetrical Poses

Mickey Mouse from "The Illusion of Life"

One of the most common mistakes made by junior animators is for their character poses to be too stiff and symmetrical.  One of the fastest ways to make a character feel stiff and lifeless is to pose them symmetrically.  

Perfectly mirrored limbs, identical angles, and evenly balanced weight all scream “mannequin,” not “living being.” Real life — and good animation — is full of asymmetry.

Live Action Ref Should Match the Camera Angle

Anim Ref and Anim by Elin Berrio Pena

Most experienced animators know about the importance of shooting live action reference to create great animation. 

However, to get the best out of your reference, you should always be sure to match the correct camera angle in your shot. If you don't, the reference you shoot won't be nearly as useful.