Intro to BNU Module COM7023 Character Animation

Our animation students taking the Online MA in 3D Animation at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) recently tackled their Character Animation Module - COM7023.  COM7023 introduces students to the art and craft of character animation, including acting, dialogue, lipsync and pantomime animation. It culminates in an entry into the monthly 11 Second Club Competition. To find out more about the module and the Online MA in 3D Animation, see this blog post. 

Taxes For Freelance Animators

 

 
This short video offers a short introductory guide to taxes for freelance animators.  It was recorded for our students at Buckinghamshire New University, studying for their MA in 3D Animation, but it applies equally to all our students at Animation Apprentice. BNU can't offer our students formal legal or tax advice, but we can explain the basic rules of freelancing.  Freelancing need not be complicated. You don't need a license to offer your services to clients and, as long as you pay your taxes to HMRC at the end of the tax year, doing small freelance animation jobs can be a great way to get started in the animation industry. 

Top Ten Animation Pitch Mistakes

Pitching - Hit the Bullseye

What is a pitch? A pitch is defined by Wikipedia as "a short summary used to quickly and simply define a profession, product, service, organization, or event and its value proposition". Animators often pitch their projects, hoping to get their own unique project off the ground.  

A great pitch is funny, interesting, grabs your attention, and makes the listener think "wow, that could really work".  A great pitch leaves the listener wanting more.  But pitching is harder than it sounds. Below are some of the most common mistakes in pitching.

One Vital Tip for Animation Graduates

Above is our "One Vital Tip for Animation Graduates". Do this one thing and you will put yourself at the head of the list when it comes to finding that crucial first job in the animation industry.  This short video was recorded for our students at Buckinghamshire New University, studying for their MA in 3D Animation, but it applies equally to all our students at Animation Apprentice. 

Why Animators Still Need a Blog or Website

Why do animation graduates need their own blog or website? Because it is still the case today that having your own blog or website is still the best way to own your own professional slice of the internet. Your blog or website is your showcase for your talent; you can style it and curate it any way you want, and show the world what you are capable of.  The video above explains why our animation graduates still need their own online space to show their work. 

Intro to COM7021 - Animation Mechanics - at BNU

Introducing COM7021, the first animation module tackled by our MA students at Buckinghamshire New University. The introductory animation module COM7021 starts with animation basics, and deals with character locomotion, specifically walks, characters walks, runs and jumps. To see more about our online MA in 3D animation, delivered in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University, follow this link.

Why Animators Still Need Linkedin

 

Animators need Linkedin because now more than ever Linkedin has become the default platform for animation graduates looking for work.  Linkedin is a "one stop shop" for animation recruiters, who can find fresh talent, see their job history, watch their demo reel and - crucially - forward the link to their clients. The video above was recorded for our students at Buckinghamshire New University, studying for their MA in 3D Animation, but it applies equally to all out students at Animation Apprentice. 

Being "Goofy" at Walt Disney World in 1989

In the summer of 1989 I was working at the Walt Disney Studio in Orlando, Florida on the animated short RollerCoaster Rabbit, directed by Rob Minkoff.  

It was a dream summer job (I was a student at University in the UK at the time), working at the Orlando animation studio - which was then part of the Disney World Park, and an attraction in itself.  Visitors would stroll through the "animation ride" and gaze through the glass walls, watching the animators busily at work. 

On my last day at the Studio, when I was due to head back home, studio head Max Howard offered me the chance to play Goofy - to be one of the Disney characters in the park itself.   

And so, in the sweltering summer of 1989, I had the surreal pleasure of stepping into the oversized shoes of Goofy at Walt Disney World.

Online MA in Animation with BNU Starts Sept 2025

Animation by BNU graduate Neil Whitman

Our MA in 3D Animation for Professionals is now taking applications.

The online MA in animation at Buckinghamshire New University 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.  

We continue to partner with BNU to deliver the Online MA 3D Animation for Professionals, ensuring that all our MA Students graduate with industry-level skills.  Teaching starts in September 2025.

Fall Class Starts on Monday 1 Sept 2025

Our Fall Animation Class begins on Monday 1st September 2025.

It's not too late to book a place; all you need to do is visit the main Animation Apprentice site and go through a few simple steps.

If you want to learn 3D animation to a professional level, and start your new career as an animator - your journey starts here.

Why Animators Need Their Own Projects

Learning the art and craft of animation is a time-consuming business, one which requires commitment and discipline. At the end of it all lies (hopefully) a job in the industry, ideally at a good studio doing great work on worthwhile projects.

But even success can bring problems - late nights, too many weekends, stress and burnout. How does an animator thrive in the industry over the long haul. The answer is to nurture your own projects and ideas, make sure your own creative flame is burning.

Why Movie Posters Need Taglines

Short films need posters (also known as "One Sheets"), and posters need taglines. A great tagline encapsulates what the film is about, and makes the viewer want to see more.  

A great tag line (like the one on the left) is witty, short, and punchy, and makes the audience feel a sense of anticipation about the film.  

Stuck for a great tagline for your movie poster? Ask ChatGPT. Type in what your story is about, ask for ten taglines; then pick the one you like most. You don't need tell anyone you did (and I promise I won't tell either). 

Something is (Almost Always) Better Than Nothing

Perfection may not be attainable

From time to time animation students studying on our MA in Animation, delivered in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University, will get stuck on a project, and will request extra time, or hand their work in late - and then apply for Mitigating Circumstances.

Sometimes this flows from perfectionism, performance anxiety, or even a sense of imposter syndrome. But it's always better to hand in something than nothing; an imperfect submission is almost always better than no submission at all.

Summer Class Starts on 7 July 2025

Animation by Lee Caller

Our Spring/Summer Animation Class begins on Monday 7 July 2025.

It's not too late to book a place; all you need to do is visit the main Animation Apprentice site and go through a few simple steps.

If you want to learn 3D animation to a professional level, and start your new career as an animator - your journey starts here.

Animation Lessons From "The Road To El Dorado"

The Road To El Dorado was a Dreamworks picture that I worked on back in the late 1990s. I was assigned to animate Tulio, one of the two lead characters, supervised by lead animator James Baxter who I had worked with a decade earlier on Who Framed Roger Rabbit in London.  It was a great experience, and I learned a lot, especially about the use of live action reference to create believable animation. 

Finding Work in an Animation Downturn

It is no secret that the animation and visual effects industry is in a downturn.  After many years of boom, business has recently turned to bust. 

What has caused this? The reasons are many - over expansion during the streaming boom years, the fallout from Covid, the rise of AI, strikes by writers and actors, and the steady decline of the theatrical movie business. 

So, how do recent graduates find work in an industry which isn't expanding, or might even be shrinking? The answer is have a great demo reel - and apply widely. 

Acting Advice from Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers

While doing some research recently on a project I stumbled across a quote from the late great Peter Sellers, on how he approached creating a character. 

Sellers said "I start with the voice. I find out how the character sounds...after the voice comes the looks of the man...after that I discover how the character walks...and then something strange happens...the man you play begins to exist."

It's the same with animation. 

Yibi Hu Explains Why Animators Need to Pitch

Yibi Hu, founder of Future Power Station

At yesterday's University of Hertfordshire annual student show, animator Yibi Hu, founder of the animation studio Future Power Station, explained the importance of crafting a great pitch. 

As Yibi Hu put it succinctly: "Pitch is a Bitch" - in essence a great deal of unpaid work for a potential client who might - or might not - like your creation. 

The conundrum is that you have to pitch to get the job, but all the work might be in vain. Pitching is free work, but you have to do it anyway.

Why Animators Should Be Problem Solvers

Eyeline problem from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"

Studios love animators who are also problem solvers. An animator who helps to solve problems (and, hopefully, doesn't create them) is a golden asset to any organisation.

On the left is an example of problem-solving by animator Simon Wells, on the 1988 feature film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  

Back in 1987 I was Simon's In-betweener (a job that involved smoothing out the animation flow), and I was always impressed by Simon's ability to solve visual problems, such as the one on the left.

Letter to The Daily Telegraph: "Save Alex!"

Fans of the "Alex" Cartoon in the Daily Telegraph will be disappointed to learn that the long-running daily strip has today been axed by the newspaper's owners.  In today's Daily Telegraph, Alex disappears into the Matrix, never to return - unless of course the owners of newspaper see sense and bring back one of Britain's best and most popular daily cartoon strips. 

How I Got My First Job in 3D Animation

My first job in 3D animation was with Blue Sky Studios in New York. I was working in Los Angeles on "Looney Tunes - Back in Action" at the time, a great film, with the animation directed by the incredibly talented Eric Goldberg.  It was 2002, and I was learning a huge amount from Eric about snappy timing in animation, smear frames, and how to pull out in-betweens to achieve a "Warner Bros" look to the character animation.  But I was keenly aware that 2D animation was in decline, and that 3D was then the future.  I saw on the web that Blue Sky Studios was hiring, so I sent in my reel.