Why Animated Shorts Need an Editor

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The Film Editor is one of the most important and creative roles on any production. The animation editor is involved in every process of planning and production, from the earliest stages, including cutting and editing the storyboard animatic.

Making an animated film is a collaborative effort and is almost always completed with a team of people; the editor is one of the key creative roles on any production.

We encourage all our students at Animation Apprentice to try their hand at film editing, it's an important job and one of the most interesting seats to occupy on any production.

How Animators Work with Composers

Original music composition helps to lift our students' films to a professional level, as our students learn to collaborate with composers and sound designers to push the level of quality of our film projects.

An original score also helps to avoid problems with copyright music, which can be a barrier to entry in film festival competitions.

So, how do our students work with composers to get the best possible results? 

How To Do Screen Credits Right

Screen Credits are important to get right. Leave people out, spell their names wrong - there are all kinds of ways to annoy your fellow film-makers. 

Most important of all - be sure to credit for all the key roles on your film.  In general, credit for the key heads of department will go to one person only.  For short films, there should be only be one producer and one director. Usually (but not always) one writer. 

If you need to credit someone else, give them a title such Associate Producer or Assistant Director. Extra writers can be credited under "Additional Story".

Make sure you credit (at least) the following roles; Director, Producer, Writer, Editor, Art Director, VFX Supervisor, Animation Director (or Head of Animation), CG Supervisor.  

"Mouse: Impossible" Wins "Best No Budget" Award

Congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrmann whose short film "Mouse: Impossible" has won Best No Budget film at the Dreamer's Short Film Festival.

Mouse: Impossible is a short animated film created by Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman.  "Mouse: Impossible" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation at our degree-awarding partner, Buckinghamshire New University.   This is the latest of many awards for "Mouse: Impossible".

"Journey of Life" Wins "Best Micro Short" Award

Journey of Life wins Best Micro Short

Many congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrmann whose short film "Journey of Life" has won "Best Micro Short" at the Dreamachine Film festival.

"Journey of Life" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation with our degree-awarding partner Buckinghamshire New University.   

"Journey of Life" has won many festival awards. 

"Artifact" Wins Best SciFi at Future of Film Fest

 Artifact "Best Sci-Fi" at Future of Film Fest

Congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Kristis Bandzevicius whose animated short "Artifact" has won "Best SciFi Film" at the Future of Film Festival. 

"Artifact" is an animated short film written, produced and directed by Kristis, currently studying at Animation Apprentice for his MA in 3D Animation.   This is the sixth festival award for Artifact. 

"Mouse: Impossible" Best Creative at Halicarnassus

Mouse: Impossible Best Creative at Halicarnassus Fest

Congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrmann whose short film "Mouse: Impossible" has won "Best Creative" at the Halicarnassus Film Festival.

Mouse: Impossible is a new short film created by Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman.  "Mouse: Impossible" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation at our degree-awarding partner, Buckinghamshire New University.  This is the third award for "Mouse: Impossible".

Mouse: Impossible - Best Student Film in Milan

Mouse: Impossible Best Student Film in Milan

Congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrmann whose short film "Mouse: Impossible" has won an award for Best Student Film in Milan.

Mouse: Impossible is a new short film created by Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman.  "Mouse: Impossible" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation at our degree-awarding partner, Buckinghamshire New University.  

Introducing "Mouse: Impossible"

Herrmann_Robin_DA703_HQ from Rob in on Vimeo.

Meet "Mouse: Impossible", a new short film created by Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman.  "Mouse: Impossible" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation at our degree-awarding partner, Buckinghamshire New University.  "Mouse: Impossible"  was completed during the course of Robin's studies, and is currently being entered into film festivals. 

"Artifact" Wins "Best VFX" in Singapore Fest

Artifact wins Best VFX at Singapore Film Carnival

Congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Kristis Bandzevicius whose animated short "Artifact" has won "Best VFX" at the Singapore World Film Carnival. 

"Artifact" is an animated short film written, produced and directed by Kristis, currently studying at Animation Apprentice for his MA in 3D Animation.   This is the film's fifth festival award. 

Journey of Life Wins Best Director

Journey of Life wins Best Director (Short Film) at FOFA

Many congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman whose short film "Journey of Life" has won award for Best Director (Super Short Film) at the Future of Film Awards.

"Journey of Life" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation with our academic partner Buckinghamshire New University.  The film has won many festival awards. 

"Journey of Life" Hon Mention at DSFF

"Journey of Life" wins Hon Mention at DSFF

Many congratulations to Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman whose short film "Journey of Life" has won an Honourable Mention for Best No Budget Film at the Dreamer's Short Film Festival (DSFF).

"Journey of Life" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation with our degree-awarding partner Buckinghamshire New University.  

Introducing Journey of Life by Robin Herrmann

 

Meet "Journey of Life", a new short film created by Animation Apprentice student Robin Herrman.  "Journey of Life" was written, produced and directed by Robin, currently studying for his MA in 3D Animation at Animation Apprentice, in partnership with our degree-awarding partner, Buckinghamshire New University.   "Journey of Life" is currently being entered into film festivals. 

Key Creative Roles on an Animated Short

 

What are the key creative roles on a short animated film? Or, simply put, what are the jobs that absolutely have to get done in order to finish the project?  Below are the key roles that must be filled in order to achieve a successful outcome.

Early Bird by Dan Fitzgerald Wins Multiple Prizes

Earlybird from Noad Animation on Vimeo.

Congratulations to Animation Apprentice graduate Dan Fitzgerald who has been experiencing festival success with his short film "Early Bird" (above).  So far Early Bird has received awards from the Berlin Flash Festival, The Halicarnassus Film Festival, The Vesuvius Film Festival, The Art Film Awards and the Onyko Film Awards, as well as Honourable Mentions at the London and Tokyo International Monthly Festivals.

Charlie & Yip Hon Mention at Screen Power

My short film "Charlie and Yip" has won another festival award - Honourable Mention in the category of "Best Animation" at the Screen Power Film Festival.

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.

Charlie & Yip Wins Best Trailer at Dreamachine

I'm delighted to announce that my short film "Charlie and Yip" has won another festival award -  Best Trailer at the Dreamachine International Film Festival.  

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. 

Oliver Canovas Animator on "Hat Shop"

Oliver Canovas is one of our student animators at Animation Apprentice; he graduated with honours in 2019, having been awarded his MA in 3D Animation.

Oliver recently collaborated with a student film project at Escape Studios, working on the short film "Hat Shop", written and directed by MA student Stevie Stedman.

"Hat Shop" is a short story set in a futuristic robotic world, and was completed entirely under Lockdown, working remotely from home. "Hat Shop" is currently being entered into film festivals.

Oliver did some excellent animation on the film, gaining useful experience on working on group projects, to a defined brief, taking direction and notes, and making changes to his shots. Most studio work is collaborative, so group projects of this kind are important in developing "soft skills" and teamwork.

Introducing "Moon Rockz"

Jonathan Humphries is an animation student at Escape Studios who is due to be awarded his MA in Animation this summer.

Recently Jonathan volunteered to help out with "Moon Rockz", a short film made at Escape Studios, written and directed by Molly Babington.

"Moon Rockz" was a collaboration between students at Escape Studios and also at Animation Apprentice, involving both Jonathan Humphries and also Matt Neputin, also studying for his MA in Animation.

The film is a short story about the moon landings - as told from the Moon's point of view. It's a charming and funny film, to which our students contributed some excellent animation.

"Moon Rockz" is currently being entered into film festivals, and we wish it every success.

"Charlie & Yip" in Neum Film Festival

My short film "Charlie and Yip" is a finalist in the Neum Animated Film Festival which runs from June 27th to July 2nd.

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. It's a really a teaser for my indie feature film project "My Haunted House", which is still in development.

Funding feature films isn't easy in the current business climate, but it's important to remember that, despite all the troubles caused by the Corona virus, the animation industry continues to thrive.

Even as live action shoots have been closed down around the globe, animation keeps on going, as studios have moved to a purely online business model.