Animation Highlights

Continuing our series of industry-active Specialist lecturers this semester; we have had Manchester based freelance animator Devon Short teaching traditional animation and how to maintain your career as a freelancer on the industry.

Returning to teach pre-vis animation in Blender we had welcomed back Gary Carse; alumni and co-founder of animation company Carse & Waterman. Gary's business partner Dan Waterman will present his experiences in the animation industry to our level six students in the new year, closely followed by Jon Doyle; animation Creative Director on many series including Pocoyo.

Guest speaker Jamie Bakewell visited us to present his own journey since graduating. Jamie has worked on major Hollywood features before setting up his own studio; Big Tooth, in Wolverhampton.

Blue Zoo presented a behind the scenes look at how their world-renowned studio works and how students can look to take part in internships in the coming year. Alumni Dan Evans, having completed our BA Animation, and then the Masters, has started as a junior animator at Blue Zoo as a result of his internship there while completing our degree course.

Students in the final year are pulling together their final major projects to showcase at our annual Creative Industries Degree Show.  There are some exciting 2D, 3D and stop motion films and projects ready to showcase to the public and industry guests.

Last year, our graduates developed this game with direct links to their brilliant work.
Check it out!

Animation Graduation Showcase 2025

Alumni Leo Wright, fresh from Aardman, has seen his new film ‘The Big Bad Wolf’ played at all 14 of The Light Cinemas nationwide as a supporting film to Nick Parks ‘The Wrong Trousers’ - the very film that made him want to animate.  This comes on the back of Leo’s degree film ‘No Man’s Land’ receiving an Honourable Mention at the Ray Harryhausen Awards 2024.

Watch No Man's Land by Leo Wright on YouTube