MA Character Animation

Option: Further Study

I really enjoy studying and I have been looking at possible further educational options. The two that interest me the most are Aardman Academy’s Stop Motion Professional Course, and the Directing Animation Masters at The National Film and Television School. I attended both online open days to learn more.

I love the sound of both of Aardman Academy’s in-person courses in Bristol. I think that the Stopmotion Professional one would be really beneficial for me as it is a 5 week intensive course, with a small group size. You get to work with special Aardman human puppets/armatures and replacement pieces, do a different animation task each week and get feedback along the way. They said that they also run this course for their staff members because it is so important. The course is run by Will Beecher.

The NFTS Directing Animation masters degree offers access to incredible equipment, studios and collaborators. The first year is about using play and experimentation to get ideas and explore different techniques. The second year is about development and making your final film. However, I’m not sure if another two year course is right for me.

Further study would allow me to spend more time on a specific project, hone my craft and work on time management skills. However, I would love to be able to get a job and I think it is important for me to put myself out there more and have some confidence in my abilities.

Open Day Screenshots

Teaching is another area of interest. I was a graduate teaching assistant in BA Graphic Communication Design at CSM in 2019 (after I graduated) and I have also worked with UAL insights in the past. I would be very interested in being a GTA for MA Character Animation. I could bring a lot of advice and help with technical support for stopmotion students.

Option: Ceramic Future

I have rejoined my pottery studio in Crystal Palace to prepare ceramic characters for the 2025 Christmas markets. This period is my busiest and most successful time to sell my work, as they make good Christmas presents or ‘Secret Santa’ gifts.

I also need to get back in touch with the UAL ‘Not just a shop’ shop. My work was excepted last year, but there was a pause as I didn’t have enough time to make the stock for the original planned release.

Examples of my Ceramics

I currently stock a selection of ceramic creatures in a shop and event space called Pexmas, in Brixton. As an artist there I also have the opportunity to run workshops which is something that I will explore after graduating. I would like to run a model making and simple stopmotion workshop, which could be achieved with low costs using simple object based animation and plasticine.

Pictures of Pexmas shop in Brixton Village and my ceramics with their names and stories.

Industry Roles Continued

Props and Set Designer:

Over the summer I attended a lot of The BFI Southbank Stop Motion season events which helped me start to think about my possible place in the industry. It was very interesting to hear about all of the different processes involved in making Stop Motion Feature Films and the hours of work it takes.

My photographs from the BFI Stop Motion Season talks and events

The Laika Frame X Frame exhibition was very inspiring. I loved seeing all of the props and puppets, as well as watching the behind the scenes processes. I went three times and discovered something new each time. I particularly loved looking at the miniature props in the draws. Every single piece was highly decorated and I liked how you could still see the makers marks. It would be amazing to know that something you had made, no matter how small, had ended up in the final film. These are often the Easter Eggs that animation fans look out for, referencing previous productions the company has made, or shedding more light on the characters. It is such an important part of the world building that I feel is sometimes undervalued. When I am watching an animation I am often drawn to all of the small details first!

I found it a bit harder to find a clear career path into prop making and set design. I need to so some more research over the Christmas holiday.

My photographs from The Laika Frame X Frame Exhibition, including close ups of props and set design.

I also enjoyed The Barbie Exhibition at The Design Museum and looking at all of the props and accessories over the years. Those were the parts that I used to love playing with the most.

My photographs from The Barbie Exhibition at The Design Museum.

Puppet Maker:

I love creating puppets and models, but I struggle to make the same thing twice. I think that this wouldn’t be such a problem if I was working on my own film, but if I was working for someone else I would feel less confident. However, a lot of it is about practice.

I attended an online weekend puppet making workshop, led by Jen Kidd from ‘Scale Model Studios’ in London. This was very helpful as it showed me that I don’t think I want to specialise in puppet making. It is such a precise job that requires a lot of skill and accuracy to make multiple pieces that are exactly the same. You also have to be quick and I know that I would be quite slow!

However, I would still like to explore this route and I am researching puppet making companies such as Arch Model Studio and Puppets Magic Studio.

Work from the two day puppet making course. Making puppets is a very time consuming job, no-one was able to finish their puppet in the allocated time! The most helpful thing from this course was learning how to use KNS and because there was not much time, there was no time to think, which was very refreshing for me.

Identifying my Professional Practice

I am at my happiest when I am making things with my hands and using analogue techniques. The Stop Motion world is a place where so many different skills come together, such as; puppet making, set design, furniture maker, costume designer as well as animation. This appeals to me because I have been trying to find the one thing I love, but actually I am discovering that everything I enjoy and have done in the past can play a roll in my Stop Motion journey. In this unit I have enjoyed learning new skills such as making foam latex hands and finding out what sticks to a potato (not much)!

I really enjoy working as part of a team and being able to bounce ideas off others. A slower and smaller workplace environment might benefit me more as I start out, and help me to gain confidence and self belief. I need to work on my nerves and stress levels; I tend to shy away from doing individual work, overthink everything and often have imposter syndrome. I hope I can take the lessons I have learnt from this project into my graduation film and learn to trust my gut more.

Companies I am interested in:

• Second Home Studios in Birmingham
• Aardman in Bristol
• BlinkInk in London
• Scale Model Studio in London
• Arch Model Studio in London
• Loose Moose in London
• A+C in Margate
• MockDuck in Folkestone
• Beast Animation in Belgium
• Dwarf Studio in Japan
• House Special in Portland

My next steps are to research these companies further and try to reach out to them via email and social media. I would be very open to working abroad, it would be a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills.

I came across a small independent magazine called the Stop Motion magazine’ and whilst they don’t publish much anymore, they have a great backlist of resources and advice.

I would like to work on all sorts of different projects including, commercial briefs, feature films, short films, TV series and music videos. I have experience with advertising so I think I could bring useful knowledge and insight working alongside advertising and creative agencies. I have a lot of stories and characters that I would love to bring to life and being an independent film maker and artist does appeal to me. However, it can be quite an unstable job. I hope that this next unit will help me discover what I am most passionate about. I want to bring a bit of joy into people’s lives and show that even if you have massive self doubt and worries you can still do it. 

Industry Role: Stop Motion Animator

Being a Stop Motion animator interests me, it is detail oriented and requires a lot of patience. I find that animating is a bit like being an actor. I studied drama at sixth form and enjoyed being able to express myself and create new worlds. With stop motion animation you are using inanimate objects, moving them slightly and taking pictures to give the illusion of life. There is something very unique and magical about this approach.

I looked at Screen Skills to see the ways into this career path. Animating falls under the production department. As an animator you are given the puppets and the story and it is your job to bring them to life through movement. I find making animatics challenging so actually having one to work with would take away a lot of the pressure I put on myself. I have discovered that stop motion can be quite painful for your back if you don’t take regular breaks. I was given some advice by an animator that swimming, in particular front crawl is very good as it stretches your muscles in the opposite direction, opening them up.

Ways of getting into the industry would be starting as a runner or junior animator and working your way up the ladder. As Stop Motion is quite a small world, everyone knows each other, so networking is also crucial as you may be recommended to other people. Most animators who work in Stop Motion are freelance. This would give me the opportunity to carry on making and selling my ceramics, potentially as a part time job.

I watched the LIAF Aardman Animation Industry Event and there was something that one of the panellists said that stuck out to me, ‘every single shot is a problem that needs to be solved’. This, in my opinion sums up Stop Motion perfectly; no matter how much you plan, you are always going to be faced with new challenges. Although it can be difficult and frustrating, it is also very rewarding when you find a way around it. 

Chip and Tomato Ketchup Disco scene final shot. This whole film was a series of challenges, from which I learnt so much. Although I found it very hard, I already miss animating these characters.

I really enjoyed working as part of a team on The LIAF, ‘Why Not’ project.