My Animation Showreel
My showreel, which I put together to showcase the animation I have created over the past two years, is a visual representation of my creative journey on the course.
My first project in Unit 1 was to create a moving image between 10 and 20 seconds long in the style of a silent movie. The idea of the film was simple: a silhouette trying to retrieve a jar of sweets from the top of a tall fridge and becoming frustrated in their attempts to reach it. Although I’d completed a BA in Fine Art Painting, where with my paintings, the audience can create their perception of what they see, here I had to convey the frustration, anxiety, and eventual relief without any dialogue or sound effects. This was my first experience where the audience wasn’t supposed to have their perception of what they were seeing, I had to deliver the message.
For my Unit 2 project, where we were tasked to work in a group to create a trailer to apply to enter the London International Animation Festival (LIAF). I worked on group projects in the past, so I was familiar with the process, but it’s always a daunting task ensuring you a pulling your weight and ensuring your ideas are considered without overtaking.
This project taught me the importance of a collaborative team environment by communicating with team members through the project and the power of giving and receiving feedback to/from your peers. Although our trailer was not picked for the LIAF, I was proud of our outcome which we called ‘Your Fear All At Once’.
My final Unit 3 project was a short film for a character-driven animation. This was a daunting task where I was solely responsible for the entire production from the idea, storyboard, animator, colourist and sound effects. Drawing inspiration from a British soap opera, known for its storytelling of daily life, I aimed to create authentic characters. I learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses through this process and I was pleased with the final product.
Also included in my showreel are other projects and tests I did throughout the course. This showreel in its current form shows a collection of my work, although it’s a little unorganised and needs reediting to create a more polished version before it can be shown in a professional setting.
Networking, applications, internships, jobs
Over the last three months, I have been in communication with artFix, which is a creative space in Woolwich, Southeast London that offers creative meetups, classes, workspace opportunities and showcasing events.
On the face of it, the creative industries are considered to be progressive and welcoming to all, but many fail to take inclusion seriously. In one of my first meetings with artFix, I noted the passion the people who work there have for the creative industries and the importance of inviting everybody into this space.
artFix also works alongside a volunteering group called The Woolwich Front Room which is funded by Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative, and the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The Woolwich Front Room’s goal is to encourage ways to use historic buildings in Woolwich to deliver arts and cultural events for the local community. They also work with Woolwich Works which is a charity that facilitates the creative potential of residents of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
At this stage, I have only visited artFix and been in communication with their team members about supporting upcoming events over the summer of 2025 after I have completed my MA. Once I have submitted my final assignment, I will be editing my showreel and updating my CV, so they are ready to give out when I start supporting these organisations and hopefully make new leads. I think this type of networking could be effective due to the sheer amount of volume and prospects you can reach. Networking events are great but can be restrictive because they are designed for ‘networking’ so you know the purpose of the event and what is expected from everyone. Whereas this could be an opportunity to showcase my work while helping the local community and reach out to a wider community that may lead to some good prospects.
Animation Jobs and continuing education/training.
When initially pursuing Animation, I was aware due to advancements in digital tools, jobs in this field would become more competitive. However, from my research into the job market, where AI is being embraced, human-made animation still holds inherent value. Animators are still artists, not technicians and artists are still held in high regard. Animators have a good understanding of the principles and mechanics of animation, as well as being able to understand and share creative ideas. This is something AI cannot replicate.
There are still successful animation studios around the world creating content in different areas, so the demand is still there. When asked about animation in the digital world, Michelle Connolly an educational consultant for the Educational Voice, a commercial animation company said, ‘Animation has the unique ability to connect with viewers on an emotional level, making it a powerful tool for storytelling in today’s digital world’. I take from this that Connolly is saying embracing the digital tools available means that good, animated content can still be produced, but animators need to engage with the new tools because the creative ideas will still come from their minds.
The role of a clean-up artist is something that has interested me since starting this course and this follows on from my passion in fine art painting. From the beginning of the MA Charter Animation course, this is a role I’ve enjoyed because the clean-up process requires a lot of focus and patience which is something I am good at. However, upon research, this is a role that is becoming more obsolete as digital tools improve, and the manual process becomes expensive and time-consuming. This is an example of where proficiency in new Software programs is going to be required as an animator to create a broader set of skills.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
artFix (2025), artFix.org [Online] Available at: https://www.artfix.org.uk/ (Accessed 23 May 2025).
Woolwich Works (2025), Woolwich Works.Woolwich Works [Online] Available at: https://www.woolwich.works/ (Accessed 1 June2025).
Woolwich Front Room (2025), woolwichfrontroom.org.uk [Online] Available at: https://www.woolwichfrontroom.org.uk/ (Accessed 1 June 2025).
Basiony, N (2025) Animation Trends in 2024: Exploring the Latest Innovations and Styles [Online] Available at: https://educationalvoice.co.uk/animation-trends-in-2024-what-to-watch-for/ (Accessed 30 May 2025).
CG Spectrum Institute (2024) Cleanup Artist (2D): The role, salary, software, and skills of a cleanup artist, cgspectrum.com [Online] Available at: https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/clean-up-artist (Accessed 1 June 2025).
Katatikarn, J (2024) Types of Animation Jobs: The 12 Best Careers in 2024, Academy Of Animated Art [Online] Available at: https://academyofanimatedart.com/types-of-animation-jobs/ (Accessed 31 May 2025).
ggrydesign (2025) ‘ The Psychology of Animation’, https://ggrydesign.co.uk/ [Online]. Available at: https://ggrydesign.co.uk/blog/2024/01/03/the-psychology-of-animation-how-it-influences-viewer-engagement (Accessed 31 May 2025).
DeeDee Animation Studio (2025), deedeestudio.net [Online] Available at: https://www.deedeestudio.net/en/post/animation-studio (Accessed 28 May 2025).
VISUAL MATERIAL
The author’s own.