What Happens At Escape Studios' Applicant Days?

Escape Studios HQ in Shepherd's Bush

Applied for a place on our 3D Animation, Games or VFX undergraduate course, for entry in September 2016?

If so, you've probably had a letter inviting you to attend an Applicant Day here at Escape Studios, and you might be feeling a bit worried.

Don't panic! An Applicant Day, such as the one taking place tomorrow 17 December, is really a chance for us to get to know each other, and for you to find out more about what we do at Escape Studios.  So, what specifically are our Applicant Days all about?

What are our courses all about?
We’ve designed our programmes to develop pioneering minds for the creative industries. While you’re with us you’ll learn the skills you need to flourish in the industry.

You’ll develop a deep understanding of your technical craft, work in teams on professional projects, and learn how to produce beautiful visual work.

How is the Applicant Day important?
We want to make sure that the course is right for you, and that you are right for the course.


How will the day work?
The day runs from 10:00 to 15:30, and is in two parts: PartOne: Portfolio Review. Part Two: Creative Task.

Morning - Portfolio Review
Sitting in small groups with four other applicants and one assessor, you will have 5-10 minutes to present your portfolio. This is pretty informal. We want you to show your work, discuss your creative process, and answer any questions that the group asks.

Then the other four applicants in the group will present their work, and you will be able to ask them questions. You’ll then change groups and go through the process again, and then break for lunch.

Afternoon - Creative Task
After lunch there will be a group creative task. You will work in small teams on a creative brief. Coming up with ideas, bringing them to life, and presenting them at the end of the day for feedback.

This task has been devised by one of our industry partners, and is the kind of challenge you would get in a real VFX/Animation/Games studio.

What shall I bring?
You should bring your Portfolio. You can present this either digitally on a laptop, tablet, pen drive, or printed. You should have at least two different pieces of work that you can talk about.

What should go in my portfolio?
Artwork. This can be drawings, sketches, sketchbooks, 3D Digital art - any artwork you have done that you are proud of. To see more about what might go in your portfolio, follow this link.

What if my portfolio isn't done yet?
Don't worry - we don’t expect you to be an amazing digital artist already, that’s what this programme is for.  So you can include anything: drawings, paintings, photographs, life drawing, sketches, scribbles, design work, game tests, websites, etc.

We want to see signs of creativity and visual invention. So a sketchbook or blog full of ideas is a plus.

The process is more important than the finished item: what were you aiming to achieve, how did you go about that, what were you influenced by, how successful do you think it was?

Basically, if you're proud of a piece and it says something about you, then include it in your portfolio.


We do things a bit differently here to other universities. 
We’ve developed a new way of teaching that prepares you better for the workplace. So you need to be willing to jump in, be creative, and communicate well with others.

What should I wear?
Escape Studios isn’t an office, it’s a creative studio. You’ll be on your feet for a lot of the day so wear comfy clothes and trainers. However, it is a professional space, so nothing too tatty or casual. Basically, leave your suit at home.

What if I can’t make an Applicant Day?
We can arrange Skype interviews if you’re struggling to make one of the days. But we’d prefer it if you came down and participated.

What if I don’t have a portfolio?
If you don't have a portfolio, try to pull together your creative work from the last couple of years into a digital or physical portfolio.

That’s it. Good luck and we’ll see you in Shepherd’s Bush soon!

----Alex

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To find out more about our new BA/MArt starting in September 2016, follow this link.   To apply, visit the offical page here.