Kevin Richards Animates Shane The Chef

Shane the Chef has just launched on Channel 5, featuring the work of Escapee Kevin Richards, who was one of the character animators on the show.

Kevin graduated from our short course in 3D animation in 2017, and since then has been working as a 3D animator at Cloth Cat in Cardiff.

We asked Kevin a few questions about how he got the job, and what advice he would offer to students hoping to break into the industry.



How did you get the job on Shane the Chef?
Connections. I knew the boss! We had worked together on a different project twenty years ago, so I emailed him directly - and managed to catch a break. Of course, I would not have got the job without a solid 3D animation demo reel.

What did you do on the project?
I was a character animator on the Shane the Chef TV Series, all of which was animated at Cloth Cat animation in Cardiff. 

How did studying at Escape Studios prepare you for the role?
I would not have been able to do this job were it not for the course at Escape Studios, which integrates classical animation principles with a working knowledge of the technology in under 12 weeks.

I imagine it would have taken me at least a year if I had been studying animation on my own - if I'd got there at all.

What advice would you give to students hoping to break into the industry?
Study the rules of character animation and produce between 2 - 3 character studies, around ten to fifteen seconds long, that show weight, acting, emotion and storytelling - this is what will get you a job.

The Escape Studios Animation Blog is a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for our BA/MArt in 3D Animation, follow this link.  To apply for our storyboarding evening class, visit this page here.  For the next 12 week animation course, click here. And to apply for the next evening class in Producing Animation, see this page.