Blue Zoo To Keep Working Remotely

Tom Box (right) with Escape Studios' Animators

In a recent interview at Cartoon Brew, Blue Zoo co-founder Tom Box explains why remote working is here to stay.  Since Covid-19 broke, around 700,000 people have left London, and this change is reflected at Blue Zoo animation, where many of their team have left the capital for good.  

According to Tom: "Blue Zoo is no longer really a London based company, even though we have (empty) offices there. Now, just 30% of our team live in London. Over last 10 months lots of staff relocated across the UK for a better work/life balance.  London has changed forever".

Blue Zoo Animation

Escape Studios animators visit Blue Zoo

Blue Zoo Animation is one of London's leading animation houses, based in Great Portland St.  But even before Covid-19 struck, the company was looking to expand its facilities elsewhere. 

This was largely because of complaints from staff of the high cost of living in the capital:  “When we did our staff surveys, most complaints were about the cost of living in London. We’d love to pay our staff more, but our budgets are set by our clients … So we looked at other ways to [address those complaints].” 

Remote Working - Here to StayTom's interview is a fascinating insight into the future of our industry,

and an indication that many of the changes caused by Covid-19 could be more or less permanent.  Where Blue Zoo goes, many will follow. 

And if remote working works well, then why go back to the way things were?  Companies can save a great deal of money on expensive offices in high-cost cities, and pass those savings on to staff and customers. 

Working from Home

For our animation graduates, the lesson is clear. Get yourself a good workstation, make sure you have a decent broadband connection, and be prepared to work from home - from pretty much anywhere in the world.  You can see the full story at Cartoon Brew here. 

Remote Working Resources

To find out more about maximising your ability to work from home, see the blog posts below:

• What kind of laptop should our students buy? 
• Remote working tips with St John Walker
• Working from home with Google Meet and Sync Sketch

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, now recruiting for September 2021, follow this link.   To apply, visit the official page here.