Reel Talk Live Event on Tuesday May 24

Reel Talk Live event on May 19

Join us on Tuesday May 24 at 5:30pm for our latest free Reel Talk Live event, where we welcome artists and recruiters from Framestore, Blue Zoo and Nordeus to review student showreels and portfolios. 

Our industry speakers will review our students demo reels and share their advice on what they look for when recruiting. 

To sign up for this free event, follow this link. This is especially recommended for our graduating students who are cutting their own demo reel and looking to land that crucial first job in the industry.

Escape Studios Free "Reel Talk" Guide

Download your Free Reel Talk Guide here

Escape Studios' free Reel Talk Guide is back, with advice on jobs and careers from professionals and experts in the animation, games and vfx industries.

Find out how to create a killer showreel or portfolio to help land your first job.

Find out what industry recruiters are looking for - and the best ways to grab their attention, with advice from Blue Zoo, Electric Square, Industrial Light & Magic and Union Visual Effects.

Reel Talk Live at Escape on 25th September

On Wednesday September 25 at 6:30pm Escape Studios is hosting "Reel Talk Live", an event in which we review alumni demo reels and discuss the Do's and Don'ts of demo reels.

We're welcoming industry partners The Third Floor, Jellyfish Pictures and Creative Assembly, who have all generously donated their time to help review student work.

A student's demo reel is the key to finding work in our industry. All are welcome, and you can book your free place here.

Prof Practice Module PS6003 Starts Sept 2026

Prof Practice Module PS6003

Our Professional Practice Module (PS6003) forms part of the Third Year of Studies at Escape Studios and returns in September 2026 (for our 2026-27 Term Dates, follow this link). 

PS6003 aims to prepare our third year animation, games and VFX students for the workplace as they approach the end of their studies.  Professional Practice focuses on employability, so that students understand well before they graduate what it takes to succeed in the creative industries. 

Industry jobs remain competitive, and graduates must ensure they have the right skills to compete successfully. 

PS6003 - Professional Practice Module

Prof Practice Module PS6003

Our Professional Practice Module (PS6003) forms part of the Third Year of Studies at Escape Studios; it starts in September 2023.

PS6003 aims to prepare our third year animation, games and VFX students for the workplace as they approach the end of their studies.  Professional Practice focuses on employability, so that students understand well before they graduate what it takes to succeed in the creative industries. 

The animation and vfx industries are booming, but jobs remain competitive, and graduates must ensure they have the right skills to compete successfully. 

Demo Reel Advice at Skwigly

This week we're at Skwigly, the online animation magazine, with our top 12 tips on how to make a great animation Demo Reel.

 "What should go in my demo reel?" is one of the most common questions asked by students.

Reel Talk Live at Escape Studios on 12 Sept

We're hosting Reel Talk Live on Wednesday, September 12 at 6:30 pm.

For one night only we are welcoming professional artists from three of the biggest VFX, Animation and Games studios in England to review some of our Escapees' work.

Our guests are Jan Jinda from DNEG, Will Cook from Blue Zoo and Rob Watkins from Creative Assembly, who will join us to give live comments on showreels and portfolios.

Pixar's Aaron Hartline Talks Creativity

Aaron Hartline at Escape Studios

Pixar's Aaron Hartline gave a great talk at the VFX Festival earlier this year on the subject of creativity, titled "Turning on Your Creative Light Bulb".

Aaron was here in London to mentor our short course animators, and help us reach Pixar-quality standards in our animation teaching.

Aaron's talk was aimed in particular at animators, who are always looking to come up with inventive and fresh solutions to animation problems.

Animal Logic: Animating Down Under

The folks who brought you Lego Movie

Recently Escape Studios welcomed Patricia Kung, head of Recruitment at Animal Logic to talk to our students at our High Holborn campus.

Animal Logic is one of Australia's leading animation and VFX companies, responsible for global box office hits like the Oscar-nominated The Lego Movie. Other movie credits include Babe, Mouse Hunt, Face Off, The Matrix, Moulin Rouge, House of Flying Daggers, 300, The Great Gatsby, Happy Feet, Legend of the Guardians, and Walking with Dinosaurs 3D.

So, what is life like down under for animation and VFX graduates, and (most importantly) how can our animation graduates start their careers at Animal Logic?

Maria Robertson Reports From The Mill

The Mill

Third year undergraduate animator Maria Robertson has recently completed a summer internship animating at London VFX and animation powerhouse The Mill.

Maria interned at the Mill for 12 weeks over the summer, working on live client briefs and honing her skills as an animator.

 We asked her a few questions about her work, what the experience was like, and what advice she might offer students looking for summer internships.

Daniel Baidoo Animator at Animal Logic

Daniel Baidoo

Many congratulations to our 3rd year undergraduate animator Daniel Baidoo, who has recently started work as an animator at Animal Logic animation studio in Sydney, Australia.

During his 3 years at Escape Studios, Daniel energetically pursued animation internships and industry work experience.

In 2018 Daniel found a role as a junior animator on the WW2 movie "Hurricane", working over the summer at Lipsync Post in London.  Prior to that he worked at Lipsync on the feature film Showdogs.

Daniel started his animation career by interning at King Bee animation while he was still a first year undergraduate, gaining valuable industry insight.

How Animators Get Hired For Games - Today at 1pm

Into Games is hosting a free live-streamed talk today Wednesday 22nd May at 1pm UK time for animators seeking a career as an animator in the Games Industry. 

The title of the talk is "Animation: Communicating the fundamentals. How to Prove You've Got The Experience".

Today's talk is for animators who are either "pre-games or very early in their games industry career". 

The talk will be delivered by Hannah Kravets a Gameplay Animator currently working with Climax Studios. 

What Should Go in an Animation Demo Reel? Eamonn Butler Reveals the Secrets

Eamonn Butler

Last night Escape Studios welcomed our latest speaker to our regular “Escape Labs” event – where we investigate the new technology that is driving the animation and visual effects industry.

We were proud to host Cinesite’s head of animation, Eamonn Butler, who came to talk to us at our Strand HQ about Cinesite's expanding animation pipeline - developing and producing their own slate of animated films.

Of particular interest to our student animators was what Eamonn had to say on the subject of animation demo reels: what to do – and what not to do.

Animation Demo Reel Feedback with DNEG 21 March

Calling all current animation students and recent Escapees - we are hosting a new Demo Reel Review with DNEG Animation on 21st March 2023.

This event takes place at 5pm in person in Rooms 1.11 and 1.12 at our Central London campus at 190 High Holborn WC1 and is free for all our students.  

Escape Visits Film London at Westminster College

Escape Studios was invited by Film London yesterday to talk to students and young professionals at Westminster Kingsway College about the animation production pipeline.  But it soon became clear that what the audience really wanted was specific guidance on how to break into the creative industries.  "How..." one audience member asked (more than once)..."can I get a job?"  

This is a very common question - and not always an easy one to answer.  The industry has big skills shortages - for example, 2D compositing is currently hugely in demand, and we have almost 100% employment among our compositing Escapees. But is compositing the right career path for that particular person? 

  

Meet Will Hughes - Talent Development Manager

Will Hughes (4th from right) with Escapees at BlueBolt VFX

Will Hughes is the Talent Development Manager at Escape Studios.  One of Will's key roles is to meet with our students, recent graduates and Escapees to help them to establish their careers in the animation, games and vfx industries. 

At a time of anxiety about opportunities in the creative industries, we asked Will to tell us about his work and what, exactly, he does to support our students and Escapees. 

Escape Studios Visits Film London at Rich Mix

Rich Mix

Yesterday I visited Rich Mix - courtesy of Film London - to talk to with students and young media professionals about careers in animation and VFX. 

The event was hosted by Film London to provide aspiring artists with guidance on how to break into the creative industries  and, specifically, into the animation and VFX industries.  

Today the creative industries continue to grow (despite Covid, Brexit, Writer's Strikes and Actor's strikes) - boosted earlier this year by the further expansion of the UK Govt Tax Credit. 

  

Escape Studios Visits Westminster Kingsway College

Westminster Kingsway College 

Last week Escape Studios visited Westminster Kingsway College to talk to with students and young professionals about careers in animation. 

The event was hosted by Film London to provide aspiring artists with guidance on how to break into the creative industries  and, specifically, into the animation industry.  

Today the animation industry continues to grow, despite Covid and Brexit, boosted recently by expansion of the UK Govt Tax Credit. 

  

Dennis the Menace at the VFX Festival

Jellyfish animation is one of London's leading animation studios, specialising in TV work such as the new Dennis the Menace series.

At the recent VFX Festival in Shoreditch,  Jellyfish's lead animator Denis Jose Francois introduced the series, and talked about some of the challenges faced by Jellyfish in bringing this well-loved comic character to the small screen.

And, at the end of his talk he also offered some useful tips on what Jellyfish looks for in an animation demo reel.

Neil Boyle Introduces "Kensuke's Kingdom"

Neil Boyle introduces "Kensuke's Kingdom" 

Animator and director Neil Boyle joined us on Tuesday 19th May at Escape Studios to talk about his BAFTA-nominated 2D animated feature film "Kensuke's Kingdom" released in 2023. 

Neil Boyle talked about the making of Kensuke's Kingdom, and also discussed the state of 2D animation in the UK.  Making independent animated feature films isn't easy, but with persistence and effort it can be done.