Fast track your skills development with Blue Zoo in their Virtual Blender Animation Studio

BenNextGen writes:

Applications are now open for the Blue Zoo Pop-Up Virtual Animation Studio! This is an amazing free opportunity to fast track your skills development in Blender 3D Animation. Successful applicants will learn in a virtual environment that closely replicates the reality of working in an animation studio, all whilst being supported by a Production Coordinator, Technical Adviser (Blender) and Employment Coach.

The bespoke virtual animation studio environment has been developed by Tom Box, Co-Founder of the multi-award winning Blue Zoo Animation Studio (https://www.blue-zoo.co.uk/), in partnership with NextGen Skills Academy.

Blue Zoo produce animation for channels such as Nick JR, CBeebies, and Netflix, alongside commercial and long form. The bootcamp comes after their recent film ‘Sinking Feeling’ (https://www.blue-zoo.co.uk/blog/sinking-feeling-launches), created entirely in Blender, launched for World Suicide Prevention Day 2021.

Their free 4-week learning experience, funded by Ufi VocTech Trust, teaches asset-centric workflow management as found in creative studios, uses the functionality of advanced professional tools, and empowers learners with the confidence to hit the ground running in a professional studio.

Train to work in a virtual studio environment:

• Learners will be set briefs which closely replicate real industry commissions, for example ‘Create a 20 second animated commercial for…’
• They will then work in teams with specific individual roles to deliver on the brief, working in bite-size tasks that have tutorials and best practice tips built in
• All project assets and workflow management and hosted on the NextGen SkillsXchange platform. This bespoke platform uses the functionality and emulates the look and layout of advanced professional tools, enabling users to quickly master versions of these tools in one portal

The programme is open to anyone who

• Is over the age of 18 and is resident in the United Kingdom
• Can demonstrate experience in creating animated assets or sequences, either through formal training or self-taught using Blender (A portfolio must be submitted as part of the application process)
• Does not currently have any paid experience of working in a professional animation studio. If you have undertaken some work experience or an internship you are still eligible to apply
• Can commit to the full-time hours of the bootcamp for 4 weeks from Monday 1st November to Friday 26th November. It is expected that participants will learn for 7 hours each day from Monday to Friday, and will be available between the core hours of 11am and 4pm (GMT) on these days with the other hours to be worked to suit you.

Visit our website to start your application.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 17th October 2021.