Students at Bristol animation studio Aardman are being encouraged to embrace imperfections in their work, a quality teachers believe machines struggle to replicate. The studio, known for productions like Wallace and Gromit, is teaching the next generation of animators the art of stop-motion, where every movement is created by hand.
Mark Simon Hewis, Head of the Aardman Academy, stated that what some might see as flaws are often what audiences connect with most. He added, "We teach our students to be themselves. We teach them to be a little bit wonky." The academy, which has trained around 2,000 alumni worldwide, welcomes students from across the globe to its Bristol studios.
Student Merlin Wise highlighted the physical connection to the work as a key aspect of stop-motion, while fellow student Annie Buckeridge expressed optimism for physical media despite industry challenges. Will Becher, Head of Studio and an Oscar and Bafta-nominated filmmaker, acknowledged the time-consuming and physically demanding nature of stop-frame animation.