By Hoching, BA(Hons) Animation alum.
UWE Bristol international alum, Hoching, tells us why she decided to study in the UK and the reasons she applied to UWE Bristol. She shares how the real-world experience and the vital connections she gained through her course have supported her career in the UK since graduating. Read more about Hoching’s story.
Why I chose to study at UWE Bristol
Hi, my name is Hoching and I studied BA(Hons) Animation at UWE Bristol. I was ready to leave my home in Hong Kong and see more of the world, so I decided to study animation in the UK. After making this decision, I then had to choose which university I’d apply to.
After seeing one of UWE Bristol’s animation showreels, I liked that experimentation and creativity was encouraged on their BA(Hons) Animation course. I then applied, enrolled and prepared to embark on my education adventure in Bristol.
What I enjoyed about living and studying in Bristol
When I arrived, I quickly discovered that Bristol is an extremely friendly, creative and lovely place to live. It has lots of parks to spend time in and there are frequent art events held throughout the city. I could never get bored of it.
Similar to the city itself, UWE Bristol’s facilities are highly supportive of artists. There’s plenty of space to work on whatever you desire, from animating to editing to sound recording and more. The library has thousands of art books and magazines from different countries and time periods to look through, providing ample resources for research, inspiration and enjoyment.
What I love about my course
One thing I appreciated about the course was how much freedom I had to choose the direction of my work. I dabbled in a wide range of animation techniques that I was exposed to in my workshops and lectures, and I learned things that I had previously not even considered.
“The teaching style placed much more emphasis on creative freedom than any other art course I’d seen back home.”
What’s more, I also enjoyed connecting with my tutors and classmates. I was surprised the first time my tutors told me I could address them by their first names. I learned so much about animation from my classmates, and the sunny afternoons I spent working on animations with them are some of the best memories of my university life.
The real-world opportunities I gained on my course
My learning and opportunities extended into the real world while I was still a student. In my final year of study, I was fortunate enough to be accepted onto a three-month internship with Fourth Wall animation studio. I also worked on various small projects over the years, such as short animations for the Street Goat farming cooperative.
We sometimes received lectures from guest animators who told us about different aspects of the animation industry, from storyboarding to the creation of stop motion puppets. The University also put up a bulletin board of jobs in the hallway, where students could find all sorts of short projects and volunteering opportunities.
How UWE Bristol supported me as an international student
There are countless ways in which UWE Bristol has supported me and my ambitions. As an international student, I had access to lots of seminars and workshops run by the University on how to adjust to living and studying in the UK. As an animation student more generally, the skills I’ve gained in coordinating and directing have been fundamental to my career.
“UWE Bristol has motivated me to never stop learning.”
How studying at UWE Bristol helped me to meet people
On top of the skills I’ve developed, I’ve formed important connections and friendships with many people along the way. Joining a few societies in my first year, including rock climbing, dancing, percussion and the Hong Kong society, helped me to make friends. These were great places to meet new people and be introduced to fresh perspectives.
I also made great friends on my course, who I believe I’ll keep in touch with throughout my animation career. My friends are some of the most valuable industry contacts I’ve gained. Plus, our Degree Show exhibition in our final year gave us an opportunity to meet animation professionals around Bristol, including Joe Wood, the Head of Rumpus Animations.
My career since graduating from UWE Bristol
Since graduating from UWE Bristol, I’ve found an abundance of work in the UK. I worked on a three-month freelance project, commissioned by the BBC, to promote an understanding of the Lunar New Year to children. I’ve also assisted with numerous smaller scale projects and short films as an animator. I’ve most recently become a Junior Storyboard Artist at Gutsy Animations.
My advice to future students
I’d like to offer some advice to future students looking to apply to UWE Bristol. I advise anyone to keep an open mind, and to enjoy your surroundings and the people around you. In my experience, the most valuable parts of university were the connections and relationships I formed. I look forward to seeing where these connections help to take me next on my journey.
Find out more about international study at UWE Bristol.