So you’re curious about working in animation, but don’t know where to start. What’s the difference between animation and motion design? What roles are available for entry-level talent, and what kinds of skills might you need to work in the areas? If you’d like to know the answer to any of these questions, you’ll want to register for our new networking event, Meet & Greet.

From creative leads and animation directors to junior motion designers, we’re inviting ten industry professionals to shed light on the opportunities out there, share insights into their roles and offer advice for anyone looking to follow a similar path.

So whether you’re a student, a grad or simply in the first year of your career journey, this is a chance to meet industry professionals, connect with fellow emerging attendees and ultimately learn more about what it’s like to work in animation.

The session will take place over Zoom on Thursday 27th April, from 5pm to 8pm BST. There are only a limited number of places available, so make sure you sign up to register your interest.

After a short panel discussion with our industry experts, you’ll be put into breakout rooms of three attendees and one industry expert, where you’ll get the chance to ask questions, receive advice and find out more about their role. This will then rotate, so you get to meet several industry experts throughout the evening. (Please note that room spaces will be randomly assigned.)

You do not need a portfolio to register for the event. However, we do ask that you submit a question for our industry experts when you apply, along with a short line about why you’d like to attend. Simply register your interest by 11.59pm on 10th April via the link below.

Laurence Mencé (she/her), creative lead, Found
Originally from Paris, where she trained in communication design, Laurence moved to London in 2008 and soon specialised in motion design. Before becoming creative lead at Found, she worked across branding, film production and UX for agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy, Arrival and Wolff Olins.

Neeraja Raj (she/her), director, Nexus Studios
A film director and National Film and Television School graduate, Neeraja’s 2020 graduation film Meow or Never was shortlisted for the Student Baftas, and nabbed her Women in Animation’s Best Film Award. A 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, she previously worked for Aardman Animations and Disney Animation.

Katy Wang (she/her), freelance animation director
Katy is an animator and animation director based in London. Bringing playful characters to life through bold colours and textural brush strokes, Katy has worked with brands such as Absolut, Penguin Books and Headspace, amongst others.

Ere Santos (he/him), animation supervisor, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Ere’s film credits include Ron’s Gone Wrong, Addams Family 2 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 2. Having studied mathematics and computer science, it was Ere’s love of film, computers and performance that led him to teach himself animation. He then joined Pixar as an intern before working with studios DNEG, MPC, Sony and Walt Disney.

Stephen Middleton (he/him), creative director, Art&Graft
Graduating from Kingston University in 2012 with a degree in illustration and animation, Stephen freelanced during uni and after graduating, before joining Art&Graft as a junior designer and animator. Now the studio’s creative director, he sees Art&Graft as meshing his tastes and creative approach.

Abraham Egbobawaye (he/him), junior motion designer, Buff Motion
Abraham is a recent graphic and media design graduate of the London College of Communication. He is captivated by graphical, abstract and playful approaches of visual communication in both motion design and 3D art. Prior to joining Buff Motion, he interned at the likes of GeeiQ, Pentagram for Yuri Suzuki and Outfly.

Howard Goodwin (he/him), motion designer, DEPT®
During his degree in graphic arts, Howard specialised in illustration, landing a graphic design-based job for a market research company after graduating. He introduced animation and video to the company before moving to a brand consultancy to be their motion designer. At DEPT®, his work focuses on branding.

Tim Gardiner (he/him), motion and VFX director, Stink Studios
Tim studied graphic design before attending film school in Leeds. Having always had a passion for motion design and directing, he built up experience in these areas through personal projects and low budget music videos before transitioning into advertising, where he’s been for the past 15 years.

Lina Li (she/her), art department designer, Passion Pictures
Lina has a background in stop-motion animation and has worked on Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs and Sainsbury’s 2016 Christmas ad, amongst other projects. She studied character animation at Central Saint Martins, interning for Passion Pictures on projects as a student, before graduating and joining them as an in-house designer.

Jen Zheng (she/her), associate creative director, Buck
Prior to joining Buck, Jen was an animation director at Moth Studio. Specialising in animated commercials, she works with both 2D and 3D and focuses on emotive storytelling, smooth transitions and elegant designs. Her award-winning 2016 short film Tough was nominated for a Bafta and screened at Sundance, SXSW and Annecy.

This session is open to students, grads, or those within the first year of a creative career. You’re only eligible to register if you are:

• Within the first year of your career
• Based in the UK
• Aged 18 and over

Please note that while you do not need a portfolio to register, we do ask that you submit a question for our industry experts when you apply, along with a short line about why you’d like to attend. Simply register your interest by 11.59pm on 10th April via the link below.

Registering for this event does not guarantee a place. Those invited to attend will be emailed a week before the event, and will be asked to pay a £5 deposit. This is to confirm your attendance, and will be refunded after the session.

We hope to see you there!