News | Tuesday, 12th November 2019

Student animators shine at BBC Radio 5 Live

Designs used to promote Rugby World Cup coverage, Brexitcast and more

Eye-catching animations produced by students have been used by the BBC to promote their programmes and podcasts.

An ongoing collaboration between Manchester School of Art’s Animation course and BBC Radio 5 Live’s digital team has yielded exciting opportunities.   

For instance, while England’s Rugby World Cup campaign may have ended in disappointment, the final whistle was the pinnacle of the tournament for one Animation student.  

Second-year Emilia Schneider’s animation featured on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport’s Twitter and Instagram posts congratulating South Africa for capturing this year’s Webb Ellis Cup. 

Throughout the six-week competition, Schneider’s work was also used in online videos for the BBC Radio 5 Live Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

Having the students work alongside us on the digital team at BBC Radio 5 Live was a great experience for both parties. They brought a fresh approach, creativity and their specialist skills to all the projects we set out.

Her designs are just one example of a fruitful ongoing partnership. Over the last few years a cohort of Animation students have been challenged to complete in one week a live animation brief relating to BBC programmes and podcasts. 

Schneider said: “Seeing my work being broadcast in a professional way to such a wide audience was very exciting. It was great to have first-hand experience on the inner workings of the industry. I am extremely thankful to have had this opportunity.”

Schneider, alongside fellow students Emily Cauchi, Eleanor Clarke and Harry Johnson were originally asked to create visual assets to accompany audio clips from BBC Radio 5 Live’s biggest podcasts, including Brexitcast and The Sista Collective. Some of these animations were then used online.

A number of students were then invited back for longer placements within the BBC Radio 5 Live digital team, so impressed were they by the quality of the young animators’ work.

Damien Markey, Senior Lecturer in Animation at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “We are delighted for Emilia, and very proud to see her designs featured in such a prominent way by BBC Radio 5 Live.

Seeing my work being broadcast in a professional way to such a wide audience was very exciting. It was great to have first-hand experience on the inner workings of the industry. I am extremely thankful to have had this opportunity.”

“Opportunities such as this successful second collaboration between BA Animation students and BBC Radio 5 Live have really helped students develop their industry knowledge and increase their experience in responding to a live brief.

“One of the strengths of the course is the group projects where students enhance their design skills, vary the artistic challenges they face and nurture their ability as animators.”

Alex Entwistle, Senior Producer for BBC Radio 5 Live Digital, said: “Having the students work alongside us on the digital team at BBC Radio 5 Live was a great experience for both parties. They brought a fresh approach, creativity and their specialist skills to all the projects we set out.

“Each student was given a broad outline and deadline on each project. What we didn’t want to do is be overly prescriptive and supress their creativity or imagination. That approach definitely paid off and we were so happy with the content everyone produced. As a result, we’re already planning on how we can work together again in 2020.”