CHULMLEIGH College is thrilled to share the news that former pupil, Morgan Vincent, has won the Young Animator of the Year (YAY) UK 2024 (15-18 years, 3D animation category) with his short film “See Me Skywards” (https://younganimator.uk/winners/).

Morgan (17), from Crediton, has shared how his interest in animation came about and his hopes for the future.

He explained: “I started learning 3D in late 2020 (Year 8) during the last week of lockdown.

“I can't say I immediately got into it but it was still an incredibly interesting art form, one that I hadn't realised could be so accessible.

“I kept up with learning software and 3D during my time at Chulmleigh, even putting it into my art GCSE coursework. I actually completed my GCSE Art Final Piece with a scene made in Blender.

“Over time I became more and more interested in 3D and animation to the point that when I was 15, I decided that this was something I could commit to. It is a niche that I love.

“Once you get past the technical side of things, which can always continue to be developed and improved anyways, you have an empty world in which you can create anything. The first limit is your understanding of the software, the next is your imagination.

“Animation is a super easy thing to get into. Whether that's 3D, 2D or stop motion there has never really been a better time to learn these things.

“You can find free software and resources online and the animation industry and set of communities are all incredibly friendly.

“There have been challenges over time, but I keep telling myself that I have come so far already. I don’t think there is anything else that I would rather be doing and I think I owe that to my younger self for landing on animation and being dedicated to it.

“The Young Animator of the Year competition was a large part of my animation journey. I have kept up-to-date with the winners and the work that people submit.

“I try to set the standards of my own work to the quality of 3D artists and animators that I admire, especially people my own age. When creating competitively, it is important to think about how your work lines up against past winners.

“The YAY film took around six months of work and allowed me to develop skills which were important to improve/try out for the first time.

“This included character modelling and design which is something that I had never done before this project and to an extent I think went quite well. I was definitely inspired by the Devonshire countryside. The film was initially an effort to improve my environment and world building skills so to take reference from the scenery local to me was quite important.”

Morgan thanks the Creative Department at Chulmleigh who, he said “were always very supportive of his interest in animation”, “as well as the IT department who took a keen interest in my work”.

Morgan added: “At the moment, I am finishing my last year at Exeter College. I have another film in the works for the IntoFilm competition deadline in early March, the largest student film event in the country, which I am hoping to get something out of! I am hoping to go and study computer animation at Bournemouth University next year.”