Gabi
Germain

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

I was blown away by how friendly the lecturers were and how excited they were about animation, it made me feel like I was in the right place for me. Also, the facilities available were far better than other universities I visited.

What’s your favourite thing about your course?

The sense of community within the course! Whether this is asking one another for opinions on our work, asking for help on how to do something or just for a chat. Being around other creative people boosts your own creativity.

How have you found the course facilities?

The facilities are great we have access to so many different industry-standard software packages, giving every student the chance to give everything a go. There are also enough computers for everyone, meaning that even near deadlines there is space to work in the Waverly building.

Have you worked on any live briefs or competitions?

Throughout the year the animation lecturers run competitions within our course, with the main ones being Halloween and Christmas, where we have the opportunity to submit an animation or piece of concept art relating to the subject. I have taken part in a few of these and they are great for creating extra work outside of the graded pieces we make.

Has your course included any guest speakers or industry trips? What have you enjoyed about this?

We have had many guest speakers both in-person and online through teams including lead animators, stop motion animators and studios. After going to these talks I personally always leave them feeling quite inspired to do work and put into practice the advice they give us during these talks. We also attend the Manchester animation festival every year!

When I’m not studying…

What three words would you use to describe Nottingham?

Exciting, lively, welcoming

What do you think of the creative and cultural scene in Nottingham? Is Nottingham a good city for an Art & Design student?

Nottingham is a great place to be creative, it is home to the Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery which has different exhibits throughout the year that are free to visit. There is also Bonnington gallery which has an art shop that has everything an art student could ever need. There is so much going on in Nottingham culturally and creatively which will inspire any art and design student to create.

Where would you recommend visiting in Nottingham?

The old market square is home to many food festivals throughout the year as well as being home to the Christmas market! Wollaton Park is also a great day out, there are deer wandering around. They also host an annual Christmas light show yearly,  during the festive period and have a lovely cafe. Nottingham is also home to a lot of amazing restaurants!

If you could give new students some advice, what would it be?

Treat university like a job, the harder you work the more you are going to get out of the experience. Equally, make sure you have other activities outside of your work such as societies or exercise. I am part of the craft society this year and it has been a great way of giving myself a break during busy or stressful periods of the year.

What do you think of the course staff?

The lecturers are all amazing, so helpful within sessions and are happy to help outside of lecture time. Constantly giving us useful feedback and showing us how we can improve our work and helping us become job-ready for when we leave.

About the future...

What’s next for you after NTU?

I am hoping to be a 2D character animator at an animation studio or to work freelance and work with several different clients. I can’t wait to take everything I have learned at NTU and apply it to my career journey in the near future.

Has the employability helped you plan for life beyond NTU?

We were shown many examples of CV’s and helped out with writing our own and making them stand out from the crowd. They welcomed any questions and were able to answer everything in the most helpful way