Daisy Kavanagh-Spall

Describe your current role

I have spent the last three years working as an animator at Blue-Zoo Animation Studio. My role focuses mainly on character animation, but I also animate vehicles, objects and props. I have worked on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Paddington, CBeebies’ Numberblocks and the first season of Wonderblocks.

My main responsibility is to convey the emotion, timing, and overall feel of each scene through animation. I use a mix of self-acted reference footage and pre-saved animation cycles to build my shots. Each episode involves several shots, which I complete over a number of weeks.

Career since graduation

I have worked across a breadth of different animation teams on three different television shows at Blue-Zoo. I have been part of a team working on The Adventures of Paddington, Numberblocks and the debut season of Wonderblocks. During my first contract at Blue-Zoo, I was nominated to apply to be a BAFTA Breakthrough Artist.

Why animation?

I chose Animation because I have always loved art, cartoons and drawing. I also wanted to develop a new digital skill, and with my A-level background in graphic design, the course felt like the right fit.

How did your time at Teesside help prepare you for your career?

My time at Teesside University prepared me well for my career. The course offered a wide range of modules that introduced us to different roles in animation and VFX, including areas I hadn’t considered before. As the course progressed, I could focus on the specific skills I wanted to develop. We worked with industry-standard software and technology, so everything I learned could be applied directly in a professional setting.

Did you use the careers service at Teesside University?

Yes. I gained my post-bachelor's(what’s a post-bachelor? Postgraduate?) degree internship using the University's career service. They were a great help, as all I needed to do was send off my CV and reel, and they put me directly in touch with a local animation company and set up an interview for me. After my master's , my lecturer sent my reel directly to a Blue-Zoo director, which led me to a job interview, and got me my first professional role as an animator.

Best thing about Teesside University and living in the region?

I enjoyed every part of my experience at Teesside. I was in the women’s football team and worked at the Students’ Union, so I had a strong social life on campus. I also liked my classes and had a good relationship with my lecturers, which made it easy to ask for advice and feedback.

Would you recommend Teesside University and your course?

Yes, I would strongly recommend Teesside University. I moved 300 miles to study here and felt welcomed straight away. The campus is in the centre of Middlesbrough, and the town has a strong student feel with plenty of sports, clubs and societies, so it’s easy to meet people and try new activities. The teaching was engaging, and I always felt involved and motivated.

Future ambitions?

One of my future ambitions would be to animate on a feature film. I also aspire to animate across as many different forms as I can, such as games, VFX, and film, as I'd like to experience the different workflows and challenge myself to learn new methods and techniques in animating.