Today the word ‘animation’ is used in a wider sense than ever before.  With the continuing development of digital technologies the old boundaries between animation and live-action or between handmade and computer-generated are breaking down, until one cannot easily define what animation is or is not any more.  Animation is now often used in some form in content for the web and other interactive platforms, console and computer games design, architectural pre-visualisation,  television broadcast design and commercials and music video direction to name but a few.

Although the UK has an excellent track-record in traditional cel and stop-motion animation, today over 90% of this type of work produced in the UK is actually animated abroad.  With the increased speed and ease of communications and the growth of their economies, regions such as eastern Europe and south-east asia are often more financially viable for large-scale animation production than the UK itself.  But there is growth in this country in pre-production, visual effects, motion graphics and other areas of post-production for TV, film, advertising, interactive and corporate content.

Many of the job opportunities are in London. There are a few large provincial animation clusters with large studios such as Aardman in Bristol, Cosgrove Hall and HOT in Manchester, Calon in Cardiff and a large triangle of animation related companies ranging from the more traditional in Glasgow and Edinburgh to interactive and games design in the Dundee/Tayside areas. Smaller companies and freelancers tend to cluster around larger companies and broadcasters.  As a whole, the industry in the UK is dominated by a proliferation of small production companies and freelancers (according to Skillset around 47% of the workforce). This holds true for the Eastern region. Many animators that are based in the East are freelancers who move around from various productions and tend to possess a wide range of animation related skills.

See our Resources section for more information on how to find out about companies in the UK.