New Blades 2023 is a specialist model making fair which allows students across the country to showcase their best work. BA (Hons) Model Making & Visual FX student Angus Mawer took part in this year’s show alongside fellow students Lewis King, Lorna James and Anthony Preece, we caught up with him to find out more about this years exhibition. Read on to find out more!

Tell us about New Blades: your experience of the show, what you were doing there and how you got involved!

My experience at new blades was great, while it was a long day I met and chatted with loads of interesting industry professionals and some lovely fellow soon to be graduates. New blades is the largest model making graduate recruitment fair in UK, and I showcased one of the models from my FMP a stop motion set. For the past 3 years excluding Covid we have been attending new blades  as a course.

What work did you submit?

The work I featured is one half of my FMP a 1 to 6 scale stop motion set. The brief I worked around was a short film called ‘Show Bizz.’ Born out of the 2020 lockdowns I remember being so bored one evening, the monotony of life being stuck inside all day, that the simple act of going up the stairs with some frank Sinatra playing  felt like I was on a Broadway show. This experience inspired the idea for the film. Exploring how to make the most out of every moment.

The hallway pays homage to Broadway shows with bold colours, dramatic lights and some over the top signs. Everything is handmade from various materials but mostly is joinery, it has removable walls and panels to allow for better access while filming.

What other projects are you working on?

Other projects I am working on include a bedroom set to go along with this set. also made 1:6 scale. This set has slightly more muted colours to symbolise the boredom the character faces when there.

What are your next steps after graduation?

My next steps after Uni is to find work either as a stop motion model-maker or possibly as a set dresser. Either way I would like to go into stage and screen creating amazing experiences for those who view them.

What is special about the school?

What I find special about this course is the freedom you’re given. You can make almost anything you want and be supported by both lecturers and other students and be part of the NSOA family.

Catch up with Angus’s work on his instagram: @angusmawer. If you are interested in studying BA (Hons) Model Making with Visual FX find out more here.