An ambitious and visually experimental final-year film, which took BA (Hons) Animation graduate Dan Michael over five months to create, went on to win the Animation category at this year’s Royal Television Society (RTS) Student Awards for the North East and the Borders.

Dan, who studied at the School’s Hartlepool campus from 2022 to 2025, received the accolade for his animation, Blink.

The film explores the monotony of a character’s life and, as Dan explains, “is a showcase of escapism and how impulses, unhealthy habits and addictions can have an impact on one’s life for the worse and, if not identified and dealt with, can result in one’s downfall.

“I used a character named Kyle and an old television set that, when worn, allows the user to enter a sandbox world, letting their mind run wild with ideas without limits, like a simulation or godmother in a game. The film shows the gradual takeover of Kyle’s life, warping and corrupting his home and eventually him.”

Blink took over three months to complete, with almost two months of development. Every scene was deliberately planned to be unique, which Dan said was both a creative decision and a form of experimentation.

“I was inspired by the mixed-media elements of shows like Smiling Friends and The Amazing World of Gumball and wanted to use my final major project to try out and experiment with artistic and creative mediums that I previously had no experience with or had little practice in. I also wanted to develop my editing and composition skills in not only Toon Boom Harmony but also Adobe Photoshop, Premier Pro, Illustrator, After Effects, Audition and Blender.

“I spent a lot of time painting and crafting models for backgrounds using acrylic and water paints and cardboard, collaborating with other students and lecturers to craft a doll version of the character for stop-motion and created a papier-mâché head of the character for a live action scene. For some scenes I spent a day inside a studio where I created and acted in front of a green screen for both video and photographic material, which resulted in the film that combines live action, stop motion, claymation and other techniques.”

Reflecting on the process of creating Blink Dan added: “I approached the film with an open mind. I wanted to take the opportunity to learn from others and other creatives around me and take advantage of my environment during my time at The Northern School of Art to demonstrate my skills, creativity and adaptability as a creative. It was the chance to try new things and create the best thing I possibly could; the creative integrity and strength of the visuals and narrative of my film depended on it.

“I found using many of the new software programmes and mediums to be a challenge, but reminding myself that it was a new thing and it didn’t need to be perfect is exactly what made Blink the film it is.”

The decision to submit Blink for the RTS awards followed discussions between Dan and his lecturer, Theo Scott, about next steps. “Throughout planning and even after the film we discussed film festivals and other methods of connecting my film to viewers in detail, which led to RTS North East and the Borders,” Dan explained.

“To find that I had my film shortlisted by RTS was nothing short of surreal and phenomenal, never mind actually winning in the animation category. I never would have expected Blink to get as much recognition and reach as it has and it brings me a sense of pride to have got this far. All I think about since the event is ‘What’s next?'”

Since graduation, Dan has remained active in animation, developing short films while preparing for a new major project. He hopes to continue storytelling through animation, joining larger-scale industry productions, and further developing his creative and professional skills.

Dan credits his time at The Northern School of Art as instrumental in shaping his abilities. He praised all of his lecturers for their guidance and highlighted the collaborative environment at the Hartlepool campus as a key factor in his creative growth.

Offering advice to aspiring animators, Dan emphasises experimentation alongside keeping an open mind: “Don’t be afraid to try new things and have fun with what you’re making. Support from others, fellow students, friends, or lecturers, can be incredibly beneficial to your professional development.”

Alongside Dan’s winning entry, BA (Hons) Film, TV and Theatre Production graduates, pictured right, Meg Boyle and Jack Fowler’s film Northern Lights was shortlisted in the Factual Shortform category.

The documentary shines a light on the vibrant and resilient film communities of the North East region. Blending stories from grassroots film clubs and passionate industry professionals, all of them with strong connections to this part of the world.

Dan’s work can be seen on his Instagram @ddoodlz_, and he can be contacted at ddoodlzuk@gmail.com and on YouTube @DDoodlz

The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Animation degree programme encourages creativity and individuality and is designed to give students the freedom to develop self-directed projects that reflect their unique voice as an animator. Further details are HERE