A studio-led animation brief with Locksmith Animation

Preparing you for the animation industry

Breaking into the animation industry can be competitive, but at MetStudios, you don’t have to figure it all out alone. From your very first year, you’ll experience what it’s like to work in a professional studio, building the skills and confidence you’ll need for the journey ahead.

An industry-led project

In our ‘Exploring Animated Storytelling’ module, as part of our BA Animation degree, our students are taking part in a six-week project led by Locksmith Animation’s Head of Talent, Shelley Page. Working on a studio-style brief, students will develop and pitch an original animated short, gaining hands-on experience of how ideas are developed, shared, and refined in real animation studios.

Meet Shelley Page

Shelley’s career began with legendary director Richard Williams, as Head of Backgrounds on Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988). She then joined Steven Spielberg’s Amblimation Studio before moving to Los Angeles in 1995 to help establish DreamWorks Animation, where she became Co-Head of Artist Development.

Her 36+ feature film credits include The Prince of Egypt, Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, and, more recently, Locksmith Animation’s Ron’s Gone Wrong and That Christmas. She joined the London-based studio in 2019, where she now focuses on discovering and supporting outstanding artists for upcoming feature projects, including Bad Fairies.

Exploring friendship & connection

Shelley’s brief centres on friendship and connection, inviting students to explore unexpected relationships across cultures, generations, or even species. Throughout the project, students learn to collaborate confidently, communicate ideas visually, and respond to feedback in a professional, supportive environment.

By the end, our students will have created a full studio-style pitch, including a synopsis, concept art, storyboards, and animatics. The experience is completed with a visit to Locksmith Animation, helping students connect their work directly to real studio pipelines and expectations. The result? When they leave, they’ve already practised the skills studios are looking for.

Interested in becoming an animator at MetStudios?

Sign up for one of our Open Days or apply via UCAS.

MetStudios London Open Day – Saturday 14 March 2026

Craft the Digital Worlds of Tomorrow MetStudios is for people who imagine new worlds and want to bring them to life. Small classes, one-to-one mentorship, and practical, hands-on projects sit at the heart of everything we do. We put wellbeing and diversity first, so you have the space and confidence to explore your creativity and create work that feels truly your own.