Blue Zoo
Animation Production
Blue Zoo Animation Studio is a multi-BAFTA winning production company that has grown to become one of the UK’s leading & largest animation studios, making TV shows such as Numberblocks, It’s Pony and The Adventures Of Paddington as well as commercials for brands such as LEGO and Pokémon. The studio’s ethos is to produce joyfully compelling, story-driven and characterful visuals in a positive studio environment that makes a positive impact on audiences.
Credits include: Numberblocks, Go Jetters, Digby Dragon, and The Adventures of Paddington.
Primary Activity: Animation Production
Brighton Zoo
Animation Production
Brighton Zoo is a joint venture between Plug-in Media and Blue Zoo, a next generation production
company making digital kids’ content on the south coast of England. Founded on a long-trusted mutual
respect between the companies, Brighton Zoo delivers on Plug-in Media’s award-winning 2D animation
and multi-platform capabilities, combined with Blue Zoo’s established production infrastructure. It’s
Plugin power, with Blue Zoo boost – a meeting of minds and shared values on which to launch the next
generation of digital kids’ brands. Based in Brighton, a city known for its progressive values, creative
outlook, and great quality of life, the Brighton Zoo studio is created with today’s hybrid workstyles in
mind, offering the combination of a creative workspace within the iconic, New England House, close to
Brighton’s train station, with remote and flexible working opportunities for all staff. Our talented team of
designers, animators, developers and production staff, all get excited by making the best content for our
audience, delivered with a Brighton Zoo stamp of originality, humour, and authenticity.
Primary Activity: Animation Production
NextGen Skills Academy
Education and Training
Founded in 2015 by government and employers following the Next Gen Report by Ian Livingston and Alex Hope, NextGen Skills Academy (NextGen) is an industry-led education initiative to develop the next generation of talent for the Games, Animation and VFX industries.
NextGen brings industry and education together to develop a networked pipeline with aim of training, upskilling, and supporting people into employment or on to the next stage of their career journey. They do this via the development of formal qualifications, Apprenticeship Standards, short courses, bootcamps, and other training opportunities that are designed to meet the skills needs of employers.
NextGen’s flagship qualification, the NextGen AIM Level 3 Extended Diploma in Games, Animation and VFX Skills, was developed and is updated in collaboration with industry for students 16+. It is currently delivered by 14 Further Education Centres in England. These centres are approved by employers and, along with the industry written curriculum, students receive professional masterclasses, live streams, project feedback, work experience, and more quality industry engagement opportunities.
NextGen is led by an Employer Steering Group of studios from across Games, Animation and VFX, including Framestore, Creative Assembly, Blue Zoo, Media Molecule, Sumo Digital, Flipbook, ILM, Playground Games, Centroid, Payload, Sony Interactive Entertainment, DNEG, Ubisoft, and Game Dev Bootcamps.
Primary Activity: Education and Training
