“When I finished high school, all I really wanted to do was make movies. I moved to Copenhagen to attend a film and photography school, after which I applied to both a cinematography programme and Multiplatform Storytelling and Production at VIA. I was not accepted into either programme, but during the application process for MSP, I came across the Character Animation programme. So, I decided, that if I could draw seriously every day for four months, I would pursue animation”.
Karen Haldrup ended up spending three years practicing, before she got accepted into Character Animation. Among other things, she spent a semester at The Drawing Academy during those years. And even though it felt like a big risk to dedicate so much time to practicing, it turned out to be worth it. Today, Karen is finishing her 7th and final semester of the programme. Here, she found a great community and learned that the combination of film and animation suits her personal preference.
Stories told visually
Even though Character Animation opens several career paths, such as animation for games, Karen still prefers working on movies.
“I like figuring out how a story can be told visually. And I have found that Character Animation suits me well, because you are working with the acting of the characters - how they move. Besides that, character animation is a way for me to work with movies and practice without relying on a full film crew every time. It is easier to practice drawing and animation alone, which is probably a better fit for my personality. In addition to animated movies, I can see myself working with animation in commercials as well. The budgets in advertising are often quite big. Which means you can create something that looks really cool. And that is also something that motivates me,” says Karen.
Fortunately, Karen has had plenty of opportunities to make something cool throughout the programme. Here, the realisation of ideas plays a major role in the students’ schedules.
“Of course, we learn about animation theory. For instance, we are taught the 12 principles of animation, which cover dynamic movement, timing, acceleration and so forth. But a big part of the programme is about actually creating something. When it comes to animation, you learn best by doing. And that suits me well – even though I also enjoyed academics in high school. In Character Animation, I get to apply the theory right way. It also means that we get to build out our portfolios throughout the programme, so we have something to show the studios once it is time to find internships and jobs”.
Ready for the real world
During Karen’s 7th and final semester, she secured an internship at the studio A. Film. There, she has worked on the third film in a series about a character called “Mugge”. It has been a great experience, and she has even been hired part-time while finishing her bachelor’s thesis.
When asked about other highlights of the programme, Karen mentions both the great community among the students, as well as all the things she is taking with her.
“It is a great study environment. Most of the students are not locals – they come from other countries. That means that almost none of us have friends in the area and therefore there is not much else to do than spend time together at school. As a result, we become a really tight-knit group,” Karen explains, laughing.
“It is also just really cool to study at a creative programme, where you get to make things you are proud of. Things that I can show people in the real world. It can feel risky to spend so much time practicing and trying to get in. But you can also look at it from another perspective: Now, I am graduating from a programme, where I do not have to explain to anyone what I can do as I have been trained for a very specific job. That is one of the advantages of a professional bachelor’s degree”.