Hesam Abbasi

Why did you choose to study your course at Surrey?

The main reason I chose to apply to Surrey University was because of my course. Film, Animation, and Digital Arts is a one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary course that teaches 3D animation, 2D animation, character creation, environment design, storytelling, filmmaking, media production, and more. Having access to all these various topics enables me to acquire a clearer vision of the digital media arts industries and how things are done in different departments by different artists and technicians. This will result in better career development. 

This course provides me with the toolkit I require to become a well-rounded director and achieve my goals as a creative director.

What are the best things about your course? 

One of the best things I found in Surrey and the beautiful city of Guildford is its wonderful community. People around town and campus are genuinely kind and helpful, which makes me feel at ease. This applies to my course mates and instructors as well; everyone is so nice and friendly. Learning and working in this environment is absolute bliss. Another key aspect that made me feel confident about choosing this course is that every creative tool is easily accessible. Even if something isn’t immediately available in the department, it will get sorted out in a short span of time so we can easily address our creative needs and keep on making wonderful stuff!

What are the best things about life here as a postgraduate student? 

I'd say having access to many amenities makes life better around campus. There are several work/study areas aside from the library that are filled with amazing resources and reading materials. On top of that, having 24/7 access to the department and all the facilities makes it easy to schedule my time. In terms of transport, being about a 30-minute train ride from central London is a bonus, especially for me as a Film and Animation student. I can easily hop on a train to the centre of all the key events and mainstream media in the UK. On another note, there are several cafés and food courts around campus that provide students with a wide range of options. Nevertheless, the campus is just a short walk away from the town centre, which means we don't have to worry about any life requirements being far away!

What are your career plans? 

Since I have six years of experience in the fields of filmmaking, digital media and advertising industries, I'm looking forward to exploring those areas further while keeping my options open, eventually looking towards the indie and independent cinema industries in the UK. I plan to utilise what I've learned in my course and take advantage of the connections and networks I've been able to build at the university. Additionally, I'm planning on exploring opportunities for teaching because I believe I'm capable of sharing what I've learned over the past few years and inspiring more people to create creative content.

What advice do you have for students thinking of applying for this course? 

Go for it! I've thought a lot about whether or not I made the right decision to attend this course, and if I could go back in time, I would definitely do it again. It's been a wonderful experience so far, and I've had the chance to meet some of the greatest people of my life doing this course. I hope that we can build upon these relationships and keep working alongside each other to create amazing, thought-provoking, and world-changing art. If you're thinking about studying the course, don’t hesitate for a moment, as it will definitely change your life.