Claire Renton, Animation Director, Ludo

Claire Renton is the Animation Director for the BAFTA and Emmy-award winning Bluey television series.

Meet Claire Renton, Animation Director, Ludo

Claire Renton is the Animation Director for the BAFTA and Emmy-award winning Bluey television series. Claire started working in her first animation studio at sixteen and has been hooked ever since. Two decades on and her obsession for animation and storytelling has led her across Asia and the UK, creating animation for television and feature films and working with Disney, the BBC, CollegeHumor, Halfbrick, GOMA, and currently, Ludo Studio. She recently directed the short animated film Arrkutja Tharra Kungka Kutjara, Two Girls in collaboration with Ludo, ACMI and Tangentyere Artists.

Q: What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

My first job was working as an inbetweener and then as an animation assistant in a traditional studio. We worked on lightboxes with pencils and paper, which feels very old-school now! I learnt so much. I was still in highschool at the time and working alongside experienced animators was an incredible opportunity. I was able to go over their scenes and practice, practice, practice.

Q: Who inspired you to join the field/who inspired your work?

I first decided to become an animator when I was pretty young. I grew up during the golden age of Disney – The Lion King came out when I was ten, and I was in love with all the films from that era. The nineties was a goldmine when it came to the volume and diverse styles of tv shows as well, The Simpsons, Rugrats, South Park, Daria – I ate it all up!

There are some incredible new voices and talents that are emerging in the industry at the
moment, with a lot of emphasis on 2D hand-drawn animation.

Claire Renton, Animation Director, Ludo

Q: Which project are you most proud to have worked on?

Earlier this year I directed an animated short film called Arrkutja Tharra, Kungka Kutjara, Two Girls, as part of an exhibition of work by Sally M Nangala Mulda and Marlene Rubuntja, two phenomenal First Nations artists. It tells the story of their lives in Central Australia and is animated in Sally’s painted style and using Marlene’s soft sculptures. It was such an honour to be able to work with them and help showcase their humour, triumphs and the realities of town camp life.

Q: What 3 animated pieces of work were among some of your favorite work from 2023?

The Lovers (so excited to see the full release!), The Boy and the Heron and Legend of Zelda – Tears of the Kingdom

Q: What do you look forward to most as a founding Collision Award jury member?

I’m looking forward to seeing something new! Working in the industry I can tend to get a little stuck in my own bubble so I’m really excited to see the creativity and innovation that can be brought to this incredible medium.

Q: When you look at the future of animation in your field, what do you see?

There are some incredible new voices and talents that are emerging in the industry at the moment, with a lot of emphasis on 2D hand-drawn animation. I’m hanging out for a new wave of traditionally animated films, I think it’s time!