Our staff and students recently enjoyed an engaging and inspiring trip to Yr Egin in Carmarthen.

Yr Egin is a creative and digital hub located on the UWTSD Carmarthen campus, home to the Welsh‑language broadcaster S4C and a wide community of media, arts, and digital businesses. Designed to inspire creativity and nurture new talent, the centre provides state‑of‑the‑art production facilities, hot‑desking spaces, an auditorium, and a programme of cultural and industry events. Since opening in 2018, it has developed into a vibrant venue that supports collaboration between students, professionals, and local creatives while contributing significantly to the regional economy and strengthening the Welsh language through its cultural output.

Exploring Creativity and Careers: UWTSD Computing Visit to Yr Egin, Carmarthen

Recently, UWTSD Computing staff and students travelled to Yr Egin, the vibrant creative and digital centre based on the Carmarthen campus. Home to S4C, production companies, freelancers, and a growing community of digital talent, Yr Egin proved the perfect place for students to gain behind‑the‑scenes insights into animation, media production, education technology, and the realities of working in the creative industries. The day combined inspiring talks from industry professionals, a guided tour of S4C’s facilities, and an opportunity to see how creative ideas evolve from early sketches to polished on‑screen productions.

Twt Productions: Getting Started in the Creative Industries

The first speaker of the day was Siwan Jobbins from Twt Productions, who offered practical guidance for students hoping to break into animation and media. Siwan emphasised the importance of keeping things simple when pitching ideas: if you can’t summarise your concept in one clear sentence, it’s not ready yet. She also stressed how crucial strong visuals and a realistic budget are when presenting a project.

Students were given a useful roundup of upcoming festivals, networking events, and industry platforms—from the Cardiff Animation Festival to tender portals such as S4C Production Tenders, BBC Education Commissioning, and Sell2Wales. For graduates, Siwan encouraged maintaining momentum: keep learning, keep applying, and keep refining your skills. Early in your career, she explained, you may need to give up some rights to get your name out there, but as you gain experience you’ll have more influence and ownership over your work.

Cloth Cat: Craft, Creativity and Career Longevity

Next, the group heard from Jon Rennie of Cloth Cat Animation, whose talk blended humour, honesty, and invaluable advice. Jon reinforced the importance of LinkedIn and social media for building visibility in the industry. He encouraged students to develop original showreels—avoiding overused film clips—and to pay attention to how other animators solve problems under tight budgets. Sometimes, he noted, creativity is about making smart compromises, such as omitting footprints in a snowy scene when deadlines are tight.

Jon urged students to constantly update their skills, be adaptable, and above all be reliable: in animation, meeting deadlines is just as important as artistic flair.

He also shared insights from his project “The Ghost of Midwinter / Ysbryd yr Oerfel,” a bilingual S4C Christmas animation produced in just six months. Students watched how a short sequence developed across four stages: from storyboards, to character animation, to effects, and finally to fully rendered backgrounds. It was a clear, fascinating demonstration of the full animation pipeline.

Inside S4C: Touring the Creative Spaces of Yr Egin

The tour of Yr Egin gave students a glimpse into live studios, editing suites, and the collaborative workspaces used by media professionals. The group met Steffan Rhys Williams, a music producer and composer who has contributed to S4C for more than 20 years. Steffan discussed the realities of composing for television, explaining how he sometimes outsources parts of the process so he can focus on creative direction.

Students also visited the hot‑desking area, which UWTSD graduates can use for six months after completing their studies—a valuable opportunity to network, start freelance work, or collaborate with the industry professionals based in the building.

Antur Amser: Blending Animation, Gaming and Education

The final speaker, Osian Evans, shared insights from Antur Amser, an ambitious educational entertainment project that follows a group of children from the year 2174 who travel back to different eras in Earth’s history. The characters act as a creative gateway into subjects such as science, history, and geography, blending classroom learning with storytelling and interactive media.

Osian explained the iterative design process behind the characters and emphasised the importance of giving animators precise instructions—highlighted by the time a “robot with anti‑gravity technology” accidentally ended up flapping wings because directions were unclear.

He also discussed the balance between gaming and learning, and how using existing platforms like YouTube and Roblox helps reach young audiences more effectively than trying to build entirely new ecosystems. Where possible, the team uses pre‑built assets, reserving bespoke modelling for niche cases—an essential strategy for meeting deadlines and budgets.

Where AI Fits In: Not a Replacement, but a Team Member

Osian also spoke about the role of AI‑assisted animation, emphasising that AI complements human creativity rather than replacing it. While AI can accelerate early drafts, improve workflow capacity, and support low‑budget productions like vodcasts, it is not suitable for areas like scripting. Instead, he described AI as a “first draft collaborator”: useful for rough animation tests before the real artistry begins. Tools such as HeyGen are now commonly used for rapid prototyping, helping creators gather feedback earlier and refine their ideas faster.

A Day of Inspiration and Industry Insight

The visit to Yr Egin offered our Computing students a rich, realistic look at the creative industries—highlighting both the opportunities available and the hard work and adaptability required to thrive in them. From pitching and production pipelines to character design and the role of AI, the day showcased the many pathways open to students interested in animation, digital creativity, and media technology.

Most importantly, the trip demonstrated just how connected UWTSD students are to Wales’ creative sector. Yr Egin isn’t just a building—it’s a collaborative hub where ideas grow, careers begin, and the next generation of digital storytellers can find their place.

We would like thank all the staff and industry experts from Yr Egin who made the day so enjoyable and inspiring for us all. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi.

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