Mr Steve Boot
School of Arts, Media and Creative Technologies
Current positions
Teaching Fellow in Animation
Biography
Stephen Boot is a specialist in stop-motion animation with over 25 years of industry experience as an animator, director. He has worked on a wide range of award-winning children’s TV series including Postman Pat, The Twirly Woos, Roary the Racing Car, and The Clangers, and has directed for Engie Benjy (CITV) and BooSnoo (Sky Kids). Through his company, Gadzooks Studio, Stephen has delivered commercial commissions for clients such as ASDA, Dr Oetker, and the BBC.
He brings extensive professional practice into his academic role, maintaining strong links with the creative industries through festivals, judging panels, and industry collaborations.
Areas of Research
Visual storytelling
puppetry and digital puppetry
Animation performance
Lomo photography
Stephen brings over 25 years of professional animation experience into his teaching, offering students industry-relevant insights and practical skills development across the entire animation production pipeline. He specialises in stop-motion performance, character animation, storytelling, and visual narrative. Stephen leads a range of modules including Script to Screen, The Art of Animation, Professional Portfolio, Final Project Phase One, Performance and Character, and Animation Pipelines.
He integrates professional workflows, collaborative practice, and current industry expectations into his teaching. His teaching encourages reflective practice, critical analysis, and the development of employability-focused portfolios, equipping graduates with both technical proficiency and the creative decision-making skills needed for success in today’s animation industry.