Seven students from the University of Hertfordshire have won nine awards at New Blades – the UK’s top recruitment fair for modelmaking and special effects graduates.
A key date in the calendar for the film, TV and creative industries, New Blades showcases outstanding graduate talent to top studios, recruiters, and industry professionals. The event attracts leading names in special effects and modelmaking, with the industry experts also voting on the best graduate work to determine the event’s award winners.
Stephen Partridge, Dean of the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire, said:
“This year’s success underlines Herts’ reputation as one of the UK’s best places to study modelmaking, model design and creative effects. Hertfordshire students continue to prove themselves to be among the very best in the country.”
This year’s Herts winners and the awards they achieved were:
Ruby Dale –Gerry Anderson Film Miniature Award
Amy Nash – Best of Show Runner-up and The Twins FX WOW Factor Award
Rat Adle – Best SFX Model or Prop
Ella Lawrence – Best Figurative Model
Joe Cottingham Mayall – Technical Award
Lewis Berry – Sculptural Precision Award
Ella Braithwaite – Leviathan Workshop Award and Best Use of Creative Materials
Despite exhibiting fewer students than many other universities, Hertfordshire’s Model Design and Character and Creative Effects courses achieved one of the strongest performances on the night.
Each award recognises exceptional skill and creativity in modelmaking, whether it’s miniature sets for film, detailed figurative sculpture, or innovative special effects.
Amy Nash said: “The model design course prepares you for entering the industry from the very beginning. It focuses on creating models that demonstrate various skills, helping you build a full and diverse portfolio. Each week, we have visiting lecturers who share their experiences in the industry and explain how they achieved their success.
“We showcase our work at the New Blades Show, not only as a celebration of what we have completed, but an excellent way to demonstrate our capabilities directly to industry professionals. Winning two awards means everything to me, and my tutors deserve as much recognition for helping me reach this point in my journey, supporting me through every step of the way, and encouraging me to significantly improve my skills. This course is the perfect blend of learning and preparation for starting a career.”
Ella Braithwaite said: “For a long time, I didn’t see a way forward in my life. After finishing my degree, I can now see a road ahead, and thanks to the skills I’ve learnt, I can build new worlds along the way”.
Studying creative arts at the University is proving to be a pathway for recognition across the UK and the world.
In February, the World Brand Design Society listed the University’s graphic design course as the best in the UK, and in March, film students won five of the eight awards at the Royal Television Society’s East awards. Meanwhile, three Herts’ alumni worked on the most-watched film on TV in 2024, Aardman’s Vengeance Most Fowl with Wallace and Gromit. Herts’ film and TV graduate Kyri Zindilis was also awarded a BAFTA for his work on BBC’s EastEnders.
Dr Partridge added:
“We’re incredibly proud of our students’ achievements. New Blades is the most respected showcase of its kind, and to see so many of our graduates recognised by leading industry professionals is a fantastic result.
“Our Model Design students regularly go on to work on blockbuster film sets, from Barbie to Batman, Beetlejuice to Aquaman – television shows and theme park attractions. Awards such as New Blades are a brilliant catalyst to help open those early doors and set up our students for long, fulfilling, exciting and successful careers.”
