From Happy Feet to Harry Potter, Rosie’s CGI animation work has featured on several major feature films. Rosie is a freelance 3D Computer Animator living in Bristol with her partner Kyle and their two dogs; Beryl and Nessie. She also owns a horse named Moo who is currently pregnant with a foal (who would be Rosie’s next horse) and Bear who she is using to train whilst Moo is out of service. Rosie moved from London to Bristol in 2009 after a stint in Australia working on a cattle station as a Jillaroo. In London she worked on several feature films (including Happy Feet, Harry Potter and Willy Wonka) but needed to live outside the big smoke and found Bristol to be the perfect compromise between city and country.
1. What is your name and where do you live?
Rosie Ashforth, I live on the hilly Victorian streets of Totterdown in Bristol.
2. What is your favourite soulventure?
That huge feeling of accomplishment when you’ve pushed yourself out of your comfort zone and done better than you could ever have imagined, like flying over a course of cross country jumps then galloping jubilantly through the finish flags, patting and hugging your horse shouting good boy/girl, gasping for breath because of your tears of joy taking away your ability to catch your breath!
3. What’s something that no-one would guess about you?
I really worry about what people think of me even though I tell myself not to all the time.
4. What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
To have a guaranteed income for the rest of it, I’m freelance so things are always a bit unstable, but if I knew I could have regular money to maintain my quality of life for as long as I live, I’d be so happy! 🙂
Rosie’s CGI animation work with the Harry Potter film series
5. If you could be doing anything, anywhere, right now, what and where would it be?
My favourite things are my dogs and my horse, so I think ideally I’d like to be riding my horse along a beach with my dogs following obediently and gallivanting in the sea. But due to one of my dogs being scared of the sea, and the other not very obedient, this is unlikely to ever happen!
6. Of what are you most proud?
I am proud of lots of things – I am proud that I set my sights on being an animator after watching the Lion King as a child and steered my path towards this fulfilling and exciting career! I’m also proud that I have managed to wrangle my life so that I can do my dream job in a dream place- I didn’t like living in London (where most animation jobs are in the UK), so i have had to work very hard to carve myself a freelance animation career in a city I love where I can have the leisure life (horses, pets, gardens and the good life) I want too!
7. Who do you most admire and why?
I admire many things in many people. Mostly the ability to smile and laugh through adversity and to bring out laughter and joy in other people.
Rosie Ashforth’s Character Animation Reel
8. Best kiss of your life?
The last time I kissed my Dad before he died.
9. What is a new skill you’d like to learn (and why?)
It’s not exactly a new skill per se, but I’d love to be better at drawing and design. Because I’m an animator I often get asked to draw or design something, but it’s not something i do- my speciality is computer generated animation not drawing! I’d also like to do it for myself; I’d like to have a sketchbook and have ideas to design logos, but I find I finish a day’s work and my mind is blank, my creativity is all used up!
10. Woods, mountain, city or sea?
Woods, mountain or sea! I live in a city but what I love about Bristol is how easily accessible the country is, I can get to woods mountain or sea very quickly from here.
11. If you could say one thing to lots of people, what would it be?
Be nice to each other! Say hello to strangers, and a “thank you” doesn’t cost a thing!
12. What makes you happy?
Britain in the summer! I wish it would last longer, I love Bristol in the summer, and my house, and going to the yard where my horse lives, and walking the dogs in the sunny countryside, everything in the summer makes me happy! In the winter it’s more about being IN the house and having roast dinners and log fires and lots of red wine and cuddling up with Kyle and the dogs.
13. What is your guiltiest pleasure?
I don’t really have much to be guilty about really…. probably how much I love driving my “dirty” diesel car!!
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You can check out more of Rosie’s work on her website here – https://www.rosieashforth.com/
Also, check out her other ‘Creature Animation Reel’ of work below…
Rosie Ashforth’s Creature Animation Reel
CREDIT: Thanks to Emma Fynn for the photography !
