“Getting Away With” a Student Academy Award

January 2025

Student Accomplice, a short film created by BYU animation students, recently won a Student Academy Award bronze medal in London. This is the first time a US school has placed in this competition since it went international in 2022.

The characters in the movie are a student driver, her driving instructor, and a bank robber who uses their vehicle as his getaway car. Directed by student Spencer Baird and produced by student Brielle Hansen, the film evokes laughter and creates suspense.

More than 30 BYU students contributed to the film. Animation, design, commercial music, and computer science skills were crucial in blending more than 7,000 individual images. Hansen says the recognition BYU animation students and graduates receive in the filmmaking industry reflects the values and environment of the university.

“There were a lot of faith-filled actions that we took, like not working on Sunday and praying before our meetings,” she says. “It was small and simple things that we did together over a year and a half. We had so much fun.”

Baird says he’s grateful to the expert animation faculty at BYU who let students take the lead on projects. “I think that says a lot about the faculty. They trust us and our work ethic. They trust the process, and they trust us to bring our talents to the table.”

Animation professor Nathan Lindsay says, “Everything from the design of things, the lighting and texture and the effects that are in the film, came together in a beautiful way that has pushed boundaries for what our student films can do.” Lindsay continues, “I think [BYU animation] catches the eye of the industry because we’re doing things that take a big team to accomplish, and it’s not normal for students to pull off something of this caliber.”

Because Student Accomplice is being considered for other awards, is not yet available to watch online, but you can watch a BYU News video about the team that created it.