Zero Fees Helps SIT Graduate Start Debt-free Animation Business

A Southern Institute of Technology graduate has turned her animation skills into a thriving local business, recently illustrating a children's book by a Southland author.

Bella Ranstead, who grew up in Southland and attended Menzies College in Wyndham, completed a Bachelor of Screen Arts (Animation) at SIT from 2019-2021. "I specialise in hand-drawn 2D animation; [it] was always a passion," she says.

After graduating, Ranstead started her own business, All the Bells and Whistles, rather than leaving Southland for work opportunities. "[After graduating], I knew I wanted to go into the animation and art industry, but I wasn't ready to leave Southland, so I set up my own business."

Operating from Edendale, Ranstead takes on diverse projects including business cards, logos, murals, and character design. "I don't like to stick to one thing in particular; I like to dabble and try out different things. It's been a lot of fun, bringing ... peoples' ideas to life. The work is certainly not boring; everyone has different ideas."

One of her notable projects was illustrating the recently released children's book "Opie, the very stubborn donkey" by local author Sarah Auld. Ranstead worked on character design and blended illustrations with background scenery while still completing her final year at SIT.

"Sarah seemed really happy... I started working on it while doing my third year. We managed to get a nice combination of the hand drawn and the digital and tried to preserve the hand-drawn look to it," she says.

Ranstead credits her rural Southland upbringing with helping her create authentic illustrations. "It shows how much personal experience ... goes into this type of work. The artist needs to [know] that type of environment for themselves, to be accurate."

Thanks to SIT's Zero Fees policy, Ranstead graduated debt-free, allowing her to start her business immediately. "I managed to graduate without any student debt. Zero Fees helped a lot with rent and living costs."

While most classmates moved to cities or Australia, Ranstead has found success staying local. "It's been quite nice staying here and being that option for local people looking for artists. I've been a good alternative."

"It's a little bit cliché, but I'm working and doing a job I love," she says. "I'm working in an industry I've always loved since childhood."

The book is available at Young Reflections and Windsor Stationery in Invercargill, and Riverbooks and Gore Paper Plus in Gore.