We at Second Home are incredibly proud to share that we’ve won Best Animated Short at the Royal Television Society Midlands Awards 2025!

The award recognises our work to create the film ‘Dewmini’ as part of the She Creates Change animated series. The body of work brings together global storytelling and the kind of hands-on, craft-led animation we care deeply about here at Second Home Studios. 

Craft-Led Stop Motion, Made in Birmingham 

We’ve always believed in the value of making things physically; building sets, shaping characters, lighting scenes for real. Our studio in Digbeth is set up around that idea: that animation should feel tangible, human, and considered. 

On She Creates Change, that meant: 

• Designing and building everything by hand, from characters to environments.

• Animating performance frame by frame to retain nuance and personality.

• Using practical lighting and effects, to ground each scene 

In a landscape that’s increasingly digital and automated, we’re committed to keeping that sense of touch and authorship alive. 

The Project: She Creates Change 

We were invited to contribute to She Creates Change, a powerful initiative led by Oscar nominated director Siqi Song and created in collaboration with a global network of female directors. 

The project supports Room to Read, a project that aims to tell the stories of young women around the world and amplifying their voices through animation. 

Our role was to interpret those stories visually. In order to find a way of expressing something deeply personal and specific, while still connecting with a wider audience. It wasn’t about making something decorative; it was about making something that felt honest and purposeful. 

Why This Matters to Us 

Winning at the Royal Television Society Awards means a lot, particularly as a studio based in Birmingham. We’re proud to be making work of this scale and recognition outside London, contributing to a growing regional creative scene. 

This project reinforces why we do things the way we do. Physical animation still has a unique ability to connect with audiences in a way that feels grounded and real. Being part of She Creates Change  allowed us to support storytelling with genuine social impact. Something we’re keen to keep doing. 

A Proper Team Effort

This award belongs to everyone in the studio. Every animator, designer, fabricator and producer who put the hours in. Often quietly and patiently. Refining performance, texture and detail until it felt right. 

That’s the reality of stop motion. It’s slow, it’s meticulous, and it relies entirely on people pulling together. 

What We’re Doing Next 

We’re already back in the studio, developing new stop-motion and mixed media projects that continue to explore that intersection of craft, technology and storytelling. 

If you’re looking for a UK animation studio working in stop motion, miniature builds and handcrafted visuals, we’d love to talk. 

More behind-the-scenes to come soon. 

This stop-motion animated short was written and directed by Siqi Song, commissioned by Room To Read, animation produced in partnership with Nexus Studios. It is part of the She Creates Change Campaign by Room To Read, a doc series of six animated shorts with accompanying live action mini documentaries that feature the narratives of six courageous young women.

You can catch all six films on Youtube here.