Illustration Animation students collaborate with Vintage Publishing on Portia Elan’s debut novel Homebound

Second year BA Illustration Animation students have once again brought literature to life through an established live brief with Vintage Publishing, creating a series of animated trailers to support the launch of a debut novel.

Building on a long‑standing collaboration of more than a decade, the latest project focused on Homebound, the forthcoming debut novel by American author Portia Elan. Working in small groups, students were tasked with producing 30‑second animated trailers with sound, contributing directly to the book’s international promotional campaign.

The project culminated in the announcement of the winners of the Vintage x Kingston Animation Prize 2026, with the strongest trailers already shared across Vintage’s social media channels and YouTube. Three prizes were awarded by the Vintage judging panel for the teams landing first, second and third place after ten shortlisted teams were invited to Vintage’s headquarters to pitch their finished animations to the publishing team.

A Cornerstone of Professional Practice

Reflecting on the value of the collaboration, Illustration Animation senior lecturer Laura Copsey explained that the project has become a cornerstone of professional practice within the course. “The brief challenges students to interpret text critically, identify key themes and translate narrative voice, atmosphere and character into moving image – It was a pleasure to see the students develop their work over the course of the project,” she said. 

“They all pushed themselves to try new methods and collaborated well to make and edit some fantastic trailers. The groups should all be so proud of the work they’ve made – we certainly are.”

The tutor group added that Homebound provided rich, fertile ground for visual interpretation, with students responding creatively to its characters, relationships and shifting landscapes. They also highlighted the importance of sound, editing and pitching throughout the process, noting that weekly presentations and the final client pitch build confidence and industry‑ready skills. 

Translating the Emotional Core of Homebound

For the winning team – Mia Pfister, Anouska Rouyer, Alba Ruiz, Freya Skirrow and Maria Vian – the project offered an opportunity to engage deeply with the novel’s emotional core. They explained that they were drawn to the immersive world Elan had created and wanted to honour the book’s interwoven narratives through their animation.

“We were all greatly inspired by the world and atmosphere that Elan had created in Homebound and felt excited at the chance to translate her already visually rich novel into emotionally impactful imagery,” the group said in a joint statement. “Reading and analysing the book as a group, we each felt creatively inspired by our deep connection to the stories of these four women.”

They added that they consciously designed transitions between settings to reflect the novel’s structure and expressed gratitude at being involved in the book’s launch. “We are so honoured and grateful to be part of Homebound’s release,” they said.

Industry‑Facing Experience with International Reach

The collaboration highlights the strength of industry‑facing projects within the BA Illustration Animation course, giving students real‑world experience while producing ambitious, creative work seen by international audiences.

Author Portia Elan, who was part of the judging panel alongside industry figures Raven Rusch and Vintage Creative Director Suzanne Dean, praised the students’ work. She said she had been impressed by the reinterpretations of her story.

“A huge thank you to all of the animators who produced videos based on Homebound,” Elan said. “It was deeply moving to see the animators’ reimagining my novel through their own artistic visions and skills.”

• Find out more about studying Illustration Animation at Kingston School of Art.