Room 8 Voices: Meet Sandy Heslop!

Welcome to Room 8 Voices, a new series about the people behind the projects. With Voices, we’ll strive to highlight the unique journeys and experiences of our specialists—those whose creativity and dedication powers everything we do. 

Our goal is to bring you closer to the people who make our company what it is. Through interviews with all our specialists, from senior leadership to junior talent, we’ll share their stories and take pride in the incredible ability within our team.

Let’s kick things off with our first voice—Sandy Heslop, Head of CG at Heroic by Room 8 Group!

Sandy Heslop: Driven by a Passion for Animation

Sandy Heslop has been working in animation for over twenty years. In his interview, he shared his experience of being in front of and behind the camera, how he got the job at Room 8 Group, and the achievements and challenges of Heroic studio.

You hold the position of Head of CG and currently manage the Heroic studio. What was your experience before it?

I started out at art school and went on to get degrees both in industrial design and computer animation. My first job was at Rebellion Games in Oxford around 2001, where I worked in animation on PS1 titles. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to work on a rich diversity of projects, including films, TV, video games, and advertising. Before joining Room 8 Group, I worked for about five years, immersing myself in long-form TV doing CG and on-set supervision. Latterly navigating the transition from traditional green screens to virtual production technology and, with it, a reintroduction to the world of Unreal Engine.

How did you join Room 8 Group? 

Like all the best jobs, it was by accident, to be honest. I went to Develop:Brighton to hang out and reconnect with my former colleagues, primarily to make a few Unreal Engine connections. I met Paul Mackman there, who, at the time, held the role of Managing Director at Heroic. Paul and I worked together in our very first jobs and have remained in contact ever since. We met for lunch, and he asked me whether I considered jumping back into computer games and doing trailers. Even though it wasn’t something I was looking for, by the end of the meal, Paul convinced me of the challenge. 

Everything on paper said this was probably not the wisest of moves. At that moment, all the artists were threatened in a war zone [by military actions in Ukraine], and Paul and I were to sit in London managing projects from afar. But I like a challenge, and for better or worse, I enjoy steering into difficult situations. That’s how I ended up here – over a random baked potato at lunchtime in Brighton.

You once worked on the Harry Potter movie. Tell us more about your experience. Were you a Harry Potter fan at that time?

I’m a big fan of the fantasy genre. I grew up on Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, Dungeons and Dragons – all that kind of stuff – I love it all! Harry Potter came out when I was a student, and of course, I had to read the books! 

I received an invitation to work on Harry Potter through my professional network. A former colleague I’d worked with on the Prince Caspian film told me about the Potter gig. I joined the team at Base Black and worked on various bits of Harry Potter the Deathly Hallows. There is a scene where Harry is trapped beneath the ice with a Horcrux on the chain around his neck. I was animating the action of the Horcrux. Basically, I spent a lot of time trying to drown Daniel Radcliffe. 

Usually, you get crew hoodies and t-shirts when you work on such big films. I still have my Harry Potter film set hoodie with a Death Eater tattoo on one of the arms. This hoodie joins others from notable projects like Godzilla, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men, and a few others.

You`ve been a part of many famous movies. Have you worked on any other titles that we would recognize? 

I did a brief stint in front of the camera. I was an extra on Solo: A Star Wars Story. I knew the filming was about to start, so I thought I’d apply to a casting agency used by Star Wars. I got a call asking if I wanted to be an extra, so I ended up as a space fisherman….not quite the Jedi role I was hoping for! It’s not the most glamorous thing to be in Star Wars. In addition to that, we filmed in summer on the big 007 stage at Pinewood, and the set was filled with steam, AND my costume was essentially rubber… glamorous it was not!

My time on set as an extra proved that I’m more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it. Animators are actors by proxy; they act through their work. For me, it’s much more comfortable than being on screen.

What do you consider as your main professional achievement at the moment?

I think the biggest achievement so far is Heroic’s transformation. It’s a collective achievement that I’m only a small part of! We are slowly but surely transitioning from the way we used to work towards the vision of how we want to operate. Though change is sometimes painful, it’s happening and it’s visible in our results.

It was great to look at our work retrospectively at the end of last year and understand what we did with a bit of distance. The success of the RoboCop project served as a real boost for everybody. Seeing that we’re starting to win and deliver such projects is a really encouraging sign for the studio`s future.

How do you switch off from work during your free time?

Switching off from work is hard because there’s always something to think about. I live in Sevenoaks, Kent, near Knole Park, a stately home with a Deer Park where Henry VIII once hunted. To get away from the screen, I go there for long walks with my idiot hound – he’s a large greyhound. I also have been known to (when the madness takes me) go running with him. Running alongside a dog is a lot more fun – when I’m out of breath and red-faced on the verge of wanting to pass out, he’s bounding around as if it’s all a fun game.

I am also a total cinephile and keep up with the latest developments in my former industry. I love to cook, and food plays a big part in my life. I’ve also recently dragged out all my old Warhammer 40k tabletop stuff. I played 40K and D&D a lot as a kid. I used to enjoy painting the models, and it’s great to do something practical with real paints away from the keyboard.  

What games are you currently playing, if you manage to find the time?

My nephew is obsessed with Fortnite, so I play online with him often. Personally, I tend to enjoy adventure games such as Baldur’s Gate or Elden Rings. I’m currently slowly working through Baldur’s Gate. I didn’t have time for it when it first came out, but I eventually broke! I can do some adventuring, save it, and walk away without feeling pressured to return immediately.