Sign Up for Maya Workshop: Animation Basics!

Our workshop is designed to help beginning animators learn the specific tools needed for character animation. 

This is a six-week workshop with a super small 7:1 student-to-mentor ratio to ensure that you get the same great Animation Mentor experience:

Week 1. Introduction to Animation and Maya

Week 2. Tools for Basic Animation: Getting the Ball Rolling

Week 3. What Is “Workflow” and Shading?

Week 4. Tools and Workflow: Making Sense of Curves and Basic Lighting

Week 5. Tools and Workflow: Creating a Simple Character and Character Animation Workflow

Week 6. Tools and Workflow: Animating Simple Characters in Maya

You will also receive a three-year active student account to the Autodesk^® Education Community where you may access the Maya^® animation software.

We are really excited to introduce you to this dynamic software and to start you on your journey of bringing performances to life as a character animator!

Hurry, space is limited for the Summer 2012 term. Apply today!

— The Animation Mentor Crew

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Building Trust Takes Time

Animation Mentor was an effort that started almost nine years ago by three good friends. We wanted to share what we knew to an upcoming generation of animators. It was our hope that they didn't have to go through what we went through to learn animation.

Back in school, I had no access to feature film animators. Didn't know anyone, didn't know how they thought about animation, what their process was … didn't know anything. All I remember was me and a few hungry animator friends sharing back and forth some beaten up fifth-generation VHS copy of some Disney talks … and even these were more than difficult to get. It looked like a scene from a total underground espionage movie to pass a friend a Ruben Aquino talk on locomotion in exchange for an Andreas Deja talk on timing at someone's house. Additionally, I'd meet with these hungry animator friends a couple of times a month to frame by frame some old Disney classic VHS or regular live-action movies, until the VHS player heads wouldn't take it anymore. I broke two. Sometimes one of these friends would come back after a few months of doing self learning with some revealing knowledge about how to overlap joints in a character so that the character wouldn't look as stiff when it was being animated. We'd talk about what we learned in our work, even if it was ridiculously basic. Those were still giant milestones for us. We shared whatever knowledge among ourselves, because we didn't have anyone else. Among those hungry animator friends were two of my college best buddies, Bobby Beck and Shawn Kelly.

Once we started Animation Mentor, we put on the table all the things in those experiences we'd like to make more accessible through the internet. We also fought hard at the thought that this "internet community" perhaps wasn't going to work. We heard several times, "I just don't trust the internet, why should my son/daughter go to your school?" Worst part, we didn't have a good answer … we only had our hope that through our motivations, our passion, and our honest effort to create something a little different — that people would trust us.

Trust doesn't come from one day to the next … or one year to the next. Building trust takes time. It is not easy to earn trust when something hasn't been done previously, and there is so many unknowns.

Many times, the three of us asked — "How on earth are we going to do this? Will this work? Will people even connect with each other through this little webcam window?”  And I guess, the most important question — “Will people learn an art — that was so difficult for us to learn in PERSON — through this artificial means of communication?" So we decided to put those types of pressures off the table … and simply have fun. The key moments for me were when we said, “screw it, we are doing it, whether it works or not.” Big difference for me.

So we started. The beginnings weren't working. The way we were teaching was very serious, in front of a blackboard and in a room. It wasn't the way we learned animation … and it just wasn't us. So we got out there. We decided to record things on the street, went to the zoo, went on trips. It was about having fun and enjoying ourselves while hopefully sharing and passing along that passion and motivation that has been fueling us to future generations. We wanted these future generations to experience why what we do is potentially the most special job on the planet.

We found that if we are ourselves when teaching the same way we are when animating, the information would come out more naturally than if we took ourselves too seriously. So we all decided to make the lectures and talk to students in the ways we'd like if we all went back to school. We tried our best to create an encouraging, supportive, and respectful environment.

Then, to our surprise, something happened — the Animation Mentor community. We did stress helping each other out, the same way we did when we started. Helping a student mate today means he/she may help you in the future once you are both in the industry. That couldn't be more true. It's happened to me personally with Bobby/Shawn and when other student mates became co-workers — and I continue to see this. And the online communication created by all these hours we all spent in front of the computer when animating made the community grow faster and stronger. Special friendships were created, students were even getting married after meeting in this online animation community. Groups of students were gathering in different parts of the world to talk animation and help each other. Students were not only kind to us, but now recruiters from studios supported us as well. In fact, some of the best times I've had in different conventions and talks were thanks to a combination of industry friends hanging out with students and recruiters of all sorts. Not in a million years did I think this would all happen the way it has.

Animation Mentor means all those things and many many more. For that, this school means a lot more to me than any other educational experience I've seen. So thank you Animation Mentor, for all you mean to me.

Carlos Baena.

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What Inspires Me About the Character Animation Program

Believe it or not, it's been just over seven years since we opened our virtual doors to our very first class of students. Time flies, huh? Technologically, everything about Animation Mentor was different back then. We launched with a radically different website, a different physical headquarters, and a somewhat different curriculum. Even the entire platform the school runs on was completely different. Over the years, we have completely reprogrammed the entire school, refining and broadening the experience of our students with the never-ending quest of providing the best educational experience possible.

Some things, though, haven't changed in the slightest. Right from day one, we launched with an incredible roster of mentors, a talented and dedicated school staff, and a group of students with enough excitement and passion to match them all. I don't think any of us were quite prepared for the level of enthusiasm we saw in our students! Anyone who has ever been to an Animation Mentor gathering or event knows exactly what I'm talking about. Pretty much right from the time we announced the school, I realized that I would probably never find anything quite as inspiring as hanging out with our students and graduates. They come from every imaginable background, culture, and corner of the world, but they are truly a family. They look out for one another, help one another, and together form the most inspired and inspiring group of people I've ever met!

And while our focus as a school has always been to teach the ART and CRAFT of animation, it's equally been our mission from day one to share our love of that art and craft with our students. As animators ourselves, we know full well that you just cannot make it in this business if you don't love it. We all need the passion to continue to learn and grow as artists every single day. We need the enthusiasm to get right back up on that horse when it bucks us off, and to dive right back into our shots when directors change their minds or hate our ideas. We need the dedication to embrace and learn from our failures, because without that, we will never be the artists we have the potential to be.

Above all, we need each other. We need extra sets of eyes to advise us on our work. We need hands to high-five us when we knock one out of the park. When the fear or frustration set in and we're in a rut with our work, we need shoulders to cry on and hands to hold. Ears to listen and strong animation backs to carry us when we're tired.

Sometimes people ask me what sets Animation Mentor apart. Why is the enthusiasm and excitement of our incoming students only more passionate when they graduate at the end of such a challenging program? The answer is in the people.

We now have students, graduates, staff, and mentors all over the world — and that means that at any moment of any day, there is a hand somewhere out there, ready to reach out to them. Ready to high-give, ready to help, ready to teach, or ready to just be a friend. Our alumni have formed a bond that transcends school, and they all know without any doubt that there is this safety net of hands out there at a moment's notice, not just as they go through our program, but for the rest of their lives.

If you ask me what I find most inspiring about our program, I'd be hard pressed to come up with something more powerful than that, and I'm humbled and honored to get to be just a tiny part of it.

-Shawn :)

P.S. For you longtime readers who might miss our extensive chats about the wonders of fried chicken, have no fear: my love of fried chicken is still deep (deep-fried?), and while friedchickenmentor.com does not yet exist, it will always exist in my heart. :)

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No Application Fee AND Smaller Classes!

We're always looking to improve the Animation Mentor on-campus experience … and we've come up with some great ideas.

First, we want to make it easy for you to apply. That's why we're waiving the application fee, effective immediately! 
But we've got something else …


Students always tell us that they LOVE the one-on-one time with their mentors. So we're super excited to announce smaller classes with our low 10:1 student-to-mentor ratio! Just think … more mentor time and individual instruction!

We are excited about these changes and hope you are, too. Most of all, we hope to see you on campus soon!

— The Animation Mentor Crew

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Six key skills to succeed as an animator

 

I love my job. I get to see students — who have a massive desire and passion to tackle their challenges internally and externally — make their dreams come to life. Not everyone succeeds, yet there are common threads that tie those who do together. 

Here are six key areas of personal development I’ve seen in those who succeed as animators:   

1. Be humble. Attitude plays a MAJOR role in your success. Who wants to work with a jerk? I don’t, and I’m sure you don’t. This does not mean that you need to let someone walk all over you, either. Build confidence in who you are, share your thoughts, and respect those of others. Remember, there’s more than your way to tackle a challenge.

2. Be thirsty. I LOVE this one. It’s also been called “the beginner’s mind.” At Animation Mentor, we call this Continuous Improvement and it’s one of our core values. Never feel like you have “arrived.” There’s always more to learn. When you get stuck, look for ways to pivot your thinking and you will find renewed inspiration.

3. Share everything you know. There’s a famous quote that states, “It is in giving that we receive.” I really love this and find it so applicable. Those who give comments and share their knowledge are those who seem to accelerate quicker. Those who hoard information only go so far. When you learn something that accelerates your skills — share that knowledge. You’ll be surprised at what comes of it.

4. Never give up. Don’t lose focus, it’s just a matter of time. This may be easier said than done, yet remember that you cannot ever stop learning, practicing, and growing. Be sure to water your mind and feed it goodness whenever possible.

5. Beware of the “gremlin voice.” Most likely, there will always be a "gremlin voice" in our heads that expresses our insecurities — and most likely, there’s no way to ever fully turn off that voice. So think about "turning the volume down." If it's blaring at 10 max, then what would it be like to turn it down to a 5? Or even a 7? Over time, learn to identify the voice and slowly begin to turn it down.

6. Nurture balance. The life of an animator should not be all about the latest animated movie. Those who succeed have a passion for life just as much, or more, than they do for animation. Be sure to cultivate YOU.

These six little things could take a lifetime to nurture. Which one are you going to tackle today? Think about it, get inspired … and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments below!

-Bobby "Boom" Beck

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The Animation Mentor "What Inspires You?" Podcast Series!

The Animation Mentor crew is a curious cast of characters. We love watching creative people do what they do, and we always have to ask — what inspires them? Well, our Curriculum Director, Luci Napier, set out to get all the answers in our new podcast series.

First up is one of our cofounders, Carlos Baena. Listen as he details the many facets that fuel his passion for animation. And we think you'll like his simple premise about animation: just love it.

Wait, we've got more. We're still pinching ourselves that Luci interviewed Enrico Casarosa, Head of Story for Pixar Animation Studios - and Writer and Director of the Oscar-nominated short, La Luna -- for our latest podcast!

Prepare to be inspired!

Download Podcast

-- The Animation Mentor Crew

Animation Mentor’s latest character is here, Spif!

Here is a sneak peek of our new character Spif!

Spif goes live to our class 4 – 6 students and our Character Animation Alumni today (3/26/12)! I’ve been playing around with the rig personally and have found it to be super flexible and easy to work with. Great for getting appealing poses and a diverse range of acting choices and styles. We’re super excited to see all the incredible work our students and alumni do bringing this character to life.

This week we are also rolling out our active library of 10 characters, Spif being one of them, to our entire Character Animation Alumni community! It’s a great feeling to be providing the ongoing support and encouragement to help our Alumni community thrive and we know they are chomping at the bit to get their hands on all this goodness!

-Bobby "Boom" Beck