What I Learned Animating on "The Lion King"

"I know that your powers of retention..."

In the summer of 1993 I had the great good fortune to work at the Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles on The Lion King, animating under the guidance of lead animator Andreas Deja, who supervised the animation of Scar, voiced by Jeremy Irons.

For a junior animator, it was a dream job, and an education in character animation.

Pete Nicholson Starts Anchor Animation

Many congratulations to Animation Apprentice Pete Nicholson who has founded a new startup animation studio - Anchor Animation.  Anchor Animation specialises in "high-quality animation that enables brands to communicate with confidence.”  We wish Pete every success with his new venture; you can find out more here at the official site: www.anchoranimation.co.uk/

"Open Season" Animation Reel

A compilation of shots I animated on "Open Season" at Sony Imageworks in Culver City, Los Angeles, back in 2005. This was a really fun film to work on; Boog and Elliot were great characters, with lots of opportunities for broad, cartoony animation.  Thanks to Sony Pictures for the opportunity to work on this excellent film. 

"Rollercoaster Rabbit" Animation Demo Reel

This is a short compilation reel of the shots I animated on "Rollercoaster Rabbit" at the Disney MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida in 1989. It was a huge pleasure working on this project, directed by the very talented Rob Minkoff.  This was a summer job for me (I was a student in London at the time), and the storyboards were delayed, so I only managed to complete a few shots.  Still, I was proud to have worked on this very entertaining short film. 

New Year Class Starts 6 Jan 2026

Animation by Joris Van Laar

Our New Year's  Animation Class begins on Monday 6th January 2026.  It's not too late to book a place; all you need to do is visit the main Animation Apprentice site and go through a few simple steps. 

If you want to learn 3D animation to a professional level, and start your new career as an animator - your journey starts here.

"Piglet's Big Movie" Animation Demo Reel

A compilation of my work on the Disney animated film "Piglet's Big Movie", animated in Tokyo, Japan in 2002.  It was such a pleasure to work on AA Milne's characters, some of the most appealing characters ever created for the medium of animation. They were a delight to bring to life.  Sad to say, the Disney Animation studio in Tokyo closed two years later, in 2004. 

How to Succeed at an Animation Job Interview

Smash that job interview

Landing your first animation job is mainly about having a strong demo reel - and making sure that your demo reel is easy to find, not password protected, and (ideally) embedded at your Linkedin profile. 

Once you get to the interview, the studio is already very interested.  But, they want to hire animators who not only produce great work, but who are collaborative, easy to work with, and ready for the realities of production.  Below are a few key tips to help you succeed at an animation job interview.

"Quest For Camelot" Animation Demo Reel

Quest for Camelot, Animation Demo Reel.  In the summer of 1996 I worked as an animator at Warner Bros. Feature Animation on Quest for Camelot, directed by Frederik Du Chau.  I was the lead animator on the villain "Ruber", voiced by Gary Oldman.  As animators, we share our performance with the actor who delivers the lines - and their job comes first.  My role was to capture Oldman's performance on screen, and I was invited to attend the recording sessions, and I was fortunate enough to be able to draw Oldman acting out his lines. Above is an assembly of shots I completed on the movie. 

Why Animators "Progress The Action"

Brer Fox: "I specs I'm gonna skin ya"

One of the most common mistakes made by junior animators is not progressing the action in their animation.  In other words, creating animation that is too static and immobile and, well, not animated.

"Progressing the Action" is a concept developed in the Animator's Survival Kit, in which Williams describes it as the "secret of lipsync".  But what does progressing the action really mean?

5 Mistakes by Junior Animators (& How to Fix 'Em)

Leopard leap with live action reference by Daniel Amor

Below are five common mistakes beginner animators often make - and how to fix them.  Learning animation is an exciting journey – but it can also feel overwhelming. 

Beginners often run into the same issues. But the good news is this: once you know what to look for, you can fix errors quickly.  Below are five of the most common mistakes new animators make – and how to fix them.

Demo Reel Needs a Quadruped Walk, Trot & Run

Horse gallop by Mark Lawson-Hall

Most student demo reels focus on human characters, but if you are looking to get hired onto animal and creature projects, you will need to show an understanding of quadruped locomotion - one of the core skills we teach at Animation Apprentice. 

A solid walk, trot, and run cycle for a four-legged character shows range, versatility, and an understanding of animal and creature mechanics.  Layer in some acting and personality, and you have a great demo reel. 

Animators - Embed Your Demo Reel at Linkedin

Animation recruiters "live at Linkedin" 

A strong demo reel is essential for launching an animation career — but it only works if people see it. Too many graduates upload their reel to YouTube or Vimeo and stop there. 

One of the smartest places to share your reel is LinkedIn.  It’s quick, it’s professional, and it’s where animation recruiters are already looking. Your reel is your most important asset. Don’t hide it. Put it where the industry can find you easily.

What I Learned on "Quest For Camelot"

Death of Ruber by Alex Williams (FX by Michael Gagne)

In the summer of 1996, I started work as an animator at Warner Bros. Feature Animation on Quest for Camelot, directed by Frederik Du Chau. 

It was an exciting time — Warner Bros. was building its feature animation division, hoping to rival Disney animation, and was recruiting artists from all over the world (including me) to join its team. 

Lamp Hop - a Great Addition to Your Demo Reel

Lamp hop by Lisa Springett

A simple lamp hop exercise can be a great addition to your animation demo reel.  One of the most iconic pieces of character animation ever created is Luxo Jr. — the hopping desk lamp that launched Pixar into the spotlight back in 1986. 

The lamp hop is one of the first exercises that students tackle at Animation Apprentice, and a reminder that you don’t need a complex character rig to show personality, weight, and storytelling.  A simple lamp hop animation can still be a great addition to a demo reel - just keep it short and witty - like the example above by Lisa Springett. 

Why Animators Should Light (& Render) Their Shots

Character walk with lighting by Joris Van Laar

Why You Should Light Your Animation Shots (and not just rely on greyshade or Maya Playblasts).
A strong demo reel isn’t just about great animation — it’s also about great presentation.  

Many student reels rely on greyshade renders or raw playblasts, but taking the time to add simple lighting can make a huge difference to how your work is received. 

You don’t need to be a lighting artist to benefit from a basic setup. A little polish goes a long way, and you can follow one of our super simple lighting tutorials to get a great result in just a few minutes. 

Why Animators Need Walk Cycles on a Demo Reel

Character walks with "Monty" by Neil Whitman

Every animator should have at least one good walk cycle on their demo reel.  It might seem too basic, but a walk tells a recruiter a lot about your animation skills — timing, weight, character, and appeal — all in a few seconds of motion. 

You can have a number of walk cycles on your reel, as long as they show character and personality, and as long as you keep them short.  

Free Cartoonland Set at Turbosquid

 Download the free Cartoonland set from Turbosquid

For animators starting out with animation basics, and especially those animating with the marvellous "Monty", we recommend the free Cartoonland set from Turbosquid.  

Monty is a very cartoony character, and he works best in a very cartoony environment.  As digital artists, animators need to think about the overall style of a shot, keeping all the elements consistent.

How to Balance Studying Animation with a Day Job

Many aspiring animators study part-time while holding down a full-time job. It isn't easy, but it can be done. To master the craft of animation demands patience, creativity, and many hours of focused practice. 

Our course at Animation Apprentice is designed to fit around jobs, life and families. Take your time, study online, and you will get there in the end.

With the right strategy and mindset, it is possible to make real progress, even if your life is already very busy.

What I Learned on "The Iron Giant"

"He's a giant robot Dean; it's a little...undignified"

In 1998, I had the privilege of working as an animator on The Iron Giant at Warner Bros. Feature Animation, under the direction of Brad Bird.  Working on Brad Bird's "The Iron Giant" was one of the best experiences of my career in animation.  

We had just come off "Quest For Camelot", a movie which had suffered from low morale - and which did not perform well at the box office.  

After Quest, Everyone at Warner Bros was excited for Brad's Iron Giant - and the team was confident it would be a hit. After all, with a strong story, a great director and a great animation team - what could possibly go wrong? 

Can You Get Maya For Free?

Maya is free for animation students - but only if you are enrolled in a registered school, college or university programme.  

For all our students starting with us in our next scheduled class, Autodesk offer an education copy of Maya for free - you can download it from the official Autodesk site.

Autodesk Maya has been the dominant software package in 3D animation for over 20 years. I first used Maya 1.0 on "The Iron Giant", back in 1998.  And today it remains the most powerful package for the creation of 3D animation, still by far the most widely used in industry. 

What I Learned Teaching at Cal Arts in the 1990s

In the late 1990s, while I was working at Warner Bros. Feature Animation on Quest for Camelot in Los Angeles, I had the chance to teach animation at CalArts — the California Institute of the Arts, the legendary training ground for animators, a school founded in part by Walt Disney himself in the early 1960s. 

Teaching at CalArts was an amazing experience - and also the start of my career teaching animation.  Here is some of what I learned.