Quadruped Leopard Walk Animation Tutorial

We've uploaded a new series of video tutorials on animating quadrupeds, a "Leopard Walk Tutorial" using the free Leopard Rig by Truong CG, which is available for free download at Gumroad. 

The Leopard Rig is a well-structured rig with simple controls. 

The leopard walk tutorial is password-protected but available to all our current students.

Do Animated Shorts Make Money?

 

A student animator recently asked me if animated shorts make money.  Or rather, specifically, he asked "Is there an international business for animated shorts?"  The answer, unfortunately, is not really.  No-one (or hardly anyone) makes money making animated shorts, largely because no-one (or hardly anyone) actually pays to watch animated shorts. If you doubt me, ask yourself - when was the last time you paid to watch a short film? I'm guessing the answer is "never".  But, if it is true that shorts don't make money, why then do animators bother to make animated shorts? The answer is, for the love of it. And, also, to learn the craft of animation and film-making.

Belgis Al-Mahdiova Animator at Blue Zoo

Many congratulations to Belgis Al-Mahdiova who has begun work as a junior animator at Blue Zoo, one of the UK's most successful animation houses.

Prior to this, Bella worked as an animator at Polar Media and TikTokRobot, a UK animation studio.

Belgis took our 30 week course at Animation Apprentice, developed her demo reel, and then applied for positions as an animator. 

To Find Work in the Industry - Stay in Touch

The animation industry is booming right now - I have never seen so many studios hiring animators. There is a shortage of talent, especially at mid and senior levels - but this also creates opportunities at entry level - studios are willing and able to take on more untrained talent and invest the time and effort needed to bring them up to speed.  This is the kind of opportunity that our graduates don't want to miss; the key to success is to polish your demo reel, be easy to find, and apply early and often. And, crucially, keep in touch.  I can put in a personal recommendation for students seeking work in the industry - but only if I know that you are actively applying for jobs. So, don't be a stranger, keep in touch, and help me to help you land that crucial first job in the industry.

James Baxter Animation Webinar 30 June

James Baxter

On 30 June at 6pm Escape Studios is hosting a live animation webinar with legendary Disney and DreamWorks animator James Baxter.  

The event is free, and we are recommending that all our students register and sign up. 

James began his animation career on Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and has since worked on dozens of animated films.  

How Do You Find a Mentor?

 

Over the course of your animation career you are likely to have a number of mentors. Very few of these will be formal mentorship roles; most will be informal, and you might not even realise these people were mentors until many years later.   In the course of my animation career I have been lucky enough to be mentored by animators such as James Baxter (Road to El Dorado), Andreas Deja (Lion King), Duncan Marjoribanks (Pocahontas) and even Glen Keane, whose notes on planning animation I still refer to today.  But mentorship is, in each and every case, very much what you make of it.

"I Won't Apply Because I Don't Qualify" Arggh!!!!

Recently a superb graduate opportunity landed on my desk, a paid internship at a leading UK studio, and one which was not widely publicised. In fact, it was just for my students.  I posted the job at our Facebook Classroom so that around 150 students, past and present, could see it, and apply for the position.  It was a great opportunity, a paid gig with a prestigious company.  So, you might think that dozens of students would apply - but you'd be wrong. How many students do you think actually applied for the position? The correct answer is....one. 

Jobs and Careers Playlist at YouTube

One of the most common question I get asked from students is "how do I find work in the animation industry?" The answer is deceptively simple - have a great demo reel, and then apply for as many jobs as you can find. In practice, things are a little more complex.

To dig deeper into the subject, follow this link to our blog post on "12 Rules to Find Work in the Animation Industry".  And, if you'd rather listen than read, check out our jobs playlist at our YouTube Channel, where we discuss in detail what you need to do to break into the expanding but still competitive animation industry.