Summer Class Starts on 7 July 2025

Animation by Lee Caller

Our Spring/Summer Animation Class begins on Monday 7 July 2025.

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.

Animation Lessons From "The Road To El Dorado"

The Road To El Dorado was a Dreamworks picture that I worked on back in the late 1990s. I was assigned to animate Tulio, one of the two lead characters, supervised by lead animator James Baxter who I had worked with a decade earlier on Who Framed Roger Rabbit in London.  It was a great experience, and I learned a lot, especially about the use of live action reference to create believable animation. 

Finding Work in an Animation Downturn

It is no secret that the animation and visual effects industry is in a downturn.  After many years of boom, business has recently turned to bust. 

What has caused this? The reasons are many - over expansion during the streaming boom years, the fallout from Covid, the rise of AI, strikes by writers and actors, and the steady decline of the theatrical movie business. 

So, how do recent graduates find work in an industry which isn't expanding, or might even be shrinking? The answer is have a great demo reel - and apply widely. 

Acting Advice from Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers

While doing some research recently on a project I stumbled across a quote from the late great Peter Sellers, on how he approached creating a character. 

Sellers said "I start with the voice. I find out how the character sounds...after the voice comes the looks of the man...after that I discover how the character walks...and then something strange happens...the man you play begins to exist."

It's the same with animation. 

Yibi Hu Explains Why Animators Need to Pitch

Yibi Hu, founder of Future Power Station

At yesterday's University of Hertfordshire annual student show, animator Yibi Hu, founder of the animation studio Future Power Station, explained the importance of crafting a great pitch. 

As Yibi Hu put it succinctly: "Pitch is a Bitch" - in essence a great deal of unpaid work for a potential client who might - or might not - like your creation. 

The conundrum is that you have to pitch to get the job, but all the work might be in vain. Pitching is free work, but you have to do it anyway.