What are some effective blocking methods? This is a question that students ask a lot! According to...
Jobs and Internships Articles
The Best (and Worst) Ways to Take Feedback On Your Animation
Sometimes putting work out there can be intimidating, but it is the best and fastest way to...
Life After Graduation: When You Don't Get a Job Right Away
When you're in school, it's good to step back every once in awhile and think realistically about...
5 Things NOT to Do on Your Demo Reel
At Animation Mentor, we devote a whole class to teaching students about demo reels! Here are five things NOT to do when building your own demo reel.
10 of the Best Animal and Creature Animation Posts
You probably know by now that animal and creature animation are 100% essential for your demo reel...
A Guide to Demo Reel Reviews at Animation Conventions
Heading to an animation convention? First, read up on what to bring, how to get your reel reviewed, and more from some of our mentors and reel reviewers!
Always Keep Secondary Characters Secondary
If you’re an animation student, chances are you’ve tried your hand at animating at least a...
Recipe for Success: Baking Your Animation Cake
Let’s face it—we will never know everything there is to know about animation. Animation is...
Meet Mentor and DreamWorks Animator Robyne Powell!
Mentor and DreamWorks animator Robyne Powell answered all our burning questions about 2D vs. 3D...
How to Set Animation Goals and Follow Through
Working at your favorite animation, film, or game studio can be a tough goal to reach. How do you...
Meet Mike Belzer, Returning Mentor and Valve Animator
Throughout his 30+ year career, Mike Belzer has worked on feature films, short films, stop motion...
Why I Learned Storyboarding from Mike Kunkel
We asked star student Amanda Robertson to share her experience taking Storyboarding Fundamentals...
Comedic Timing in Animation: A Student Showcase Behind-the-Scenes
It’s our final behind-the-scenes look at the 2017 Animation Mentor Student Showcase! This time, we...
Why Learning Cartoony Animation Makes You a Better Animator
Caricature When we think of cartoony animation we think of eye-popping takes and wild scrambles....
Stepped vs. Spline Blocking in Animation
Starting any animation assignment presents many creative choices up front! One of the hardest...
What is a Reversal in Animation?
Reversals aren’t all that complicated, but lots of new animators haven’t heard of them! Here,...
Mastering Body Mechanics: A Student Showcase Behind-the-Scenes
Onward in our behind-the-scenes look at the 2017 Animation Mentor Student Showcase! This week, we...
From School to Studio: Sir Wade Neistadt’s Journey to DreamWorks Animation
We asked Animation Mentor alumnus Sir Wade Neistadt to tell us all about his journey from...
Shawn Kelly Answers 5 Burning Questions About Demo Reels
Animation Mentor co-founder and ILM Lead Animator Shawn Kelly answers five questions about demo reels and tips for applying to studio animation jobs.
Some Words of Advice for Contract and Rookie Animators
Taking your first steps into the professional world of animation? Blue Sky Studios’ Supervising...
Creature Animation: A Student Showcase Behind-the-Scenes
We’re continuing our in-depth look at the 2017 Animation Mentor Student Showcase! Meet the...