2020 is here and so is a brand new decade! To start you off on the right animated foot, we’ve compiled a list of our most popular blog posts of the past year.
In 2019, your favorite posts were a mix of interviews with professional animators, animation tips and tricks, and Animation Mentor news.
We hope this lookback inspires and helps you on your animation journey!
By Animation Mentor
It’s no surprise that our amazing 2019 Student Showcase was a popular blog! The showcase featured 19 shots from students representing 13 different countries, and the level of talent was extremely high. Check it out!
By Shawn Kelly and Carlos Baena
Did you know that together Shawn Kelly and Carlos Baena have worked on over 40 blockbusters?! If you’re curious about a career in animation, or simply wondering what to put on your demo reel, look no further. Shawn & Carlos cover animation career advice from all angles in this entertaining webinar.
By Animation Mentor
We asked Pixar animator and Animation Mentor graduate Luis Uribe to share his animation journey and advice in English y en español. ¡Sigue leyendo para aprender más!
By Carlos Baena
Have you ever gotten lost in the complexities of your animation? Do you tend to over-complicate your work? Animation Mentor Co-Founder Carlos Baena walks us through his personal journey towards simplicity and why it’s always better to simplify than complicate.
By Animation Mentor
We sat down with alumnus and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animator, Nick Kondo, to hear about his animation journey,, AM student experience, and career at Sony Imageworks in Vancouver.
By Animation Mentor
We were so excited to introduce our new rig, Quinn, in 2019! Creating a rig is a detailed process, but luckily the Quinn team broke it down for us—from design, to modelling, to rigging, and finally, animation.
By Tim Ingersoll, Kevin Koch, Keith Sintay, Anthony Wong, Jay Davis, and Chadd Ferron
Get your fill of acting and animation tips with our series on Animating the 6 Basic Emotions. Polish your demo reel with advice from our awesome mentors!
By Animation Mentor
We introduced a brand new workshop taught by 2D veteran Jay Jackson last fall! The workshop, 2D Animation for Beginners, is a big hit with students—read on to learn more about it.
https://youtu.be/IJUnzk6ORtE?si=faBmXdYQr94IRJMt Animators often forget about the last character in their scene who is often the most important — the camera. In this free workshop, Disney Animation Supervisor Ere Santos shares his insights on how to avoid this...
https://youtu.be/l2qhFpsmtdw?si=Aq7q8f9J8SLYOHw9 In this free workshop, DreamWorks Animator Drew Adams gives his top tips and tricks for crafting professional level character animation performances to help you create more emotive, subtle, and lifelike animation. Drew...
The 97th Academy Award nominations have been announced we have your list on which animated films were nominated and how you can watch them. Here’s a breakdown of the nominees for both animation categories. Best Animated Feature "The Wild Robot"Nominated for: Best...
https://youtu.be/lLwSeEYoaeE In this free workshop, Senior Animator Paul Allen goes over some of the basics of the software Autodesk Maya. Topics covered include: Interface overview Object creation Transform tools - including Move, Rotate, Scale, Quick tool settings...
We’re so excited to share something special with you! Animation Mentor is partnering with The Lighting Lab to bring an amazing new element to our students’ learning experience. This collaboration will transform the animation learning experience by pairing Animation...
The field of animation is becoming more popular with each passing year. As the demand for unique and entertaining content grows, the demand for skilled animators is also on the rise. But there’s a catch: this sector is also remarkably competitive! That’s especially...
Just a few of the films on Shawn Kelly's IMDb page Shawn Kelly, Lead Animator at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Animation Mentor Co-Founder educates us on why you need more creature animation in your demo reel and reminds us that we are all animators. Sit back,...
So, you've secured a demo reel review at a convention, job fair, etc., but it's not just about the work! You want to make a good impression too. There are definitely do's and don'ts to abide by when getting your demo reel reviewed—learn what they are from Image Engine...
Image from Francisco Ucke's 2018 Student Showcase Shot! At Animation Mentor, we know demo reels are the most important asset you have when looking for your dream animation job! In fact, we dedicate an entire class to teaching our students how to build their own...
Heading to CTN—or any other convention—this year with your demo reel in tow? First, read these pro tips on what to bring, how to get your reel reviewed, and more from some of our own mentors and reel reviewers who have seen it al! The annual CTN animation expo in...
2020 is here and so is a brand new decade! To start you off on the right animated foot, we’ve compiled a list of our most popular blog posts of the past year.
In 2019, your favorite posts were a mix of interviews with professional animators, animation tips and tricks, and Animation Mentor news.
We hope this lookback inspires and helps you on your animation journey!
By Animation Mentor
It’s no surprise that our amazing 2019 Student Showcase was a popular blog! The showcase featured 19 shots from students representing 13 different countries, and the level of talent was extremely high. Check it out!
By Shawn Kelly and Carlos Baena
Did you know that together Shawn Kelly and Carlos Baena have worked on over 40 blockbusters?! If you’re curious about a career in animation, or simply wondering what to put on your demo reel, look no further. Shawn & Carlos cover animation career advice from all angles in this entertaining webinar.
By Animation Mentor
We asked Pixar animator and Animation Mentor graduate Luis Uribe to share his animation journey and advice in English y en español. ¡Sigue leyendo para aprender más!
By Carlos Baena
Have you ever gotten lost in the complexities of your animation? Do you tend to over-complicate your work? Animation Mentor Co-Founder Carlos Baena walks us through his personal journey towards simplicity and why it’s always better to simplify than complicate.
By Animation Mentor
We sat down with alumnus and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animator, Nick Kondo, to hear about his animation journey,, AM student experience, and career at Sony Imageworks in Vancouver.
By David Burgess
Animation homages aren’t a problem if you use them infrequently, but it’s important to keep your work fresh and creative. Read on to learn David Burgess’ top 5 clichés to look out for!
By Animation Mentor
Lead Animator at DreamWorks Animation, Liron Topaz shares character animation tips and the best advice he’s ever gotten.
By Animation Mentor
We were so excited to introduce our new rig, Quinn, in 2019! Creating a rig is a detailed process, but luckily the Quinn team broke it down for us—from design, to modelling, to rigging, and finally, animation.
By Tim Ingersoll, Kevin Koch, Keith Sintay, Anthony Wong, Jay Davis, and Chadd Ferron
Get your fill of acting and animation tips with our series on Animating the 6 Basic Emotions. Polish your demo reel with advice from our awesome mentors!
