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Animation for Beginners

Animation for Beginners

A 4-week walk-through of the animation basics designed for people with little to no previous animation training
cover image

An animation starter

An animation starter
The animation industry has revolutionized storytelling not only in feature animation but also in live-action film, games, commercials and most recently AR/VR experiences. This course will walk through the basics of animation; the goal is to ultimately decide if animation is for you. Animation for Beginners serves as a foundation for all Animation Master Academy courses, and is meant to be followed by Intro to Animation in Maya.
Registration Now Open
Registration Period
Jan 30, 2025 - Apr 25, 2025
Course Start
Apr 13, 2025

Course Format

Special Workshop: recorded lecture videos; feedback is not guaranteed for all students every week

Skills Level

Beginner

Duration

4 weeks

Q&A

Once a week

Feedback

Individual Recordings

Lecture Type

Pre-recorded
Assignment
Due each week. Expect to spend 10-20 hrs/wk viewing lectures, Q&A, and time on assignments.
PREREQUISITES
Installation of Maya. The starting .mb file downloaded to the scenes directory.
MATERIALS
Autodesk Maya, Bouncer rig (provided)

The more you know, the better.

Why animation? |Overview of the class and its goals | An introduction to Maya, timeline, keyframes and the graph editor/curve | Introduction to the basic translation controls of the ball rig | How to set keyframes (translate y only.) | Bonus content – An introduction to Ease Ins and Ease Outs and breaking tangents
Continuation- Ease Ins and Ease Outs and breaking tangents | Moving the ball along a path (translate x) and an introduction to Arcs | Copying and modifying curves. Breaking up the cycle and varying/reducing the height of the bounces | Introducing some additional controls in the ball rig | Adding some squash and stretch | Bonus content – Adding some complexity in the ball’s path
Continuation- adding more complexity to the ball’s path interacting with the set | Make the ball come to a stop and demonstrate the difference between a bounce and a jump | An introduction to anticipation | Bonus content – reveal full ball rig. An introduction to secondary action and follow through
Continuation-secondary action and follow through | Blinks and look direction | A quick demonstration on how to render

Your Journey Starts Here

LECTURES BY Todd Elliott
Course Start: Apr 13, 2025

Aaron's journey into animation started in middle school when I used to watch a show on the Discovery Channel called "Movie Magic."  He was fascinated with behind the scenes VFX and how movies were made. He was drawn to how they made the VFX, practical and CG, especially for characters and creatures. He was also an avid comic book collector and loved illustration. After getting his undergrad degree in Graphic Design, he wanted to take things further and study animation. He wasn't sure how, but he knew he wanted to be part of that movie magic and help create the iconic scenes and moments that inspired me and many others. He attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and signed on with Animation Mentor when they first began. He was soon fortunate enough to start working at a small VFX and animation studio called Hero Motion Pictures. While there, he was able to animate CG digital doubles for the live action movie "G.I. Joe."

After working on "G.I. Joe," he moved to Los Angeles and worked at CIS Hollywood that partnered with Method Studios. While there, he had the opportunity to work on a number of Marvel movies, animating the characters he read about in comic books. But instead of drawing them, he was animating them for the big screen. A few years later, he decided to take the plunge into game development since I was also very passionate about video games; since he was a kid playing Atari in his parents basement. Naughty Dog was hiring for "The Last of Us: Part 2" and he was fortunate enough to get selected to help work on the Interactive Gameplay Cinematics. After Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games offered him a full time position to work on their cinematics for "Spider Man 2". And that's where he is today; currently working on "Wolverine" and still animating the Marvel characters he love and grew up with. Now he's eager to help new, aspiring animators reach their dreams and their goals.

Instructor's Gallery

VFX

GET ONE YEAR ACCESS AND TRANSFORM YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY

Take your CGMA learning further with CGMA+, a companion add-on featuring over 70 new, stand-alone workshops—more than 250 hours of content you won’t find in your core CGMA program. You’ll learn from multiple instructors, each with a unique style, so you can see how different artists approach the same subject in various ways. This additional material builds on what you’re already studying, broadening your perspective and helping you look at topics from fresh angles. It’s a straightforward way to strengthen your studies and boost your skills.

View all CGMA+ Workshops

PRICING SCHEDULE

Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education, these finance options allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.

3x Payments

$50

2x Payments

$75

Full payment

$150

Spring TERM REGISTRATION Now Open
Jan 30, 2025 - Apr 21, 2025
COURSE BEGINS on Apr 13, 2025
Animation for Beginners

What makes this learning experience unique?

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK

Receive personalized feedback on all assignments from the industry’s top professionals.

LIFETIME ACCESS

Enjoy lifetime access to the spectrum of course content, including lectures, live Q&As, and feedback sessions.

CERTIFICATION

Show off your Certification of Completion when you turn in 80% of course assignments.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with flexible, online course scheduling.

Testimonials

The course helped me be more familiar with the Maya program and animating techniques.

Chase

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