SAN DIEGO – Animation Mentor (www.animationmentor.com) offers an
18-month, online program that teaches students the fundamentals of character
animation. The program, says Animation Mentor CEO/president Bobby Beck, is
divided into six quarters and begins with students learning how to animate a
bouncing ball.
They then progress to a ball with two legs and are taught
body mechanics, as well as how to tell a story without the use of facial
animation. A latter quarter details advanced acting and facial animation.
Students spend the last two quarters creating a short film, beginning with
pre-production where they design layouts and storyboards.
Beck has found that the most successful students tend to
fall in the demographic of 23 and older. At SIGGRAPH, Animation Mentor held a
graduation ceremony for 69 of its students.
Classes, says Beck, are kept small, ranging from 10 -15
students. Students use a Web-based software that’s been developed by Animation
Mentor. Video conferences are hosted once a week and lectures are also
streamed. Teachers all come from within the animation industry and use
animation Mentor’s proprietary E-critique software to review students’ work,
make comments and give advice. Students can view all of their classmates’
critiques, providing exposure to a wide range of questions and answers.
The 18-month course costs $16,000 and Animation Mentor is
offering discounts at the show.