be careful though I've heard several game company recruiters that will will look right over anyone that came out of Animation Mentor though.... /shrug
guess it's because it's more cartoony/pixar animation basics/timing/etc and not indepth rigging/howto/etc, maybe I'll try and ask why they felt that way. 28000 for a certificate is alot of scratch though
be careful though I've heard several game company recruiters that will will look right over anyone that came out of Animation Mentor though.... /shrug
guess it's because it's more cartoony/pixar animation basics/timing/etc and not indepth rigging/howto/etc, maybe I'll try and ask why they felt that way. 28000 for a certificate is alot of scratch though
Training is focused solely on animation -- all characters are provided rigged/skinned.
Subtract 10000 and you'll have the correct amount for 18months of training.
be careful though I've heard several game company recruiters that will will look right over anyone that came out of Animation Mentor though.... /shrug
guess it's because it's more cartoony/pixar animation basics/timing/etc and not indepth rigging/howto/etc, maybe I'll try and ask why they felt that way. 28000 for a certificate is alot of scratch though
and the ironic part about this bit is that I've heard of several animation (film/shorts) houses that won't even LOOK at an applicant unless they HAVE completed AM..
regardless of whether they will or wont its dumb to not consider someone without at least looking at their stuff..
and the ironic part about this bit is that I've heard of several animation (film/shorts) houses that won't even LOOK at an applicant unless they HAVE completed AM..
regardless of whether they will or wont its dumb to not consider someone without at least looking at their stuff..
Totally agreed I was surprised to hear it myself, I was just saying for games it may not be needed, the OP may contact a few places he plans on applying with and see what they look for as well. Need to know more of the OP direction on what they want to do or which direction they want to work. Games vs Film. I got my BFA in Computer Animation but would still like to get some more training under my belt myself.
In this case, I honestly believe the people who enter this program get what they pay for.
But yeah, the emphasis is performance animation.
In games you primarily need to have a solid understanding of timing, weight, and silhouette.
A large portion of game animators end up cleaning up MoCap.
i started animation mentor this year and i learned alot in the first 6 weeks, everything is motivating there. Besides i can manage to earn some money at work to get food you know
Thanks for all your replies guys. I think his goal for learning animation is leaning more towards films and performance animation right now. He is finishing up his AA at a community college right now and weighing his options on where to go next. He seems pretty stoked about that AM place. As for the price, he was originally aiming for Digipen, which is a bit more spendy to say the least.
I will relay all this info to him and see what he thinks!
Reason I posted that in this thread( or threw my 2cents as you may call it) is because digital tutors've been around for few years now and I just came to know about animation mentor this thread ago. With their success stories or stories in general, they do look promising.
But You will pay 10k to the AM and provide your own equipment just to learn the animation (materials provided). Including webcam, programs and so on.
With DigitalTutors you can learn that and more with just $540.00 a year. And there are good companies enlisted there who use them to learn the new stuff.
Also I've decided to start the digital tutors for my self pace learning soon. So I thought it would help the OT in anyway.
AM > Digipen at least when it comes to animation. Programing digipen trumps just about everything out there. I have a friend that is the chair of physics at digi and he even says the bang for the buck isn't there for animation students. The program for modeling, materials, animation at Digipen pretty much fell apart a few years ago when the dept head left and it hasn't been the same since.
I have heard of animation mentor students getting bounced. Not necessarily because they can't do the work but because they never focus on anything outside of AM rigs and the assignments they are given. They walk up with reels that don't fit. Gotta remember a lot of places use max and biped and require animators to have pretty extensive technical knowledge. Where AM focuses on the acting which is mostly ignored or nonexistent in games.
Don't show a game ready reel, don't demonstrate the right software you're out on your ass.
With that said we have an animation mentor grad working for us right now and he ROCKS and can't say enough good things about the program. He's also the type to use what he's learning in class and apply it to what he's doing. He's also good enough to get a job without AM... so... yea.
I've heard Digipen was more technical oriented as well.. I'll definitely float him that tidbit. And i'll have him browse around digital tutors as well. Maybe pick his brain as to which he wants to focus on.. games or movies
Several Animators here, including my girlfriend, graduated from AnimationMentor. Speaking as someone who was able to sit behind her during her lectures and critiques, Animation Mentor is absolutely amazing. I was amazed at the big name talent who would take a few months off to teach at Animation Mentor for a few semesters.
I think the greatest thing about AM is the fact that you can animate in any median you want. If Claymation is your thing, have at it! 3D? 2D? Doesn't matter. This place focuses on the core of animation, and the passion/excitement for it.
As with any course, you get out what you put in. Don't expect to get hired because you got a piece of paper. yada yada....
I have heard of animation mentor students getting bounced. Not necessarily because they can't do the work but because they never focus on anything outside of AM rigs and the assignments they are given. They walk up with reels that don't fit. Gotta remember a lot of places use max and biped and require animators to have pretty extensive technical knowledge. Where AM focuses on the acting which is mostly ignored or nonexistent in games.
Don't show a game ready reel, don't demonstrate the right software you're out on your ass.
yea.
I can imagine that some people at AM rely on the status AM has, and some reels don´t fit into game-companies. But AM got a pretty good job-placement rate, so at some point they are doing things right. But the choice of demoreels, animationstyles etc is a personal choice. For my taste most AM-reels are to goofy,but having done such things is a good. But maybe the peolpe should mix it up with realistic to show that they can work in both styles.
And if no animator know aboiut acting it will stay the way in games forever, we don´t want that, do we?
Replies
http://www.animationmentor.com/
Very high end calibre instructors. Pixar/WETA/Disney/ILM...
I think the focus is on performance animation, and will likely require knowledge of a medium before taking the course.
http://www.animationmentor.com/school/
thanks for the link!
guess it's because it's more cartoony/pixar animation basics/timing/etc and not indepth rigging/howto/etc, maybe I'll try and ask why they felt that way. 28000 for a certificate is alot of scratch though
Training is focused solely on animation -- all characters are provided rigged/skinned.
Subtract 10000 and you'll have the correct amount for 18months of training.
Sorry to intrude but isnt that much for online learning?
You are providing your own stuff.
I was going to suggest Digitaltutors.com which has annual fee of $540.00 http://www.digitaltutors.com/09/index.php
Practically the samething you will pay alot less.
and the ironic part about this bit is that I've heard of several animation (film/shorts) houses that won't even LOOK at an applicant unless they HAVE completed AM..
regardless of whether they will or wont its dumb to not consider someone without at least looking at their stuff..
Totally agreed I was surprised to hear it myself, I was just saying for games it may not be needed, the OP may contact a few places he plans on applying with and see what they look for as well. Need to know more of the OP direction on what they want to do or which direction they want to work. Games vs Film. I got my BFA in Computer Animation but would still like to get some more training under my belt myself.
Cool, they've come down in price a lot since the second or third term a few years back.
But yeah, the emphasis is performance animation.
In games you primarily need to have a solid understanding of timing, weight, and silhouette.
A large portion of game animators end up cleaning up MoCap.
Not even close.
I will relay all this info to him and see what he thinks!
Thanks again!
Reason I posted that in this thread( or threw my 2cents as you may call it) is because digital tutors've been around for few years now and I just came to know about animation mentor this thread ago. With their success stories or stories in general, they do look promising.
But You will pay 10k to the AM and provide your own equipment just to learn the animation (materials provided). Including webcam, programs and so on.
With DigitalTutors you can learn that and more with just $540.00 a year. And there are good companies enlisted there who use them to learn the new stuff.
Also I've decided to start the digital tutors for my self pace learning soon. So I thought it would help the OT in anyway.
But anyways.. Good luck with AM
I have heard of animation mentor students getting bounced. Not necessarily because they can't do the work but because they never focus on anything outside of AM rigs and the assignments they are given. They walk up with reels that don't fit. Gotta remember a lot of places use max and biped and require animators to have pretty extensive technical knowledge. Where AM focuses on the acting which is mostly ignored or nonexistent in games.
Don't show a game ready reel, don't demonstrate the right software you're out on your ass.
With that said we have an animation mentor grad working for us right now and he ROCKS and can't say enough good things about the program. He's also the type to use what he's learning in class and apply it to what he's doing. He's also good enough to get a job without AM... so... yea.
Thanks!
I think the greatest thing about AM is the fact that you can animate in any median you want. If Claymation is your thing, have at it! 3D? 2D? Doesn't matter. This place focuses on the core of animation, and the passion/excitement for it.
As with any course, you get out what you put in. Don't expect to get hired because you got a piece of paper. yada yada....
I can imagine that some people at AM rely on the status AM has, and some reels don´t fit into game-companies. But AM got a pretty good job-placement rate, so at some point they are doing things right. But the choice of demoreels, animationstyles etc is a personal choice. For my taste most AM-reels are to goofy,but having done such things is a good. But maybe the peolpe should mix it up with realistic to show that they can work in both styles.
And if no animator know aboiut acting it will stay the way in games forever, we don´t want that, do we?