Animation Mentor is putting the student highlight back into the hands of the students.  We let students create whatever they want – revealing themselves by sharing video, text, and anything else they feel is appropriate.  If you are currently an Animation Mentor student and you’d like to participate, send an email to newsletter (at) animationmentor.com and we’ll do our best to fit you in!

To give you an idea what I'm about, I thought I'd share some of the adventures I've gone on to help myself recharge as I've attended Animation Mentor.

Explore the cold wilderness of New England and the tropical sunshine of the Florida Everglades with me, as I talk about animation!

What inspired me to learn animation?

It's actually a bit of luck that I stumbled upon animation. When I was a kid, I really wanted to be a writer, but public education came along and I moved on to more "practical" things. On my first day of college, I attended a class on a whim, where I was suddenly shown that PEOPLE are actually making those characters move. It was a huge turning point for me, combining my old love for writing with this visual medium. How AMAZING, to tell stories by bringing your own characters to life! I've always loved animation, so the idea of actually creating it was just brilliant. I vividly remember how I felt after my first real animation assignment. I must've watched that little hopping lamp over and over again for 30 minutes – forwards, backwards, and yes, even back and forth, just so totally happy that I had brought this critter to life.

Parts of the conservation land behind my house in Northampton, MA

The same bridge a few months earlier

Why Animation Mentor?

I think we all reach a certain point where it's really difficult to learn more on your own or from books. You need to find guides who can push you in new directions and give that oh-so-important feedback. I definitely reached that point where I felt really stuck, and it was kind of scary. I felt like I'd be stuck doing mediocre animation for the rest of my life. Then a friend of mine finished Animation Mentor and her work was amazing – it had improved by a huge margin. A big light bulb came on and I just knew I had found the answer. And I was right!

What is your favorite animated/CG scene of all time?

I think Tarzan is one of the most underrated animated films. There's so much love and joy and humanity in that film. It's hard to pick a favorite scene, because I think that Glen Keane and Ken Duncan did such an amazing job on Tarzan and Jane, especially when they're acting together. I love the scene when she's explaining the chase to her father. She’s so fun to watch! I love when animators find simple, yet creative ideas, that perfectly capture the character, and there are many examples in these two characters throughout the film.

What's one of the most important and/or interesting lessons you've learned while at Animation Mentor?

Relax, be confident in your own ideas, and leave your house as often as possible! At first, I was pretty indecisive and obsessed with always finding the perfect idea – but there is no perfect idea, just a bunch of great ideas to choose from and have FUN with. I've come out the other end feeling really confident with my own ideas, and much more comfortable adapting when those ideas need to change.

If these videos haven't already given you my opinion on the matter, I really recommend taking breaks from animating and living your life as much as possible. Do what inspires you! For me, it's obviously going on various little outdoor adventures, and exploring the world. In the end, it all comes back to making you a happier person and a more well-rounded animator. And it will definitely show in your work.

Anything else you want to say to your fellow and prospective students of Animation Mentor?

Network! You may never again see such an amazing networking opportunity like Animation Mentor. There's a fantastic community of people here who are just as excited about animation as you. You can make some great friends and network with people across the spectrum of studios. That's huge when you start looking for work. I think a lot of people get caught up in their assignments and miss out on the community aspect. I encourage students to set aside at least a few hours a week to stop by workspaces and the forum to socialize and leave feedback. The time lost on your assignments is more than compensated by the people you'll get to meet and the things you'll learn.

How has your experience at Animation Mentor been?

Hands down amazing. I expected a lot and it exceeded my expectations. All the advice and tips from across the spectrum of studios and animators, combined with the amazing supportive community, have made it a wonderful life-changing experience for me. I feel I've grown richer as a person, not just as an animator.