AnimSchool

The best animators are not just artists. They are actors.
As the legendary Chuck Jones put it: "Animation Means To Invoke Life, Not To Imitate It. An animator is an actor with a pencil."
It is a common trap to think that great animation is just about perfectly copying reference footage or making a movement look mechanically correct. But if you just copy life, the result can sometimes fall flat and emotionless.
Chuck’s point is that our real job is to deliver a performance. You have to get inside a character's head, understand their motivations, and feel their hesitation. In 3D animation, the rig is simply the medium you use to bring that performance to the screen.
That is exactly how we approach our classes at AnimSchool. Yes, we teach you the technical skills and tools you need to handle a 3D rig with confidence. But we also teach you how to think like an actor. Our instructors guide you to break down the subtext of a scene, find the entertainment value in a pose, and make bold choices so that a genuine, living performance shows itself through your work.
What is one animated character performance that completely blew you away with its acting?

Start your Animation Journey this Summer at AnimSchool.edu
Only 25 days left to Apply!

What separates good animation from unforgettable animation?
Ollie Johnston, one of Disney’s legendary Nine Old Men, nailed it with this: "You’re not supposed to animate drawings. You’re supposed to animate feelings."
It is so easy to get bogged down in the mechanics of the craft, like tracking arcs, perfecting spacing, or fighting with software. But those are just the tools. The real magic happens when you bring genuine empathy and emotion to a character. When the audience stops seeing a digital rig and starts feeling exactly what that character is going through, that is when you know you have succeeded.
This is exactly what we focus on at AnimSchool. Our instructors do not just teach you how to move a character from point A to point B. They dive into the subtext, the acting, and the emotional truth behind the movement. We are here to help you move past the technical hurdles so you can focus on building a real connection with your audience.

Start your Animation Journey this Summer at AnimSchool.edu
Only 28 days left to Apply!

Graduate Spotlight: Cristobal Dominguez 🍃🤛 Check out these awesome environment and character projects by AnimSchool graduate Cristobal Dominguez! Swipe to see behind-the-scenes progress ⏩ Learn more at AnimSchool.edu and level up your 3D skills today! 🚀💫

Environment concept: Kui Hu, “Magician’s Home”
Character concept: Capcom, Street Fighter - Sagat

New Free AnimSchool Rig!

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of AnimSchool, we're releasing a brand-new, cinema-quality character rig. The new free AnimSchool rig is appealing, expressive, production-ready, and free to use.
This new rig follows the legacy of AnimSchool's Malcolm rig.
https://lnkd.in/g63Mgkpf
Our Malcolm Rig has been downloaded almost 100,000 times. He's helped people win animation contests, anchor short films, and assisted animators land their first jobs with him in their reels. Widely recognized as a benchmark for flexible, feature-quality facial rigging, Malcolm set the standard for what a free public rig could be. This new character carries that legacy forward.
How to Get It First. The new rig drops exclusively to our newsletter subscribers soon. Here's all you need to do:
Step 1: Subscribe to the AnimSchool Newsletter - https://lnkd.in/g553k_2v (You're already set if you already have!)
Step 2: Watch your inbox. We'll send the download link directly to you when it's released.
Sneak peeks are coming soon. We can't wait to see what you make with him.