Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to use the contact link in the menu to reach out as well.

What makes Animator's Journey different?

My teaching philosophy centers around providing you with the most useful information to help you achieve your goals. I believe in giving you all the knowledge I have to offer, without padding my lessons with unnecessary material to fill out a course or charge you more. That’s why I’ve designed my Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced classes to cover everything you need to know, without wasting your time or money on over-segmented courses.

With lifetime access to the courses, you can revisit the content as often as you need to, and the private community provides additional support and resources to help you succeed. I’m committed to making the learning process as smooth and accessible as possible, so you can focus on honing your animation skills. I’m excited to share with you the knowledge and tools that I wish I had when starting out in animation.”

 

What if I don't have time?

You will have lifetime access to the material and feedback for course-related challenges in the private community. The private reviews are limited to the length of the course so if you are not submitting a challenge each week I will have nothing to review with you.

Beginner’s goal is to complete 7 animation challenges.

Intermediate’s goal is to complete 1-2 demo reel shots, depending on your ability in the time we have. The weekly lectures and challenges do not have to be completed and are purely optional if you have extra time, or can be done after the private mentorship for demo reel shots ends after the 12 weeks, because you have continued access to the lessons.

 

When are the reviews?

If you’re enrolled in private mentorship: Since I am actively working full time for an animation studio in London I become available in the evenings (GMT /BST timezone). Specific times will be determined and you can book your weekly reviews with me in a Calendly link I will share with you. If you’re unable to make one of the available times that occur twice per week I can record my review of your work or any questions you may have. In addition there are open office hours on Sunday in case you need extra help. That means you can potentially see me three times each week of the private mentorship program.
If you’re enrolled in Beginner Self-Study PLUS: I will respond with feedback in the private community, usually within 24 hours of you sharing your course-related work.

 

Am I too old to take this program or switch careers?

No. All that matters is your skill level. No one cares how old you are.

I switched careers when I was 26, sitting in class with 19 year olds. I know the feeling like you’re too late. You’re not if you’re willing to put in the time and be patient with your progress.

 

Don't I need a college degree to get hired?

No. Degrees only come into play if you’re trying to move to another country where they like to see a college degree to qualify for their visa, but even then it’s not a deal breaker as most countries accept years of professional experience in lieu of a degree.

You don’t need any degree to get hired in animation. That’s the beauty of it. All that matters is your work. 

Can I skip ahead to a more advanced module?

Often times I’m asked this when a student may know the software to a decent level and conflates that with knowing how to animate. Knowing software and knowing how to animate are two different things. Please reach out with a link to your current demo reel for guidance on placement. If you do not have a demo reel of animation, then you will want to enroll in the Beginner program to begin creating your first one.

 

Do I have to have an amazing computer to animate?

No. We’re not lighting or rendering, we’re not doing simulations all of which take a lot of computer power.

Luckily animation is less intense and doesn’t require the latest and greatest computer to perform.

See Maya’s system requirements below.

 

What if I don't think I can animate?

First, spend time animating before judging yourself. You won’t be good at something you’ve never devoted any time to learning and practicing, no one will. If you’ve begun animating but aren’t sure about your skill level and whether you should take Beginner or Intermediate please reach out for advice by using the contact form below.

Do I need to know Maya before taking this?

Nope! Not for Beginner.

Beginner teaches you Maya from the ground up, no experience necessary.

You will also have access to a free student license of Maya for 1 year.

If you do have some Maya experience, Beginner may still be the best place for you to start, since knowing a software and knowing how to animated are two different but dependent skills.

 

How much does this cost?

Beginner Private Mentorship is $4,997, whether you choose the 7-week accelerated version or want to spread the same amount of mentorship and lessons over 14-weeks instead.

Beginner Self-Study PLUS is $997, where you have access to mentorship from me through the private community. Receive feedback from me there. This is the most important aspect of your accelerated journey. You also have lifetime access and can begin any time.

Intermediate is $3,497 and has no self-study option, it is by application only and private mentorship with optional group calls.

 

What are the system requirements of Maya?

Here are the minimum system requirements to run the software we will use, Autodesk Maya:

Hardware
CPU

64-bit Intel® or AMD® multi-core processor with SSE4.2 instruction set
Apple Mac models with M series chip are supported under Rosetta 2 mode

Graphics Hardware

Refer to the following pages for a detailed list of recommended systems and graphics cards:

Maya Certified Hardware

RAM 8 GB of RAM (16 GB or more recommended)
Disk Space 6 GB of free disk space for install
Pointing Device Three-button mouse