Class Descriptions

Are you interested in drawing? Do you want to see your characters come to life? Have you ever wondered what goes into shooting an animated movie? You just might be right for our Animation Workshops. When students take our classes, there are a variety of tracks available to them. For those who have never done animation before, we recommend starting with the "Basic" animation series. Students who come back again and again (and we have many) move along to "Intermediate" and "Studio Production" levels. Basic Animation: Recommended for all students with no previous animation experience. An exciting opportunity to explore many different forms of animation.  The emphasis is on having hands-on experience with traditional, paper cut-out, and clay animation.  Each student will have time under the camera to shoot their work. These workshops involve working with variety of mediums, and strong drawing skills are not a necessity as anyone can enjoy the experience of bringing their creations to life.  Basic Animation is a great way to expand your creative horizons and open new avenues for expressing yourself. Animation Workshop students get access to our professional equipment. "Matumaru" by Edd S. Intermediate Animation: These sessions guide the student through the process of creating an animated short.  Students are given a variety of animation exercises to develop their skills, while reinforcing what they have learned in Basic Animation.  Keyframes and in-betweens are drawn, exposure sheets are created, and pencil tests are made. Students learn how to create model sheets, make storyboards and much more. Studio Production: Designed for those dedicated students who wish to expand their productive possibilities and refine their animation skills. Many features of making animation not covered in Intermediate Animation will be explored. The goal in Studio Production is to work towards developing all of the necessary skills for completing personal animated shorts and to learn more about the production process in a professional animation studio. Students will utilize a computer workstation to input their drawings into a professional ink and paint program called AXA. As students develop their skills they may have an opportunity to work on the production of a studio cartoon. Independent Study: This program is designed for the individual with specific projects or interests.  The student will meet with their mentor to design a personalized agenda for meeting their goals. A set of objectives will be made, and depending on the student's availability a regular schedule will be arranged.  The fee varies, depending on the time of instruction and the supplies required.

SATURDAY WORKSHOPS For most of the year we offer Saturday workshops, in which students pay for and attend four consecutive Saturday classes. WHEN: All Saturday workshops are from 9am to 12 noon or 1pm until 4pm. (Choose Morning or Afternoon.) See our Schedule for exact dates. WHEN: The fee for each series is $159.00 NOTES: Includes all supplies and equipment usage. Each student's animation will be showcased on the Animatus website. Tapes or DVDs are available for an additional $10.

SUMMER ANIMATION CAMP Fish for New Ideas! Hike The Hills of Animation! Challenge the Wild Waters of Creativity! For our Summer Animation Camp, we try to accomodate vacation schedules by pricing each week individually. These classes are held on Thursdays (and sometimes Wednesdays, depending on demand) and go all day, with a break for lunch. WHEN: Choose either Wednesdays or Thursdays in August, lasting from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM each day. See our Schedule for exact dates. PRICE: $88.00 per week. Sign up for all four weeks and get a 20% discount, for a total of $284. NOTE: All supplies and equipment usage included. Each student's animation will be showcased on the Animatus website. Tapes or DVDs are available for an additional $10. Summer students should be sure to pack a lunch. Here's what first time students can expect... Week 1.... TRADITIONAL ANIMATION Basic animation principles: zoetropes, morphing, and character design. Week 2.... CUT-OUT ANIMATION: How to design, time, and shoot cut-out animation. Week 3.... CLAY ANIMATION: How to design, time, and shoot clay animation. Week 4.... TRADITIONAL ANIMATION II: New challenges in animation techniques: in-betweening and using motion maps.

SPECIALTY WORKSHOPS We are pleased to offer 4 week courses in special areas of computer animation. These classes are scheduled depending on demand. Please call (585) 232-3949 to express your interest! Flash I: An Introduction to Adobe Flash Learn the basics of Flash: create buttons, incorporate sounds, and learn about animation "tweening." Flash II: Advanced Lessons in Adobe Flash Build on the basics of Flash to create an interactive self-contained website. Students can create menus and set up personalized pages about topics of their choice. 3D Workshop: An Introduction to Lightwave Course Description: Learn the basics of 3D animation! The course will include many guided tutorials and plenty of hands-on creative time. Students will explore the very basics in this beginner level course using the Lightwave 3D Discovery Edition animation program. Lightwave 3D is one of the more commonly used 3D animation packages used in television and the movies today.

The Animation Workshop is not connected with any college program, although we do aid in providing experience and portfolio material for career-minded students. Schedule • Class Descriptions • Summer Animation Camp • Student Work • Visiting Artist • Register Animatus Studio Main Page • Frequently Asked Questions • Recommended Books & Videos • Contact Animatus Website © 2004 Animatus Studio, All Rights Reserved