 |
         |
Starts July 19, 2010 Evenings
Beginning with the tools and interface, individuals will be introduced to Flash software. They will be taught how to design characters and will participate in basic animation exercises. Read the rest of this entry »
Starts July 19, 2010 Days
Beginning with the tools and interface, individuals will be introduced to Flash software. They will be taught how to design characters and will participate in basic animation exercises. Read the rest of this entry »
In any art form what matters is what you have absorbed during your education, what you understand deeply enough to give you the resources to use your past experiences to meet the new challenges you face. For hopeful animators this includes a deep understanding of animation basics. There never will be a better way to do this than studying classical animation first.
What I like about programs outside the academic system is their ability to be professional schools, to dedicate all the student’s time to hands on courses. I’m old enough to remember when if you wanted to be a fine artist you went to art school, if you wanted to be a classical musician you went to music school, if you wanted to be a dancer you studied at one of the schools associated with a dance company. If you wanted to be an animator, once you had art skills you’d get hired and be trained on the job by an animation company.
With the advent of computer animation, there is simply so much for the student to absorb that I’m hard pressed to understand how a degree program can do it in less then six years. I’ve been watching as Tina, in consultation with some top retired animators and animation teachers, has redesigned Max the Mutt’s animation program to enable students to start animating sooner, concentrate more on character animation, and take those skills into 2D and 3D computer animation. Even with all of our curriculum directed towards the career the student is aiming for, we find ourselves short of time (which is why year 4 has become so essential).
The big news at Max the Mutt is that for the first time the year one students, in addition to their Visual Arts Literacy courses, are taking Intro to Animation and are having a great experience in that course. We are also working to introduce 3D animation earlier to those students who have committed to the Advanced Diploma. The plan is to offer them 3D workshops in years 2 and 3 so that they’ll walk in to the Advanced Diploma program already familiar with Maya.
Our current year 1 students are the first students who will experience the new animation program in its entirety. However, Tina has been offering summer animation workshops, and this year students will also be able to submit work for review through Concept Share, so current year 2 students will also get additional training. Those going on to year 4 will take a 3D workshop during year 3 to give them preparation.
Any art form takes practice, practice, practice. One needs first to understand the principles, but that’s a long way from being able to use those principles well. Animating is no different than any other art. It takes passion, dedication and lots of hard work to develop as an artist.
It also takes passion and dedication to work to keep Max the Mutt, in the face of all obstacles, as good as it can be!
Hats off to all our hardworking students, staff and instructors. The dream lives on.
Starts February 10, 2010 (class is running — space available)
In this workshop series, students will be introduced to the step-by-step procedures involved in the ‘art’ of illustrating comic books: Script Breakdowns, Page and Panel Design, and the ‘Roughing Out’ of story sequences through to the finished ‘Pencils’ stage.
Spiderman © Marvel Entertainment Inc. 2009  All Rights Reserved.
Starts July 26, 2010
You will continue to explore how things are done in the 3D animation industry. Topics covered include 3D software, modeling, animation, and rendering. Prerequisite is Part 1 or the equivalent experience.
Toronto Student Film Festival: Location Toronto, Ontario Event date - April 24, 2010
Skills Canada - Ontario: Location Kitchener, Ontario Event date - May 17-23, 2010
High School Animation Festival: Location Mississauga, Ontario Event date -June 2, 2010
Ottawa Animation Festival: Location Ottawa, Ontario Event date - October 20-24, 2010
October 20-24, 2010
The Ottawa International Animation Festival is held every year in the fall. It’s a great meeting place for top animators and companies from all over North America and the world. Max the Mutt has attended every year since the school was founded, and we’ll be back again in 2010.
