I’m happy to write that first year animation students are having a really exciting time in their first classical animation course, and Tina Seemann tells me  their enthusiasm makes it a joy to work with them.

Twenty year one students have signed on (pending successful completion of the first diploma) for the Advanced Diploma in 3D Computer Animation and Production. We’ll be introducing this group to 3D with workshops during years 2 and 3.

The current year 3 animation students are working on  the animatics for their film projects under the direction of award winning director Jean Pillote. The  films will be completed during a 3 week intensive at the end of this academic year. I’m looking forward to seeing them !

Carla Drmay,  Tina Seemann, James Miko, and the third year animation students recently visited Cuppa Coffee, a prize winning Toronto animation company, well known for stop motion animation, but also involved with computer animation. Three ‘09 graduates are working there, as well as some graduates from former years, and the company is very happy with their professional attitude! The report is that Cuppa Coffee is expanding and has added many computer stations.

In fact, the animation industry in the GTA seems to be rebounding from a very slow fall.  The spring should see many companies ramping up.

Sequential Arts: Comic Books and Graphic Novels and Classical and Computer Animation Basics students who are slated to graduate in the spring, will be using Blog Spot to post their blogs very soon. Year 3 Concept Art for Animation and  Video Games students will also post. There will be links to all their blogs on our gallery page. Since all graduating students must put up a blog as part of their portfolio development course, everyone  who wants to will be able to see the full range of work produced by all Max the Mutt’s senior students.

That’s all the news for now. I’m hoping to have the time this week to get some recent art work from Concept Art students posted!