Advanced Placement: What It Takes

Advanced Placement Into the Character Animation Program is a great opportunity to save on tuition and complete our 18-month program is as little as nine months. The process begins with an application. Then, one of our professional animators on staff will review your demo reel for the following — and recommend if you can be placed into Class 2, 3, or 4:

Demo Reel Placement Qualifications

Class 2, Psychology of Body Mechanics. Demo reel conveys fundamental principles of animation and body mechanics including showing varying weights, basic timing and spacing, overlap, and anticipation. You can animate mechanics of a basic bipedal walk and a walk with character using a simple character; e.g. hips and legs only will suffice. Poses on your reel convey weight, balance, and line of action.

Class 3, Advanced Body Mechanics. Demo reel conveys core concepts of body mechanics and you are able to create physical movements that are believable. Using a bipedal character, physical movements convey weight, convincing weight shifts, force, changing speeds using a variety of locomotion, and physical movement (walks, runs, skips, jumps, throws, pushes, etc.). Your work shows strong ability to pose a bipedal character to convey physicality (weight, volume, force, line of action, etc.).

Class 4, Introduction to Acting. This is the most difficult class to place into. Demo reel shows outstanding skill with body mechanics work using a bipedal character. Your animation is believable and appealing — and shows strong staging, posing, timing, spacing, phrasing, overlap, anticipation, and polish. You are comfortable with creating physical shots with a character and show potential for maintaining strong body mechanics in acting shots.

Note: If your reel doesn’t meet the above qualifications, you will receive feedback and may be placed into Class 1, Basic Foundations to ensure that you have a strong foundation in the principles of animation.

To be considered for Advanced Placement, all you need to do is apply for the Character Animation Program. There’s no charge to apply — but please be sure to indicate that you’re interested in Advanced Placement and provide a link to your demo reel in your application.

Hurry, registration for the Fall terms opens August 6. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Admissions Office at admissions@animatonmentor.com or 1.877.326.4628. Happy animating.