Recently, I have seen some people gripe about their lack of attention at AM.
No one leaves them comments, they’re not excelling in animation, and it’s your fault. To them, the successful people are elitist, or they’re female, or both. “Only cute girls get crits”. The “successful” people only critique each other, shunning those who are “not as good” or those who don’t have as much experience. You know, because you need prior experience to succeed at Animation Mentor.
You need to go to them. Help them. You need to do something about their lack of success.
That’s a bunch of….well, you know.
Why they complain, I will never know. In my humble opinion, they appear to be habitual finger pointers. They blame those around them for their lack of success. (funny how that’s a common theme in today’s society. But that is a post for another time.)
You want to know what it takes to succeed at Animation Mentor? I will tell you. And how am I qualified to make such a statement? I’m a successful elitist who has been through 5/6 of the course, and come out the other side with the job I want. It is quite simple, really. And while I have seen some say AM will guarantee you success if you make it through their course (which i’ve never seen such a statement made) what they SHOULD guarantee is the best education in animation you will find anywhere in the world. Period.
Step 1. Put the proper amount of time into your work. I know this is a no-brainer. But I have heard stories of people putting in 2-4 hours a week, and they wonder why they don’t get their animation to the same level as their peers. Time in = Success out.
Step 2. Be active on the site. I have learned just as much from my peers as I have from my mentors. Post in the forums, post critiques for your peers, classmates, and people below you. It will be returned. I can *almost* guarantee that. If you give people attention, they will give YOU attention.
Step 3. Keep it simple. I have seen more people fail because their projects are too ambitious. They want you to do a 180 turn? Just do the turn. Focus on the mechanics. If you’ve never animated before, don’t have him jump over a fire pit onto a ball while doing a 720 spin. Just do the assignment as it’s presented and you will learn more.
Step 4. Be positive. Not everyone can be a Bobby Beck clone. I sure can’t. Offer encouragement to those around you. Don’t be a jerk. It’s as simple as that. Play nice, and people will want to play with you.
Step 5. Show those around you that you want to learn. I have helped a dozen or so individuals over lengthy emails, exchanged skype and given video crits, and even exchanged my phone number and called a student who was having trouble just so they would find that little something to put them over the edge. And some of these people had projects they were not considered in the top tier by their peers. What separated them from the other students is they WANT to learn.
But I had prior experience before starting AM? Yeap. About 3 years in a game studio. I was self taught before I started AM. And I busted my backside at night, AFTER my fulltime job, and AFTER I put my son to bed to get to where I am. But I can tell that having prior experience negates my opinion in your eyes. I’m successful because I was so far ahead of students just starting out.
Ok, fair enough. I admit, I had an unfair advantage. Does that make you happy?
If you don’t want MY opinion…
Just ask the guy who sits next to me at Blue Sky who had NEVER SET A KEY before starting AM.
14 comments
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September 1, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Steven Hughes
I agree with Richard completely, I think he’s hit the nail on the head. You reap what you sow.
I’m in class 6 at AM, and I’m in regular contact with people in all of the other classes, perhaps with the exception of class 1 this term as I just don’t have the time to work on my short and visit everyones workspace. The more you help other people, the more inclined they are to help you.
September 2, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Bobby Beck
Great post my man! I couldn’t agree more. I answer EVERY PM I get. We do not go out of our way to reward anyone for particular behavior. However, if you log in, submit your work and attend your Q&A’s, the minimal required, you will be “hidden” to the community. Leveraging your networks is key and plays a big role in how things roll out for people and is a part of the new curriculum. If you don’t expand your visibility you have much less of a chance to succeed. It’s not impossible as talent will always rise to the top, however, there are some that were average but put themselves out there and have now grown into shining stars and a lot of it is because they put themselves out there and GOT IN TO IT!
Sad to hear people are complaining. It’s best to use that energy to get more involved.
-BOOM
September 3, 2008 at 2:53 am
Rob
Well written, Rich. I’m right along there with you on the late nights with kids. It’s all worth it. I’ll admit I was envious of those ninjas at AM with 50 comments aper week, but if you read the comments they didn’t offer much to help that person get better (another post topic perhaps). It’s a quick 18 months at AM. So reach out to others where you can, everyone! Put the rubber to the road and go!
September 3, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Dave
Awesome post Rich! I think you really need to get involve with the community to get the true experience of AM! I have a group of regular students that I constantly keep in contact with and I learned so much from them. For example, this term I’ve been struggling with the transition of physical animation into acting animation and I asked them how they go about it and etc. It has helped me a great deal and it is sad to hear people are complaining.
September 3, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Sue
Awesome post! You said it very well =)
September 4, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Katherine Waddell
Hello again! thanks for writing back!
my web browser sort of crashed when i sent that first comment, so I wasn’t entirely sure you got it ^_^
AM sounds like a really fabulous place to learn! I’m really tempted to get into it, need to get my hands on some loanage first though. heh. I think one of the hardest things to do when you’re out there freelancing is networking – and AM seems just the place for that!
Again, thanks for writing! Hope all is well!
September 5, 2008 at 10:12 am
christian
Very well said Riiiicccccccch! Now i know why you have made it so far
. I just want you to know that you have been in inspiration to me and although i dont stay in touch with you as much as i should, I still consider you a great friend. Keep on doing your thang and inspiring others. Cant wait to see your name in the credits!!!! Hope all is well =) Please say hi the the fam for me 
September 7, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Eddie
You nailed it Rich. AM is the best school to learn animation in my opinion. There are no guarantees but what they do offer is the opportunity to be to learn from the best. At least that’s why I enrolled.
Great post Rich. Keep rocking it!
September 11, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Kimberly Baylor
ZING!
Signed,
elitist cute girl
January 22, 2009 at 1:20 am
Anirudh
Nice post Rich and so very relevant !
AM will definitely show all their students the best path possible to become an Animator BUT in the end we have to move ourselves and walk the path.
What you give in and what you give out.
Thanks for the post Rich!
Cheers,
February 3, 2009 at 3:39 am
Phil Willis
Preach it brother Rich!
I’m in class 2 and the times that the flood of crits on my PRs always slows to a trickle on the weeks when I “don’t have time” to crit other people’s work.
Even worse: you can’t get any comments on your PR if you don’t post a PR. Duh! Post early post often.
As for cute girls and animation ninjas.
In another life I did four years of engineering (another male-dominated profession) and it wasn’t any difference there as far as the amount of attention the ladies received. Get used to it.
And ninjas. Well they’re already ninjas, so they don’t need your crits.
Why not “post five” on non-ninjas PRs and then you’ll have something useful and constructive to crit that is something other than the standard: “OMG you’re so awesome man – your work is super – how did you render that – wow – omg – will you be my best friend!?!”
Great article Rich! Now I need to read your older posts too.
ps Will you be my best friend!?!
February 3, 2009 at 6:49 am
Vibeke Cleaverley
AM is like anything in life I have tried. Put the work in and you’ll get what you want out. Great post! I very much enjoyed reading it.
I checked out your elitist demoreel and it is very good!
Keep rocking!
February 4, 2009 at 3:41 pm
leon W gittens
very nice post, the one thing i seemed to have noticed is that students with kids and a job seem to get there work at a high standard, ad on time VS the ones who dont have a job, now this is not true across the board, just my experience in schools. BUt the main point that people forget is you put it what you get out, and YOU only YOU are responsible for everything in your life I enjoyed the read
June 17, 2009 at 4:00 am
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