Introduction to Acting
Take Your Performance to the Next Level
Try on a New Role
In the Introduction to Character Acting animation course, you’ll tackle two of the most challenging aspects of character animation: pantomime acting and animating dialogue. Through pantomime acting, you’ll learn to show your character’s emotions to the audience without narration or dialogue. Then you’ll move on to the most exciting concept in character animation: dialogue acting. Watch as the improvement in your animation directly impacts the quality of your characters!
12-WEEK COURSE
$2,499 USD
Pro Animators Mentor You to Be Successful
Our mentors are the heart and soul of Animation Mentor. They are professional, working animators from studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, and Industrial Light & Magic, who will teach you the ins and outs of production-level animation. Take the stage in Introduction to Character Acting animation course, the fourth of our Core Character Animation Courses.
Ere Santos
Senior Animator
Sony Pictures Imageworks
Ere has been a professional animator since 2017 and is currently a senior animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Originally from Canada, Ere has worked at prominent studios including Pixar, MPC, and DEG.
Ray Ross
Senior Animator
Epic Games
Ray Ross has been a professional animator since 2006 and is currently a Senior Animator at Epic Games. He started at Blue Sky Studios on Horton Hears a Who! and worked there for nearly 13 years before joining Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Sidney Kombo
Senior Animation Supervisor
Weta FX
Sidney Kombo-Kintombo is currently a senior animation supervisor at Wētā FX . He has won two Annie Awards for his work in War for the Planet of the Apes and Avengers: Endgame. He also won a Visual Effect Society (VES) Award for Outstanding Character Animation in Avengers: Infinity War.
Choose Your Mentor
Once you've applied and been accepted into Animation Mentor, you can choose your mentor and register for class.
Studios that Hire Our Character Animation Students
On-Going Rig Access
AIA
JULES
MOYA
VIKTOR
QUINN
Personalized Mentorship
Our mentors are working professionals with years of experience under their belts, and they’re passionate about training the next generation of animators. In this course, you will learn from your mentor in live sessions as they share insights about what studios are working on and what qualities they look for in an animator. Your mentor will work directly with you to grow your skills, sharing weekly 1:1 feedback and reviews to help you improve your animation.
Studio-Level Animation Tools and Assets
Course Requirements for Introduction to Acting
Course Details
LIVE Q&As | Weekly 1-Hour Q&As
LECTURES | 12 Pre-recorded Lectures
ASSIGNMENTS | 2 Animation Exercises
ACCESS |Over 150 hours of additional content
SOFTWARE | Autodesk Maya
HARDWARE | Meet Minimum Requirements
AGE | 18 Years or Older
LANGUAGE | Taught in English
Skills You Need Before You Start
This character animation course requires you to have a working understanding of, and experience with, Autodesk Maya software. If you don’t you can take our Maya Basics Workshop.
What You’ll Learn
Now that your body mechanics are solid, let’s focus on introducing more nuanced character performances. In this course you will:
- Craft impactful performances through pantomime and body language
- Learn the basics of full facial animation, including lip sync, and how facial acting is incorporated into the full performance
- Elevate your acting skills by utilizing the techniques of subtext and subtlety
- Enhance your shots with secondary action, adding believability and appeal to any performance
- Apply polishing to facial animation and lip sync without sacrificing the clarity of your poses
Animation Mentor Interest-Free Payment Plans
Animation Mentor offers interest-free payment plans. Payment Plans allow students to distribute the $2,499 USD tuition into flexible payments throughout the school term.
FAQ for Introduction to Acting
What is the difference between method acting and character acting?
Method actors try to embody the characters they are playing. To perform method acting, an actor will transform into the character by memorizing the script and diving into the character’s background and inner life. Character actors, however, follow lines and blocking more closely, without disolving fully into the character they are playing.
What is pantomime in acting?
Pantomime acting is the art of acting without speaking any actual words. In pantomime, actors use facial expressions and body movements to convey emotions and move the story forward.
Why is pantomime important to acting?
Pantomime is a very important element of acting. When you can tell a story solely through body movement, that movement will enhance any added dialogue that the character delivers. Mechanics and dialogue work together to tell great stories and bring exciting characters to life.
What Introduction to Acting Students are Saying
On My Way Towards My Dream
Learned So Much in 12 Weeks
My Best Work So Far
A Rich Learning Experience
A Huge Level Up for Me
Wealth of Information
On My Way Towards My Dream
Learned So Much in 12 Weeks
My Best Work So Far
A Rich Learning Experience
A Huge Level Up for Me
Wealth of Information
Related Courses
If you’re interested in 3D animation, we think you’ll love these courses! Our Core Character Animation Courses provide a great foundation in animation and will help prepare you for a career in the industry.
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