Basic shapes, anatomy, movement, proportions, silhouette, focal point, and perspective. These are just a few of the elements to keep in mind when sketching and animating. In this lesson, you will learn from a true master on how to approach these elements in an organized, less intimidating fashion, one at a time, to help you think through your animating process. Ron Husband started at Disney back in 1975 as an inbetweener for one of Disney’s “Nine Old Men”, Frank Thomas. This animation trailblazer is the first Black lead animator to work for Disney Feature Animation. He has worked on many notable animation projects like “Aladdin”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Little Mermaid”, “Pocahontas”, “Fantasia 2000”, “Atlantis: The Lost Empire”, and “The Lion King”. ​ Ron Husband has boiled his approach to animating down to a science. What’s his secret? It’s all about mastering the art of quick sketch. Ron will teach you the importance of sketching and how the skill will allow you to effectively organize your process, plan your scene, and achieve your animation goals. Ron will demonstrate how he animates complex characters by mapping out their movements with basic shapes and thumbnail sketches.

Any animation enthusiast is sure to know this Academy Award winning animation legend. Widely known as one of the best animators today, Glen Keane is hailed as a master at bringing tons of emotion and life to everything he animates. You are likely familiar with much of his work in films like “The Little Mermaid”, “Tangled”, “Tarzan”, “Pocahontas”, “Treasure Planet”, “Beauty and The Beast”, and “Over the Moon”. ​ In this lesson, Glen will share with you his own unique approach to creating life-like, engaging animation. By focusing on emotion and stepping into the shoes of his characters, Glen becomes the character he is animating. Animation is more than drawing, it is the process of effectively mirroring the characters feelings back to the audience. Join us for a very rare peek into Glens process as we watch him animate a character’s emotional response and how he uses anticipation and timing to create powerful and engaging expression.

Mark Henn is a legendary Disney animator that started his career in 1980. Mark was trained by the best, animating many of the characters you know and love. Nicknamed Mr. Princess, Mark is known for animating many of Disney’s lead female characters such as Ariel, Mulan, Belle, and Jasmine. He also brought young Simba to life in “The Lion King” and has even gotten to animate Mickey Mouse himself. ​ Mark is known within the animation industry for his innovative approach to animating, which has made him one of the fastest and most prolific animators at Disney. He has been consulted by other industry professionals for guidance on how he animates so effectively and efficiently by using his time-tested approach. In this video, you will get to meet Mark at his home studio where he will teach you about his unique approach for animating a scene. Join us in this exclusive lesson as he takes us through his dynamic process!

If you are interested in understanding how to direct an animated feature, this lesson is for you! Tony Bancroft made his directorial debut for Disney’s “Mulan” in 1998, as one of the youngest directors in Disney history. He began his animation career as an intern at Disney’s Florida studio and quickly worked his way up to supervising animator in just a few short years. He has worked on films like “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin”, “The Lion King”, and “The Emperor’s New Groove.” When he was approached to direct Mulan, Tony had to quickly learn how to go from being an animator to directing an entire crew. Tony is going to share with you some of the lessons he learned along the way, give you some insight on what to expect in the industry, and what skills you need to be successful. Tony will explain the importance of fostering good relationships within the industry and how to use networking to boost your success for the future.

If you don’t know T. Dan Hofstedt by name, you certainly know his work. T. Dan grew up learning about the art of caricature from his father as a young boy. It was through his ability to make whimsical and dynamic portraits of people that ultimately became his point of entry into the animation industry. T. Dan has left his mark on many animated classics like “The Land Before Time”, “All Dogs Go to Heaven”, “Pocahontas”, “Polar Express” and “Monster House”. ​ In this lesson, T. Dan will share with you how he thinks when approaching caricature and how he applies those skills to his animating methods. You will begin to understand the nuances of caricature and how to use a person’s features as the basis for cultivating likeness and appeal.

Jon Cantor is an American attorney that has serviced the animation industry for nearly 40 years. Jon started working with Don Bluth Productions in 1983 on projects like “Dragons Lair” and “Space Ace”. Since then he has negotiated on behalf of many industry artists. Jon has a vast knowledge on topics like copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property protection, non-disclosure agreements, contracts, and much more. ​ Jon wants to empower artists to traverse the legal inner workings of the art and entertainment industry with confidence. Join us for this unique lesson and learn how to protect your art and navigate the legal side of the animation industry like a pro!