Indies Flash Animation Class 2009
A rare opportunity for 24 LA-area artists is now open for applications. This free 4-day event will run from 9am – 5pm on Saturdays starting on May 9th (skipping a weekend on May 23rd), aiming to teach artists Flash animation “the indie way.” Why “indie?” The class is being hosted and taught by 5 of the best independent animation studios in Los Angeles – Animax, Oddbot, Renegade, Six Point Harness and Titmouse. Artists who take full advantage of this opportunity will emerge with HIGHLY employable skills in a very vibrant employment climate.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Talented individuals pursuing a career in animation for television, film and emerging media. You DON’T need to know how to use Flash to apply, but we do recommend you at least download a free trial copy and have a basic understanding of the software.
SCHEDULE
WEEK 1 (May 9th, 2009)
Pre-Production and Drawing/ Symbolizing with Flash
WEEK 2 (May 16th, 2009)
Organization of Assets, Pipeline Basics and Basic Animation
WEEK 3 (May 30th, 2009)
Animation 101- Acting and Believability
WEEK 4 (June 6th, 2009)
Animation Continued- Action, Tips, Tricks, AND making Flash work with other tools
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Artists are being chosen by a committee, and your skills will be evaluated across an array of categories. We highly encourage you to take the test we’ve supplied below, but feel free to submit an animation reel consisting of any type of animation you think exemplifies your understanding of animation principles. We also require that you submit a current resume. Enter your test materials, animation reel and resume via the Lineboil.com file submission page (disregard the legal language – we will not be posting your videos anywhere). Use the “message” window to enter links to YouTube reels or online portfolios. In the subject box, enter “2009 Flash Class.” Your ability to follow instructions WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
We’ll be accepting applications until the end of Sunday May 3rd. We’ll begin to send invitations by May 5th.
ANIMATION TEST
Download the animation test by right-clicking (MAC: Control-click) and saving this link – test (PC) test (MAC) (19 mb ZIP). . The password to open the ZIP file is “keyframe.” Inside are all the assets you need to complete the test, and if you don’t have a copy of Flash, download a 30-day trial at adobe.com.
FILE FORMATS ACCEPTED
- Animation Test – link to YouTube (optimum choice), mp4, swf, wmv, qt, mov, mpg, avi
- Animation Reel – link to YouTube (optimum choice), mp4, swf, wmv, qt, mov, mpg, avi
- Resume - pdf (optimum choice) or txt – Word doesn’t upload for some reason
- Portfolio - blog or website (optimum choice), pdf, jpg
April 21st, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I’m very interested in applying. I can’t wait to submit my portfolio and take the test.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:04 pm
A nice opportunity for 24 people in one part of the country, but there’s a little flaw in the intent. How do you “teach” someone the “Indie” way? Isn’t indie supposed to mean independent?
Plus it seems like they’ll emerge with plenty of good contacts (in L.A., no less). All in all, that’s no longer very indie. As a true independent (someone who taught themselves everything, has no contacts and gets rejected frequently), I have to say the 24 fortunate students that get in on this are in for a very pampered “independence” I’ll wish them luck if they’ll do the same for me, guys in my position need just a little more.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:44 pm
By “indie” – we mean the “independent studio way.” i suppose it’s one-level removed from true independence (like me, btw).
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:29 am
JC, there were people from other parts of the country the last couple times I was to this class. So you could completely go to this if you wanted to. And these guys, while very helpful, don’t pamper.
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I’m so jealous! Anyone living in LA who gets this opportunity should blog about their experience and share it with the rest. =) I’m downloading the test just for fun.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
I just sent in my test’s! Crossing my fingers!!!
Thanks for posting Aaron.
April 24th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Wow, this is so potentially awesome, but dear god! I downloaded the test, and now I know for sure that I must be really hopeless at Flash. I can’t make anything move! Or rather, I can make things inside the nested symbols move, but they don’t move in the actual composition! And layers are NOTHING like Photoshop or After Effects or Final Cut or Maya layers at all!
Was flash specifically designed to make me feel like a moron? Cuz I kinda feel like a moron right now.
So…is it a catch 22 that the class I’d need to understand this test is the same one that’s using it to screen applicants? :p
April 27th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Maybe these studios should host classes like this online for those of us who live nowhere near LA. Using a breeze presentation like Adobe.com would be a good way to do it. That would help a lot of us learn how to create animation in a more professional way. I’m working on an animation and would love to know how the pros do it. Looking at these .flas I’ve downloaded helps a lot. I was on right track with an unfinished animation I started in school and recently posted to Youtube to see how the playback would look. Although, now I’m creating another animation more traditionally but, in a totally digital manner. In other words, more hand drawn animation and fewer motion tweens.
@ James: You might be trying to use movie clips for video out put. If so, use graphic symbols. Movie clips are for internet usage.
April 28th, 2009 at 11:51 am
What a great thing! If I lived out there I would be doing the animation test to try and get in – will it be video taped at all?
April 29th, 2009 at 5:46 am
This is amazing! Good thing I found out before it’s too late!
April 29th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Good luck to all who applied and thanks to Aaron and the great studios out here in LA for offering such a rare opportunity!
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:56 am
I look forward to this fantastic experience that will add more
skill to my repertoire. And thank you Angelo for the heads up!!
July 5th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Curious how this went and if there might be another round.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:18 am
it was surely a success, and there have been discussions about future classes. however, the next one might be at a local university.