© 1986-2024 DISNEY / PIXAR
Professional Mentorship Program in
3D Character
Animation
Take Your Reel to the Next Level
Program DirectorKike Oliva
Senior Character Animator at Animal Logic
VOXEL SCHOOL - TOP 10WORLD'S BEST SCHOOLS FOR ANIMATION
Professional Mentorship Program in3D Character Animation
Take your reel to the next level with the help of the world's leading animators.
A programme designed in collaboration with the best animators from Netflix, Fortiche, El Ranchito and Skydance that will help you create a reel that will give you access to the big studios.
Led by Kike Oliva, one of Spain's top animators, who has worked for major studios such as Pixar and Sony Pictures and is currently a senior animator at Animal Logic. In this mentorship, you will also be mentored by Jordi Solanes, Lead Animator at Fortiche, creators of the acclaimed Arcane, and by Carlos García Barragán, animation supervisor at El Ranchito.
This programme will help you reach your full potential in the different areas that a character animation reel needs to be attractive to a major studio.
Create a breakthrough reel that gives you access to the best animation studios in the world.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE? Contact us
Kike OlivaProgram Director
Senior Character Animator at Animal Logic
Since 1998, Kike Oliva has been an animator on projects ranging from 3D animated feature films to video games, commercials, and VFX films. He has worked at world-renowned studios such as Pixar, Animal Logic, Ilion Animation, El Ranchito, The Frank Barton Company, and Image Engine, among others.
His notable projects include: “Toy Story,” “Cars,” “The Little Prince,” “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu,” "Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom,“ ”Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,“ ”Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole,“ ”Magic Kingdom,“ ”Mortadelo and Filemón: Mission: Save the Earth,“ and ”Planet 51."
Mentors
In this professional character animation mentoring programme, mentors lead activities with a very small group of students.
This approach allows for close, personalised monitoring, ensuring highly valuable learning. Each week, you will work alongside your mentor to review and refine your work. This constant feedback will help you improve the quality of your pieces, taking them to the highest level while building a professional portfolio that will stand out in the industry.
Jordi Solanes
Lead Animator at Fortiche Production
With 16 years of experience in the industry, he has developed his career at studios such as Skydance, Ilion, Mikros and Dneg, working on films such as Venom, Wonder Park, Luck and Mortadelo y Filemón. He currently works at Fortiche Las Palmas as Lead Animator. With the second season of Arcane now complete, he is immersed in the development of the studio's new projects.
Carlos García Barragán
Animation Supervisor at El Ranchito
Carlos has specialised in creature animation and animation for VFX since 2016. He has participated in creature animation on a wide variety of projects, including Dumbo, The Lion King, two seasons of The Witcher, and I am Groot, among others. He is currently the supervisor of the animation department at El Ranchito, where he has supervised the animation for the project The Snow Society, winner of 12 Goyas and nominated for an Oscar.
Technical Mentor
To assist you throughout the training, you will have a technical mentor to help you with the day-to-day aspects of your work.
Pablo Jiménez
Lead Animator
Pablo has extensive experience as a character animator and has worked for major companies such as Core Animation, Cinesite, Mikros Animation and Paramount Animation. He currently works as Lead Animator at B-Water Studios, where he has participated in projects such as Warner Bros.' ‘The Tiger's Apprentice’, ‘Dragon Keeper’ and ‘Mummies’.
HOW WILL YOU WORK ON YOUR REEL?
9 months - BLENDED ONLINE LEARNING
Each week, you will meet with your director or mentor to follow up on your work, and you will complete your training with specialised workshops and a quarterly Brain Trust.
Finish the Mentorship by presenting your portfolio at the Annecy International Festival.
BLOCK #1
Project 3D Character Animation forBody Mechanics
You will work on realistic and dynamic movements in animated characters.
Through studies of anatomy, principles of physics, and cinematographic techniques, you will perfect the simulation of physical actions that reflect weight, force, and fluidity.
Perfect for animators who want to elevate their technical and expressive skills, preparing them for professional challenges in film, video games, and digital animation.
BLOCK #2
Project 3D Character Animation forActing
Take your acting shots to the next level, bring characters to life through movements, facial expressions and gestures that convey emotions, personality and narrative.
Master dialogue animation through complex acting shots.
BLOCK #3
Project 3D Character Animation forCreature animation
Explore the art of animating wildlife and mythical creatures in this block.
You will learn to analyse and replicate the natural movement of various animals, adapting it to imaginary beings with advanced animation techniques.
Delve into biomechanics, expression and visual storytelling, preparing you to create compelling characters in cinematic environments.
Methodology
The program is based on a completely practical dynamic in which the student works alongside their mentors on real industry case studies, personally works on the guidelines received, and will have a review of the work done with real-time feedback every week. At the end of each quarter, they will present their progress to a brain trust, in the style of the major studios in the sector.
WORKSHOP
Consists of a training session designed to prepare participants for each stage of the program. It helps establish the foundations and ensure that participants understand the next steps.
CASE STUDY
An analysis of specific digital art projects will be conducted that serve as practical examples exploring the challenges, decisions, and solutions involved in creating digital works. By studying these cases, artists can gain valuable knowledge.
INDIVIDUAL WORK
The student will have time to execute, independently, what has been learned with the aim of improving their skills and exploring their creativity. This fundamental component involves working self-discipline to advance in their career and perfect their skills.
WEEKLY
Weekly, and hand in hand with a mentor, the student will submit their project for review and receive direct feedback. The idea behind the 'weekly' in the program is to maintain a regular structure for interaction and creative development, providing the opportunity to improve, learn, and connect with colleagues.
BRAIN TRUST
A group of experts with diverse experience and knowledge within the industry provide creative guidance to students. This group will address your end-of-quarter work by giving feedback to maximize the quality and success of the project.
TRIP TO ANNECY FESTIVAL
This trip is the end of the mentorship program. You will attend together with your classmates and mentors the renowned French festival, the most important in Europe, to present your portfolio demo-reel.
BRAIN TRUST
REVIEW YOUR WORK WITH A PANEL OF EXPERTS
At the end of each block, you will culminate the progress of your portfolio by presenting your work before the “brain trust”: a group of experienced professionals, emulating the evaluation processes of the main studios in the sector.
This cycle of practical and continuous learning guarantees you the development of applicable skills in the real world, preparing you for the challenges of the industry.
This is your program if...
You are a graduate in animation and want to specialize in character animation.
You are an artist in the entertainment industry working in film, television, video games, or other media and want to improve your technique.
You are self-taught with practical experience who wants formal training and mentorship from experts to improve your work as well as professional opportunities.
You are an animation professional looking to perfect your skills and advance in your career and contribute significantly to projects and teams.
REQUEST INFORMATION
Through the following form, you will contact an academic advisor who will inform and guide you through the entire process to study at Voxel School.
