Teen Animators

[Ladymagpie]

I am considering purchasing this program to use for a middle school class on animation. Would the users of this program respond as to the ease of use for true beginners in the art of animation. I too will be learning with my students. Should we start smaller. I worry that the task may be daunting for teen animators.

[Rodney]

Lots of teenagers have learned to animate with Animation:Master so you are in good hands here.

 

This is the area I would focus on:

I too will be learning with my students. Should we start smaller. I worry that the task may be daunting for teen animators.

 

As an instructor/teacher, learning as you go can be a frustrating route for both you and your students.

You can overcome this by reviewing the exercises in the manual and their corresponding video tutorials.

Then you can at least refer the student to the correct location to get the information they need to work through the tutorials.

Of course, with each new class your confidence and understanding of animation will increase too.

 

The manual and technical reference are available online (PDF format):

http://www.hash.com/reference.htm

 

The exercise videos are online too:

http://www.hash.com/vm.htm

 

Hash Inc has some good deals on the manuals in printed form too but I'm not sure about all of that.

The best thing to do would be to contact them and they'll work with you.

 

As always, you can ask questions here.

We are all learning too.

 

Kids are creative and you'll have no problem getting them into animation.

As they discover what they can create, keeping them on task will be the real challenge for you!

[Jason Simonds]

I am considering purchasing this program to use for a middle school class on animation. Would the users of this program respond as to the ease of use for true beginners in the art of animation. I too will be learning with my students. Should we start smaller. I worry that the task may be daunting for teen animators.

 

 

Hello,

 

Also we send a DVD with all of the items listed in

http://www.hash.com/reference.htm

http://www.hash.com/vm.htm

 

That your school tech. can mount on a share drive so you are able to watch someone while you work. With out using up your schools in/out bound bandwidth.

 

If you have any more questions feel free to email orders@hash.com and we can help you out.

 

Thank you,

Jason Simonds

Hash, Inc.

[robcat2075]

I too will be learning with my students.

 

This is the one part I worry about. I recommend you be way ahead of your students before you start them.

[Darkwing]

well, i was what, 16 when I first started with AM a few years ago. Aside from dabbling with Anim8or first for a few months, I hadn't done anything 3d animated. Nearly four years later, I still feel like a beginner. I've learned a lot and can do a minuscule amount compared to what everyone else can do it seems, but it is a program that would be good for starting people out I think. The concepts are fairly basic and easy to grasp hold of, but yeah, learn a lot before you start teaching because it will get overwhelming fast!

[Rodney]

Robert mentioned the concern of teachers being ahead of students.

While this is very true, when it comes to completing the exercises in the manual this isn't as much of an issue as if there was no path charted out for the students. This is why its important to focus on the (provided) exercise tutorials.

 

With any technology it's relatively easy for a student with a passion for learning to surpass their teachers.

This can be especially true of computers. The important thing is that when those kids get to the end of their lessons they have a solid foundation to build upon.

 

I know we've had quite a few talented 13 year olds post their work here in the forum.

Learning is important but access is everything to the student.

Sure wish I had the chance to learn computer animation when I was in middle school.

[fae_alba]

I'm going to add my two cents worth. As it has already been posted, A:M is a great tool to learn the technical aspects of animation. The tutorials provided, the help available on this forum all lend to a solid product capable of producing quality work. However, one thing I see lacking, and fear would be missed in a class that focuses on animation, are all of the other aspects of animation. Story telling, writing, producing, acting. And yes, even for middle school students, the business of movie making. If students were given a solid foundation on these pieces of the process, they would be much better off. As the parent of a fine arts graduate who is now working as a ride operator at Disney, who was never taught, even in college, the business side of art, and of a high school student who is totally involved in creating her own graphic novel, I speak to this subject a wee bit.

 

My suggestion is, absolutely use A:M to teach your students. But also instill in them that to be a good, successful animator, you also need a strong foundation in traditional art (studio) business management (I think every one should have this!) writing, storytelling (not the same as writing), production, direction. Also that A:M is not the only application out there, and most studios want an artist with a good understanding of the above more than an expert in any one software product.

 

My two cents worth.

[Ladymagpie]

I want to thank everyone that replied to my post. Each of you has helped tremendously. I feel much more confident. AM is my first choice as it is a program which offers so much growth potential. To the parent who responded I too believe as you do that the art must be supported by foundations in story telling and business. the students in my district have access to a fantastic media arts studio at the high school level. It is my hope that my the students in my small after school program go on to enter that program. Thank you again for your help.

[Walter Baker]

Hi Ladymagpie,

I have been working with AM now for about 2 years and I would like to say that of the other programs I have played with AM is the best and by far the easiest.

But most of all this FORUM is outstanding. EVERYONE! has gone out of their way to help me with my many questions and problems. So do not hesitate to ask these great people for help or advice. It's kinda of a second home for me.

[John Bigboote]

Yes, use the forum to expedite learning...encourage your students to do the same. If you tell us generally where you are located, perhaps one of us is nearby and could attend a class...

[phatso]

If it's not unreasonable to assume you'll be starting the class in the fall - get A:M and spend the summer animating. There are basic mistakes everybody makes. (Like establishing a keyframe at some point in the animation, without first establishing a previous keyframe so the program knows when to start moving from one position to the next. It's 100 times easier to do in the right order, than to fix afterwards.) Then, when students trip over the same obstacles, you'll know what to tell them. DON'T wait to start until your students are starting. You'll be at sea.

 

It cannot be said too many times: go thru the exercises in the book, The Art of Animation Master. I've been thru them three times and one of these days I'm going to find time to make a fourth pass.

 

As you know, middle school students need rewards at every step to stay motivated. The problem with simpler programs is that they are limited, which will quickly lead to boredom. Once students have mastered a simple program, they will have to abandon it and start all over with a more capable one.

 

A:M, on the other hand, is like a tricycle that gradually morphs into a bike with training wheels, then a bike without training wheels, then a car, then an airplane, then a jet, then a rocket. Students can start simple and take it a very long way.

[Gerry]

A:M, on the other hand, is like a tricycle that gradually morphs into a bike with training wheels, then a bike without training wheels, then a car, then an airplane, then a jet, then a rocket. Students can start simple and take it a very long way.

Amen to that! A great analogy.