The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has just announced a family-friendly virtual workshop with some of the animation industry’s top artists, directors and collaborators. Participants will learn about a few styles of animation as well as the art of storyboarding, how to make a flip-book, creating characters, music, production design, voice acting and more.
The event will be hosted by animator Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life) and Brooke Keesling (Head of Animation Talent Development for Bento Box Entertainment and Student Academy Award winner), with special appearances by:
- Hyun-min Lee, animator (Frozen II)
- Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin, production designer (Trolls, Trolls World Tour)
- Michael Giacchino, composer (Up)
- Miguel Jiron, writer-director (Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham)
- Pete Docter, writer-director (Inside Out)
- Peter Ramsey, director (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)
- Pierre Coffin, director (Despicable Me)
- Priscilla Wong, visual development artist (Trolls)
Gutierrez co-wrote and directed The Book of Life (2014), which extended this effort to the big screen. He is currently working as the director, writer and character designer on the upcoming Netflix limited series Maya and the Three. Keesling produced the Student Academy Award winning film Boobie Girl (2002). She is the Vice President of ASIFA Hollywood, an active member of Women in Animation, and she teaches at CalArts.
The virtual workshop is set for 6 July 2020. Also note that the presentation video will be posted for viewing after the live event.