DNEG Hosts "Garfield" Screening Q&A 19 Sept 2024

As we extend a warm welcome to our new undergraduate students at Escape Studios this week, we're delighted to invite our students to a screening of The Garfield Movie with industry partners DNEG Animation tonight Thursday September 19th at 6.15pm. 

DNEG Animation is one of the UK's leading animation studios, and one of our key industry partners. 

Garfield Movie Screening with Q&A

The Garfield Movie with industry partners DNEG Animation is being screened tonight Thursday September 19th at 6.15pm at the Cineworld Cinema at the O2 in North Greenwich, next door to our new campus at 6 Mitre Passage.  Guests include Producer Shelley Smith and Lead Animator Santi Martinez. 

Welcome to Escape Studios

The Animator's Survival Kit

Meanwhile, undergraduate teaching starts on Monday 23rd September. You can see the full 2024-25 term dates here.   

6 Mitre Passage North Greenwich
Classes take place at our Greenwich Campus at 6 Mitre Passage SE10. 
  
Core Textbook - The Animator's Survival Kit

We recommend that all our animation students buy a copy of  The Animator's Survival Kit, by Richard Williams; now the standard textbook for animators and easily the most comprehensive book available for learning animation.

We have many copies in the Animation Library here at Escape Studios (we also have many other books on animation and digital film-making), but they are often out on loan so it's a good idea to get your own copy.

Laptop Recommended

We recommend that all our students have home access to a laptop computer if at all possible. Access to a computer at home enables our students to work from home and makes it easier to work outside studio hours.  

Computer specs change all the time but here is a useful guide to buying your own machine. Ideally, you would also have a second monitor, so that you can watch a tutorial on one screen and follow along on the other.  We also recommend using a tablet rather than a mouse.

Install Maya
The next thing to do is install your free copy of Autodesk Maya. Maya is the main software we animate with, nowadays it's the industry standard. You can download a free Educational License here.

Start Watching Our Tutorials
Start to learn the Maya interface. We offer our students a free playlist that introduces students to the basics of the Maya tools, to get you started.
It's a good idea to get familiar with Maya early on.

We also have a Vimeo Tutorial Channel which is exclusively for our students and recent Escapees. The Vimeo Tutorial Channel is password protected - email me for the password and you can access hundreds of videos on animation, games and VFX. Start with animation basics, and keep going.

"Jerich0" - BAFTA shortlisted

Understand the Course Structure
Familiarise yourself with how the course works. To get started, check out the links below:

• What's in the First Year Year at Escape Studios?
• Second Year at Escape Studios
• Third Year at Escape Studios
• Fourth and Final Year, (Integrated MArt)
• "The Escape Method"
• Learning Resources at Escape Studios
• How Feedback works at Escape Studios

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects.  To apply for one of our courses, follow this link.