Agora.Community

When you finish your study, you may think you’re ready to get your first job in the industry. A lot of us know, that’s not always the case. There’s a simple mistake that a lot of grads make, and this is what it usually is!

Do you see yourself sitting in the chair animating, modeling, rigging, compositing or whatever you do for the rest of your life? Even when you’re 60 years old? For a lot people the answer is no. If this is you, you should have an exit strategy. You should also listen to this clip to get some insight into how you can develop one.

When’s the best time to start developing your own personal brand? The answer is right now! Yesterday, even! This is a great clip if you need some inspiration in kickstarting your own personal brand and why you should start asap!

Do you think you need to be a creative genius in order to build a career on YouTube? The answer might not be what you think. In this clip, Manny Fragelus gives an example of someone he knows and how they have built a solid living off of producing videos on Youtube.

When people think of branding, they usually think of a brand logo. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Branding goes so much deeper than a pair of golden arches. Some great things to consider in this clip from our conversation with Manny Fragelus.

A question was asked during our stream with Manny Fragelus about how to brand as a freelancer. The team get into a pretty lengthy discussion about the different types of branding and how you can use it to its fullest potential when freelancing.

Manny is the founder and CEO of CG Master Academy , a leading online digital arts school that provides students from all over the world access to top-quality professionals that work at major studios such as Pixar, Disney, and Dreamworks Animation. In this discussion, we'll discuss the rise of online education, the creation and operation of one of the most successful online schools in our industry,...

Does your animation need to look good from all angles? Interesting question…it depends! Listen to this clip to know when it’s ok to break your rig and achieve a great pose to the camera, and when it’s not ok.

Background characters are an important part if any animated film or game. They bring life to every scene. But, how do you animate background characters without them overshadowing the main character in the scene?

In this clip from our Q&A session, David and brent answer the question, what exactly should go on a demo reel catered to Creature animation? If you’re considering a career in VFX, this is definitely one for you!

The standard walk cycle is a staple in your education as an animator. But once you’ve mastered the vanilla walk cycle, how do you punch it up with some personality? Listen in to hear David and Brent’s thoughts!

The age-old question! Do I block my animation in stepped or in spline? In this clip from our Q&A session, David and Brent give their personal experiences and advice on which method you should use, when you should use it and why!

In this episode of our Q & A sessions, David and Brent answer some great questions about what should your curves be when blocking, a personal question about if what they're doing now is what they envisioned for their lives, and how to animate walks with personality. You can also check out our Agora Bites clips if you want to listen to a specific question from this episode! Subscribe to our cha...

Really going after your goals can mean a lot of sacrifices. You might need to put down the remote, or controller. Marc-Olivier has first-hand experience in this. However, you don’t have to sacrifice these things, but this is when you have to listen to and trust your gut.

The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Marc gives his thoughts of risk vs. reward when starting a studio.

Marc-Olivier runs Keos Masons, a company dedicated to providing high-end models for video games and more. If you’re interested in modeling, or an animator that wants to get more of an idea of what makes a good model, this Agora. Bite is for you!

Two key ingredients that make up the equation of getting employed. Some great thoughts in this clip. Listen and be inspired!

The craze has hit us, everyone should know what an NFT is by now, but if you don’t, have a listen to this clip and get listen to what our gang and Marc-Olivier think of this new phenomenon.

Crunch time, a thousand different projects going at once, or agreeing to a crazy amount of work for little pay. All of these things can push us to our absolute limits. Doesn’t sound like fun, does it? In this clip Marc-Olivier and the gang discuss that while it may not be recommended, there can be some valuable reasons to do this at least once in your life.

It’s no doubt that having a mentor, someone that has succeded in doing what you want to do, can be an absolute game changer. But, where do you find mentors? And when you find someone you’d like to mentor you, how do you approach them? There are some great insights in this clip from our conversation with Marc-Olivier Plouffe!

Marc-Olivier is a veteran character artist and co-founder of Keos Masons , an outsourcing company that provides character modeling and concept design services for the video game, movie, and collectible industries. With contributions to franchises such as Fortnite, Borderlands, the Elder Scroll, Rainbow 6, and Batman Arkham City to name a few, their rapid rise to success is undeniable. If you'd lik...

This is a double-headed question! David thinks it means an artist is unhappy on their current team and wants to switch. Do they contact HR? Brent takes it to mean the artist wants to join a particular studio. Listen to both of their answers!

Body mechanics can be a tough one to come to grips with. If they are incorrect, anyone watching your animation will spot it. Here are some great ideas on what you can learn to help improve your body mechanic animation.

Imagine you are working on a project and it’s just broken. There are things happening in your scene that make it 10 times harder to animate. Do you start from scratch with a cleaner setup, or do you continue to fight with the issue until the work is done? David and Brent discuss their thoughts, because it can be a tricky one if you’re working in a large studio!

A question was asked in our Q & A about what are the studios with the best working conditions? Have a listen to this clip to get an idea of what some good studios are and what to look out for when it comes to the best working conditions.