Becca Romeo, Industry Relations Manager

You. Your passion. Your work. All of those things I love. Absolutely love. And all of those things that you bring make Animation Mentor … well, Animation Mentor.

I’ve always felt that our strong curriculum and interactive student community help our students develop their talents and skills — and help many of them transition successfully to a professional environment. During the program and long after graduation, people from all over the world with different backgrounds, experiences, and goals provide feedback; share ideas; and support each other. These factors alone make for an incredible experience.

And that’s why I’m so excited that the Animation Mentor experience is now greatly enhanced with our introduction of the studio school.

Real Industry Skills in a Real Production Environment
What, may you ask, does this mean? During your training, you learn how to give and receive feedback, how to take direction, and how to work with people from other disciplines. You learn how to pitch your ideas with confidence, when to ask questions, and when to listen instead of talk (this is very important). You learn how to apply your director’s feedback so you can create an amazing shot — even if the shot is not your original idea. All of these skills are expected of you if you want to be successful in this industry, regardless of where you work.

More Compliments and More Meaning
It’s always been such a pleasure to receive so many compliments from industry professionals about our alumni. And while our curriculum and community continue to be incredibly strong, I feel that our new additions take the collective Animation Mentor experience to a whole new level. Even if you’ve never had professional experience, you can still demonstrate in an interview that you understand the principles of collaboration … and you can still share your knowledge of best practices from an industry perspective.

Remember, in most cases, if you’re called in for an interview — that means someone (if not an entire team) already likes your reel. Sure, I agree that getting an interview is “all about the reel.” But getting hired involves so much more. So it’s important to show the interview team that what you bring to the table is a “complete package.” This is important: Always think about what you can bring to the team. If you can’t work with other people professionally or can’t learn best practices in a production environment, it will likely limit your opportunities in this industry — regardless of talent. But with an Animation Mentor education under your belt, you can take comfort in knowing that you have been trained in a production environment and are well-versed in studio best practices and workflows, and know the ins and outs of collaboration.

Your Dreams Will Always (Always) Inspire
Over the years, I’ve worked with many alumni who have the dream of working at a studio. I’ve also met many other students who have different dreams. Some people are not in the position to relocate, so their goal is to freelance remotely. Some people dream about directing their own short film. I’ve worked with some alumni who dream of opening their own studio.

And yet, it always comes back to you. Our new offerings are for you. Whether your interests lie in animation or visual effects — I strongly believe the skills you learn during your experience with us, no matter what your long-term goals are, will ultimately benefit you when you start your personal journey as an artist to pursue your dreams. With classes starting at $1,999, I’m thrilled that Animation Mentor is now able to provide our offerings at a lower price so more people from around the world can benefit from this unique and innovative educational experience.

I look forward to seeing you in the studio school.

— Becca