Overview
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This Specialization, taught by industry professional Madison Erwin, is intended for experienced 3D animators seeking to advance their careers and expand opportunities. Through five courses, you will cover animation career planning, freelancing, studio navigation, asset monetization, and adapting skills across software. These skills will prepare you to succeed in both creative and business aspects of professional 3D animation.
Syllabus
- Course 1: Become a 3D Animator: Build Your Dream Animation Career
- Course 2: The Business of 3D Animation: Guide to Going Freelance
- Course 3: Navigate Your Dream Studio Job: Thrive in 3D Animation
- Course 4: Monetize Your 3D Art: Sell Assets & Grow Your Audience
- Course 5: Adapting Your 3D Skills: 3D Animation from Blender to Maya
Courses
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Open yourself up to more 3D animation opportunities by learning how to adjust your workflow in Blender to industry standards. Madison Erwin started her career as a 3D animator by teaching herself the ins and outs of 3D software like Blender and the workings of the animation industry. Just three years later, she’s gone on to work on projects like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, I Am Groot, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now Madison wants to share everything she learned and did to skyrocket her 3D career to the next level. Being self-taught in Blender, Madison had to learn to adjust to industry standard 3D animation software when she first started working for big animation studios. In this class, she wants to share how to make your transfer from Blender to other 3D softwares more manageable. By adjusting Blender’s layout, hotkeys and UI to make it more industry standard, you’ll be better prepared for learning new softwares and be able to unlock the next level in your animation career. With Madison as your guide, you’ll: * See how Blender compares to industry standard software like Maya * Discover what workflow to expect when working for a studio * Get a glimpse at what working in Maya is like * Customize your hotkeys and UI in Blender to match the workflow in Maya Plus, Madison shares a downloadable, industry-standard hotkeys script that you can easily add to Blender and start working with right away. Whether you’ve been working in Blender for years and are curious about transferring your skills to other softwares or you want to diversify your 3D animation knowledge from the start, you’ll leave this class with more knowledge on Maya as well as industry compatible hotkeys and UI adjustments for Blender, which will help open you up to more opportunities in the 3D animation industry. Previous Blender experience will be helpful for this class. You will need your computer, Blender, and your preferred note-taking tools. Instructor bio: Madison Erwin is a self-taught 3D animator based in LA. Known for her acting and animation skills, she successfully freelanced for a year before taking a role in-house at Sony. Her work has been featured in blockbuster films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Doctor Strange, the Disney Plus Series I Am Groot, and hit game Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
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Discover the must-knows of working in the 3D animation industry and where you and your unique goals fit in. Madison Erwin started her career as a 3D animator by teaching herself the ins and outs of 3D software like Blender and the workings of the animation industry. Just three years later, she’s gone on to work on projects like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, I Am Groot, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now Madison wants to share everything she learned and did to skyrocket her 3D career to the next level. In this class, Madison will guide you through what she wishes she knew when first transitioning from a hobbyist to a professional 3D animator. No matter if working in animation feels like a distant dream or is starting to become a reality, Madison can help you jumpstart your career path by teaching you the different 3D animation genres, different animation pipelines, and the different roles within those pipelines. With Madison by your side, you’ll: * Pinpoint the driving force behind why you want to work in 3D animation * Learn the general 3D animation pipeline and which part most interests you * Explore the three main animation genres * Create your plan for getting your ideal role in your desired genre Plus, Madison shares all of the tips and tricks she wishes she knew before getting started as a 3D animator including navigating overwhelm and the learning curve. Whether you’ve been creating 3D animations for years and are finally ready to turn your passion into a career or you just started animating in 3D and want to know more about getting a job as a professional animator, you’ll leave this class on a sustainable and optimized path towards landing opportunities in the 3D animation space all with a dedicated career goal in mind. You do not need any professional animation experience to take this class. You’ll need a journal and pen or your preferred note-taking system to follow along with these lessons. To continue learning more about building a successful 3D animation career, explore the entire "Become a Professional: Career Skills for Experienced 3D Animators" Specialization. Instructor bio: Madison Erwin is a self-taught 3D animator based in LA. Known for her acting and animation skills, she successfully freelanced for a year before taking a role in-house at Sony. Her work has been featured in blockbuster films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Doctor Strange, the Disney Plus Series I Am Groot, and hit game Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
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Monetize your passion for 3D by creating, marketing and selling your assets on a 3D e-commerce platform. Madison Erwin started her career as a 3D animator by teaching herself the ins and outs of 3D software like Blender and the workings of the animation industry. Just three years later, she’s gone on to work on projects like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, I Am Groot, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now Madison wants to share everything she learned and did to skyrocket her 3D career to the next level. In this class, Madison will guide you through getting your 3D asset from design and development to selling and marketing it online. By exploring the different 3D marketplaces, where you can market your final assets and how you might structure your business, you’ll be on your way to using your 3D assets as a new income stream, a passion project, or both! With Madison as your teacher, you’ll: * Find the best 3D marketplace for you and your goals * Finalize your business’ identity, branding, and ideal customer persona * Discover your primary and secondary marketing platforms * Maximize your potential profits with a quality marketing strategy Plus, Madison will walk you through what she’s learned since launching her own 3D animation studio and selling their assets online. Whether you’re a freelance animator trying to make some extra money or you’re working full time in the studio and you want a side hustle that will offer you more creative freedom, you’ll leave this class with a notebook full of ideas and strategies to finding success selling your 3D assets. You do not need professional experience as a 3D animator to take this class. You’ll need a journal and pen or your preferred note-taking system to follow along with these lessons. Instructor bio: Madison Erwin is a self-taught 3D animator based in LA. Known for her acting and animation skills, she successfully freelanced for a year before taking a role in-house at Sony. Her work has been featured in blockbuster films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Doctor Strange, the Disney Plus Series I Am Groot, and hit game Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
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Ease the transition from student to industry professional by learning how to navigate an in-studio 3D animation role. Madison Erwin started her career as a 3D animator by teaching herself the ins and outs of 3D software like Blender and the workings of the animation industry. Just three years later, she’s gone on to work on projects like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, I Am Groot, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now Madison wants to share everything she learned and did to skyrocket her 3D career to the next level. In this class, Madison will reveal how to start a 3D animation career and navigate your dream job without unnecessary stress or burnout. By learning how to vet contracts, navigate studio hierarchy, and properly handle feedback, you’ll move from a 3D animation student to an industry professional with ease. With Madison by your side, you’ll: * Craft a personalized career goal * Discover the ins and outs of contracts and studio hierarchy * Learn how to handle, implement, and ask for feedback * Build habits to maintain your energy and avoid burnout Plus, Madison will help you create a five-year plan and burnout prevention plan based on her own experience working in the 3D animation industry. Whether you’re a self-taught animator and are curious about what working at a studio would be like or you’re early on in your animation career and looking to sustain success, you’ll leave this class with the tools you need to build a solid career plan and deal with any bumps in the road as you go. You do not need professional experience as a 3D animator to take this class. You’ll need a journal and pen or your preferred note-taking system to follow along with these lessons. Instructor bio: Madison Erwin is a self-taught 3D animator based in LA. Known for her acting and animation skills, she successfully freelanced for a year before taking a role in-house at Sony. Her work has been featured in blockbuster films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Doctor Strange, the Disney Plus Series I Am Groot, and hit game Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
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Get your first gig by learning how to network and market yourself within the 3D industry. Madison Erwin started her career as a 3D animator by teaching herself the ins and outs of 3D software like Blender and the workings of the animation industry. Just three years later, she’s gone on to work on projects like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, I Am Groot, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now Madison wants to share everything she learned and did to skyrocket her 3D career to the next level. In this class, Madison will teach you how to nail down your niche and then market yourself and find clients within that niche. From creating your demo reel to finding your ideal audience to invoicing your clients, you’ll learn how to smoothly transition from animating as a hobby to securing multiple freelance gigs. With Madison as your teacher, you’ll: * Find your niche based on your skill set, previous experience, and interests * Market yourself with a quality website and LinkedIn page * Discover how to properly fill out job applications to book your first gig * Set your rate based on industry standards Plus, Madison will share her downloadable invoice template in the resources section so that you can keep your invoices clear and considerate. Whether you have just finished learning 3D animation and you’re ready to take things professional or you’ve already had a few professional gigs in animation and you want to solidify your freelance career, you’ll leave this class knowing what your niche is and how to market yourself correctly in that niche so that you can stand apart from other animators and get your dream gigs. You do not need professional experience as a 3D animator to take this class. You’ll need a journal and pen or your preferred note-taking system to follow along with these lessons. Instructor bio: Madison Erwin is a self-taught 3D animator based in LA. Known for her acting and animation skills, she successfully freelanced for a year before taking a role in-house at Sony. Her work has been featured in blockbuster films like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Doctor Strange, the Disney Plus Series I Am Groot, and hit game Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
Taught by
Skillshare