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You may have heard the term ‘technical animator’, but what exactly is a technical animator and what is the difference from a regular animator? Also, why you'll definitely get a job if you think you're a technical animator!

Animation tests. Are they still around and are they really necessary? Listen to the gang’s thoughts on this topic of why studios may still be asking for you to complete an animation test for them.

Did a studio give you a test and then get asked for an interview? Well, that’s a good sign! How should you prepare for this interview with a studio that seems interested?

Did you party a little too hard on the weekend and have incriminating evidence blasted across Facebook? How mindful should we be of our social media accounts when applying for a job?

We all have access to great learning material in this digital age, so how exactly can an animation artist stand out amongst the crowd of so many other talented artists? Find out in this clip.

In this clip from our Q & A session, the gang talks about what differentiates the two types of programmers that you’ll find in any given studio. Handy to know if you want to be a programmer and what direction to head in!

A question that gets asked all too often. Do you need contacts to get into the industry, and if so, how do you get those contacts?

It’s often asked if motion capture will eventually replace keyframe animation. We discussed this very issue in our conversation with J.D. Haas. In this clip, the team re-enforces how you can use mocap to become a better animator!

We want to make our demo reels as appealing as possible for the studios we are applying to, but how much do we really need to put on them? It is important to include quadruped animation?

In the second episode of our Q&A series with David and Brent, the dynamic duo answers the following questions:How important is it to have a quadruped animation on your reel?Will learning motion capture acting and creature work help me become a better animator?Do you need connections/recommendations to help you get into the industry?What differentiates an animation programmer from a gameplay programmer?How can I develop unique skills and quality to stand out?How mindful should we be about studios doing an in-depth social media search on us when considering you for a job? What are some tips or advice to prepare me for an interview after completing a test? What do you think about animation tests at the point of getting hired?What is the difference between a technical animator and a regular animator?You can also check out our Agora Bites clips if you want to listen to a specific question from this episode!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community and sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening! Enjoy!

Revisions. We all get them, and depending on what field of animation you work in, you may get 100 of them. In our conversation with J.D. Haas, the team talk about the right mindset to help you push through another revision.

J.D. was asked if he thought mocap would eventually take over keyframe animation. His answer is a flat out "No". The team then go on to discuss mocap and how it can actually help make you a better animator!

"Surely you just push a button and it moves?" How many times have we heard this and many other misconceptions about what we do in our day to day jobs? In this fun little clip J.D. Haas and the team talk about some of the misconceptions they've heard!

We are definitely living in a new normal. It's been proven that artists can work from home, and some even preferring this, or wanting a hybrid lifestyle. What does J.D. Haas think the future of WFH is going to be? Find out in this clip.

Full-time positions in the animation industry. Do they exist? And if so, how and where do I get this elusive Golden Ticket? Find out in this sound bite from our conversation with J.D. Haas.

J.D. Haas and the gang discuss how animation may not be for everyone. Listen to this bite to find out why!

In this clip from our conversation with J.D. Haas the team ask him if he had any advice to his younger self when getting into the industry, what would it be?

A conversation with Jean-Denis Haas, associate animation supervisor at ILM, a teacher at Animation Mentor, Spungella Animation Workshop, and the Academy of Art University here in San Francisco. We'll get his perspective on the state of the industry, its evolution over time, where it's going, his experience as an animator in VFX for more than 17 years at ILM, his teaching experience at Animation Mentor, and is one of the most prolific content creators of our industry.Check out his YouTube Channel here:https://www.youtube.com/c/JeanDenisHaas/featuredAnd if you'd like to watch this episode you can find it here:https://agora.community/content/a-conversation-with-jean-denis-haasALso check out Agora.Community for daily content, free rigs and assets, and order an animation review from one of our industry experts:https://www.agora.communityThanks for listening!

Overtime is a common thing in our industry. In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent discuss if overtime is really worth it, given how our productivity declines the longer we work. Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent talk about getting into the industry if you don't have good acting or lip sync skills and if they are really that essential.Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent talk about the learning process of animation and just how long it may take to become good enough to start getting employed. Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent give some ideas about what it takes to become a good animator.Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, Brent talks about video game animation and how to animate characters interacting with each other. Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent talk about how feedback from your lead, supervisor, or director doesn't necessarily mean you're an incompetent animator!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent talk about the red flags that you as an employee should look out for when interviewing for a studio.Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent give some more ideas about the interview process and any questions they may ask to see if you really know what you're talking about!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community to watch the full episode and also sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our first Q & A session, David and Brent give some ideas about the interview process and any questions they may ask to see if you really know what you're talking about!

The first episode in our weekly series of Q & A live streams with David and Brent. In these episodes, the duo answer questions from our chat and backlog of unanswered questions from the 'Conversation With' streams.This episode contains questions such asWhat does it take to be a good animator?Is overtime worth it?What are some employer red flags?You can also check out our Agora Bites clips if you want to listen to a specific question from this episode!Don't forget to head on over to agora.community and sign up for access to more free resources, animation reviews and content. Thanks for listening!

In this clip from our Meet The Expert chat with Amaru Zeas, he answers a question from chat about will the new processes in technology eventually replace the need for artists?

In this clip from our Meet The Expert chat with Amaru Zeas, he answers a question from the chat about where to start when learning Unreal Engine.

In this clip from our 'Meet The Expert' episode with Amaru Zeas, he and Brent answer a question from the chat about staying out of the rabbit hole of information that is suggested content on streaming services.

In our Meet The Expert episode with Amaru Zeas, he explains to us the vastly growing technology of Megascans and creating assets for Unreal Engine.

In our Conversation With Samantha Youssef, she touches upon how important it is to physically understand your reference. You might not be a pro skateboarder, you're not expected to know how to do a flip, but at least get out of your chair and strike a pose to understand kinetically what is going on behind the shape!

Aka: Why 2D is still so relevant! In our conversation with Samantha Youssef, the gang talked about the fundamentals of 2d animation and classic art skills and why they are still so important in an industry that is predominantly 3D.

In our conversation with Samantha Youssef, she touches upon her experience with feelings of frustration when she saw people in higher positions that she felt she was technically better than and what you need to realize when those feelings crop up.

In this clip from our conversation with Samantha Youssef, she discusses how animation really is a team sport. Samantha relates how she would sometimes get upset with the feedback she'd receive until she realised this very important point when being on a team.

In our conversation with Samantha Youssef, we asked if she had any advice on students who are about to graduate. Watch the video for her response with a little bonus tip at the end!

Amaru Zeas is a prolific Senior Level 3D artist working at Amazon Game Studios (please see below for links to his amazing work!).Amaru has just finished a beautiful short film "Life Hunter" https://www.artstation.com/artwork/J9qxav and is currently finishing an Agora Learning Path, where he'll be sharing with you his process for producing such high fidelity cinematics inside Unreal Engine 4. The Learning Path will cover topics such as: Look Development, Lighting, Rendering and VFX.Come hang out with this amazingly talented individual!https://twitter.com/AmaruZeas3Dhttps://www.amaruzeas3d.com/https://www.artstation.com/amaruzeashttps://www.behance.net/amaru3d

Samantha is the founder and Artistic Director of Studio Technique. She is the creator of The Youssef Drawing Syllabus, an elite figurative drawing program for professional artists. She is the author of the book Movement & Form, the first volume of her three part drawing program.Due to her experience in both the animation and dance industries, Samantha is internationally recognized as a leading authority on functional anatomy, body mechanics, and animation performance in the feature film industry and consults on blockbuster film productions, as well as AAA titles in the gaming industry, across North America and Europe.She has worked as a character animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios, as well as other feature film productions. She directed cinematic sequences and commercials at Ubisoft Digital Arts, and is an award winner at the Toronto International Film Festival for her animated short film La Fuga Grande Film and gaming animation studios employ her to train their artists, and she has done masterclasses for animation studios and colleges around the world. Samantha has been featured in the media, including Chatelaine Magazine, Musique Plus, and Wired Magazine, among other publications, interviews and documentaries.