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Education // Professional programme

3D Animator

Performance // Movement // Behaviour

Programme focus

A performance-led animation programme grounded in acting, timing, weight, observation and behaviour. Traditional, physical and digital practices develop artists who can build truthful character and creature performances from blocking through final polish.

Curriculum // Complete route

Do not move a character. Understand it, inhabit it and let it perform.

01

Year 1

6 modules
01

Animation principles

The grammar that makes motion readable, intentional and alive.

Details +
TimingSpacingWeightArcsRhythmStaging
02

Acting & body mechanics

Observing intention and translating it through the body.

Details +
GesturePosturePhysical motivationPerformance referenceHuman behaviour
03

Analogue animation

Learning movement away from the interface.

Details +
DrawingStop motionPuppetsStoryboardPerformance in front of camera
04

3D animation & rigs

Turning observation into controlled digital performance.

Details +
Rig useBlockingSplinePolishFacial performance
05

Character & creature behaviour

Finding truth across realistic, stylised and non-human movement.

Details +
Character analysisAnimal behaviourCreature locomotionStylisationCartoon mechanics
06

Layout, shot & rhythm

Understanding performance as part of camera, edit and sequence.

Details +
CameraCompositionShot continuityEditing rhythmNarrative focus
02

Year 2

3 modules
01

Collective production

Animation inside a shared film pipeline with real schedules and reviews.

Details +
BriefingShot ownershipDailiesFeedbackDelivery
02

Shot practice

Complete performances shaped around each student's strengths.

Details +
Character actingCreature workLip syncRefinementFinal polish
03

Professional reel

Building a body of work that communicates performance and judgement.

Details +
Shot selectionShowreelPortfolioPresentationIndustry preparation

Objectives

What you learn.

  • Understand animation principles and their narrative application.
  • Build a strong foundation in acting, timing, weight and behaviour.
  • Connect movement with emotion and dramatic intention.
  • Combine traditional, physical and digital animation practices.
  • Own complete shots and collaborate inside a professional pipeline.

Professional paths

Where it leads.

  • Character Animator
  • Creature Animator
  • Lip-sync Artist
  • Layout Animator
  • Previs / 3D Storyboard Artist
  • Animation Generalist
  • Progression towards Lead, Supervisor or Animation Director

Who it is for

Your starting point.

  • People with sensitivity to movement, performance and gesture.
  • Students of film, art, animation or acting.
  • Artists interested in digital characters and creatures.
  • Self-taught profiles seeking a professional production environment.

Programme mentors

Supervision by people who make the work.

Alonso Varela

Founder & CEO, Filmmaker & Visual Effects Supervisor

Biography // Credits // Showreel ↗

Carolina Jiménez García

VFX & Layout Supervisor

Biography // Credits // Showreel ↗

Conor Ryan

Animation Director & Supervisor

Biography // Showreel ↗

Foni Ardao

Art Director

Biography // Credits ↗

Guy Hauldren

3D Scanning & Creative Technologies Specialist

Biography // Credits ↗

Admissions // Calls

Open calls for this programme.

admissions open

3D Animator // 2026—2028

Starts 1 October 2026
Application window open
20 places // on site

Apply to this call →

First contact // 3D Animator

Register your interest.

Tell us where you are starting from, what you want to learn and why this programme interests you. This creates an Education enquiry only — never a professional Recruitment record or a user account.

Data protection // First layer

Controller: JIMSONWEED, S.L. Purpose: review this enquiry and contact you about the selected programme. Basis: consent and pre-contractual steps you request. Retention: up to 24 months after the last meaningful interaction unless you withdraw consent or the law requires longer. Rights: seeds@jimsonweed.studio. Full Privacy Policy ↗

Education // 3D Animator

Every open call belongs to a programme.