Animation Mentor Support Center

Software Used at Animation Mentor

Animation Mentor uses a wide range of software for its courses. This article covers which software is used for each, as well as general software.

Where possible, we try and call out free software options.

Table of Contents:

 

Common Software

Overview: This section outlines common and helpful software for you to use regardless of the class or workshop you are attending.

 

Supported Web Browsers:

As an online school, a solid internet browser is a requirement. We strongly recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as your school browser as they are the most robust and will run the school campus best.

Image Editing Software:

We recommend that all students have at least a basic image editing application to resize, crop, and otherwise adjust images before posting to campus.

 

Video Editing Software:

Some sort of video editing software is needed for any of the animation courses and workshops. This is used to either export your animation into a format friendly for uploading to the AM Campus, or editing together multiple clips into a progress or demo reel.

 

My Files Pipeline - Artella Drive:

We utilize an asset management pipeline tool for our courses called Artella Drive. It is a cloud-based file storage and asset management system which provides a safe, secure place to work on your assignments. It also allows for mentors or support staff to easily look at and help you with your files.

Please make sure to read through and follow all of the tutorials provided in the Artella Drive Orientation to have a better understanding of how to use this system.

 

3D Animation Courses:

Character Animation Courses | Creature Animation Courses |  Cartoony Animation | Previs

Autodesk Maya or Equivalent Animation Software 

Maya 2020, 2022, and 2023.

We typically support the three most recent versions of Autodesk Maya. The caveat is that we always wait 9 months before supporting the latest release of Maya. This is to ensure there aren't any critical bugs that would adversely affect students.

Alternately you may use other equivalent 3D animation software, but will need to find suitable rigs yourself.

Once Maya is installed, check for and download the latest Maya service pack via the Autodesk Desktop App that was installed alongside Maya. This can be found in the Start Menu > Autodesk > Folder

 

Game Animation Courses

| Game Animation Fundamentals | Game Animation Mechanics | Game Animation Combat

In addition to Maya, the game animation courses utilize:

 

2D Animation Courses

| 2D Animation Basics | 2D Animation Walks & Character |

 

Storyboarding Courses

| Story 01 | Story 02 |

 

Design & Digital Art Courses

| Introduction to Digital Painting | Visual Development Principles of Design | Introduction to Character Design |

 

Other Software

Other helpful software that can make your life easier.

Winzip or 7Zip -  (Mac users can use the built-in Mac zip tool)

A compression utility tool is essential to working with compressed zip files. Animation Mentor uses zip files in a few instances and being able to extract the files and content from the zips is necessary to work with them. We recommend Winzip or 7Zip however any compression utility tool can be used provided it works with .zip files.


Keyframe MP

Keyframe MP is a video player you can use to scrub and playback your animation after playblasting it from Maya.

Keyframe MP Website

How to Install Keyframe MP

The Free version is all you will need for the course. The paid version includes audio scrubbing and more features which may be very useful for later acting and dialogue classes but is not required.

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