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What if this course is not for me? Do you offer refunds?
Due to the nature of this video class format, I am unable to offer refunds. Please do your research ahead of time and be sure this information is beneficial to you before buying.
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Is this a subscription site, constantly updated with new content? Or a curated archive of information?
Animation Sherpa is a curated archive of information, and not a subscription site dedicated to a constant stream of new content. I'm excited to support each course with edits, adjustments and the occasional new lecture video. And this content will be added at no additional cost to the enrolled students. Gaining access to the ample content already available should be considered the reason for enrolling. There is no specific schedule for new content. If/when new content is added, it'll be to cover holes in the existing curriculum.
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Can I download the lecture videos?
No. Due to many reasons spanning from piracy concerns to tax and legal concerns. I understand how much more convenient that would be though. If I figure out a way around the reasons preventing me from doing this, I will.
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What animation package are you training in? Will Space Switching work in all animation packages?
The “Space Switching” course focuses exclusively on Autodesk Maya. Many of the principals can be transferred to other animation software, but the specific steps are using Maya.
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How long will I have access to the content, and will I ever be charged again? By enrolling in one course, do I gain access to all course topics?
There is no recurring monthly fee. One you're enrolled, you have access for the life of the site. By purchasing access to a course, you're gaining access to that specific course only. As new courses are introduced, folks already enrolled in a course will receive a discount on enrollment for other courses. (Details TBD)
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I have feedback on the information provided! How do I reach you?
I love feedback and want your experience here to be the best it can be! I plan to iterate on the content available whenever I can. This means I can clarify any confusion on a given topic. Provide more documentation. Re-record or add new recordings on Space Switching topics when necessary. Any updates I make to the course will be free to users who have purchased the course. You can reach me at: [email protected] - I can't promise to incorporate every bit of feedback, but I am listening.
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I'm looking for a mentor and/or direct training. Do you offer one-on-one mentorship or a live classroom? Will I gain access to you directly by purchasing?
Although I can’t provide one-on-one mentorship, the course provides a section for students to ask questions. I usually respond in less than 24 hours. But other students may see your question and dive in with a response as well. All courses use a video vault format for streaming pre-recorded lectures.
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I know you'll be teaching Space Switching, but will this include information on Acting, Posing, the 12 principles, etc...?
The Space Switching course is limited to the topic of Space Switching. This does NOT include information on the 12 principles of animation, posing, acting, etc… If you are new to animation and do not yet know animation basics, this course is not advised. I’ll be covering more course topics in the future which may be a better fit.
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Do you offer enterprise accounts?
Not at this time. Access is purchased per-individual. Refer to the Terms of Use page for more information. https://animationsherpa.thinkific.com/pages/terms
FAQ
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I work in film using referenced rigs and layers, will I benefit from this course?
In general, yes. Though I do not personally work in film and never have, I can say that this workflow can apply to any rig that has translation and rotation accessible. Having referenced rigs do not prevent any of the lectures from being useful. Layers can still be used with this workflow as well. I use layers all the time myself. But there's one big caveat here: Baking and constraining do not always function properly with active layers. Therefore, I often do my layer work, merge, switch spaces, and resume layering from there.
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Does this course teach us specific steps, or is it more conceptual?
A bit of both, though the real value is in the concepts driving the steps. Even though I do provide step-by-step instructions for the examples in the lectures, there is no way I can cover every possible scenario we encounter each day. The topic of animation is vast, and often unique to our pipelines, projects, and industries. Any animation training that says "do these steps and you'll be successful" is making a claim they cannot possibly fulfill. So I focus on the core concepts behind the workflow, and do my best to train animators on how to see motion in a new way. I believe that, if we can all see motion as separate from our rigs. That if we can see how motion in our scene can be used to make new motion. That if we can see how to automate, never counter animate, isolate movement... We'll be better prepared to solve our own unique challenges as they arise.