Animation Bootcamp
Create Beautiful Movement in After Effects
Animation Bootcamp teaches you the art of beautiful movement. In this course, you'll learn the principles behind great animation, and how to apply them in After Effects. By the end of this course, you'll have multiple animated videos, created with professional assets and guidance that can be added to your portfolio.
Class Start Date:
August 7, 2023
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
Course Length:
Session Duration:
12 Weeks
3 Payments of
Instant Access! Start learning immediately.
100% Free! Start learning immediately.
This Course Bundle Includes:
12 Weeks
of video lessons,
guides, and access to our 24/7 motion community
podcasts, guides, and support
from our amazing team!
guides, and access to our
24/7 motion community!
podcasts, guides, and access to
our 24/7 motion community!
podcasts, guides, community
and critique from pros!
WEEK 1
Get comfy with After Effects
Animation Bootcamp is meant to be a challenge, so we’re starting off with an evaluation to see exactly where you’re starting out. Your TA will also help orient you to how the course will progress so you can prepare for the work ahead.
Steepness equals Speed
Start the week by learning how keyframes—and the space between—affect your animation. You’ll gain an understanding of easing, which enables you to create animation that “feels right.” In the second part of the week, you’ll apply your knowledge of spacing using a Value Graph.
Arcs and Oscillations
This week we'll introduce the Speed Graph and work on curved motion. Once you have an understanding of both Speed and Value graphs, it’s time to put them to work on your first two Principles of Animation: Anticipation and Overshoot.
Bounces, Impacts, Overlaps
Now that you know the foundations of making a realistic animation, master a realistic ball bounce using: regular rubber, a golf ball, and a bowling ball. This exercise will have you really thinking about how animation should look and feel. You’ll also learn about the animation principles Follow-Through and Overlapping Animation, adding another level of realism with swaying, trailing, or secondary elements such as tails and feathers.
Squashes, Stretches, Secondary Animation
This week, you will add realism through Squash and Stretch. This important principle helps reinforce weight and volume in a mass as it moves and collides with other objects. We’ll also cover adding secondary animations to your work, which are flourishes that add visual excitement and reinforce movement.
How to work faster
Our courses are intense, use this focus week to finish any work you haven't gotten to. You’ll also have access to bonus content covering Extensions and Scripts in After Effects, allowing you to automate tedious tasks and improve your workflow.
Eye Trace and More
Now that you have the basics down, let's explore some more advanced concepts. You’ll work on mastering two "non-traditional" principles of animation: Reinforcing Movement and Eye Trace. These are both especially important in Motion Design where you aren't always working with Character. Instead your job is to guide the viewer's eye through the motion of the designs on screen.
Breaking the Rules
Once you master the principles of animation, you can bend them to your will. During this final week, have some fun creating a non-traditional piece that mimics stop motion in After Effects. After that you’ll start the final assignment, putting all your skills together to animate a full :60 second piece. Get ready to set a lot of keyframes!
Extended Critique Period
The final 4 weeks of class are Extended Critique. You can use this time to catch up, complete your final project, and then turn it in for critique.
Learn the secrets of high-end work
Better than in-person training
School of Motion instant-access courses are unlike anything you've ever experienced. Along with world-class training, you'll also get access to tons of professional project files and a 24/7 network of likeminded artists, and more support than you'll know what to do with.
Over 20,000 artists have taken School of Motion courses, find out what all the hype is about.
School of Motion courses are unlike anything you've ever experienced. Along with world-class training, you'll also get 1-on-1 feedback from an industry pro, a 24/7 network of likeminded artists, and more support than you'll know what to do with.
Over 17,000 artists have taken School of Motion courses, find out what all the hype is about.
This instant-access course features
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
Support from the School of Motion team
Reach out to our incredible support team at any time to answer questions about the material, or to help you find the best way to achieve your career goals. We are here to help.
This instant-access course features
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Real-world examples and video training
We go above and beyond when producing our courses, making sure that the curriculum is presented in the right order, with the right examples, and using the best practices currently used in the industry. In short, you're learning to do things the way they're done in the real world.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
A world-wide artist community
You’ll gain instant access to our 24/7 motion design community, The Square. Here you can network with professional artists at every stage of their career. You’ll get to meet new friends, ask for help, and build your network.
This instant-access course features
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Real-world examples and video training
We go above and beyond when producing our courses, making sure that the curriculum is presented in the right order, with the right examples, and using the best practices currently used in the industry. In short, you're learning to do things the way they're done in the real world.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
A world-wide artist community
You’ll gain instant access to our 24/7 motion design community, The Square. Here you can network with professional artists at every stage of their career. You’ll get to meet new friends, ask for help, and build your network.
What makes us different?
Cohort-Based Learning
Join artists from around the world on our custom learning platform. Never learn alone, as you’ll have immediate access to a forum of fellow students to share work, ask questions, and improve together.
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Technical and creative support along the way
You’ll be assigned a Teaching Assistant with years of experience in your chosen course. They’ll provide technical and creative feedback to guide you through new skills, improve your techniques, and provide encouragement along your journey.
Verified credential upon course completion
Completing a course isn’t just about bragging rights. Once you’ve completed at least 70% of your work in a given course, you’ll earn a verified credential that can show current and future employers exactly what you’ve accomplished.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
A world-wide alumni community
You’ll gain instant access to our alumni platform, The Square. Here you can network with professional artists at every stage of their career. You’ll get access to new job opportunities and exclusive alumni events, such as meetups, virtual hangouts and reel reviews.
Meet your instructor
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Joey Korenman
School of Motion Founder
Prior to starting School of Motion, Joey was the Creative Director and Lead Animator at Toil in Boston, MA. There he lead projects for clients like Subway, McDonalds, Progressive, Saucony, and many other high-profile brands. He has also freelanced extensively for studios and agencies, working on network rebrands for Speed, Discovery, HBO, and SyFy. He's been using After Effects for close to 20 years and is one of the baldest dudes you'll ever meet.
School of Motion alumni work at
companies like these
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Our no-risk money back policy
We want to make sure you have a positive learning experience with us, so for any session based course you're enrolled in, you can request a refund any time within 30 days of purchase.
We want to make sure you have a positive learning experience with us, so for any session based course you're enrolled in, you can request a refund up until the end of Week 3 of the course
Registration Opens
June 24, 2023
Class Start Date:
August 7, 2023
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
Course Length:
Session Duration:
12 Weeks
3 Payments of
Instant-Access! Start learning immediately.
100% Free! Start learning immediately.
Join over 20,000 alumni around the globe
Frequently Asked Questions
This course is a good fit for those that are comfortable using After Effects and are looking to take their work to the next level. Animation Bootcamp teaches the principles of animation that push you to learn beyond the After Effect's interface. After all, there's much more to being animator than simply being good at After Effects.
The minimum software requirements are:
- Adobe After Effects CC 2014 (13.0 or Higher)
- Adobe Flash Professional CC 2014 (14.0 or Higher - Important Note: This is now called Adobe Animate CC as of version 2015.1 (15.1)
*To access other students' project files you will likely need the most current version of After Effects.
Animation Bootcamp is a 12 week course. You'll have the flexibility to watch the course content and complete your course work on your schedule. However, you can expect to commit at least 15 - 20 hours per week on course material. The video lesson are 1-2 hours in length. There are 13 assignments total. Assignments are typically assigned on Mondays and Thursdays with soft deadlines the next day. We have designated catch-up weeks built into the schedule so students have extra time to complete their assignments if needed. There is also an extended critique add-on for those that want more time with a Teaching Assistant after the 12-week course or need more time to complete assignments towards earning a credential.
Yes! Once you complete Animation Bootcamp, you’ll have lifetime access to all the course lessons and materials, so you can revisit them whenever you like. Also, if we make any changes to Animation Bootcamp following your session, you’ll automatically receive access to the latest version.Please note: Video critiques change each session, so you’ll only have access to the video critiques during the session you're enrolled in. The written critiques you receive in your homework locker as well as the classroom content will also remain available to you forever!
To succeed in this course you should be comfortable with After Effects and capable of creating basic animations. If you are not there yet, you should consider starting with After Effects Kickstart, an 8-week introductory course that will have you animating in no time!
Animation Bootcamp is a 12-week course. Lessons become available at a specific time each week but you can watch them and do your work whenever it is convenient for you. The lessons include pre-recorded videos, podcasts, PDFs and assignments with working files. All student work is critiqued by our highly trained Teaching Assistants. School of Motion TA's are professional Animators with real life experience in the industry. During the course you will be invited to a private classroom that contains all of the students and Teaching Assistants in your session. This is a great tool for connecting, asking or answering questions, sharing thoughts or insights, and winning cool contests!
Yes, if you complete, submit, and have 70% of your course assignments approved by your Teaching Assistant you will be eligible for a Course Credential through Credly. With your Credly Course Credential, you can share your accomplishments across your social networks, the blockchain, or to print out yourself.
You will not recognize your work when class is over.
Our courses have been meticulously designed to simulate real-world situations so that you're learning best-practices from day one. You'll be challenged, supported, and celebrated by your fellow artists as you level-up in real-time.
Are you ready to take the next step in your career?
Registration Opens
June 24, 2023
Class Start Date:
August 7, 2023
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
Course Length:
Session Duration:
12 Weeks
3 Payments of
Instant-Access! Start learning immediately.
100% Free! Start learning immediately.