Which Animation Bootcamp is Best?

Choosing an animation bootcamp is a big step towards becoming an animation professional. Whether you want to go into character animation, lighting, storyboarding, or 3D animation, enrolling in a bootcamp is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to learn the animation skills you’ll need to be job-ready. If you’re serious about starting an animation career, you may be wondering which animation bootcamp is best. The answer to that question will vary according to your career aspirations. While bootcamps are generally career-focused, accelerated education programs that focus on teaching in-demand, job-ready skills, they can take several different forms. Some bootcamps are software-specific, meaning that they focus on learning the basics of one software and move into more intermediate and advanced tools and techniques with the software. Some bootcamps are live, while others are offered on-demand. You’ll also find bootcamps running on two different schedules, part-time and full-time. Because every bootcamp is unique, it’s helpful to consider your unique situation and goals when choosing the best animation bootcamp for you. This article will help you make a more informed decision.

What are the Most Important Criteria to Evaluate in Animation Bootcamps?

To find the right bootcamp, you’ll want to look at several factors to ensure that you’re making the right choice. Some of the more important factors to consider include the price, duration, learning format, scheduling options, curriculum, your learning style, and additional services or perks. Taking a close look at these factors will help you with your decision. Of course, when you’re just getting started, you don’t know what to look for in a curriculum; but the more courses you look at, it will become clearer which topics are essential to learning animation and working as an animation professional. Your goals are the driving force here, so you also need to be clear on your learning goals, as they will be instrumental in deciding the bootcamp and evaluating the other criteria. Know whether you’re looking to join the animation workforce or be more confident when taking on personal projects and what vein of animation is most interesting to you. Knowing what you want the result of the bootcamp to be can make your decision much simpler.

When it comes to how much animation bootcamps cost, it helps to simply set a budget and stick to courses that are priced within your budget. Weigh the duration of the bootcamp against your timeline. The time commitment should be something you’re comfortable with and it needs to fit into your schedule and existing obligations. The three main learning formats are in-person, live online, and on-demand bootcamps and they typically come in two scheduling options, part-time and full-time. Taking into consideration your learning style and existing schedule will help your decision. In-person learning is the most familiar and efficient, while live online learning allows you to have more flexibility in your schedule with no class commute, and on-demand bootcamps put you in charge of your learning timeline and require strong self-motivation. Part-time and full-time scheduling affects the pace of the bootcamp and may also affect the curriculum. Lastly, look at the extras being offered. This can include a free course retake, career services, networking events, mentoring, and demo reel development. 

What are the Top Animation Bootcamps?

Noble Desktop is one of many reputable professional training facilities that offer animation bootcamps. Here you’ll find a comprehensive education that can kickstart your career in animation quickly. The Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate bootcamp is a great foundational choice for students who want to learn motion graphics and animation with After Effects and Cinema 4D Lite and expand their skill set with video editing. The Motion Graphics Certificate bootcamp is for students who are interested in animation and visual effects using After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Cinema 4D Lite. These bootcamps also help you develop a demo reel and offer 1-on-1 mentoring sessions outside of class. If you’d prefer a slower start consider the After Effects Bootcamp or the Premiere Pro Bootcamp. 

There are a lot of great options available to you once you’ve decided that animation is the best path for you. Other reputable bootcamps are offered by Ledet Training, Certstaffix Training, and Think BIG. Learn Smart. These facilities offer animation training that can also help you reach your goals. Use the Classes Near Me tool to find more animation bootcamps that can get you exactly where you’re trying to go. This tool can show animation courses in your geographical area and their main features at a glance. It’s fast and easy to use, making finding the top animation bootcamp for you more simplified and efficient.

Enrolling in an Animation Bootcamp Part-Time or Full-Time

Because every student has different needs, many training facilities offer both part-time and full-time learning schedules. The main difference between the two is the time commitment. Full-time bootcamps require a significant amount of your time. They often are scheduled during the larger part of the work day, four or five days a week, spanning several weeks to a few months. They tend to pack a lot of information into the course, giving you a day or two on a topic before moving on to the next. There is also a significant amount of work that will need to be done outside of class due to the accelerated nature of the full-time bootcamp. The biggest advantage to them is that you finish relatively quickly, allowing you to go on to the next step on your animation timeline sooner than you would if you enrolled part-time. 

The part-time schedule is usually a bit less intense than the full-time schedule because the pace is slower. You’ll attend class on the weekends or two or three evenings a week for a few hours. This gives you more time to digest the lessons and more time to practice what you’re learning while you’re learning it, unlike full-time bootcamps. Part-time schedules are intended for students who will also be working while attending the bootcamp, and those who have existing obligations that won't allow them to devote a significant chunk of time upfront. Part-time animation bootcamps also provide you with more flexibility than the full-time option. It should be noted that part-time classes sometimes offer less course material than the full-time scheduled classes.

The advantages to a full-time bootcamp include keeping information fresh as you progress through the curriculum, having a shorter time investment, and having the potential to enter the animation workforce more quickly. These advantages are great for students who work well under pressure and have excellent time-management skills. But what some see as advantages are considered disadvantages to others. Those with more personal responsibilities might find the rigid schedule to be problematic and would prefer a less compact schedule. Students who need more time to learn new skills will also view the accelerated pace as a disadvantage. 

The advantages to enrolling in a part-time bootcamp include being able to train around your existing schedule whether it be your current job or other personal obligations, having more time to work through the course material, and having more study and practice time. The biggest disadvantage to a part-time bootcamp is that they’re not as short as a full-time program. If you’re trying to enter the workforce as soon as possible, a part-time bootcamp often averages nearly double the duration of its full-time counterpart. 

Enrolling in an Animation Bootcamp In-Person or Online

A live learning format is the most efficient way to learn animation skills that you can use professionally and personally. The two live learning options are in-person and online. When you opt for in-person learning, you’ll have a full-body learning experience. You’ll have the benefit of real-time feedback, hands-on guidance, social learning, and face-to-face peer interactions. Although you’ll have to commute to class and you’ll have a much more limited choice of bootcamps, being able to fully experience learning animation through all of the senses is highly prized by many students. In-person bootcamps also provide you with a distraction-free learning space. Some facilities offer a computer to work on with all of the course materials, classroom exercises, and necessary software preloaded to students who attend in person. When you opt for live online learning, you’ll be responsible for having the necessary software and downloading course materials and class exercises. 

Live online learning isn’t too different from in-person classroom learning. The main difference is that class is conducted through a video platform like Zoom, allowing students to attend the bootcamp from wherever they are. You’ll still get hands-on experiences and have access to real-time feedback and peer interactions; but hands-on guidance can take the form of screen control, spotlighting, and breakout rooms. Depending on your location, you may not be able to have a distraction-free learning environment. This can impact your ability to focus and pay attention to the lesson. You will have greater flexibility when you enroll in an online bootcamp because you don’t have to commute to class. Another advantage to live online bootcamps is that you’re not limited by your geographical location. You can learn from any school or instructor that you choose. 

Do You Want to Start a New Career Using Your Animation Training?

Every bootcamp is different. Some will focus more on helping students become job-ready, while others focus more heavily on helping students master a particular software or concept. When you choose an animation bootcamp, you should know what you want to get out of it and how you plan on using the knowledge. You could be learning animation to get your foot in the door of a potentially lucrative career, but you could also be enrolling in the bootcamp to keep animation in-house rather than hiring someone, or maybe you have personal projects you’re invested in completing. If you intend on using your newly acquired skills in a new career, be sure to choose a bootcamp that focuses on job readiness. Career-focused bootcamps will include things like 1-on-1 mentoring or tutoring outside of class, job fairs or matching, resume support, demo reel refinement, internships, and other helpful support services. Bootcamps that are just educational won’t have as much support and will likely be less expensive. That’s why having clearly defined goals is a must when choosing a bootcamp. 

The purpose of support services is to give students an extra push in the right direction. Professional training centers know that many employers are preferential to hiring individuals with a college degree, but the field of animation is very results-driven. Anyone with solid artistic and technical skills who understands how to accomplish various animation tasks is a good hiring candidate. Of course, there’s a lot more nuance to it, but the long and short of it is that organizations want to hire knowledgeable animation professionals who love what they do and know how to deliver high-quality work efficiently. That’s why a career-focused bootcamp’s support services are a vital part of the program. Job fairs and job matching are helpful because attendees and organizations are actively looking to hire someone like you. Mentoring is going to give you the individualized assistance you need to identify and fill in gaps, work on your interview skills, get advice on your job search, and even help you refine your demo reel. Internships give you real-world work experience that adds to your resume, making you a more desirable hiring candidate. 

Which Animation Bootcamp is Best For Me?

Again, the best animation bootcamp for you is the one that matches your criteria. It will work well with your existing schedule, it will fit into your desired timeline, it will offer you the support you need to reach your learning or employment goals, and it will teach you the skills that are most valuable to the type of animation projects or career you’re interested in. Being clear on what you need and how you envision your future is key in choosing an animation bootcamp. How much support do you need? Do you prefer online or in-person learning? Are you looking for a new career, or do you only need skills for a specific animation project? The answers to these questions should influence your decision. 

There are some students whom bootcamps may not be the best option for. The pace, the breadth of knowledge, the time commitment, and the cost may not be justified for someone who is only figuring out whether or not they’re interested in animation. Shorter, single-topic classes like After Effects in a Day may be a better fit. Prospective students working on personal or passion projects that have no timeline or interest in an animation career, likewise may not need a bootcamp. Taking advantage of free learning resources or short classes could be enough. Bootcamps aren’t right for everyone, so be clear on what you’re hoping to get out of a bootcamp and if it balances with the expense, time commitment, and mental energy that is required. Prospective students who desire a fully immersive and in-depth animation education may want to consider enrolling in a degree program. Although it requires more resources, degree programs are the most immersive and in-depth ways to learn a broad range of animation skills, and they usually have many support services and networking opportunities to help you reach your goals.

Noble Desktop offers several animation bootcamps that can help you meet your learning goals and begin an entry-level career in animation quickly. You’ll find in-person and live online class options offered in full-time and part-time schedules. If you’re interested in getting started quickly, enroll in their Motion Graphics Certificate bootcamp. If you’re interested in a more complete package, the Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate bootcamp will better suit your needs. If you’re already an animation professional who’s looking to upskill, consider enrolling in either the Cinema 4D in After Effects Bootcamp or Premiere Pro Bootcamp. Each of these bootcamps offers 1-on-1 mentoring or bonus training, a free course retake, expert instructors, and flexible financing options.