Shop — Matt Williames Animation

"Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out."

Proverbs 20:5

What is mentorship? Above you see the famed 9 Old Men of Disney Animation. These men taught my mentors. They considered my mentors “links in the chain” of character animation. To them passing on the artform to the new generation was about walking with them as they began their individual journeys. Their goals were not to make my mentors animate like them… it was to make my mentors animation like themSELVES. These same young men (people like Glen Keane and Brad Bird) went on to do just that and change the face of animation in their work. Mentorship is not simply about passing on knowledge, it’s about walking alongside someone long enough to show them what to DO with the knowledge they have been given. It’s about drawing out of them the ability to access what makes them unique as artists. This will be my approach in the mentorship. I will walk with you as you encounters the endless challenges that come from attempting to make a compelling piece of character animation.I see you too as a link in this illustrious chain we call “hand drawn character animation”. I can’t wait to share with you what my mentors have shared with me.

The summer mentorship will begin in June (firm date to be determined) and run for 8 weeks. Each week the mentee will have 30-45 minutes with me to discuss their work, workshop problems, discuss/explore any issues they are having, and generally connect over their work. This mentorship will be intended for those that are highly self-motivated and have a base knowledge of how to animate. I will not be creating assignments. You will be expected to come with passion and a readiness for what you want to pour your time into.