The Online Animation Gym by Tom Box & Badar Badruddin

Stop dreaming about landing a job at a studio and start building the specific muscle memory that hiring managers are looking for. AnimDojo isn’t a traditional academic course; it’s an online “gym” designed to take you from having a basic understanding of Autodesk Maya to producing work that meets the speed and quality demands of professional pipelines.

This platform addresses the massive skills gap in the industry. You aren’t just watching lectures; you are completing regular mini-assignments, participating in peer reviews, and getting direct feedback from pros at major UK studios like Blue Zoo. The goal is simple: practical, vocational practice that makes you hireable.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Practical character animation techniques used in professional pipelines.
• Self-evaluation methods using the industry-standard Animator’s Checklist.
• How to interpret and work with complex character rigs efficiently.
• Techniques for working at studio-required speeds without sacrificing quality.
• Networking and professional engagement within the animation community.

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Basic understanding of Autodesk Maya interface and navigation.
• Tools: 3-button mouse, drawing tablet (for rig manipulation).
• Hardware: Computer capable of running Maya smoothly with a dedicated GPU.

📝 Description

AnimDojo was born out of a need to bridge the gap between academic learning and the harsh realities of working in a BAFTA-winning studio. Created by Tom Box and Badar Badruddin (Animation Director at Blue Zoo), this platform bypasses traditional curriculum in favor of “learning by doing.” You will engage in a continuous loop of practice, critique, and refinement.

The core philosophy is constant improvement. Through weekly interactive live sessions, you will tackle real-world animation challenges. Instead of vague grading, you use the Animator’s Checklist to evaluate your work and that of your peers. This builds the critical eye necessary for professional success. With a flexible membership model starting at £15/month, you can accelerate your career on your own schedule, getting the specific feedback loop that standard courses often miss.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Animators with basic Maya skills who feel stuck and need practical, studio-level experience.
• Recent graduates looking to bridge the gap between academic projects and professional animation pipelines.
• Freelancers wanting to refine their character animation speed and quality for higher-end studio work.

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

AnimDojo is co-founded by Tom Box and Badar Badruddin. Badar serves as the Animation Director at Blue Zoo, a multi-BAFTA-winning animation studio in London. With deep ties to the UK’s top animation firms, the founders have leveraged industry support to create a curriculum that directly reflects current studio needs and hiring practices.

🏁 Final Result

By the end of this course, you will have a refined portfolio of animation assignments, a professional network, and the practical confidence to apply for roles in top-tier studios. You will have transitioned from a student mindset to a professional animator mindset, ready to contribute on day one.