Agora.Community

Running a Studio People Want to Work At | David Hubert

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ready to hear the origin story for Agora.Community? 💙🙌⁠In the latest episode of our podcast, Alejandra sits down with the one-and-only David H...

Why You Should Try Building Your Own IP | Nicholas Cabana

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In our latest podcast, Alejandra chats with Nicholas Cabana, Founder and Co-Creative Director at Claynosaurz 🦖🦕Nic has helped establish studios ...

I Left The VFX Industry | Marco Foglia

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In our next conversation with animation industry professionals, Alejandra sits down with Agora Animation Supervisor, Marco Foglia. Marco has been in t...

Prioritizing Makes You A Better Animator | Fernando Herrera

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The next guest of our podcast is Fernando Herrera. Fernando is an Annie Award winner and VES Award nominee, currently working as a Senior Animator at ...

Virginie Lavallée: An opportunity to do better!

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Agora Animation Supervisor Alejandra Alvarez was lucky to sit down with Virginie Lavallée, a Producer from The Happy Producers. This is definitely an...

Valerie Lim: I just wanna REP that!

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have another fun interview in store for you this month! This time it's with Agora Animator, Valerie Lim. With a decade of experience in the animati...

Richard Lico: Oh, you're in games?

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been around the gaming industry for a while, you should have heard of Richard Lico. Richard is an Annie Award-nominated Animator having work...

Ere Santos: All of a sudden, I'm at Pixar!

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ere Santos is an Animation Supervisor at Walt Disney Animation Studios, ex-Pixar animator, Instructor at Animation Mentor, and TEDx Speaker. He and Al...

Jibaro Q&A With Agora Animation Supervisors

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you missed our live Q&A with the animation supervisors of Love, Death & Robots Season 3 episode, Jibaro, you can catch up here! Some great ...

A Conversation WIth Indie Game Developer | Tomáš Jech

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this conversation, Brent and Jacob catch up with Tomáš Jech, indie game developer and co-founder of Studio Tandemi. Tomáš is currently developi...

A Conversation With Bad Guys Director | Pierre Perifel

29 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pierre Perifel, Director of The Bad Guys, joins us again for a deep dive into the making of the fil and talks about creating the style of the film, de...

A Conversation With Video Game Actor | Shawn Baichoo

28 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready to meet video game actor, Shawn Baichoo. Shawn has provided a large amount of work for Assassin's Creed II from motion-capture work to voice...

A Conversation With Steamroller Studios CEO | Aaron Gilman

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our conversation with Aaron Gilman, CEO of Steamroller Studios, the gang speak on some great topics like leadership in animation, not taking things...

A Conversation With Video Game Actor | Amber Goldfarb

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of our ‘A Conversation With’ series, David and Brent catch up with video game actor, Amber Goldfarb. In this chat the gang cover t...

A Conversation With Nickelodeon Anim Director | Dony Permedi

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this 'A Conversation With', we’re catching up with Dony Permedi! Dony is currently Animation Director with Nickelodeon. HOWEVER, you most likely ...

A Conversation With Eidos Exec. Narrative Director | Mary DeMarle

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our next guest on our ‘A Conversation With’ series is Mary DeMarle. Mary is the Executive Narrative Director of Eidos Montreal. She's recently fin...

A Conversation With VFS Head Of Animation | Wayne Gilbert

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're considering kickstarting your career in animation and want to know more about animation schools, this is a stream not to miss! We'll be hang...

A Conversation With Emile Ghorayeb

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this live event, we'll be caught up with Emile Ghorayeb, Animation Director at MPC. Emile is taking time out of his busy schedule on Transformers: ...

A Conversation With Stephanie Desforges

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this ‘A Conversation With’ we’re hanging out with Stephanie Desforges, Cinematic Director at Ubisoft, Montreal. Stephanie started her career ...

A Conversation With Khai Nguyen

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Khai Nguyen has been working as a professional artist for pretty much forever! He started his career as a 2D Animator on projects such as All Dogs Go ...

Managing The Stress Of Game Dev | STEVE SZCZEPKOWSKI

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Working in games is a huge task and can be quite a stressful environment. Steve doesn't lie in this clip when he talks about his experiences in the st...

Keeping Perspective On A Panned Project | STEVE SZCZEPKOWSKI

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Films and Game development can go for a LONG time! It can be hard to keep perspective and motivation. Steve talks about how to keep perspective when w...

Tips To Learn Scoring For Film & Games | STEVE SZCZEPKOWSKI

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Steve gets asked where do you even begin to learn scoring for games and film. Some great tips in here for anyone musically inclined and want to naviga...

Staying Open To Possibilities | STEVE SZCZEPKOWSKI

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of the time, we get an idea in our head that has to be the way we want something to be. However, it's important to remain open to other possibil...

The Importance Of Team Chemistry | STEVE SZCZEPKOWSKI

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip Steve talks about the importance of team chemistry and why getting along with your team helps you get through the day and how it can help...

When You Lack Motivation | STEVE SZCZEPKOWSKI

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The team talks about what happens when things suck and you're beginning to lack motivation. A topic that often comes up in our conversations. This is ...

A Conversation With Steve Szczepkowski

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We have an amazing first on our ‘A Conversation With’ series to kick off the New Year. It’s the first time we’ve had an audio director on the ...

Analysing Reference | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Reference is something that should be in every animator's toolbelt. In our conversation with Leif Jeffers, the team did a deep dive into reference foo...

Presenting Your Blocking | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When in a studio, how exactly should you present your blocking to your director, and do they need to see your reference? Leif covers over when he thin...

Is Getting Into Disney Difficult? | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our Q&A, Leif gets asked if it's difficult to get into Disney...a very tough question to answer indeed, but if this is your dream studio, it mi...

Find The Truth In Reference | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, if Leif was animating a super cartoony shot, he'd try to capture that in his reference, but he soon discovered that it's better to j...

Feature Animation Quotas | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Leif gets asked just how long it would take to animate a 10-second shot. It really depends on the shot, but then he and the gang go over what the anim...

Exaggerate Emotion | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you want your posing and animation to shine, you have to exaggerate the emotion. But what does this mean? Leif talks about one of the best pieces o...

Blocking In Spline | LEIF JEFFERS

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of people get taught to block in stepped, but a question was asked about when do you block in spline? In this clip, Leif talks about when he'll ...

A Conversation With Leif Jeffers

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Catch up on this week's conversation with Leif Jeffers, Senior Animator at Disney. In this conversation, David, brent and Leif chat about his experien...

Pitching Your Idea | MARK THORNTON

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mark spoke about how NOT TO pitch your idea to a network, but here are his thoughts on good ways TO pitch!

Getting Shows Made | MARK THORNTON

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip from our chat with Mark Thornton, he talks about Total Drama Island and what goes on behind how much it costs for cartoons to get made, t...

How NOT To Pitch | MARK THORNTON

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this amusing clip, Mark talks about his first opportunity to pitch an idea to Nickelodeon and its epic failure!

How Streaming Has Changed Demand | MARK THORNTON

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's no doubt that streaming has disrupted the film and television industry. After more than 20 years of working in cartoons, Mark shares his thoughts...

Talking Money In Pitches | MARK THORNTON

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're interested in pitching your idea to a studio or network, Mark was asked a very good question about when does the topic of money come into it...

A Conversation With Mark Thornton

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this 'A Conversation With' episode, we are hanging out with Mark Thornton. Mark has over 20 years of experience working in the 2D Episodic format....

Working From Home? Get Dressed! | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've all done it. Now that we are working from home, those pajama bottoms can stay on for a little bit longer as you check your work emails. Wrong! D...

Your Brain On Art | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know once upon a time, close-up edits in a film weren't really a thing? They were discovered by accident. In this clip from our conversation w...

Daniel's Imposter Syndrome | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Even people who go off on their own to create a studio and make award-winning films get imposter syndrome! This is Daniel's experience!

The Future Hybrid Workplace | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel and the team share their insights on why a hybrid workplace is most likely the future of the industry. Most specifically why being back in a st...

VR For Healing Purposes | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The gang feels like we haven't quite found the right place for VR to be a part of our everyday lives. In their conversation with Daniel Gies, they tou...

Finding Motivation | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Where does Daniel find his motivation to keep plowing through when things get overwhelming? Have a listen and find out!

Finding Inspiration | DANIEL GIES

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's always important to hear where other people find their sources of inspiration. It helps us think of new ways that we can inspire ourselves. This ...

A Conversation With Daniel Gies

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our next "A Conversation With" let's meet Daniel Gies! Daniel is an amazingly talented self-taught artist. He has created tutorials for Pluralsight...

Physics For Animators | THOMAS GRUMMT

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Physics at school was boring, right? Well, have a listen to David, Brent and Thomas as they discuss why knowing some of these basic principles are sup...

Recognising Burnout | THOMAS GRUMMT

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After his training at Dreamworks, Thomas went straight into crunch time! Davis asks him how he recognised his burnout. This is helpful if you think yo...

Supervisor Imposter Syndrome | THOMAS GRUMMT

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone feels the old Imposter Syndrome, even supervisors. David asks Thomas about his experience of imposter syndrome as a supervisor at Dreamworks.

Animating A Four-Winged Dragon | THOMAS GRUMMT

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas was a supervisor on How To Train Your Dragon 3, and during our Q & A he gets asked how exactly DO you animate a four-winged dragon when the...

Improving Your Skillset | THOMAS GRUMMT

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip, Thomas shares one of the things that helped him the most in becoming a better animator.

Post-Crunch Motivation | THOMAS GRUMMT

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas gets asked a big question of how do you keep your motivation after a big crunch and you don't get any time off after the project?

A Conversation With Thomas Grummt

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You might recognize our next guest on 'A Conversation With'. He’s one of our Agora Experts! Thomas Grummt has been working in animation for 15 years...

The Impact Of Art On Lives | J.F. MALOUIN

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After watching J.F.'s crowdfunding campaign trailer of an elderly man experiencing a location he wished he'd always visited through VR, J.F. recalls h...

The Importance Of Purpose | J.F. MALOUIN

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

J.F. recounts a very personal experience of when he left Ubisoft to find purpose in his life and career that didn't just revolve around a salary. Such...

VR Exhibits For Groups | J.F. MALOUIN

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip, J.F. discusses an exhibit he created for the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. If you want some ideas on how to create immersive experiences...

Imposter Syndrome & Leading Well | J.F. MALOUIN

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip, J.F. talks about how he was given a lot of responsibility at an early age and how it had an effect on his life. Have a listen if you fin...

Learning On The Job | J.F. MALOUIN

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Salary isn't the most important thing when it comes to accepting a job offer. Brent gives his thoughts on what you should be really be looking for in ...

The Future Of VR | J.F. MALOUIN

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

J.F.'s career revolves around Virtual Reality and using it to aid in mental health practices for aged care. In our chat, J.F. gets asked where he sees...

A Conversation With J.F. Malouin

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

JF Malouin, is a digital artist and entrepreneur. He has shown his work (mostly VR) all over the world, including Montreal, New York, Sao Paulo and Se...

How Hard Is Running A Studio? | LEO SANCHEZ BARBOSA

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Starting a studio from scratch is a very difficult thing to do. It requires a lot of commitment and a lot of hours. Leo discusses his journey in start...

From Animation To Character Design | LEO SANCHEZ BARBOSA

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Leo first started his career, he wanted to be an animator. However, his path took a turn into character artist. It isn't that he quit the idea, b...

How Animators Can Help Modellers | LEO SANCHEZ BARBOSA

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip from our conversation with Leo, he gets asked if there's any advice he can give to animators to make the life of a character modeller a l...

Remote Vs. In Studio | LEO SANCHEZ BARBOSA

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More insight from another pro about the pros and cons about working in a studio vs. working remotely!

Disney Shuts Down Circle 7 | LEO SANCHEZ BARBOSA

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Leo talks about his first project experience of being part of a studio that all of a sudden gets shut down!

A Conversation With Leo Sanchez Barbosa

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this ‘A Conversation With’, we are sitting down with Leo Sanchez. With twenty years of experience in the 3D Animation Industry, Leo Sanchez is ...

Climbing The Ranks | LEO SANCHEZ BARBOSA

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It didn't take Leo long to get promoted within his studio. In this clip, Davis asks how it was possible, and Leo gives his answer...which might not be...

Workflow Vs. Mindset | RAVI KAMBLE

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ravi was asked about what goes through his mind when he's planning a shot, and one of the first things he said is he thinks not so much about workflow...

On Cheating Animation | RAVI KAMBLE

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ravi is well known for creating for some amazingly cartoony animation. In this clip, Ravi talks about moving forward, breaking rigs, and cheating anim...

Breaking Down The Planning Stage | RAVI KAMBLE

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The planning stage is one of the most important parts of animating. In this clip, Ravi breaks down his planning for animating his shots.

On Being Unmotivated | RAVI KAMBLE

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

David asks Ravi if he ever gets unmotivated and what does he do to overcome this feeling? Yes, even dome of the greatest animators get unmotivated!

Getting Nominated For An Annie | RAVI KAMBLE

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever watched the Annies and ever wondered how exactly someone gets their work recognised enough to be nominated? Ravi talks about his experie...

The Role Of An Anim Supe | RAVI KAMBLE

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered what an Animation Supervisor does? Ravi talks about his experiences of being an Anim Supe with Dreamworks and the different roles it ent...

A Conversation With Ravi Kamble

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this “A Conversation With” episode, we are catching up with Ravi Kamble, supervising animator at Dreamworks. But, you may have also seen his fa...

Can A Director Direct Their Own Stories? | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Peter sure hopes that directors can direct their own stories! He's trying to do that at the moment. In this clip, Peter answers a question from the ch...

Books For Learning Directing & Story | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Peter gets asked what some of his favorite books on learning Directing and Story Telling are. If you want to learn from where the masters learn, liste...

The Art Of Into The Spiderverse | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip from our conversation with Into The Spiderverse director, Peter Ramsey, he talks about the experience of discovering just what exactly wa...

Is It Too Late For Me? | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Peter gets asked a question from the chat about how a lot of big-name directors seem to start in their early 20's. But is it possible for someone ente...

Is It Too Late For Me? | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Peter gets asked a question from the chat about how a lot of big-name directors seem to start in their early 20's. But is it possible for someone ente...

How To Hook An Audience | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Ramsey has worked on many, many movies over his career. In this clip he talks about how to hook an audience to keep them engaged and wanting mor...

Directing Animation | PETER RAMSEY

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip, Peter talks about his experiences when it comes to directing animators, and how to create moments that would come naturally if directing...

A Conversation With Peter Ramsey

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are your Spidey-Senses tingling? Ours are! We are sitting down with the Director of Into The Spiderverse and Executive Producer of Across The Spiderve...

Fall In Love With Your Characters | JUSTIN RASCH

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Working in stop motion can create a very different connection you have with the characters you move. In this clip, Justin talks about such an interest...

Maintaining Physical Health | JUSTIN RASCH

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The team talk with Justin Rasch about his ability to capture such physical reference footage and the benefits of maintaining some form of physical act...

Planning For Stop Motion Vs. CGI | JUSTIN RASCH

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the Q&A section of our conversation with Justin Rasch, he was asked about the differences between planning for stop motion vs. CGI. He goes on ...

Advice For Stop Motion Students | JUSTIN RASCH

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this clip, Justin Rasch gives some very honest advice for anyone aspiring to become a stop motion animator. This advice can be applied to all sorts...

Artists Don't Need Studios To Make It | JUSTIN RASCH

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Justin's life changed when he started posting his work across social media. In this clip, he talks about how in this day and age, artists don't need s...

Benefits Of Changing Positions At Work | JUSTIN RASCH

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's not uncommon for artists in the industry to be a lead one moment, and then go back to being an animator the next. If you've ever seen this happen...

A Conversation With Justin Rasch

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this conversation, we are sitting down with Justin Rasch, an animator of many talents. From trying to find any nuggets of information he could in m...

Finding The Right Fit At Work | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's important to always be open to new opportunities in your career, especially if what you're currently doing is feeling stagnant. listen to this cl...

The Of Being An Ambassador For Diversity | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is a certain toll, a certain cost, of being an ambassador of diversity. Osama is no stranger to this and discusses his experience in this clip f...

Games As A Tool For Empathy | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brent and Osama discuss the way that games can be used as tools for teaching empathy and understanding across different cultures.

Bias In Hiring Practices | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot more bias going on when it comes to hiring than you might think. In this clip, Osama and Brent discuss their thoughts, and Osama tells o...

Representation In The Workplace | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Osama talks about his own experience of learning that his hobby was something that could be a viable career path.

Expand Your Horizons | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Osama and Brent talk about how important it is to attend conferences and lectures outside of your scope of practice. Even if you learn 10% of somethin...

How To Help The Whole Of The Project | OSAMA DORIAS

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

To expand upon expanding your horizons, Osama and Brent discuss how you should learn a little bit of every department so that you can contribute to th...

A Conversation With Osama Dorias

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this conversation, we are sitting down with Osama Dorias. Osama is currently the Lead Game Designer at WB Games Montreal. With nearly 15 years of e...