Agora.Community
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Agora.Bites | Q & A 12 | Visas For Mid-Level Artists
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it likely that a studio is going to spend money to bring a mid-level animator into the country to work on their latest film? Here are David and Bre...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 12 | Demo Reel Worthy Shots
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Just what exactly makes a shot worthy of your demo reel and what studios will want to see? Sometimes you might not be the best judge of your own work!
Q&A With David And Brent #12
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of our Q & A sessions, David and Brent answer some great questions about just how much does an entry-level artist make, will a stu...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 12 | Speed limits for Junior Animators
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Just how fast are juniors expected to animate? David & Brent give their thoughts!
Agora.Bites | Q & A 12 | Game Animation Do's & Don’ts
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Animating in games is very different to animating in film or television. Here are some things to keep in mind when on the path to becoming a games ani...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 12 | When Is It Okay To Stop
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve pushed your shot to the limit, had multiple reviews, and just don’t know how much further you can push it. When is it ok to stop and say th...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 12 | Salaries for Entry Level Animators
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“What are your salary expectations?” A phrase many of us have heard when starting a new job in the animation industry. But how does someone new to...
Agora.Bites | JALIL SADOOL | Managing Big Growth
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Big growth in a short amount of time can be a tricky situation. Jalil gives some insight into how as a CEO, he’s handled large growth in a short amo...
Agora.Bites | JALIL SADOOL | Stresses Of Being CEO
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You might not see these people around the studio very often and may think that they aren’t doing much. But there’s more that goes on behind the sc...
Agora.Bites | JALIL SADOOL | Importance Of Family
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day life of being an artist, or running a business. In this clip, three dads talk about the importance of f...
Agora.Bites | JALIL SADOOL | Rumble In The Industry
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David asks Jalil his thoughts on where the industry may be headed. Jalil talks about how it’s somewhat scary, and yet it’s an exciting time in the...
Agora.Bites | JALIL SADOOL | Running Studios: Dream Vs. Reality
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Can you imagine? You run a massive studio with a break-away hit of a film or game. Time to hit an island and drink some cocktails on the beach, right?...
Agora.Bites | JALIL SADOOL | A Week In The Life Of A CEO
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jalil Sadool gives a glimpse at a week in the life of being a CEO. The answer might not be as straightforward as you think!
A Conversation With Jalil Sadool
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jalil is the co-founder and CEO of Steamroller Studios. Prior to the creation of Steamroller, he was an Animation Lead at Weta Digital Ltd where he wo...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | What Interviewers Look For
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This clip from our Q & A session gives you an insight into what the supervisors and directors are looking for when they sit down to interview you.
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | Pushing Through Tough Shots
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It happens! You have been working on a shot for AGES, and little by little you find it harder to push through to making it just right. What can you do...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | Can Studios Use Tracking Software?
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One of our community members had heard that studios use remote tracking software to keep an eye on how productive you are being. Is this true? A good ...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | What Animators Should Focus On
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this clip, David and Brent answer the questions about what is the most overlooked part of animating, and what animators should focus on more. A gre...
Q&A With David And Brent #11
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of our Q & A sessions, David and Brent answer some great questions about just how much can a studio track your movements, how to d...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | Employer Breaches Of Privacy
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When are studios allowed to track your movements on the computer? Believe it or not, studios can do this! This is a great clip to know when your right...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | Is My Lead Wrong?
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This was a very juicy question from one of the people in the chat for this Q & A session. A lead gave one of their animators feedback to change th...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 11 | Why Wasn’t I Credited?
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This question relates more to not being credited in video games, but there’s also some information in there that might help you understand why you w...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Building Relationships With Recruiters
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is quite possibly some of the best career advice you’ll ever get as an artist. Even David and Brent didn’t think of this one. Manny Fragelus ...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Entrepreneurship: It’s A Slow Burn
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to entrepreneurship, it’s not just about burning the boats, quitting your job and going all in. This is a really great clip to listen ...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Importance Of A Personal Brand
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve listened to our conversation with Manny Fragelus podcast and all of these clips from the episode, you’ll know that personal branding has...
A Conversation With Manny Fragelus
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Manny is the founder and CEO of CG Master Academy, a leading online digital arts school that provides students from all over the world access to top-q...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Freelancing And Branding
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A question was asked during our stream with Manny Fragelus about how to brand as a freelancer. The team get into a pretty lengthy discussion about the...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Branding Isn’t A Logo
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When people think of branding, they usually think of a brand logo. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Branding goes so much deeper than a pair...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Careers On Youtube
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you think you need to be a creative genius in order to build a career on YouTube? The answer might not be what you think. In this clip, Manny Frage...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Developing Your Brand
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When’s the best time to start developing your own personal brand? The answer is right now! Yesterday, even! This is a great clip if you need some in...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | What’s Your Exit Strategy?
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you see yourself sitting in the chair animating, modeling, rigging, compositing or whatever you do for the rest of your life? Even when you’re 60...
Agora.Bites | MANNY FRAGELUS | Mistakes Graduates Make
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you finish your study, you may think you’re ready to get your first job in the industry. A lot of us know, that’s not always the case. There’...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 10 | Animation Vs. Camera Angles
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does your animation need to look good from all angles? Interesting question…it depends! Listen to this clip to know when it’s ok to break your rig...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 10 | Background Characters
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Background characters are an important part if any animated film or game. They bring life to every scene. But, how do you animate background character...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 10 | Creature Reels
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this clip from our Q&A session, David and brent answer the question, what exactly should go on a demo reel catered to Creature animation? If yo...
Q&A With David And Brent #10
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of our Q & A sessions, David and Brent answer some great questions about what should your curves be when blocking, a personal ques...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 10 | Blocking Stepped Vs. Spline
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The age-old question! Do I block my animation in stepped or in spline? In this clip from our Q&A session, David and Brent give their personal expe...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 10 | Animating Character Walks
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The standard walk cycle is a staple in your education as an animator. But once you’ve mastered the vanilla walk cycle, how do you punch it up with s...
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | Finding Mentors
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no doubt that having a mentor, someone that has succeded in doing what you want to do, can be an absolute game changer. But, where do you find ...
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | Finding Your Limit
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Crunch time, a thousand different projects going at once, or agreeing to a crazy amount of work for little pay. All of these things can push us to our...
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | NFTs
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The craze has hit us, everyone should know what an NFT is by now, but if you don’t, have a listen to this clip and get listen to what our gang and M...
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | Passion & Attitude
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Two key ingredients that make up the equation of getting employed. Some great thoughts in this clip. Listen and be inspired!
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | Modeling For Animation
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Marc-Olivier runs Keos Masons, a company dedicated to providing high-end models for video games and more. If you’re interested in modeling, or an an...
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | Risk Vs. Reward
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Marc gives his thoughts of risk vs. reward when starting a studio.
Agora.Bites | MARC-OLIVIER PLOUFFE | Sacrifices & Trust Your Gut
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Really going after your goals can mean a lot of sacrifices. You might need to put down the remote, or controller. Marc-Olivier has first-hand experien...
A Conversation With Marc-Olivier Plouffe
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Marc-Olivier is a veteran character artist and co-founder of Keos Masons, an outsourcing company that provides character modeling and concept design s...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 09 | Joining A Team: Does HR Get Involved?
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a double-headed question! David thinks it means an artist is unhappy on their current team and wants to switch. Do they contact HR? Brent take...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 09 | Becoming A Games Cinematic Animator
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Games cinematics are pretty awesome, right? But how is the best way to get into cinematic animation? What are studios looking for in your reels? David...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 09 | Studios With The Best Conditions
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A question was asked in our Q & A about what are the studios with the best working conditions? Have a listen to this clip to get an idea of what s...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 09 | Bad Project Setup
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you are working on a project and it’s just broken. There are things happening in your scene that make it 10 times harder to animate. Do you ...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 09 | How To Improve Body Mechanics
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Body mechanics can be a tough one to come to grips with. If they are incorrect, anyone watching your animation will spot it. Here are some great ideas...
Q&A With David And Brent #9
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of our Q & A sessions, David and Brent answer some great questions about when is a good time to contact HR when considering changi...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | I’m an Introvert
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to be an introvert, but still start a Youtube channel? Believe it or not, Sir Wade considers himself a huge introvert, even though he h...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | Trust Yourself
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you are considering becoming a content creator, you may get some backlash from people you love. The key is, you have to trust yourself and that if ...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | Going Viral
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Wade talks about starting his journey with little views to eventually building the following that he now has, and the surprising video that made a...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | What Makes A Viral Video
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s something that every content creator dreams of. Going viral! Having a video that gets shared amongst hundreds of thousands, even millions of pe...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | Dark Side Of Social Media
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know it’s estimated that most Americans are exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 ads PER DAY? When you’re building a brand, how do you keep yourself...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | Staying Motivated
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You’re constantly producing content, and not getting the responses you’d hoped for yet. How do you stay motivated to keep pushing through? Sir Wad...
Agora.Bites | SIR WADE | The Flip Side Of Creating Content
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The life of a content creator, must glamourous! No one that you have to answer to immediately, you can schedule your own hours. Who wouldn’t want th...
A Conversation With Sir Wade Neistadt
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel Floyd is a professional animator and creator of the YouTube channel New Frame Plus, a series about the animation in video games, designed to he...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Pursuing Your Artistic Dream
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A career in any artistic industry can be fraught with moments of feeling uninsured and unmotivated. In this clip, the team gives their thoughts and ex...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Adding Subtext To Your Animation
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Making your shots stand out can mean adding a little more than meets the eye to your animation. Subtext is what’s going on behind what your characte...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Places To Find A Job
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David gives a brief overview of different places you can go when looking for work and reiterates some advice from previous “A Conversation With” e...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Frames Per Day For Good Animators
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Just how many frames should a good animator be doing in a day? The answer might not be as straight forward as you had hoped!
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Multitasking Multiple Interests
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have multiple interests that you’d love to dive in and learn but only few hours in the day to do so? You’re not alone! Here’s some though...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | How To Make Your Shots Memorable
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s all well and good to say “Make your animation shots memorable!” But how exactly do you do that? In this excerpt from our Q&A series, Da...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Demo Reels: Make Your Them Memorable!
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Recruiters have seen it all! Walk cycles, parkour shots, acting shots…how do you stand out among the sea of demo reels that land on recruiters’ de...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | 3 Tips For Fresh Grads
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brent gives some more advice for students that are getting ready to start their career in the animation industry.
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Students: Challenge Yourself With Balance
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Your instructor has told you that you need to start challenging yourself more with your animation. But how do you do that without biting off more than...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 08 | Tips For Fresh Grads
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve just graduated or are in your final year at an art school, here are some tips for you to consider when planning your entry into the animat...
Q&A With David And Brent #8
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this Q & A episode, David and Brent tackle the evergrowing backlog of questions and also answer a few from the chat. Topics covered in this epi...
A Conversation With Daniel Floyd
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel Floyd is a professional animator and creator of the YouTube channel New Frame Plus, a series about the animation in video games, designed to he...
Agora.Bites | DANIEL FLOYD | Youtube: Making It A Living
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wouldn’t it be great to get paid to create content about the things you love the most in life? Daniel Floyd gives his insight into being a professio...
Agora.Bites | DANIEL FLOYD | Future Of Games
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Video games have grown so much over the last 50 years, but where can we go from here?
Agora.Bites | DANIEL FLOYD | Importance of the Toolbelt
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re not talking about hammers and wrenches, but the artist's toolbelt! What do you have in there that will make you more attractive to potential e...
Agora.Bites | DANIEL FLOYD | Keeping Your I.P.
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When reading contracts from a studio that has offered you a job, you might notice a clause in there that the studio has rights to anything you may cre...
Agora.Bites | DANIEL FLOYD | Peeking Behind The Curtain
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wanted to know what really goes on when working in the gaming industry? Let’s take a little peek behind the curtain.
Agora.Bites | DANIEL FLOYD | Youtube Content: Concept To Creation
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Where do you even begin when you decide that you’re going to start your own Youtube channel? What should your content be about? In this clip, Daniel...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 07 | Animation: Where Do I Start?
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Where does one even begin to learn animation on their own? In this answer from our Q&A, David and Brent talk about where they think the best place for...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 07 | Will Studio Politics Affect Me?
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Studio politics. If you’ve been in the industry long enough, surely, you’ve heard of them…perhaps even been part of them. This is a good one to ...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 07 | Overtime: It’s OK To Set Boundaries
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Crunch time. It’s bound to happen. You’re going to be asked to put in some extra hours to get a project over the finish line. But what if you have...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 07 | NDA’s: What You Should Know
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you interview for a position or even get accepted for a position, you’re most likely going to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. This is what the...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 07 | Studios: How Available Should I Be?
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A question was asked in our Q&A about how available someone should be for their studio. Is it ok to answer calls on the weekend or holidays?
Agora.Bites | Q & A 07 | Again: It’s All About The Fundamentals
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It keeps coming up in a lot of conversations and Q & A’s, but here it is again to reinforce just how important the fundamentals are if you want to b...
Q&A With David And Brent #7
21 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our 7th Q&A session some very interesting topics came up such as, is it ok for a studio to contact you after hours, setting boundaries when it come...
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Do I Need To Be A Gamer?
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Harvey was asked if someone needs to be a gamer in order to get a job as a game animator. A good clip to listen to if you’ve been asking yourself th...
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Gaming Demo Reels
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to be a game animator, but don’t know what you should put on your demo reel. The Agora team and Harvey Newman have some good insights fo...
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | VR In Maya
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Maya 2022 has a package that will allow you to draw in VR, BUT, will we ever get to a stage where we’ll manipulate characters and animate in a 3D en...
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Game Animation: Behind The Curtain
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Take a peek behind the curtain of what life is like in the gaming industry.
A Conversation With Harvey Newman
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Currently an Animation Director at Build A Rocket Boy, Harvey is an experience Game Developer with 18 years experience and numerous AAA shipped titles...
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Should I Start In Cinematics?
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this bite, Harvey Newman answers a question from a chat member on whether or not they should start their games industry career in cinematics.
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Content Creating: Do It For Fun
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this clip, Harvey talks about being a content creator, and why it needs to be done for the fun of it.
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Games Industry: It’s Still Young
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this bite, Harvey Newman talks about the gaming industry and why, even with all of its advancements in the last 60 odd years, it’s still young.
Agora.Bites | HARVEY NEWMAN | Is VR The Future?
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
During our conversation with Harvey Newman, he was asked is VR the future of gaming. His response may shock you!
Q&A With Brent And Scott #6
17 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this Q & A we have special guest star, Scott the Agora.community social media manager. Some amazing questions and topics popped up in this Q & A se...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 06 | Backup Your Work
17 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us have experienced this at one stage in our lives, and if you haven’t, count yourself lucky. You’ve been working away for hours on someth...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 06 | Don’t Underestimate TV
17 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Working isn’t usually where most people aspire to being. The schedules are tight and conditions sometimes not that great. Not all most cases, but so...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 06 | Should I Use nHair On My Reel?
17 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Being skilled in multiple areas of the animation industry is definitely a bonus. But should you include these in your demo reel? Have a listen Brent a...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 06 | Make Characters Feel Alive
17 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s our job to make things move on screen, but how do you actually make characters feel ALIVE? Some really good little gems in this clip from our Q...
Agora.Bites | Q & A 06 | Finding Line Of Action
17 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this Q & A, a question came up on is there a formula to finding the line of action. Interesting question. Brent has some great information on what ...