This year, Youth Beat is excited to be piloting a series of animation courses, and we're looking toward offering a year-long animation training sequence next year!

Current students have learned the basics of creating motion graphics and 2D animation using Adobe After Effects. Check out some of their work HERE, and stay tuned to see the results of the Stop Motion Animation class that will begin on April 9. (Click HERE if you or someone you know would like to sign up for the Stop Motion class.)

We’re also thrilled about our growing partnership with Pixar Animation Studios!

Pixar recently made a generous donation to help fund our animation classes. And in February, the company sent one of its animators, Frank Abney (pictured 3rd from left), for a visit.

As one student reported, “Meeting Frank was crazy cool! Hearing about his struggles but seeing how he's working on big movies now is such a big inspiration.”

Frank has worked on a whole bunch of well-known animated films like: Kung Fu Panda 2, Frozen, Big Hero 6, and most recently Pixar’s Coco. He is currently at work on the upcoming Incredibles 2!

He told our students his story about growing up in the East Bay, going through personal and family struggles to get to where he is today -- a story that resonated with and inspired our young Youth Beat animators.

He also demystified what a character animator does in the context of a major animated film, and he walked through the process of taking a shot from layout to final animation -- including showing some of the videos and shot progressions he’s created for the movie Coco!

Youth Beat’s new animation classes build on past student successes using animation to create award-winning films on topics like climate change, youth PTSD, and community schools.

We look forward to working with Pixar to create more opportunity for Oakland kids to learn these fun, creative and marketable skills.

THANK YOU Frank! And THANK YOU Pixar for stepping up for Oakland’s kids!