PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT FOR ANIMATION

Get the lay of the land, meet the mind behind the course, and find out what you’ll actually be doing. This is the kickoff class, so you can hit the ground running.

• Meet your instructor
• Course structure 
• Assignments & final project overview

Figure out who does what and why it matters. From creative leads to production bosses, you’ll explore how animation studios are run, how visions get made and paid for, and where you might fit into the whole machine.

• Animation studio management roles
• Key responsibilities
• Creative vision, technical execution, logistical realities
• Basic linear production workflow
• Career paths and opportunities
• Workshop: Open Q&A

Figure out what’s slowing you down and fix it. This class breaks down the animation pipeline from sketch to screen, spotlighting where things usually get stuck and how the pros keep things moving. You’ll walk away with smarter workflows, real examples, and fewer production headaches.

• Deep dive: Pre-production, production, post-production
• Common bottlenecks & inefficiencies
• Pipeline models & optimization strategies
• Case studies: Presto, UpenUSD, Renderman, Blender

Assignment #1: Outlining the Production Pipeline 
From a given animation project scenario, build a production pipeline, diagnose potential inefficiencies, and propose solutions for optimization. 

Learn how to build and lead an animation crew that works well together. From structuring departments to keeping the vibe positive and productive, this session dives into the real-world tactics behind team dynamics, communication, and leadership. The best animation ideas need the right people to bring them to life.

• Departmental setups & team structures
• Effective communication & fostering positive culture
• Strategies for leadership, motivation, & conflict resolution
• Management, recruitment, onboarding, & professional development practices

Assignment #2: Team-Building Plan
Design a comprehensive team-building strategy for a hypothetical animation project. Cover roles, comms, motivation, conflict fixes, and growth plans.

Learn how to keep animation projects moving without the chaos. Understand how teams stay synced with communication hacks and approval protocols, so you can build bridges, not bottlenecks.

• Key communication pathways & strategies
• Collaboration tools & platforms
• Protocols for efficient reviews & approvals

Master decoding creative briefs, turn lofty ideas into actionable production plans, and build detailed schedules. Bonus: you’ll get hands-on with a sample brief and learn to identify core creative vision, list key production implications, and spot roadblocks before they derail your project.

• Interpreting creative briefs
• Translating creative visions into tasks & schedules
• Potential production challenges & implications
• Strategies for managing creative changes
• Workshop: Short animation project brief exercise 

Assignment #3: Reverse Engineering a Production
Choose an animated project and work backwards to uncover its original brief, creative goals, specs, and target audience.

Manage evolving artistic processes in animation, balance imaginative needs with practical production constraints, and build rapport with creative leads. This session is all about keeping artists inspired, projects on track, and egos in check, while making space to celebrate the wins along the way.

• Iterative creative processes in animation
• Balancing creative needs with production constraints
• Building trust & rapport with artists
• Recognizing & celebrating creative achievements
• Tools for tracking creative progress

Assignment #4: Building a Quota Sheet
Construct and populate a detailed quota sheet for a given animation task. Calculate production targets and measure progress. 

Wrangle those deadlines. You’ll construct macro-schedules, pinpoint crucial paths and interdependencies, monitor advancements, and figure out how to keep animation projects running on time, whether you’re working on a short, a series, or something in between.

• Comprehensive schedules for animation projects
• Critical paths, dependencies, potential scheduling risks
• Tracking progress, identifying delays, implementing corrective actions
• Adapting scheduling strategies for different formats
• Scheduling software & tools overview
• Workshop: Creating a Gantt chart 

Establish clear benchmarks, implement tracking mechanisms, and convey both progress and roadblocks in animation production. Discover robust review procedures and manage client feedback — so nothing gets lost between storyboard and final frame.

• Crucial milestones 
• Clear & measurable milestone tracking systems
• Communicating progress & roadblocks
• Robust review & approval processes for deliverables
• Managing client feedback & incorporating revisions

Master the art of efficient and productive meeting management. In this class, you'll learn how to run meetings that get things done — with clear agendas, tight takeaways, and no wasted time. Practice turning chatter into checklists and leave with meeting skills worthy of a studio lead.

• Setting clear agendas & objectives
• Facilitating productive discussions & managing conflicts
• Identifying & assigning key decisions, action items, responsibilities
• Follow-up processes to ensure tasks are completed
• Meeting management tools & techniques
• Workshop: Short production meeting scenario

Learn how to stay cool when production chaos hits — with effective change control processes. You'll spot trouble early, manage curveballs without wrecking the schedule or the team, and turn even a Dino-sized rewrite into a win. 

• Sources of change in animation production
• Effective change control processes
• Assessing the impact of changes 
• Maintaining team morale & productivity
• Case study: The total rewrite of Dino

Assignment #5: Change Management Proposal
Formulate a comprehensive proposal to mitigate disruption, sustain team morale, and execute effective change management strategies. 

Get wise with your wallet. This session breaks down how to budget across every stage of animation — from pre to post — with real-world tips on tracking costs, allocating resources, and dodging financial curveballs. Bonus: a behind-the-scenes look at how The Good Dinosaur handled its budget beast.

• Budgeting: Pre-production, production, post-production
• Tracking expenses, managing budgets, anticipating potential overages
• Effective resource allocation & cost control measures
• Accounting basics & financial reporting 
• Case study: The Good Dinosaur 

Assignment #6: Preliminary Budget & Resource Allocation Plan
For a specified animation project, develop a preliminary budget and allocate resources. Estimate costs and personnel needs, justifying your financial and personnel estimates.

Learn how to dodge production hurdles before they hit and get creative when they do. This class turns production roadblocks into launchpads with smart risk strategies, sharp problem-solving, and team-powered fixes that work.

• Risk assessment methodologies
• Mitigation strategies & contingency plans
• Creative problem-solving techniques 
• Facilitating collaborative brainstorming sessions
• Learning from past challenges 

Talk the talk when tensions run high. Learn how to read the room, manage expectations, and keep clients and teammates happy — even when things get messy. You’ll practice smoothing out tricky conversations and making your updates land with clarity and confidence.

• Tailored communication strategies
• Clear, concise progress updates & reports
• Techniques for managing client expectations & feedback
• Navigating difficult conversations & addressing concerns 
• Understanding stakeholder needs
• Workshop: Conflict resolution scenario within an animation team

Get fluent in the fine print. This class gives you the lowdown on contracts, unions, and the legal stuff that keeps animation careers running smoothly and ethically. Knowing your rights is just as important as knowing your rig.

• Legal considerations in animation
• Understanding & negotiating contracts 
• Overview of unions & guilds
• Ethical considerations 

(Optional, Extra Credit) Assignment #7: Personal Rules
Create a personal set of guiding principles related to your professional practice. Pick your top 3 and explain why they matter.

Get your animation across the finish line in one piece and looking great. Explore post-production processes: managing timelines, juggling assets, keeping quality sharp, and knowing how to give and get feedback that helps.

• Post-production processes
• Managing schedules, workflows & resources
• Quality control measures & technical specifications
• Communication & feedback strategies 
• Asset delivery & formats

Get a glimpse of where animation’s headed next: rendering technology, virtual production techniques, and innovative software solutions. Explore the tools shaping tomorrow’s workflows and leave with a game plan for riding the next big wave.

• Advancements in rendering technology
• Application of virtual production techniques 
• Innovative software solutions
• Next steps

Final Project: Comprehensive Production Plan 
Turn a creative brief into a full production plan for a short animated film. Design a macro schedule and tailored animation pipeline, formulate a preliminary budget with resource allocation, and identify risks with contingency measures. Create a stakeholder management strategy and illustrate a simplified organizational chart reflecting collaborative team structures.