Hey, everyone, a special message from independent animation giant, Bill Plympton: “I’ve decided that it’s time once again to bring back the Plympton Animation School! It was about three years ago when I last offered my super-popular set of Master Classes, but that was during the pandemic and we had to hold the lessons remotely by Zoom.

“Since I finished my latest animated feature, Slide, I have some free time to get back to teaching, and I hope YOU can join me to learn the secrets of creating animated films. By the end of the course, you should have your very own original animated short, which you can then enter in festivals or post on YouTube.”

“I want to start the live classes on March 10 and finish on April 28, that will be eight 90-minute classes. I will be drawing, showing films and talking about my experiences. I will answer questions and critique the work being done by the students.

Here’s a list of topics the classes will cover:

1. Introduction: concepts, ideas, influences, financing
2. Creating an outline & characters
3. Fundraising, budget & schedule
4. Storyboarding
5. Layouts & backgrounds
6. Animation & coloring
7. Editing, music & voices
8. Festivals, distribution, contracts, promotion

“The price will be $1,500 for the eight classes. So please sign up by sending an e-mail to studio@plymptoons.com and tell your friends to check out Bill Plympton’s Animation School. All students will receive a diploma after the last class.

If you can’t attend the classes in NYC on Monday nights, we will be offering an option to watch videos of all of the classes for just $1,000. And if that’s not a viable option for you, we can schedule an individual portfolio review by me for $300 that fits your schedule.

“Payment can be made via Zelle or Venmo, please e-mail us for details.”

This is a rare chance to learn the secrets of animation from a festival veteran, two-time Oscar nominee and Annie Award Lifetime Achievement winner, someone who has directed nine animated features and over 50 animated shorts.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.

Latest posts by Jerry Beck (see all)

• TRAILER: Disney’s Live Action/CG “Lilo & Stitch” - March 12, 2025
• Van Eaton Gallery Auctions “The Bob Clampett Collection” March 22nd and 23rd - February 28, 2025
• Bill Plympton Brings Back his Online Animation School - February 24, 2025