AnimSchool
AnimSchool is an ACCSC-accredited online school founded in 2010, offering live 3D animation and character creation programs taught by working industry professionals from studios like DreamWorks, Pixar, and Disney. It serves aspiring animators and career changers worldwide via proprietary Maya-based curriculum and character rigs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersOrem, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What AnimSchool does
AnimSchool is a private, accredited online education institution founded in 2010 by Dave Gallagher, a former Character Development Supervisor at Blue Sky Studios. The company provides structured vocational training in 3D animation and character creation, serving aspiring professional animators, character artists, and career changers seeking employment in film, games, and television production. The school is headquartered in Provo, Utah, and operates with 11-50 employees serving a global student base that has grown from 180 students in 2013 to more than 10,000 cumulative users worldwide.
The company's core technology platform is built around Autodesk Maya as the primary 3D software environment, supplemented by proprietary character rigs (Malcolm, Scout, Riker) developed in-house for animation pedagogy. These rigs are designed for maximum facial expressiveness and appeal, enabling students to practice on production-quality assets. The curriculum employs a proprietary 'Blocking Plus Workflow' methodology covering animation fundamentals including blocking, splining, breakdown frames, timing, and arcs. Live online instruction is delivered by working professionals actively employed at DreamWorks, Pixar, Disney, Sony Pictures, Blizzard, and Blue Sky, providing students with weekly critique sessions and personalized feedback.
AnimSchool generates revenue primarily through tuition for its two core programs—the 3D Animation Program and the 3D Character Program—billed on an annual basis, with additional revenue from single-class enrollments, income-based discounts, student loan facilitation, and merchandise. The school holds ACCSC accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, enabling federal student loan pathways. Distribution is entirely online via direct website enrollment, with a content marketing engine centered on a YouTube channel that has accumulated 63 million views through student animation showcases, supplemented by Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and blog content. No public revenue figures are disclosed, and the company has not raised institutional funding rounds.
AnimSchool firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AnimSchool
- Legal name
- AnimSchool
- Website
- https://animschool.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AnimSchool is an ACCSC-accredited online school founded in 2010, offering live 3D animation and character creation programs taught by working industry professionals from studios like DreamWorks, Pixar, and Disney. It serves aspiring animators and career changers worldwide via proprietary Maya-based curriculum and character rigs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AnimSchool industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Vocational Animation Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (611610), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Game Development (Unity, Unreal, 2D/3D) (EDAMACAE)
Keywords
Where AnimSchool is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Orem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
AnimSchool business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tuition Programs: AnimSchool generates revenue through tuition for its 3D Animation Program and 3D Character Program. Students pay for structured online education leading to career preparation in film, games, and television animation.
- Single Class Enrollment: Students can take individual classes without committing to full programs, providing a flexible revenue stream and lower barrier to entry.
- Student Loans: School facilitates student loans for tuition financing, suggesting partnerships with financial institutions for education financing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full Program Tuition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Class Option |
| Subscription | Annual | Income-Based Discounts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
AnimSchool product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AnimSchool is an accredited online school that delivers live, instructor-led training in 3D animation and 3D character creation using Autodesk Maya. Students enroll in structured programs (3D Animation Program and 3D Character Program) or take individual classes, working on proprietary character rigs to build industry-ready demo reels for careers in film, games, and television.
Product overview
AnimSchool is an accredited online animation school offering live instruction from professional animators. The school operates a platform-plus-programs architecture with two main programs (3D Animation Program and 3D Character Program), supplemented by single class enrollment options and General Review critique sessions. Students access their education through the AnimSchool learning platform and use proprietary character rigs (including Scout and Riker) available via the Picker & Rigs store for hands-on animation practice. The school's product portfolio centers on vocational animation education rather than software products, with character rigs serving as essential learning tools for students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 3D Animation Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Students graduate with industry-ready demo reels and portfolio work
Companies that use AnimSchool
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
AnimSchool technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
AnimSchool partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Autodesk (Maya)coreAnimSchool's curriculum is built around Autodesk Maya as the primary 3D software, with XGen tools and comprehensive Maya training integrated into all programs.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AnimSchool competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Animation Mentor: Online animation school founded by DreamWorks animators offering mentor-based 3D animation training. The most direct competitor to AnimSchool in the live-online, industry-taught animation education category.
- CG Master Academy (CGMA): Online school offering structured courses in computer graphics including character animation, taught by industry professionals. Closely comparable online delivery model and professional instructor base.
- Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games + Animation: Vocational training school focused on visual effects, games, and animation, teaching Maya-based production workflows. Comparable curriculum and career-preparation positioning to AnimSchool.
- iAnimate: Online animation workshops taught by working feature-film animators, focused on character performance and creature animation. Highly comparable live-instruction, studio-taught model.
Broad incumbents
- Full Sail University: Larger accredited entertainment and media university offering degrees in animation, game design, and computer animation. Overlaps with AnimSchool in animation curriculum but operates as a broader, degree-granting institution.
- Vancouver Film School: Specialised film and entertainment school with programs in animation and visual effects. Comparable career-focused animation training but delivered as a broader, on-campus institution.
- Ringling College of Art and Design: Specialised art and design college with a top-ranked computer animation program. Comparable in producing industry-ready animators but operates as a four-year traditional college.
- Academy of Art University: Accredited art and design school offering animation, game, and visual effects degrees with online options. Competes in the same career-prep animation category as a larger, broader institution.
- Skillshare: Subscription-based online learning platform with extensive animation and creative arts course libraries. Competes at the entry-level learning tier and on price, though without AnimSchool's live instructor model.
Others
- Autodesk: Maker of Maya, the foundational software around which AnimSchool's curriculum is built. Comparable as the underlying technology platform and a potential strategic partner or threat to AnimSchool's Maya-centric positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AnimSchool social profiles
Digital presenceAnimSchool compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
AnimSchool financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AnimSchool leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AnimSchool funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AnimSchool M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AnimSchool
What does AnimSchool do?
AnimSchool is an accredited online school that delivers live, instructor-led training in 3D animation and 3D character creation using Autodesk Maya. Students enroll in structured programs (3D Animation Program and 3D Character Program) or take individual classes, working on proprietary character rigs to build industry-ready demo reels for careers in film, games, and television.
Is AnimSchool a public or private company?
AnimSchool is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AnimSchool founded?
AnimSchool was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AnimSchool based?
AnimSchool is headquartered in Orem, United States, in the North America region.
How does AnimSchool make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition Programs are the primary driver. The others are single Class Enrollment and student Loans.
Who are AnimSchool's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Animation Mentor, CG Master Academy (CGMA), Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games + Animation and iAnimate. Broad incumbents are Full Sail University, Vancouver Film School, Ringling College of Art and Design, Academy of Art University and Skillshare. Autodesk is listed as an others.
Does AnimSchool have an API?
No public API is recorded for AnimSchool.
What industry is AnimSchool in?
AnimSchool's product category is Online Vocational Animation Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMACAE, Game Development (Unity, Unreal, 2D/3D). Its NAICS code is 611610 and its SIC code is 8200.