Sophoria Academy
Online VFX and Animation School
Sophoria Academy is a premier online VFX academy that provides cutting-edge courses to empower and inspire the next generation of visual effects artists. Our curated curriculum is designed and taught by renowned industry experts, ensuring that students receive the skills and knowledge needed to jumpstart their careers and achieve their dreams in the film, TV, or game industry.
Our innovative learning management system (LMS) allows students to study at their own pace, with the option to pause and resume their courses whenever it suits them. We understand that life can get busy, so we offer the flexibility and convenience of online tutorials that make learning a new skill-set easier than ever.
Whether you’re interested in learning to animate a dragon, elephant, or even a giraffe, we have a course for you. Our courses cover a wide range of topics, from mastering lighting in Arnold and Maya to mastering the VFX pipeline using multiple software platforms. At Sophoria Academy, we have the tools and resources you need to succeed as a visual effects artist.
The Founder of Sophoria Academy
Meet Jonathan Symmonds, the founder and lead instructor at Sophoria Academy. With over 19 years of experience in the animation, TV, game, and film industries, Jonathan has worked on numerous high-profile productions, including James Cameron’s Avatar, Prince of Persia, and Game of Thrones. He has also taught over 3,000 students during his animation career, many of whom now work for major companies such as Industrial Light and Magic, Framestore, Pixomondo, and Weta.
Jonathan is a motivational speaker and an expert in the field of animation, making him the perfect guide for young and aspiring animators looking to gain experience and improve their demo reels or portfolios. At Sophoria Academy, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from Jonathan and other industry legends who specialize in a variety of fields.
As an added bonus, we offer free courses to help you get started on your journey. Visit our academy profile page to learn more and discover how Sophoria Academy can help you achieve your dreams in the animation industry.
View some free courses!
Find out more information by visiting our academy profile page.
What are the benefits of studying at Sophoria Academy?
Take a look at some of our online Courses!
Why choose SOPHORIA Academy?
Sophoria Academy is the ultimate online learning platform for aspiring VFX artists and animators. Founded by industry professionals, our academy offers a range of affordable courses for students from all over the world.
With expert mentors, real-time learning environments, and state-of-the-art technology, Sophoria Academy is dedicated to providing our students with the essential skills and knowledge needed to become the best in their respective fields. Join us today and take the first step towards a successful career in the film and game industry.
Featured Course of the week
"Dragon Animation Masterclass"
The Dragon Animation Masterclass – 12 Week – Independent study course
Enroll in the Dragon Animation Masterclass – a 12-Week Independent Study Course led by Jonathan Symmonds, former Lead Animator on the Game of Thrones. This highly-anticipated course is designed to teach you everything you need to know about animating a Dragon. Click the button to learn more and reserve your spot today!
What Will i Learn?
- Introduction to the rig and how a dragon moves
- Understand the fundamentals of flight
- Create your own set of flight cycles and build up your library
- Learn how to animate a character on a path and landing
- A much better understanding of weight and timing
- Landing a dragon and moving into a roar
- Behavioral shifts in creatures during action
- Asset library build and layered animation design
- Learn how to take-off an extremely heavy creature
- Camera switching and scripting cameras
- Basic lighting setups for final look with Light Rig
- Playblasting techniques and fine-tuning animation
- Learn how to animation a Dragon Walk Cycle
- Learn how to animate and cut an in-scene camera
Meet some of our Mentors
At Sophoria Academy, our mentors have decades of experience in the industry. They are carefully selected by our founders to provide you with the best learning experience possible. If you have industry experience and would like to apply to become a mentor, click HERE.
Discover a wide range of exciting courses at Sophoria Academy, including our popular Dragon Animation Masterclass, Elephant Course, Dog Animation Tutorials, Giraffe Walk Cycles, Raptor Animation Classes, VFX Bootcamps, Arnold Render Masterclasses and much more. Enroll now and take the first step towards mastering the art of visual effects!
Companies our Mentors worked for…
