Maya animation preferences with Jonathan Symmonds
Learning animation in Maya can feel overwhelming at first. Setting up your Maya animation preferences correctly makes a huge difference to how smoothly you work. In this free tutorial, Jonathan Symmonds, Lead Animator on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, shows you how to configure Maya for faster, cleaner animation.
With over 20 years of professional experience, Jonathan shares his proven Maya workflow setup, custom scripts, and interface tweaks that help animators stay organized and efficient. These preferences have been refined across major film and TV productions, making this one of the most valuable setup guides for aspiring animators.
💡 Why This Tutorial Matters
A correct Maya setup saves hours of cleanup later. By following Jonathan’s workflow, you’ll discover how to animate smarter, stay consistent, and focus on creativity instead of fighting software defaults.
You’ll also see how Jonathan applies these preferences across advanced courses like the Dragon Animation Masterclass, the Tiger Walk Cycle, and the Alien Creature Walk Cycle. Each project builds on the same principles of efficiency and precision introduced here.
🎓 What You’ll Learn
How to configure your Maya animation settings for optimal playback
Custom hotkeys, shelves, and workflow shortcuts used in production
A professional workspace layout built for speed and focus
Practical tips that improve every aspect of your creature animation workflow
🧭 Keep Learning
Once you’ve optimized Maya, explore more creature animation tutorials on our Courses Page or learn more about Jonathan Symmonds and his career in feature film animation.
🎓 Join now — it’s completely free!
