Hanka Kotlarova

What course did you study at ANOMALIA?

I took 8 weeks course for beginners in 3D animation to learn 3D animation principles, workflow and character animation. Couple years later I attended 2 weeks course focused on storytelling.

How did studying at ANOMALIA help you into the world of animation, gaming, vfx?

Gaining skills and tricks in new technique was very useful, but definitely the biggest benefit was changing the way how I think about animation. How to build a strong story, how to think about character’s behavior, creating good poses, polising, how to work in a team, how to think about my job and my career – because all these things are connected and super-important, whichever job we have in animation.

What are you working on at the moment? And what have you previously worked on?

After Anomalia I worked on a 3D TV show for Czech TV, afterwards I got an opportunity to come back to my beloved 2D animation and work on various TV series in Netherlands and France as Toon Boom rigger. Now I am working on animated pieces for documentary about one the the Czech greatest illustrators – Petr Sis and I am giving Toon Boom courses.

What were you doing before you started your course at ANOMALIA?

I was a student of Master degree in animation at Film Academy in Prague, occasionally working on 2D animated spots.

How quickly after completing your course did you secure your first job?

Almost immediately.

What lessons have you learnt during your time studying and your time working in animation, gaming, vfx?

I used my study time to try everything related to animation – all kinds of techniques, hundreds of hours figure drawing, writing stories and creating beautiful animations with unlimited time. But also directing my first short film with a budget and leading a team. Biggest lesson learnt from my work life was flexibility, result-orientation, good communication and assertiveness. And motivation – the best way of learning new skills quickly is realizing that you really need them for your project.

What is your advice for those considering entering the industry?

Love what you do, but do not sacrifice your life for animation. Be smart. Be humble. Be grateful. Don’t work alone. Learn from the best people. It is not a stable job from 9-5. It is hard work. But there is so much more in it than in other jobs! Beautiful projects, beautiful people, possibility to travel easily. You will love it!

If you had to sum up your time at ANOMALIA in one word, what would it be and why?

Life-changing. New friends for whole life, new mindset for animation.

What’s your favourite movie and why?

Good dinosaur. Beautiful characters, great storytelling without dialogues.