For several years now, Jérémy Trilles has been making his mark in 3D animation education. At his own pace, without rushing, he continues to refine a training program that is increasingly comprehensive and effective.
What sets his approach apart is, above all, the personalized support he offers his students. With experience in multiple schools, Jérémy has identified the shortcomings of the traditional education system and developed concrete solutions to address them.
His training focuses on practical projects designed to open doors to employment while preparing students for a successful transition into the professional world.
Vision and Approach of Dojo créatif
Hi Jérémy, thanks for agreeing to answer my questions!
How would you define the Dojo créatif? Do you consider it a school?
Hello Thibault, and thanks for having me. What you’re doing is really cool as well!
For now, no, it's an online training program where students go through the course materials on their own (video lessons + Maya exercise files) and get their work reviewed live with the mentor.
I would consider the DOJO a school once we have a physical space with all the necessary work comforts. I really want the students to have an experience close to that of a studio. That’s the ultimate goal!
How does the Dojo Créatif differ from traditional animation schools?
Unlike a generalist school that introduces students to various roles in video game or animated film production, the DOJO focuses exclusively on 3D character animation.
It is a specialized training program, similar to FZD School in Singapore, which trained Concept Artists over the course of a year.
We also assist our students in job searching, helping them adapt to the industry's evolving demands each year. They learn how to market themselves and tailor their demo reels based on the type of studio they are targeting.
To maximize their opportunities (advertising, VR, music videos, commercials, serious games) and stand out from the competition, we include skills in our program that are rarely covered in traditional schools: Rigging, Motion Capture, and integration into Unreal Engine.
What is your vision for guiding your students toward employment?
Connecting with studio Leads/Supervisors and former students now employed to gather their needs and ensure a relevant program. I want to establish partnerships with companies, similar to a recruitment agency.
At the same time, it’s about sharing with our disciples all the tips and best practices that have proven effective in recruitment phases—whether for the CV, demoreel presentation, job tests, or questions to ask in interviews.
Organization and Teaching Approach
How many students do you accept per cohort?
We do not operate on a cohort system. Anyone can join the training at any time of the year. Our disciples progress at their own pace, with no fixed start or end dates.
When you enroll, you gain access to video lessons, animation exercise files, a supportive Discord group, and a 2.5-hour group review session. Additionally, you have the option to book one-on-one feedback sessions of 1 hour with the mentor to receive personalized guidance on your work.
How much time do you dedicate to each student per week on average?
Roughly speaking, I dedicate at least 1 hour per week to each student.
In your opinion, what is the ideal number of students to ensure personalized support?
8 per 2.5-hour session is a good compromise, in my opinion.
This amounts to 20 minutes per student each week, in addition to the questions they can ask in the Discord channel, where I respond through written messages, voice notes, and SyncSketch drawings.
There is also the option to book individual 1-hour coaching sessions for highly personalized feedback on their Maya files.
Access and Entry Requirements
Do you accept students of all levels, even complete beginners?
Yes, we have beginners in career transition who have only followed YouTube tutorials, recent graduates from 3D schools, and junior animators looking to take on more ambitious animation projects.
What are your entry criteria for selecting students?
A genuine desire to fully commit to character animation. That’s why they have free access to the first two modules of the training, allowing them to see if this specialty truly excites them.
Adaptability and Accessibility
What aspects make your approach more affordable and flexible for students?
The teaching methodology of DOJO CRÉATIF is based on Bloom's Taxonomy and the flipped classroom approach.
Ok, let me see what Bloom's Taxonomy is...
"Bloom's Taxonomy categorizes learning objectives into six levels, from the simplest to the most complex: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. It progresses from memorization to invention."
It involves working on each concept individually and then assembling them into more complex exercises.
The flexibility of the program comes from a progressive difficulty curve and a strict framework for each exercise to prevent the student from getting stuck in an animation that is too ambitious for their current skill level.
It’s a sequence of small victories before facing the 'boss battles'—the demoreel exercises that validate the knowledge acquired in each module (8 in total).
The training adapts to everyone, as students watch the lessons and complete the exercises at home without the pressure of a strict deadline. I only indicate an ideal amount of time that should not be exceeded for each exercise.
The time spent with the mentor is used to ensure that the student has fully understood the concept and to correct their exercise.
For each exercise, I demonstrate the step-by-step method to complete it, highlighting common mistakes to avoid and providing access to my Maya file.
Results and Support
Do you have examples of students who found a job thanks to your support? Can you share some feedback?
Yes, for example, Titouan Bruges and Célinia Lay (they are on LinkedIn), who both work at Quantic Dream as a gameplay animator and a motion capture operator.
Both of them appreciated the training and even recommended me to students who later joined the DOJO.
Demo Titouan Bruge -3D Animator and Rigger, LinkedIn
Demo Lay Célinia - 3D Animator - LinkedIn
What tools or methods do you use to help your students stand out in the job market?
By making them work as if they were in a studio. Once they have reached a certain level, I give them animation tests that are the same ones my colleagues, former students, and I have gone through.
This helps them build confidence and improve their production speed.
They learn to customize a rig as they see fit and add functions when needed. The most determined students can even rig a character from scratch. The goal is to ensure they are as unconstrained by technical limitations as possible, despite the complexity of animation.
Additionally, each student develops their own specialty, whether in cartoon-style animation, realistic action scenes, emotional cinematics, or gameplay animation sequences.
The cherry on top: each student incorporates their own references and cultural inspirations to bring unique storytelling and staging to their animations. A guaranteed "wow" effect within the first few seconds of their demo reel!
Team and Collaboration
You started solo: do you plan to build a team around Dojo Créatif?
I already have a team handling accounting, legal matters, communication, and the website. When the number of disciples becomes too high for me to manage alone, I will bring in other animator colleagues who also have a passion for teaching. :)
When I can afford it financially, I will hire people to help with administrative tasks, video editing, and recruiting new students, so I can focus on teaching and developing the DOJO.
Future Projects
At one point, you wanted to open a physical school. Is that still on the table?
Yes, nothing can replace the pleasure of interacting in person with passionate 3D animation enthusiasts.
I truly want to contribute to improving education in this field, focusing on professional maturity and the quality of teaching.
What are your short- and long-term projects?
In 2025: Establish partnerships with studios to train junior animators internally and assist in recruiting other animators (our disciples, of course).
Organize in-person workshops with DOJO members and masterclasses with specialists in various fields (creatures, acting, technical animation, etc.).
In 2026: Work on a AAA video game like Devil May Cry, Street Fighter, or God of War to experience this type of production firsthand.
That is, if I have teachers I can rely on! :)
Thank you, Jeremy, for playing along in this exchange! Congratulations on all the work you've accomplished, and best wishes for the future!
You can follow the activities of the DOJO viaLinkedIn, YouTube and attend our reviews via Discord! The Dojo's website is right here:https://dojocreatif.com/ Feel free to contact Jeremy for more information.
Demo of the Dojo Créatif
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