Master also believes that doers make the best teachers. He is adamant about the virtues of mentorship, especially in a business with well-defined career paths. Most animation recruits start as interns, become trainees, and then earn formal apprenticeships. And most choose a specific discipline early in their careers -- background painter, layout artist, postproduction specialist.
"Mentorship is the best way for someone to learn as quickly as possible," Master says. "You have real people teaching you. And those people aren't just teaching you technical skills, they're socializing you into an environment."
Finally, Master says that evaluations should accelerate learning rather than pass judgment. At Warner Bros., animators-in-training face a rigorous schedule of reviews. They're evaluated informally by mentors and have formal reviews with senior artists. These reviews are not designed to create an up-or-out atmosphere, but to maximize learning.
"Reviews should move people forward," he says. "That's why senior artists look at people's work. These are animators with great skill, people who've been around. They can identify problems or indicate when it's time to raise the bar."
Dave Master has set the standard for training in animation. Can his principles work in other industries?
"Animation is an art," he concedes, "but animation studios are meritocracies unlike anything I've ever seen. That's why I love working in this environment. It's very clear who can do the job and who can't. We know whether the people who work here meet the needs of our organization. That's something all companies should reflect on."
Debra Feinstein (debra@loop.com) writes on technology and innovation from Topanga Canyon, California.
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