YaizY Student Success Story: From Classroom to Screen

A lot of kids dream about what it might be like to work on the cartoons and movies they enjoy watching. For Elias, though, it wasn’t just a “someday” pipe dream. It was THE dream. 

At just nine years old, Elias had already decided that he wanted to work in the film industry. He imagined himself making movies and becoming a voice actor. By 10, he started experimenting with 2D animation on his iPad, and at 12, he was exploring stop-motion and hand-drawn animation. By 14, he was working toward becoming a voice actor.

Now 15, Elias is already using his real-world experience to launch his career.

Learning by Doing

After piecing together the equipment he needed to get rolling, he started looking for opportunities to put his skills to work. That search led to several voice acting roles, as well as an opportunity to work as a Multimedia Producer for the independent analog horror series TheBarnYardChronicals.

For the project, Elias contributed VHS-style intros, tracked analog footage, and worked on smaller production elements for a segment in the show's second episode. 

And in the midst of this, Elias was also developing his animation skills through his YaizY animation course.

“I am glad that I took this animation course due to the knowledge I learned about what makes an animation feel more alive.”

Examples of sketches Elias created during his YaizY Animation pathway.

 Elias’s final project from the first stage of the Animation CTE pathway, now part of his creative portfolio.

Through the YaizY Pathway, Elias learned foundational animation principles and applied them in hands-on, targeted projects, coming to understand the industry techniques that make an animation feel more believable and lively.

Transferring His Learning

After Elias completed his first animation course, TheBarnYardChronicals decided to revamp the series and transition to 3D animation using Blender.

That meant stepping into unfamiliar territory for Elias.

As he started working on animating a 3D model, he found himself encountering a new learning curve and it wasn’t all smooth sailing. But he also had what it took to learn and adapt.

While the tools and software were new, the principles of animation remained the tried and true ones he had learned through his YaizY course.

It didn’t take long before Elias was animating walk cycles, character interactions, and lighting scenes. And, in his words, the results were already looking “pretty good.”

“I am glad I had the knowledge I got from my YaizY teacher because very quickly within 25 days I am animating walk cycles, character interactions, and lighting scenes very easily.”

Elias Has the Foundation for What Comes Next

Elias's story is a great example of why foundational skills matter.

Technology and software will continue to change, but the underlying principles of good animation remain.

At YaizY, our goal isn't simply to teach students a particular software. We want students to develop skills and ways of thinking that will prepare them for whatever comes in their careers. 

At 15, Elias’s career is just getting started.

We're excited to see where the next frame takes him.

An original character concept created and animated by Elias.

Help Your Students Build What Comes Next

Elias’s story is a reminder of how CTE classes can help slingshot students to the careers they dream about.

Want your students to have the same opportunity? Reach out to us at at https://yaizy.io/contact-yaizy to start a conversation about how YaizY can connect your students to in-demand career pathways with flexible options that work for your organization’s needs.