Unreal Animation Unlocked

A course by Alex Maniotis · Game Animator, 14 years in games

Stop fighting Unreal, start animating in it. The full production workflow from Maya import to Sequencer, Control Rig, mocap cleanup, gameplay systems, MetaHumans and facial capture, taught from an animator’s perspective.

31 students enrolled 5 parts · 37 chapters English Unreal Engine 5 £149 once, lifetime
Enroll for £149 Read the syllabus
0.0 Intro

Make Unreal work the way animators work

If you have ever felt like Unreal Engine was built for everyone except animators, this course is your turning point. Unreal Animation Unlocked takes you from your very first steps inside Unreal all the way through a complete, studio-grade production pipeline.

You learn how to bring animations in from Maya, take full control of the Sequencer, build efficient keyframe workflows, and put tools like the Curve Editor, Animation Picker and Control Rig to work. Along the way: baking animation, the Rewind Debugger, MetaHumans, facial capture with Live Link, and both cinematic and gameplay animation.

Whether you are a games animator moving to real-time, a freelancer expanding your toolkit, or a studio professional who wants to iterate faster, the course sets Unreal up so it feels familiar, like a DCC, while opening up everything real-time makes possible.

Course introduction
1.0 Foundations

From Maya into Unreal

Everything to get you comfortable: moving your work from Maya into Unreal the right way, then learning the engine from an animation perspective, navigation, the editor layout and the hotkeys that make it feel like home.

  1. 01Welcome to the Course
  2. 02How to Go From Maya to Unreal
  3. 03An Introduction to Unreal from an Animation Perspective
  4. 04Unreal Navigation Setup, Ready for Animation
  5. 05The Unreal Editor Layout for Animators
  6. 06Unreal Hotkeys for Animators
2.0 The Animator’s Toolkit

Sequencer, tools and workflow

The daily drivers: the Sequencer, the Animation Picker, the Curve Editor and the animation tools you actually need, plus workflow optimization with coordination tools, bookmarks, saved preferences and quick renders for dailies.

  1. 01Unreal Sequencer
  2. 02Unreal Animation Picker
  3. 03Animation Tools You Need in Unreal
  4. 04Unreal Curve Editor (Graph Editor)
  5. 05Extra Space Coordination Tools
  6. 06How to Set Up Your Bookmarks
  7. 07Save Preferences
  8. 08Unreal Quick Render (Playblast)
3.0 Control Rig + Cleanup

Clean data, full control

The production core: baking animation sequences into Control Rig, a six-part mocap cleanup series, video and image reference setup, applying sequences back onto Control Rig, and building loopable idle poses.

  1. 01How to Bake an Animation Sequence into Control Rig
  2. 02Animation Cleanup in Unreal Part 1
  3. 03Animation Cleanup in Unreal Part 2
  4. 04Animation Cleanup in Unreal Part 3
  5. 05Animation Cleanup in Unreal Part 4
  6. 06Animation Cleanup in Unreal Part 5
  7. 07Animation Cleanup in Unreal Part 6
  8. 08Setting Up Video and Image References
  9. 09How to Apply Animation Sequences on Control Rig
  10. 10How to Create Loopable Poses for Your Animations
4.0 Keyframe + Gameplay

Animate for the game itself

Keyframing directly in-engine across a four-part workflow, then into gameplay: the gameplay animation tools, animation system logic, cinematic passes and the realtime workflow that makes iteration fast.

  1. 01Keyframe Animation Workflow in Unreal Part 1
  2. 02Keyframe Animation Workflow in Unreal Part 2
  3. 03Keyframe Animation Workflow in Unreal Part 3
  4. 04Keyframe Animation Workflow in Unreal Part 4
  5. 05Intro to Gameplay Animation Tools
  6. 06Gameplay Animations Part 1
  7. 07Cinematic Animations Part 2
  8. 08Animation System Logic
  9. 09Realtime Gameplay Animation Workflow
5.0 Advanced Unreal

MetaHumans, faces and debugging

The frontier chapters: MetaHumans from install to animation, facial capture through Live Link, transferring animation onto selected controllers, and using the Rewind Debugger as an animation tool.

  1. 01From Install to Animating a MetaHuman
  2. 02How to Set Up Facial Capture in Unreal via Live Link
  3. 03Partial Transfer of Animation to Selected Controllers
  4. 04The Unreal Rewind Debugger and How to Use It for Animation

What you’ll walk away with

01By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to confidently animate inside Unreal Engine as part of a full production workflow.
02You’ll learn how to move assets between Maya and Unreal, work with Control Rig, clean up and enhance mocap, and create keyframe animations directly in-engine. On top of that, you’ll understand how Unreal’s animation systems work together, allowing you to build both gameplay and cinematic animations.
03Most importantly, you’ll set up Unreal so it feels familiar, like a DCC, while taking advantage of real-time workflows that speed up iteration and open up new possibilities.

In the box

Every asset used on screen ships with the course. Nothing else to buy.

Maya to UnrealPipelineThe full import and setup workflow for bringing your characters and animation from Maya into Unreal.
The animator’s toolkitIn-engineSequencer, Animation Picker, Curve Editor, quick render and the daily tools, all taught from an animation perspective.
Control Rig + cleanupWorkflowBaking sequences to Control Rig, a six-part mocap cleanup series, reference setup and loopable idle poses.
Gameplay + cinematicsProductionGameplay animation tools, animation system logic, cinematic passes and the realtime iteration workflow.
MetaHumans + Live LinkAdvancedFrom MetaHuman install to animation, plus facial capture with Live Link.
RequirementsSoftwareUnreal Engine 5, free from Epic Games. Maya appears in the Maya-to-Unreal chapters; everything in-engine needs only Unreal.
AccessDeliveryStream anytime, learn at your own pace. Lifetime access with all future updates included.

A note from the instructor

I built this course for every animator who opened Unreal, felt like the engine was made for everyone except us, and went back to their DCC. I animate in Unreal every day in production, and once it is set up to work the way animators work, it stops being an obstacle and becomes the fastest iteration loop you have ever had.

Everything inside comes from real production: the setup, the cleanup workflows, the gameplay systems and the habits that make real-time animation feel natural. My goal is simple: that you stop fighting Unreal and start animating in it.

Alex Maniotis

Game Animator, Black Shamrock (a Virtuos studio)

Black Shamrock / Virtuos · Airship Int · Dark Tower Int · Monsters

P.S. If you want my eyes on your shots inside Unreal, there’s a mentorship bundle below: a 1-on-1 session with direct, prioritised notes.

Enrollment

One-time payment. Lifetime access, free updates.

The Full Course

All 5 parts and 37 chapters, from first launch to a full production workflow, lifetime updates.

£149one-time Enroll Now
Popular

Course + Mentorship

Everything in the course, plus a 1-on-1 session with Alex Maniotis inside Unreal: your shots reviewed, session recording included.

from £248course + 1 hour Book Mentorship

Studios and Teams

Multi-seat licensing, private team workshops, invoiced billing.

Customper team Contact Us

Curious about mentorship with Alex?

Find out more below.

14 YEARS INDUSTRY EXP Alex Maniotis
THE ANIMATION COLLECTIVE

Alex Maniotis

Game Animator at Black Shamrock (a Virtuos studio)

Mentorship with Alex is 1-on-1 time inside Unreal Engine. He specialises in gameplay and combat animation: bring your shots and he reviews them the way studios run dailies, direct notes, clear priorities, and a recording of every session that is yours to keep. Learn how to make attacks and movement feel dynamic, responsive, and full of personality.

Meet Alex, Book Mentorship

Every mentor in The Animation Collective is a vetted working professional from games and film. Ask any mentor a question free from their profile before you book.

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Common questions

Do I need Unreal experience to start?

No. The course assumes no Unreal experience and starts from your very first launch. Some animation fundamentals in any software help you get the most from it.

What do I need to follow along?

Unreal Engine 5, which is free from Epic Games. Maya is used in the Maya-to-Unreal chapters; if you work in another DCC, the in-engine workflow still applies.

How long do I keep access?

For life. You pay once, keep the course forever, and all future updates are included free of charge.

What is the refund policy?

We offer a 14 day refund if the course is faulty or significantly not as described, alongside your consumer cancellation rights. Full details are in our Terms of Service.

Can I get feedback on my work?

Yes. Alex is a mentor in The Animation Collective: book a 1-on-1 session for a shot review inside Unreal, or ask him a question free from his profile.

Pay once. Keep it forever.

Enroll for £149

£149 · lifetime access · free updates · 31 students enrolled

Unreal Animation UnlockedLifetime access, free updates
£149 Enroll Now