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Zach Parrish carries a unique title: Disney Animation Director. He is best known for directing the Oscar-nominated short "Us Again" (2021) and serving as the Head of Animation for the billion-dollar hit "Zootopia."
However, his journey is what resonates with AnimSquad students. Parrish started on the technical side of visual effects before transitioning to character animation. He worked on "Big Hero 6," "Wreck-It Ralph," and "Frozen." In the master class, Parrish focuses heavily on "acting through animation." He teaches that a bouncing ball is easy, but making a cartoon rabbit sob convincingly requires understanding behavioral psychology.
One of Parrish’s signature lectures involves the Overlapping Action in Dialogue. Most animators move the mouth and maybe the head. Parrish teaches the "wave principle"—where an emotion starts in the core, moves to the shoulders, then the arms, and finally the face. animsquad master class disney s zach parrish brent homman
Key Takeaway from Parrish: "If you animate the face first, you get puppets. If you animate the body first, you get actors."
Zach’s segments are often celebrated for teaching how to add that final 10% of quality. He talks about "micro-polishing"—tiny adjustments in the face, eyes, and fingertips that take a shot from "good" to "Disney quality." Zach Parrish carries a unique title: Disney Animation
The Animsquad Master Class featuring Disney’s Zach Parrish and Brent Homman is typically structured as a 6 to 10-week intensive. Unlike a lecture series, students are expected to bring a work-in-progress shot (usually 100 to 300 frames) and grind it into a portfolio-worthy piece.
Here is a breakdown of the typical curriculum modules when these two tag-team a class: He worked on "Big Hero 6," "Wreck-It Ralph,"
Both animators usually walk through a shot from start to finish. This is the "Golden Standard" of Disney workflow:
Zach Parrish carries a unique title: Disney Animation Director. He is best known for directing the Oscar-nominated short "Us Again" (2021) and serving as the Head of Animation for the billion-dollar hit "Zootopia."
However, his journey is what resonates with AnimSquad students. Parrish started on the technical side of visual effects before transitioning to character animation. He worked on "Big Hero 6," "Wreck-It Ralph," and "Frozen." In the master class, Parrish focuses heavily on "acting through animation." He teaches that a bouncing ball is easy, but making a cartoon rabbit sob convincingly requires understanding behavioral psychology.
One of Parrish’s signature lectures involves the Overlapping Action in Dialogue. Most animators move the mouth and maybe the head. Parrish teaches the "wave principle"—where an emotion starts in the core, moves to the shoulders, then the arms, and finally the face.
Key Takeaway from Parrish: "If you animate the face first, you get puppets. If you animate the body first, you get actors."
Zach’s segments are often celebrated for teaching how to add that final 10% of quality. He talks about "micro-polishing"—tiny adjustments in the face, eyes, and fingertips that take a shot from "good" to "Disney quality."
The Animsquad Master Class featuring Disney’s Zach Parrish and Brent Homman is typically structured as a 6 to 10-week intensive. Unlike a lecture series, students are expected to bring a work-in-progress shot (usually 100 to 300 frames) and grind it into a portfolio-worthy piece.
Here is a breakdown of the typical curriculum modules when these two tag-team a class:
Both animators usually walk through a shot from start to finish. This is the "Golden Standard" of Disney workflow:
© 2025 Ferrofish Germany - All rights reserved.