Two MoPA students take part in the LUMAA 2024 Summer School

Marie FANTINI and Ainhoa WEISSENBERGER, fifth-year students at MoPA, were selected to join the prestigious Lucerne Master Academy of Animation (LUMAA), organized by Hochschule Luzern, a partner school in the German-speaking region of Switzerland. This six-week intensive program brought together 16 participants from diverse backgrounds to hone their 3D animation skills under the guidance of professionals from renowned studios like Pixar, ILM, Weta, and DreamWorks.

Hochschule Luzern, located in the picturesque city of Lucerne, is a public university that welcomes around 6,000 students each year. Its animation department offers programs in 2D, 3D, and stop-motion animation and has been hosting the LUMAA Summer School for the past seven years, an annual workshop dedicated to 3D animation.

Over the course of six weeks, participants attended intensive workshops led by industry professionals. The program included a human walk cycle with Erica PALMERINI (DNEG), an animal walk cycle with Lukas NIKLAUS (Floating Rock), animal acting exercises with Michael AERNI (Weta Digital), close-up acting and lip-sync techniques with Ramon ARANGO (Locksmith) and Noah DEMIRCI (ILM), and finally, a complete acting shot with María BJARNADOTTI and Kristen WILLSHER (Pixar Animation Studios). Each Friday, the animations created were screened in a theater and followed by constructive feedback sessions, fostering collaborative learning.

Marie highlighted the quality of the equipment provided, including workstations equipped with graphic tablets, the latest version of Maya, and tools like AnimBot. This environment, combined with the attentive teaching approach of the professionals, allowed every participant to make significant progress. Some exercises, such as animal animation or lip-syncing, were new challenges for the French students, but they found them both stimulating and rewarding. Marie particularly appreciated the personalized feedback and the diversity of techniques taught by the instructors.

For Marie, this experience marked several firsts: six weeks in an English-speaking environment where Swiss German was the main language. Despite her initial apprehension, she quickly adapted, thanks to Ainhoa’s support and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the Summer School. Days were packed with intensive lessons, while evenings and weekends were filled with group activities: barbecues, mountain outings, movie nights, bowling, and even climbing sessions.

Beyond technical skills, Marie gained a broader perspective and greater self-confidence. She also improved her English proficiency—an essential asset for a career in international studios.

For the MoPA graduate, this adventure was much more than a technical learning experience:

With unforgettable memories and an expanded network, Marie and Ainhoa returned from LUMAA more prepared than ever for their future careers in 3D animation.