Learn this powerful 2D cutout animation software.
Learn CelAction and elevate your character animation skills
You already know the principles of animation—now it's time to master CelAction and take your 2D rigged animation to the next level.
As an Animation Director on Bluey, I know firsthand why CelAction is the best software for professional series productions. This course is designed to help you animate faster, better, and with fewer technical headaches - giving you the opportunity to showcase your character animation skills.
What you’ll learn
Simply CelAction is a self-paced online course that takes you from having never opened CelAction to creating a full character acting piece using provided audio. Across 10 structured lessons, you'll learn:
The CelAction interface – Navigate the workspace with confidence.
Keyframing & Dope Sheet mastery – Build solid animation timing.
Breakdowns & algorithms – Improve motion fluidity and control.
Advanced techniques – Master walk cycles, display orders, attachment links & more.
Audio & lipsync – Bring the character to life with expressive acting audio.
Course Breakdown
This structured progression ensures students build upon each skill, culminating in the ability to produce a polished character animation piece.
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Configure software preferences for optimal performance.
Customize toolbars and panels to suit your workflow.
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Familiarize with the workspace layout.
Learn the shortcuts and tools to start animating.
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Understand the Dope Sheet's role in timing and setting poses.
Set and adjust keyframes to establish motion.
Task: Animate a bee flying into the frame.
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Create breakdown poses to define movement nuances.
Explore algorithms for smooth transitions and quick handling of inbetweens.
Task: Animate an arm swing, wave and bouncing bee.
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Design expressive full-body reactions.
Apply timing and exaggeration principles for impact.
Task: Animate a character's surprised reaction ('take').
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Break down head movements into key components.
Ensure consistency in facial features during turns.
Task: Animate a head turn with a step.
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Part 1: Mastering the Red Dope Sheet
Utilize the Red Dope Sheet for detailed timing adjustments.
Part 2: Crafting Walk Cycles
Develop balanced and rhythmic walk cycles.
Task: Animate a character's walk cycle.
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Manage layering of elements for correct visual stacking.
Use attachment links to connect actors (character & prop) to each other.
Task: Animate a character throwing a ball.
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Highlight how reusable action templates for common movements make posing quick.
Implement the use of actions to streamline the animation process.
Task: Animate a head turn using predefined actions & practice subtle animation.
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Match mouth shapes to dialogue audio.
Task: Animate lip-syncing to a provided audio clip.
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Integrate learned techniques into a cohesive performance.
Emphasize storytelling through body language and timing.
Task: Animate a complete acting scene using provided audio.
Exclusive student resources
When you enrol in Simply CelAction, you'll also receive:
Custom Shortcuts & Panels – My personal CelAction shortcuts file (ready to load) with a PDF reference guide.
Fully Rigged Characters – Use the same rigs I animate with in the course (Creative Commons licence: BY NC SA).
Audio Files for Your Acting Piece – Funny & engaging dialogue clips to bring your animation to life.
Time-Lapse Videos – Watch me animate each task, stopping to highlight key areas of importance.
Tips & Tricks Video – Answering some CelAction queries.
These resources will help you streamline your learning and apply your skills immediately.
Important: Software Access
Simply CelAction includes a one-month CelAction licence.
I’ll personally coordinate with CelAction to ensure you receive your software installation files. Please allow 24–48 hours for processing, as this is handled manually across two time zones.
After your first month, you can renew your licence directly through CelAction.
Pricing & Enrolment
AU$400 (one-time payment)*
Instant access to the course — start learning today!
Payment methods: Stripe & PayPal (no payment plans available at this time).
*includes a one-month licence for the CelAction software.
PLEASE NOTE: This is for Windows operating systems. If you’re a Mac user, there may be additional costs to set up a Windows Virtual Machine to run CelAction. If you have questions, please email me before purchasing.
Who is this course for?
Animators (2D, 3D, stop-mo) who already understand animation principles but want to learn CelAction.
2D animators looking to speed up their workflow and improve efficiency.
Industry professionals who want to find alternate software to improve their 2D series pipelines.
This course is NOT for animation beginners—it’s designed for those who already have a basic foundation in animation but are new to CelAction.