Don Lanning Private Course
Updated: May 7, 2021
Don Lanning flew over from LA to teach a weeks class in the SFX studio to students under the Centre Film FX banner. This private course was open to both students and alumni.
Don only teaches 3 courses in europe during the course of a year, that makes them very exclusive. One in Lille, one at Gorton Studio (arguably the highest profile and best private FX school in the UK) and one with us. I'll let you decide what that makes us.
LA-based industry sculptor Don Lanning is one of the most in-demand sculptors working in film today. He is known in the industry for his consistent ability to deliver the highest quality creature and character design at lighting speed, on projects from conservative realism to the archetypes of horror, fantasy and science fiction.
“Don is an industry giant and a beautiful man. His passion for teaching sculpture is palpable in any classroom he inhabits. He loves giving back to the young artists, he wants them to succeed in this industry and is an absolute pleasure to work with.”
Don’s work has been featured in more than 70 movies with recent contributions to Lost in Space, Star Trek Beyond, Into the Woods, Batman vs. Superman, Oblivion, After Earth, Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Avengers, Dark Shadows, Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides, H2: Halloween 2, Quarantine, Star Trek, The Santa Clause 3, Superman Returns, Silent Hill, Underworld 2, Fantastic Four, Blade 3, Alien vs. Predator and Hellboy to name only some.
This hands-on ‘Sculpting Creatures & Characters half mask’ course focusses on taking a life-size clay half mask sculpture from start to completion. Don gives step-by-step demonstrations and you’ll create your own character sculpture with his coaching.
The students loved their time with him saying:
“Don is a really inspirational dude to work with. The course gave me SO many new techniques and I’d love to have the opportunity to work with him again”
Check out what Don had to say about his experience with us:
"I have had the great fortune and privilege to work as a character designer & sculptor in Hollywood for many years. A decade ago I began teaching the next generation of effects artists in between film projects and there I found an incredible satisfaction & pride in seeing i could pass on the artistic ideas and methods I had aspired to when i was young and starting out.
Neill Gorton, legendary FX artist, friend and fellow educator , recommended that I visit and teach with his friends at the Centre for Film Fx at the University of Bolton. While there i understood why Neill was proud of Bolton and its programs and faculty.
The facilities are state of the art, and the teachers are professionals in love with the craft of dream making. I witnessed behind the scenes; teachers in collaborative working and building the very best lessons possible, to give each student something durable, something real to put in play today:
A knowledge and foundation with which to go and enjoy art as a career, lifestyle, as an artist creating art!"
Jeez Don, you're making us cry!
Check here for more of their courses