Animating a realistic dinosaur run cycle is one of the most demanding challenges in creature animation. Large theropods such as the Indominus Rex combine speed, mass, balance, and aggression, requiring a deep understanding of biomechanics and timing to feel believable on screen. Creature animation is a unique skill to master and who better to teach it than the former creature animation specialist who worked as the Lead animator on the Game of Thrones.
In this course, you’ll learn how to animate a powerful Indominus Rex run cycle step by step in Autodesk Maya. Guided through a clear, production-proven workflow, you’ll explore how weight, stride length, hip drive, and tail counterbalance work together to sell speed and scale in a running dinosaur.
You’ll begin by understanding the limitations of the rig and analysing reference to break down realistic run mechanics. From there, you’ll block the run cycle by establishing strong poses, correct foot placement, and clear directional force. As the animation develops, you’ll refine timing and spacing, animate the upper body and tail, and apply secondary motion to enhance realism without losing clarity.
The final stage focuses on polishing the animation using clean curves and subtle adjustments that bring the run cycle to a professional standard. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on understanding why each animation choice works, so the techniques can be applied to other dinosaurs and large creatures.
By the end of the course, you’ll have a studio-quality Indominus Rex run cycle suitable for inclusion in a demo reel or portfolio. This course is ideal for animators interested in creature animation for film, VFX, or games, and includes the Irex rig, scene setup, and lighting so you can follow along with confidence.
