The Animator Concentration is for students who are interested in deepening their knowledge of 3D modeling and animation, with an eye towards a production career in 3d character animation, computer game art, or visual effects. Students in this concentration will receive intense and rigorous training in the history, critical artistic issues, and fundamental principles that are necessary for animation artists. MA in Animation - Graduates will be prepared for the many varied career options available to animators, including storyboard artists, visual development artists, modelers, layout artists, character animators, effects animators, character riggers, motion capture artists, lighting artists, commercial animators, motion graphics artists, game artists, environment modelers and effects artists.
Course Requirements
*Students who plan to apply for the Animation MFA program during their first year should take ANI 466 rather than ANI 444.
Animation Electives
Animation electives include any graduate level ANI, DC, GAM, GD, GPH, HCI or VFX courses.
3D Animation Electives
ANI 460
ANIMATION GRADUATE SEMINAR
This seminar will explore the animator's role in contemporary culture, including careers in entertainment, art, game development and education. A combination of guest speakers, critical readings, animation analysis and group discussion will help students lay a foundation for their graduate study in the field.
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 421
ANIMATION MECHANICS
Students in this course will rigorously investigate the foundational aspects of animation through traditional and digital methods. Basic principles, including timing, spacing and the abstraction of movement, will be analyzed and questioned through experimentation. Students will experience how the process of making work can be used to generate emergent ideas, and be challenged to push the art form beyond the accepted conventions. PREREQUISITE(S): None
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 422
ANIMATION STYLES & TECHNIQUES
The history of animation is explored with a focus on inspiring the students? own work. Students will be involved in an intense study of animation throughout history and around the world, and are required to view a large amount of work outside of class. Animations will be grouped by time period, theme, and/or technique. Through writing and group discussions they will examine the significance of the technique and subject matter. They will put this study into practice by creating short animated films based on their reactions to the films. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 421
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 440
COLLABORATIVE SHORT ANIMATED FILM
Students will work in small groups to produce short animated films from concept to completion using the media of their choice. Emphasis is placed on a collaborative environment for pitching ideas, visual development and creative problem-solving during production. Different studio methodologies and techniques will be discussed. Each team will face various technical and aesthetic challenges to complete a finished film. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 421 or ANI 453
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 466
CINEMA, ANIMATION AND ART
This seminar course focuses on animation and cinema from the standpoint of Modern and Contemporary art. Students study the major styles and themes of historical experimental film and video, and relate these topics to contemporary animation and independent cinema practices. Emphasis is placed on theory and criticism, and how it informs experimental work. Students are expected to discuss work and theory in a seminar setting, and to engage the class material in several research papers.
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 444
VISUAL DESIGN FOR GAMES
The stages of development in the visual direction of a video game will be identified and detailed, and students will participate in the creation of the visual art direction of a product, giving special attention to the design of 3D models and animation. Visual Design for Games topics include: creating visual direction, concepting, art bibles, art production, and post-production strategies. Students will create proposals, create concepts, iteratively create artwork, and analyze competitive products. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 446, ANI 425, ANI 105, GD 105, GPH 211 or ART 105 (or equivalent 2D design experience)
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 540
ANIMATED SHORT FILM PART I
This course and its continuation, ANI 541, will concentrate on facilitating the graduate students' production of a short, independently animated project. The topics of idea generation, experimentation, problem solving, planning and time management, and the process of critical analysis will be applied to the students work, with the choice of animation technique, content and form left to the individual. We will have technical demonstrations on an as-needed basis, depending on the nature of your animations. This course must be taken consecutively with ANI 541 Animated Short Film Part II. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 440
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.A&S 491
ADMINISTRATIVE THEORY AND BEHAVIOR
This course concerns theoretical concepts and empirical research relating to administrative behavior in organizations with special reference to educational organizations. Concepts are examined within the typical decisional framework of supervisors, chief school business officers, principles, and superintendents, and similar positions in the helping professions. Assignments are individualized.
Prerequisites:
Status as an Advanced Masters Education student is a prerequisite for this class.ANI 430
3D CHARACTER ANIMATION
This course concentrates on the acting techniques of classical character animation as applied to 3D animation technology, both for cinema and game design. We will examine the history of the field in hand-drawn, stop-motion and 3D, focusing especially on the principles developed at the Disney and Warner Brothers studios. The student will explore the technical aspects of translating these ideas to 3D models, including basic modeling, skinning, bone systems, rigging and kinematics, but the main focus will be on creative performance. Exercises will cover communicating the illusion of intelligence, mood through movement, staging, acting basics, the feeling of weight, and progressing dialogue. This course has an additional fee. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 231 or GPH 438.
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 431
ADVANCED 3D CHARACTER ANIMATIO
This course introduces advanced concepts in 3D character animation that are necessary for achieving professional quality results. Students will hone their skills through the study of advanced techniques for animating multiple characters, creating continuity, and building character through performance. An emphasis will be placed on the exploration of movement for developing personal style. This course has an additional fee. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 300 or ANI 430
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 432
3D RIGGING
Students will study the processes and techniques for creating professional quality character rigs. Following a professional production workflow, students will create character skeletons, learn aesthetic and technical considerations for skinning, learn techniques for optimal parametrization, and learn to construct character animation controls. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 231
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 433
ADVANCED 3D RIGGING
This course will teach students to rig organic and inorganic objects. Students will learn to rig a "stretchy spine" along with a more detailed facial set up for a character. Other topics will include inorganic object rigging, quadruped rigging and the use of 3D scripting in rigging. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230 and ANI 231
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 435
3D CHARACTER MODELING
This course will instruct students in the process of 3D polygonal based character modeling. Students will learn professional techniques for building quad-based polygon meshes with an extra emphasis on proper topology to help prepare their model for rigging. Students will learn complete UV unwrapping for the entire figure as well as effective techniques for advanced texturing. This course has an additional fee. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230 or GPH 250
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 436
3D MODELING STUDIO
Students in this course will broaden and improve their overall skill set by learning a range of modeling techniques. Students will complete several smaller projects that cover topics including speed modeling, efficient low-poly modeling, hard surface modeling, projection texturing, and advanced UV unwrapping techniques. The course will culminate in a final project in which the student will propose and complete an advanced model of their own design. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230 or GPH 250
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 438
3D ORGANIC MODELING
In this course students learn a variety of modeling tools specially geared toward creating highly detailed and complex organic models for games or films. Various sculpting and texturing techniques available in organic modeling will be discussed as well as proper UV and polygon modeling methods. Students will also gain an understanding of how to build proper human anatomy structures. Students will learn how to create a proper art pipeline between modeling, sculpting, texturing and rendering software packages. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 439
3D TEXTURING AND LIGHTING
Students will study the processes and techniques for creating shaders and lighting setups for both cinematic and gaming environments. Techniques in UV mapping and projection mapping will be explored for both environments and character creation. Lighting will be approached from the foundation of traditional cinematography. Additional topics, including negative lighting and global illumination, will also be covered. This course has an additional fee. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230 or GPH 250
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 445
CHARACTER DESIGN
Students will be introduced to various methods of creating interesting and original character designs for animated films and games, and then put these approaches into practical use. Methods of creative concepting will include drawing, collage, sculpture and 3D mock-ups. Fundamental visual design and color principles will be stressed, along with the basics of caricature. Students will utilize their character designs in an animated short. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 450
MOTION CAPTURE
This course is a workshop focusing on realistic character motion obtained through motion capture. Students will learn the motion capture pipeline, including character skinning and mapping, planning and directing motion capture sessions, applying motion to a character and motion editing. This course has an additional fee. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 231 or GPH 438.
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 451
ADVANCED MOTION CAPTURE STUDIO
This course will enable students with motion capture experience to advance their technical skills and gain experience with practical application in the motion capture studio. Emphasis will be placed on advanced skinning and mapping techniques as well as complex motion capture sessions involving sets, props, and multiple actors. Students will be required to plan, arrange, and direct their own sessions in the motion capture studio. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 310 or ANI 450
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 452
3D SCRIPTING
This is an introductory course in scripting for a 3D production environment. Students will learn and apply basic programming concepts in order to improve the productivity of animators and modelers. Using script, we will automate repetitive tasks, customize the interface, and create new tools. Students will gain a fundamental understanding of how a 3D animation package functions behind the interface. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230 and ANI 231
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 453
ADVANCED 3D SCRIPTING
This is an intermediate course in scripting for a 3D production environment. Students will go beyond the introductory course to learn more advanced scripting techniques and practices. Students will learn how to assess a problem/ opportunity in the production pipeline, spec out tools, build an effective tool and produce simple interfaces. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 452
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 478
3D DYNAMICS
This course will provide an introduction to dynamic simulation and effects in 3D animation. Topics to be covered include hair and fur, fluid dynamics, smoke and fire, particles, and cloth. An emphasis will be placed on how these effects can enhance an idea or narrative, establish mood, or even be used as a basis for experimental animation. Students will use traditional animation and visual design principles as a basis for creating several small projects. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 230 and ANI 231
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 405
3D ANIMATION SURVEY
This course is intended as an intensive overview for graduate students with NO prior 3D experience. Topics include polygonal modeling tools, texturing, principles of 3D animation, basic rigging, camera, lighting and rendering. Animation graduate students: This requirement MAY BE WAIVED BY YOUR ADVISOR with proof of previous 3D experience. PREREQUISITE(S): none
ANI 425
VISUAL STORYTELLING
This class focuses on storyboarding and animatics as key pre-production tools for animation, film, and game development projects. Areas of focus include narrative development, drawing, performance, and editing. Students will apply these techniques to create an animatic: a comprehensive time-based draft for a short film. PREREQUISITE(S): None
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.ANI 541
ANIMATED SHORT FILM PART II
This course is a continuation of ANI 540 Animated Short Film Part I. Throughout the quarter students will continue working on their films, meeting with the instructor for advising, and other students for group critiques. Students will also learn effective post-production strategies as they near completion of their first film. This course must be taken consecutively with ANI 540. PREREQUISITE(S): ANI 540
Prerequisites:
CDM graduate students in the Preqrequisite Phase are restricted from registering for this class.