2026-2027 Academic Catalog
Students explore the fundamental principles of,animation and create convincing character through,motion involving timing, weight, physics, and body,mechanics. Research and observation of varied,characters to understand cultural influence and,relevance are required in consideration for,performance. Students must fully understand the,basics in order to create convincing animation in,any medium. This course prepares the foundation,for future animation projects.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:
In the first half of the semester, students will,learn to analyze and describe form. They will,learn different categories of form to develop the,skills for unique execution. In the second half,of this course students will be introduced to the,concept of three-dimensional space and the,different scales of space. Students will be,asked to explore simple spatial environments of,different kinds with particular reference to,their effect on narrative.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:
In this course students will continue building,their knowledge of space and form as it relates,to story. Essential to the Concept Designer,,they will apply these tools through,interpretation of shape and gesture to achieve,design execution for Character, Hardware and,Environments. These elements will be combined,for a final KeyFrame story composition.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DMA 105
This course introduces game ideation, focusing on,story, aesthetics, development and design. A,contextual history of video game and interactive,media will be examined. Game Design Documentation,and project management will be examined as,students focus on story for game and determine the,best methods to deliver narratives through,experimentation and research.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:
Being proficient in executing design concepts in,3D is key to a Concept Designer and using digital,3D programs is an important toolset in their,workflow. This course will familiarize students,with 3D tools and rendering engines. Students,develop a basic understanding of the program and,general execution including modeling, texturing,,lighting and rendering.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:
The emphasis of this course is on imaginative,pre-production for an evolving world of moving,images. Acknowledging the rapid changes in the way,work is produced and distributed, students will be,introduced to diverse historical, theoretical, and,practical methods of visual communication as they,develop their storytelling skills through creative,writing and pre-visualization exercises for,animation, game, live action, and new media with,an emphasis on inclusion in story and unique,experiences. This is a required course for all,first year Animation students.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:
This course continues the development of character,animation, further exploring the foundations while,introducing acting theory, film language, scene,structure and technical skills. Students refine,their drawing and animation experience, working on,techniques that include animation clean up, lip,sync, timing to music and sound, moving,layouts/pans, assisting, timing/slugging and,completed production. Comedic and dramatic acting,,including observation of diverse subjects, is,further explored as well as producing completed,sequences, in addition to production skills such,as compiling, presentation and learning to work in,different styles.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DMA 101
In this course students study similarities and,differences between acting for animators and real,world acting, applying concepts to multiple,character interaction with sets and props,,exploring comedic timing, and conveying emotions,while emphasizing diverse character makeup in,order to generate mass audience appeal. Students,build on knowledge from Animation I and II to,refine their skills, working on techniques,specifically related to their area of,concentration, lip sync, and film and character,animation production through the creation of a,completed animation short.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DMA 201
This course takes Digital 3D into a deeper,concentration. Students explore procedural,,projection mapping, and UV texturing techniques.,Students also dive deeper into modeling learning,sub-division polygonal and spline techniques.,Lighting is the third element of the class where,students learn studio and environmental set-ups,along with HDRI techniques. This class prepares,students with the tools to execute stand alone,objects or elements they can use for compositing.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: DMA 108
This course introduces students to time-based,animation through basic concepts and theories of,compositing, digital workflow, sequencing,,rendering, file management and organization.,Students also communicate through motion graphic,design, compositing ‘puppeting,’ and other digital,animation practices.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:
