Certificate in Animation and Visual Effects
Academy of Art University
Key Information
Campus location
San Francisco, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
8 semesters
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 1,156
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
Jun 2024
Introduction
The four year certificate program provides students with a disciplined approach to the study of Animation & Visual Effects. Student portfolios will demonstrate the variety of skills and creativity developed. Graduates enter the field prepared for professional opportunities in Animation & Visual Effects. Students take electives and art history courses to round out their experience. Unlike the BFA program, students pursuing the Certificate program do not take liberal arts coursework.
Program Outcome
Undergraduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:
Visual Communication and Problem Solving
- Make effective design choices to support narrative, character, and/or mood
- Demonstrate the ability to research for inspiration, reference, accuracy, and incorporate findings into design solutions
- Create digital elements/effects appropriate to assignment parameters
- Demonstrate an understanding of cinematic continuity through sequential imagery
- Demonstrate proficient drawing and/or modeling skills: composition, perspective, proportion, and anatomy
- Successfully convey motion and interaction of character and/or object kinesis
Technical Skills
- Demonstrate facility and flexibility with animation and/or VFX technology and software
- Demonstrate facility with digital media
Professional Readiness
- Assemble a professional digital or portfolio demonstrating an understanding of the target market
- Demonstrate an understanding of the production pipeline through successful participation in the collaborative / pipeline process
Specialty Skills: Storyboarding
- Create and pitch stories and concepts through the use of sequential imagery
- Demonstrate an understanding of cinematic continuity by creating sequential imagery that supports narrative, character, and/or mood
- Demonstrate proficient drawing skills: composition, perspective, proportion, and anatomy
Specialty Skills: 2D Animation
- Apply the principles of animation to effectively communicate character action, emotion, and mood
- Convey motion (biped and quadruped) and the interaction of moving objects
- Demonstrate proficient drawing skills: composition, perspective, proportion, and anatomy
- Demonstrate facility and flexibility with both relevant character and asset creation tools
Specialty Skills: Modeling
- Model with appropriate use of form, proportion, and anatomy
- Create and apply texture and lighting consistent with the overall look of the project
Specialty Skills: 3D Animation
- Apply principles of animation to effectively communicate character action, emotion, and mood
- Convey motion (biped and quadruped) and interaction of moving objects
Specialty Skills: Visual Effects Compositing
- Design and generate digital elements and effects that meet the needs of the imagery
- Combine digital effects and elements from diverse sources to create a fine degree of visual believability and consistency
Specialty Skills: VFX Producing
- Exhibit an understanding of how VFX pipeline skills and tools support animation by clearly and effectively presenting project management work samples
Specialty Skills: Rigging
- Create efficient and effective integration of rigs into original or collaborative projects
Specialty Skills: Stop Motion Animation & Fabrication
- Apply the principles of animation to effectively communicate character action, emotion, and mood
- Convey motion (biped and quadruped) and interaction of moving objects
Specialty Skills: Dynamics
- Apply appropriate integration dynamics into professional-quality shots or sequences
Specialty Skills: Texture & Lighting
- Create and apply texture and lighting consistent with the overall look of the project
- Apply appropriate integration of lighting and texturing skills into professional-quality shots or sequences
Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:
- Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
- Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
- Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
- Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
- Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
- Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
- Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.
Career Opportunities
Academy of Art University offers some of the best training and hands-on experience to help accelerate your animation career. We pride ourselves in doing an exceptional job preparing you to excel in your chosen profession. Our degree programs are designed to equip aspiring animators with a comprehensive toolbox of marketable skills that lead to success in the exciting animation and visual effects industry.
2D Animator
A 2D animator is concerned with creating 2D images by either hand drawing each frame or digitally manipulating flat media for games, television, the web, or feature films.
3D Animator
A 3D animator is concerned with the movement in computer graphic imagery, including characters, inanimate objects such as robots or cars, or cameras for television, feature films, or games.
3D Rigger
The 3D rigger creates a skeleton for a 3D model so it can move. Characters are rigged before they are animated so they can be deformed and moved around.
Character Animator
A character animator in traditional, 3D, or stop motion is concerned with the performance on screen. An understanding of timing, movement, of humans and animals, and acting is essential to bringing characters to life.
Modeler
Modelers digitally build objects in a 3D environment, including cartoon and realistic characters, animals, plants, buildings, and cars. Models are built so that they can be moved, painted, and lit properly.
Producer
The producer realizes the director's creative vision by building a strong crew of collaborators. The producer champions creativity, maintains the financials and schedule, influences tech innovation, and oversees the administrative process.
Stop Motion Artist
Good with your hands? With frame-by-frame manipulation, a stop motion artist creates a performance using posable puppets, props, and sets. Their work can be seen on television, in film, and in advertising.
Storyboard Artist
The storyboard artist translates the printed word into cinematic images. They provide the first look at what the final film or video game might look like. Storyboarding is a fast track to directing.
Technical Director: Compositing
A compositor uses digital software to combine separately created elements into one seamless image. They know color, lens effects, film artifacts, atmospheric effects, scale, perspective, parallax, and more.
Technical Director: Dynamics
A dynamics technical director uses particles and fluid simulation to create moving elements such as fire, water, and explosions in combination with live-action elements or used in a fully CG project.
Technical Director: Lighting and Rendering
The lighting technical director determines the visual look for a film using light and color and has a powerful influence on what the viewer sees and feels.
Gallery
Curriculum
Unit Requirements
Art History | 6 |
Major | 42 |
Art by Advisement | 24 |
Elective | 12 |
Core | 36 |
Total | 120 |
Degree Requirements
- Minimum 2.0 GPA
- A minimum grade of C- in all core courses and major courses and the following requirement:
- 2 Art Historical Awareness
Curriculum
Semester 1
- ANM 101: Introduction to Computer Graphics for Animation (Core)
- ANM 102: History of Animation (Art History)
- ANM 180: Introduction to Animation Principles & Techniques (Core)
- FND 110A: Analysis of Form A (Core)
Semester 2
- ANM 104: History & Technology of VFX and Computer Animation (Art History)
Recommended for summer - ANM 105: Introduction to 3D Production A (Core)
- ANM 108: Cinematics for Animation & VFX (Core)
- FND 110B: Analysis of Form B (Core)
- FND 112: Figure Drawing (Core)
- ILL 120: Clothed Figure Drawing 1 (Major)
Recommended for summer
Semester 3
- ANM 202: Introduction to 3D Production B (Core)
- ANM 270: Storyboarding Principles (Major)
- FA 213: Introduction to Anatomy (Major)
- FND 116: Perspective (Core)
Semester 4
- ANM 190: Traditional Animation 1 (Major)
- ANM 205: Careers in Animation & VFX (Core)
- FND 122: Color Fundamentals (Core)
- FND 131: Figure Modeling (Art by Advisement)
Recommended for summer - ILL 220: Clothed Figure Drawing 2 (Major)
- LA 104: Respect for Acting (Elective)
Recommended for summer
Semester 5
- ANM 206: Producing for Animation & Visual Effects 1 (Art by Advisement)
- ANM 277: Motion Quick Sketching (Major)
- ANM 377: 2D Production and Layout 1 (Major)
- FA 222: Heads & Hands (Major)
Semester 6
- ANM 260: Traditional Animation 2 (Major)
- ANM 370: Storyboarding for Film Genres (Art by Advisement)
- FA 313: Wildlife Painting 1 (Art by Advisement)
Recommended for summer - GAM 225: Visual Effects for Games 1 (Major)
- IAD 161: The Golden Section and Sacred Geometry (Elective)
Recommended for summer - VIS 364: Character Design 1: Bringing Characters to Life (Major)
Semester 7
- ANM 362: Traditional Animation 3 (Major)
- ANM 477: 2D Production and Layout 2 (Major)
- ANM 498: Collaborative Project: Studio Experience: 2D/Traditional Animation (Art by Advisement)
- FASCU 150: Animal Sculpture (Art by Advisement)
Semester 8
- ANM 405: Senior Portfolio for Animation & VFX (Core
- ANM 466: Traditional Animation 4 (Major)
- ANM 498: Collaborative Project: Studio Experience: 2D/Traditional Animation (Art by Advisement
- ANM 499: Special Topics (Art by Advisement)
- ANM 500: Internship in Animation (Elective)
Recommended for summer - FA 493: Study Abroad (Elective)
Recommended for summer
Admissions
Facilities
English Language Requirements
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