Masters Degrees (Animation)

Want to focus on your animation and motion graphics skills that are in great demand within the film, television, computer games and new media industries?

MA Animation at Northumbria is designed to meet the needs of the animation industry, enabling you to gain high-level technical skills while encouraging you to experiment and think creatively.

You’ll study topics including animation criticism and aesthetics, animation production methods and undertake a major project, producing an animated short film, or an equivalent piece of original work to act as a calling card for your future career.

Working in a studio-based environment with the latest technology and industry standard software, you’ll engage with live and research-led briefs, preparing you for roles in the creative industries.

As a graduate you will be able to demonstrate advanced skills in contemporary animation and digital media that are in great demand within the creative industries.

Learn From The Best

Your tutors have extensive professional experience and have worked as animators, designers and directors for film and television companies including Sky, STV, BBC and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Their knowledge of industry practice is reflected in the real-life briefs that you’ll work on in a specialist studio environment.

Lectures from guest experts and visits to local and London studios also help to develop your understanding and experience of the animation profession.

Teaching And Assessment

You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops that reflect professional animation industry practice. You’ll be encouraged to use the e-learning portal and blogs to document and communicate your research and design progress.

You’ll be assessed throughout the course, reflecting real-life practice in the design profession where work is informally critiqued in the studio environment by peers or formally by clients during presentations. Assessments may take the form of written and practical projects, for example, producing scripts and storyboards.

Your major project, which is usually an animated short film, or an equivalent piece of original work forms a key part of your assessment. These final pieces, which are of a professional standard, are presented during a final presentation and you will receive formative feedback from both staff and peers throughout their development.

Module Overview
MI7001 - Animation Production Methods (Core, 30 Credits)
MI7002 - Animation Research & Development (Core, 30 Credits)
MI7003 - Major Project (Core, 60 Credits)
MI7004 - Experimental Animation 1 (Core, 30 Credits)
MI7005 - Experimental Animation 2 (Core, 30 Credits)

Learning Environment

You’ll have access to a dedicated studio space, packed with high-end facilities and specialist hardware including computers, rendering facilities, stop-motion rigs and a colour 3D printer. And you’ll be working with industry standard animation software such as Maya, Houdini, Renderman, and Nuke.

You’ll have access to an e-learning portal that provides lecture materials, creative and technical support resources and reading lists together with discussion boards and notices. You’ll be encouraged to use this and write blogs to document and communicate your research and design progress.

Digital Tutors provide support for the design and technical software support you’ll be using during your course.

Research-Rich Learning

Research based learning is built into your course as part of project briefs and workshop sessions.

Your tutors are actively engaged in research which they bring into workshop sessions, reflecting contemporary animation practices and culture. You’ll get the chance to be involved in projects that help develop theory at the forefront of animation research.

Your studies will equip you with the latest theoretical, practical and professional knowledge, skills and applied thinking to prepare you for a variety of roles within the creative industries.

Guest talks, placements, live briefs, studio visits and the chance to showcase your work all help you to develop contacts and networks that will be valuable in your future career.

Give Your Career An Edge

This is an industry-focused course, designed to prepare you for a career in the animation industry.

You’ll visit design and animation studios in North East England and London as well as attending industry talks and taking part in live design projects in collaboration with commercial partners.

You may also have the opportunity to attend the Pictoplasma Conference held annually in Berlin where you can see cutting-edge, contemporary character design and animation and carry out research ahead of your major project.

Another important engagement with industry is the Design & Art Direction New Blood Showcase, (D&AD), in London in July. This gives you the chance to showcase your work and network with design, animation and production studios.

Throughout your course you’ll develop social, communication, design and management skills that are desired by employers, including team working and production management.

Your Future

The Masters in Animation is designed to give you a firm grounding in theoretical, creative, practical and professional development. You’ll graduate with advanced ideas and skills in contemporary animation and digital media that mean you’ll be well placed for roles in the film, television, computer games and new media industries.

There are a number of employment opportunities available on graduation, such as Visual Effects (VFX) and 3D Artists at Time Based Arts and Pixel Blimp, Character Animators at Jellyfish Pictures, or Motion Designers at Framestore - all London based companies, and Arcus Studios employ graduates as animators in the North East.

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The Computer Animation Master’s programme at Kent is oriented towards current industrial needs, technology and practice. It is designed to be a direct route into this high-profile, modern and creative industry, and has been developed jointly by the School and our industrial partner Framestore CFC.

Develop your knowledge and understanding of the animation process, software tools, techniques and packages, and the technical aspects of working in a professional animation environment. The MSc programme offers invaluable experience of working to professional briefs and under expert supervision of professional animators to prepare you for a career in industry.

Competition is fierce in animation and visual effects and success depends on your concentration levels, constant practise and ability to grasp the essence and modern techniques of animation. Successful former students are now working in animation and animation layout roles for companies such as Sony Games and Framestore CFC on major titles in games, television and film.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/248/computer-animation

About the School of Engineering and Digital Arts

The School of Engineering and Digital Arts successfully combines modern engineering and technology with the exciting field of digital media. The School, which was established over 40 years ago, has developed a top-quality teaching and research base, receiving excellent ratings in both research and teaching assessments.

The School undertakes high-quality research that has had significant national and international impact, and our spread of expertise allows us to respond rapidly to new developments. Our 30 academic staff and over 130 postgraduate students and research staff provide an ideal focus to effectively support a high level of research activity. We have a thriving student population studying for postgraduate degrees in a friendly, supportive teaching and research environment.

We have research funding from the Research Councils UK, European research programmes, a number of industrial and commercial companies and government agencies including the Ministry of Defence. Our Electronic Systems Design Centre and Digital Media Hub provide training and consultancy for a wide range of companies. Many of our research projects are collaborative, and we have well-developed links with institutions worldwide.

Course structure

This intensively taught postgraduate course lasts a full year. It takes place in a dedicated computer laboratory where you have your own seat and computer for the duration of the course. The course lectures and workshops, whether led by visiting professionals or staff, are all held in this room. Demonstrations and showing of films are by means of an HD projector. By the end of the year, the lab will be where you live as much as your accommodation.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

EL831 - Digital Visual Art set-up (15 credits)
EL832 - Animation Principles (15 credits)
EL833 - Visual Training (15 credits)
EL837 - Professional Group Work (15 credits)
EL863 - Advanced 3D Modelling (15 credits)
EL864 - Pre-Visualisation (15 credits)
EL865 - Action in Animation (15 credits)
EL866 - Acting in Animation (15 credits)
EL830 - Computer Animation Project (60 credits)

Assessment

Each module is assessed by practical assignments. The project work is assessed on the outcome of the project itself.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- enable you to develop your knowledge and understanding within the field of 3D computer animation, which will equip you to become a professional in the animation and visual effects industry

- produce professionally-trained animators who are highly skilled in using state-of-the-art 3D animation software for producing animated films

- provide you with proper academic guidance and welfare support

- create an atmosphere of co-operation and partnership between staff and students, and offer you an environment where you can develop your potential

- strengthen and expand opportunities for industrial collaboration with the School of Engineering and Digital Arts.

Research areas

- Intelligent Interactions

The Intelligent Interactions group has interests in all aspects of information engineering and human-machine interactions. It was formed in 2014 by the merger of the Image and Information Research Group and the Digital Media Research Group.

The group has an international reputation for its work in a number of key application areas. These include: image processing and vision, pattern recognition, interaction design, social, ubiquitous and mobile computing with a range of applications in security and biometrics, healthcare, e-learning, computer games, digital film and animation.

- Social and Affective Computing
- Assistive Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction
- Brain-Computer Interfaces
- Mobile, Ubiquitous and Pervasive Computing
- Sensor Networks and Data Analytics
- Biometric and Forensic Technologies
- Behaviour Models for Security
- Distributed Systems Security (Cloud Computing, Internet of Things)
- Advanced Pattern Recognition (medical imaging, document and handwriting recognition, animal biometrics)
- Computer Animation, Game Design and Game Technologies
- Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Digital Arts, Virtual Narratives.

Careers

We have developed the programme with a number of industrial organisations, which means that successful students will be in a strong position to build a long-term career in this important discipline.

The School of Engineering and Digital Arts (http://www.eda.kent.ac.uk/) has an excellent record of student employability (http://www.eda.kent.ac.uk/school/employability.aspx). We are committed to enhancing the employability of all our students, to equip you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a competitive, fast-moving, knowledge-based economy.

Graduates who can show that they have developed transferable skills and valuable experience are better prepared to start their careers and are more attractive to potential employers.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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This course recognises the demand for innovative and truly creative individuals in the media industry. We produce highly regarded artists who will make a significant impact and contribution in today’s evolving marketplace.

Taught by our BAFTA award winning staff and visiting industry professionals, the course mission is to evolve highly respected individuals who will fill influential creative positions in the film, television, advertising, games, visual novels and mobile app fields. Students learn how to develop and explore intellectual property and realise its outcome, channelling animation into new forms of information delivery within the entertainment and communication industries. This will provide you with vital professional links after graduating and help to build your confidence and skill-base specific to your own career needs.

During the course you will explore animation production through a series of lectures, seminars and practical workshops. This will be supported by life drawing sessions, technical support and software demonstrations covering practical and technical skills at an advanced level. In addition to this, industry-related guest lecturers will be invited to provide vibrant masterclasses and workshops offering professional advice and guidance on your work.

You will also be encouraged to attend the many animation festivals celebrated in the UK and abroad whenever possible, including Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Bradford Animation Festival.

See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/138-ma-animation

Skillset accredited

Our MA Animation is part of the Skillset Media Academy Wales, a partnership of the leading film and media schools in Wales. Students on our postgraduate animation award benefit from close contact with the Academys Industry Panel and opportunities to access professional master classes, workshops, networking events, jobs and work placements. They also have the chance to promote their work through an exclusive online network.

What you will study

You will develop a critical understanding of intellectual property and the evolution of animation into new forms of information delivery in today’s entertainment and communication industries. The course is designed to develop and produce your ideas through the following five modules:
- Animation Pre-Production
- Animation Production
- Animation Post-Production
- Advanced Software Skills 1
- Advanced Software Skills 2

Common Modules:
The Faculty understands the importance of a strong grounding in research knowledge and skills, enterprise and innovation as part of a balanced postgraduate education.

We also recognise that each student has different requirements of their postgraduate experience.

You can choose to study one of the following three, 20 credit common modules. Each of these has a different focus, enabling you to select the module that will be most beneficial to you.

- Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship:
This module aims to develop your knowledge of the methods to identify, develop and manage enterprise and innovation in the creative sector. It will then help you apply this to your own entrepreneurial project.

- Research and Practice in the Creative and Cultural Industries:
The focus of this module is on the development of research knowledge and skills, while also encouraging critical engagement with approaches to creative practice. You will also explore ideas, debates and issues in the creative and cultural industries.

- Research Paradigms:
This module focuses on research paradigms and their theoretical underpinnings. It also looks at key conceptual tools drawn from a wide range of subject areas relevant to postgraduate research in the creative industries.

PLEASE NOTE: Modules are subject to change.

Learning and teaching methods

The MA Animation is taught in a professional and friendly creative environment. All staff are industry trained and active in research and/or consultancy. Our well-equipped studios include state-of-the-art facilities with industry-standard software packages. You will have studio and workshop tutorials that are supported by lectures, seminars, integrated case study analysis, discussion groups and multimedia presentations. There is also a programme of industry-related guest lectures delivered by experienced visiting lecturers.

Work Experience and Employment Prospects

The MA Animation produces flexible, highly skilled animators who can make a significant contribution to the field. Our graduates have successfully gained work at multi award-winning and internationally recognised studios, including A Productions Ltd, Aardman Animations Ltd, ArthurCox, Bermuda Shorts, Beryl Productions International Ltd, Blitz Games, Disney Interactive, Double Negative, MTV, Nexus Productions, Rushes and Tinnopolis.

Assessment methods

Throughout the MA Animation you will be assessed on the outcome of your practical work supported by written reports.Assessment may also include individual or group presentations during seminar sessions, offering the opportunity to not only build your confidence in discussing your ideas to your peers, but also provide the opportunity to receive feedback on your progress and ways of developing your work.

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In partnership with Aardman, this intensive 3 month Certificate in Character Animation is aimed primarily at graduates and is taught by industry professionals within Aardman studios here in Bristol.

The course is led by Loyd Price, Head of Animation at Aardman (Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Flushed Away, Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists and Nightmare Before Christmas) and taught by Inez Woldman (Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Morph, Creature Comforts) with the aim of bridging the gap between education and industry and enabling students to develop the core practical skills needed to become competent professional animators and to create believable characters through acting and performance.

The course has an incredibly successful track record with over 80% of graduates now working in the industry at Aardman and at studios such as Animortal, Factory Transmedia, Blue Zoo, Isle of Dogs and Traveller’s Tales. This year we are delighted to announce Factory Transmedia are formally supporting the course.

Students will also benefit from one-to-one feedback sessions and masterclasses with industry professionals, past speakers have included Turner, Passion Pictures, Blue Zoo, Factory Transmedia, Traveller’s Tales, Animortal and DreamWorks outreach.

Following on from a busy 2016 with the production of Early Man, the latest stop frame feature film from Academy Award® winning director Nick Park in full swing and a Shaun the Sheep Movie sequel in pre-production, Aardman are delighted to announce the new course dates for 2017. This year’s 3 month Certificate in Character Animation course will run from 25th September to 15th December and we are now accepting applications.

The course is open to both CG (Maya) and Stop Frame with a maximum of six students in each discipline. Course fees are £4500 which include free lunches and a two week paid internship in Industry after graduation.

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course will take place at Aardman’s studio in Bristol and will be taught by practicing Aardman animators who have worked on many productions including Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, Flushed Away, The Pirates! and the Shaun the Sheep Movie. There will also be additional support from other industry professionals from both the stop frame and CG animation disciplines including Factory Transmedia who we are delighted to announce will be formally supporting the course this year.

The course is short but very intensive with the main aim being to produce students with the level of animation skills needed to allow them to get jobs as animators within this competitive industry. While this is no guarantee of future success, to date over 80% of former students have become animators within the industry.

The course is open to a maximum of 6 Stop Frame and 6 CG students, with the students working in either CG (using Maya) or Stop Frame (using Dragon-Frame). Students will be taught in small groups to enable maximum contact time with staff and other visiting tutors. The course will be taught in a series of weekly assignments, each focusing on a key aspect of animation performance. Students will be encouraged to repeat and finesse each assignment during the week. The course will be based on learning technical and practical skills, providing a foundation on which students can become technically proficient animators and thereby enable them to bring their characters to life. The course is structured to build from simpler exercises towards a short sequence demonstrating character-based performance, which will be animated within scheduled production deadlines.

The course runs from 9.30 – 6pm Monday to Friday. The course fee also includes free weekday lunches and a two week paid placement after graduation in a studio in the U.K. Past placements have included Factory Transmedia, Blue Zoo, Animortal, Isle of Dogs – Wes Anderson Feature, Aardman, JellyFish, and Travellers Tales.

On completion of the course students will:
-Have improved technical animation skills
-Be able to deliver convincing character acting and performance
-Produce their work to a deadline
-Understand the role of an animator with a production
-Have benefited from masterclasses with key industry professionals
-Have completed an industry placement

CURRICULUM

This is a 12 week full time intensive and practical course based at the Aardman studio’s in Bristol. The majority of the course is practical with students working on animation exercises to improve their skills, knowledge and experience.

Initially the course will focus on the core animation skills to ensure that students understand the key animation principles such as timing, weight and lines of action. These technical aspects of animation underpin character performance and are essential to enable students to achieve convincing performance.

Further character-based performance exercises increase the understanding of Character Posing, Blocking and Plotting the action within the shot or sequence. Each exercise builds on what has been learned in the previous week and students will have the opportunity to video themselves acting out variations of the exercises to guide and inform their work.

The course culminates in a short character animation sequence - pre-planned and boarded to showcase the skills learnt during the course. This sequence will be created within the parameters of a realistic production schedule and will reflect the pressures of a live production.

To complement the intensive animation training, students will have life drawing sessions, acting workshops as well as industry masterclasses. These give the students invaluable contacts within the industry moving forwards, as well as tips on how to promote yourself and the soft skills needed within a competitive industry. Past speakers have included companies such as Blue Zoo, Lupus, Jellyfish, Passion Pictures, Factory Transmedia, Turner, Richard Williams, Nick Park, MPC, DNeg and Dreamworks.

The course finishes with a graduation screening which is open to industry, giving students the platform to show their work and network with future employers.

Following on from the course we are aiming to secure a small number of paid internships with production companies based here in the UK. On previous courses these internships have taken place at companies such as Factory Transmedia, Blue Zoo as well as at Aardman. In many cases these placements then led to the students being offered jobs as animators.

-Daily tuition from animators currently working within the Industry
-Unique fast-track route into the Industry with many students going on to work as animators for UK animation companies
-Working methods based on Industry practice
-Situated in a professional studio environment at Aardman in Bristol
-Learn from BAFTA and Oscar winning animators
-Masterclass sessions from external industry

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The Animation programme is a world leader in practice and research, with a commitment to broadening the understanding of our complex discipline. Established over 30 years ago, the programme has an international reputation that places it at the forefront of the discipline. Within the programme there are three distinct pathways: Documentary Animation, Experimental Animation and Narrative Animation, one of which students select as part of their application.

The programme’s location within a visually sophisticated, multidisciplinary art and design school, rather than a film school, is crucial in the development of creative and critical thinking, research skills and expanded discipline expertise that’s applied to ideas, styles, genres and technological approaches. Both the MA and research degrees attract artists and makers from a broad background of disciplines: science, maths, architecture, literature, art history, computing and fine art, as well as communication.

We offer a unique learning and teaching environment, developing the creativity and skills required in an age of rapid cultural and technological change. Our students contribute to this expanding and maturing field of moving image, with core skills centred around directing, narrative and production. We offer an exceptionally stimulating multidisciplinary environment, complemented by the College’s award-winning programmes in art and design. The curriculum allows students to explore the creative slip between diverse forms of moving image: animation, documentary, fiction, process and interactivity. Through innovative, practical research and an understanding of different contexts, traditions and histories, students learn through a potent combination of workshops, lectures and tutorials, while developing their own practice, individually and collaboratively.

Leading practitioners on the programme bring a wide range of practice and research, their excellence of teaching supported by a wide variety of visiting established filmmakers/artists of international reputation. Recent visiting artists have included Stephen Quay, Suzan Pitt, David O’Reilly, John Smith, Nina Sabnani, Hiraki Sawa, Peter Blegvad, Asif Kapadia, Philip Hunt, Nick Park and Jonathan Hodgson.

The Animation programme has a world-leading research environment, attracting funding from, among others, the Arts & Humanities Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and the Medical Research Council. 

Students are encouraged to develop a critical discourse around their subject, as well as building on and challenging notions within their own personal areas of interest or specialism. The programme has an ongoing relationship with the most successful and innovative sectors of the UK animation industry – Blink, Nexus, Studio AKA, Passion Pictures and Hornet – which allows students’ work to be placed within a wider professional context.

The programme offers excellent facilities supported by knowledgeable technical staff, including shooting studios for stop-frame/green screen, sound recording/mixing, digital and film cameras/editing, Cintiqs and an individual desk space for each student in mixed studios within the School of Communication.

The MA programme and research degrees offer a holistic environment that prepares animation artists for a number of roles within gallery- and industry-based animated filmmaking, and provides innovators to the animation professions. 

Current students and graduates continue to have a ‘real-world’ impact on animation, pushing the forefront of the practice and producing innovative and highly accomplished work. Much of this has been demonstrated through the accolades bestowed on the programme, as well as by individual student achievement through winning awards such as 5 BAFTAs, the Royal Television Society, the Adobe Achievement Award, and Jerwood Moving Image Drawing Prizes. Exhibitions in museums and galleries worldwide, together with film screenings at festivals and broadcast licenses with television and Internet channels, allow students to increases their professional profile.

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-The MA Animation degree allows you to develop your 2D, 3D or VFX Digital Animation skills and knowledge to a more advanced level.
-You will develop a personal portfolio in approach, style and vision that looks to the forefront of current practices.
-The course allows you to extend your theoretical and contextual understanding of animation, its audiences and media culture.
-You will become familiar with professional-level enquiry, research, creative invention, project planning and management practices.
-The course is taught within a multi-disciplinary environment of discussion and exploration of ideas.

Why choose this course?

This award enables you to develop creative practical skills in a range of digital processes that are used in Animation and related fields. Within this course you can choose to focus in a particular area of animation such as VFX, 2D animation or 3D animation or even combine the areas to create new forms and ideas from the fusion of techniques and styles.

Within 2D animation you can look at traditional animation techniques and blend these skills and approaches with new digital media to form new content and formats. You will explore the rich heritage of 2D animation and the possibilities of experimentation, both in form and content, that traditional animation has actively encouraged.

3D digital animation has become the most popular form of animated imagery over the past decade,used by more experimental practitioners who question the appearance, form and uses it has in present-day media. In this form, you will challenge your preconceptions of what 2D or 3D animation can do, which helps you become an innovator in the field. You will have the opportunity to explore the range of possibilities available to the practitioner, mixing technical knowledge of the subject with the creative freedom that an understanding of the theory and context of new media practices brings.

The postgraduate Animation programme involves an induction, seminars and social events for students and staff, allowing you to be part of a friendly and supportive postgraduate community of film-makers, musicians and professionals working in new media. Senior research staff and internationally renowned professionals work with postgraduate students, helping to develop original and challenging work. Your study includes ways of thinking about the cultural resonance of your work, the audiences it is made for, the nature of creativity and the role of the cultural industries in a modern knowledge economy.

Through your study you will develop a range of project management skills and an ability to identify and manage your own learning. You will consider the role of enterprise opportunities in commercial, professional and social environments, as well as specialist modules in your chosen discipline area, the programme includes shared modules with other postgraduate awards in the School of Creative Arts. This structure promotes cross-discipline discussion and maintains the enthusiasm and focus of discipline specialists. It enables you to develop key transferable skills of postgraduate study grounded in activities that have currency, relevance and application for your future career and further academic study.

Careers

Particular emphasis is given to providing you with the skills necessary to further your career as an animator. The course is designed to help you understand and work within the contemporary media environment. Particular attention is given to helping you acquire enquiry and information handling skills, enterprise skills in the development and presentation of ideas, in communicating in the spoken and written word, and addressing particular audiences.

Teaching methods

On this programme teaching and learning emphasises enquiry led project work, developing the kind of independence and autonomy that is appropriate for postgraduate education. Lectures, seminars and other discussions bring students together in multi-disciplinary groups where ideas are shared, challenged, developed. Workshops and other activities develop specific discipline centered skills and understandings while tutorials develop individual study trajectories and responses to assignment tasks and briefs. Much of the time students are engaged in self-managed independent study, undertaking enquiries and research, developing skills, inventing and developing ideas, realizing project outcomes, exploring the cultural resonance of their work.

All students on the PG Media programme engage in an interdisciplinary project as a part of their MA study, giving them an opportunity to work with students from other disciplines in an experimental and creative way.

Work Placement

There are work related learning opportunities on this course, all students complete a live external brief as part of their coursework.

Structures

Core Modules
-Creative Economies
-Media Discourses
-Practice 1: Media
-Practice 2: Media
-Research and Enquiry

Optional
-Creative Economies (Online)
-Research and Enquiry (Online)

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Practitioners from Bristol's leading animation studios support both the development and delivery of this course, offering professional advice and guidance through workshops and master classes. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored one-to-one by industry professionals.

You will learn from the best in the business, gaining industry insight as well as work experience opportunities and the chance to attend networking events and screenings.

A strong focus on long term employability, ensures you graduate as a multi-skilled lifelong learner, with confidence, connections and a desire to further develop and enhance your practice.

Key benefits

Learn your craft from internationally renowned practitioners. We have partnerships with the region’s animation industry - including Aardman Aanimations, A Productions and Arthur Cox - and students have the opportunity to get feedback on their films from leading industry professionals.

Course detail

The course is based at Bower Ashton Campus, part of City Campus, where exceptional facilities and resources include state-of-the-art digital media, production and fabrication workshops offer a combination of traditional tools and the latest technology.
Based in Bristol, a global centre of excellence in animation, film and television production, it attracts students from around the world. Bristol is the place to study animation, home to Aardman Animations, A Productions, Arthur Cox and other internationally renowned animation companies.

Modules

• Developing Practice in Animation (30 credits)
• Pre-Production for Animation (30 credits)
• Production for Animation (45 credits)
• Professional Practice in Animation 1 (15 credits)
• Post Production for Animation (45 credits)
• Professional Practice in Animation 2 (15 credits)

Structure

The full Master's course comprises of 180 credits divided into three 60 credits stages: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and Masters. Students work incrementally through the three stages and must pass all modules at each stage in order to progress to the next.

Format

The course is taught via practical workshops, a rolling programme of guest lecturers and industry speakers and there are opportunities for work experience within the industry.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a combination of practical work, presentations and written assignments.

Careers / Further study

This postgraduate course will allow you to return to industry with enhanced skills and further experience or start afresh in the diverse field of animation. The course content and structure enables you to pursue your interests and specialisms whether in 2D/drawn, CG, stop motion or other forms of animation in a range of roles including direction, production, storyboarding, model-making, layout, design and teaching.

Past students have gained employment and worked on productions throughout the worldwith companies such as: Aardman Animations, A Productions, Wonky, Rumpus and Sun and Moon.

How to apply

Information on applications can be found at the following link: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/study/applyingtouwebristol/postgraduateapplications.aspx

Funding

- New Postgraduate Master's loans for 2016/17 academic year –

The government are introducing a master’s loan scheme, whereby master’s students under 60 can access a loan of up to £10,000 as a contribution towards the cost of their study. This is part of the government’s long-term commitment to enhance support for postgraduate study.

Scholarships and other sources of funding are also available.

More information can be found here: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/students/feesandfunding/fundingandscholarships/postgraduatefunding.aspx

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Are you interested in exploring new ways of communicating through visual storytelling? Do you want to extend your creative skills in the digital domain?

The MSc Animation & VFX at DJCAD is an exciting Masters course which allows a much broader interpretation of traditional animation. Digital animation techniques have allowed us to visualise the world around us from the farthest reaches of space to the darkest depths of the oceans.

Why study Animation and Visualisation at Dundee?

Digital animation techniques have allowed us to visualise the world around us from the farthest reaches of space to the darkest depths of the oceans. With the increasing appetite for fantastic stories and images there has never been a better opportunity for animators, artists and designers to develop new ways of communicating different stories. Using 2D and 3D computer animation, practitioners are shaping our knowledge and understanding in areas as diverse as digital visual effects, medical imaging, architecture, environmental design, product design and film making.

What's great about Animation and Visualisation at Dundee?

This course represents an opportunity for animators, artists, designers and those with associated experience to extend their skills and discourse within both animation and visualisation. We offer dedicated 2D, 3D and visual effects facilities providing you with a unique opportunity to develop your own visual practice. Our new Visual FX studio is one of only two within a UK university.

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) has been rated as the top institution in Scotland for research in art and design, and one of the best in the whole of the UK (RAE 2008).

What you will study

The Masters is a one-year programme, taught over three semesters. Core modules and optional modules provide a balanced curriculum. Masters students are required to attain 180 credits which comprise seven modules, as follows.

Semester 1 (20 credit modules):
Exploring Practice - enhances understanding of the process and skills associated with 2D and 3D animation production, problem solving and creative practice.
Context & Review - contextualises conceptual and theoretical skills in relation to contemporary and emerging technologies and cultures.
Research Skills & Methods - refine your personal programme of research and development, to inform the planning and execution of your personal project.

One week at the beginning of the first semester is dedicated to induction and diagnostic testing to establish where support is required, especially for international students.

DJCAD operates a Reading Week during week 6 of the first semester. Reading Week is designated as five days where there are no timetabled taught classes. However, all students are expected to carry out either assigned work or self-directed work during this period. All University facilities are open during Reading Week with students expected to attend the University as usual.

Semester 2 (20 credit modules):
Advanced Production - extend your existing skills in 2D and 3D digital computer animation. This module will help you to apply these skills to your personal project.
Reflection on Practice - guided independent learning in which you will focus on a project report.
Going Live - you will work on a live industry initiated project called Going Live. This experience will replicate the studio experience with a professional brief set by an external production studio. Industry partners have included The Mill and Axis Animation.

Semester 3 (60 credits)

A&V - Realisation, final 60 credit semester will result in you creating a substantial body of work and taking part in a public exposition.
You can choose to leave with a postgraduate diploma with 120 credits, or a postgraduate certificate with 60 credits.

How you will be assessed

Students are assessed by course work, including team project work, exploratory and finalised practical work, and written work

Careers

Prospects for graduates exist in research and within the vfx, 3D and 2D animation and visualisation industries. Specific roles include 3D Vfx Artists, Compositor, Character Designer, Technical Director, Environments Designer, Character Animator, Self-employment and entrepreneurship will also offer potential career opportunities. Academia careers including Research Assistant on funded projects and PhD study.

"I was given freedom to develop my potential. DJCAD also provided an amazing teacher team and advanced facilities that gave me a great study environment." - Huaijin Cao from China graduated in 2011 and is now employed at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe as a Motion Graphic Designer.

"The reason I choose to study the MSc Animation & Visualisation was to explore various vfx techniques in my work and gain ties with industry professionals. I had a great experience during my time at DJCAD and found the programme to be an ideal springboard into the vfx industry." - Graeme Turnbull works for The Mill London as a 3D artist, he graduated in 2009.

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Our MA Animation course builds on our long history of providing highly regarded animation education at UCA Farnham, and will provide you with a strong interdisciplinary approach to the animated form. We offer a dynamic environment in which you'll be able to engage with the animated form in traditional 2D and 3D stop motion, as well as the theoretical aspects of the discipline.

This course attracts students from around the world and has a rich cultural mix. You'll approach animation as a broad discipline and be encouraged to engage with experimental and speculative approaches to making through a range of projects, which will culminate in the production of a high quality animated film.

MA Animation at our Farnham campus has a long history of nurturing creative, innovative and challenging animators and has an incomparable alumni. This course will support you in developing practical skills while fostering a high standard of diverse critical approaches.

On this course you'll be encouraged to take risks, explore and develop your interests, and exchange, debate and discuss your ideas. You'll be expected to produce original and exciting films during your time with us, and explore the wide range of creative possibilities of frame-by -frame filmmaking. We'll encourage you to be open to these possibilities and to develop new skills, as well as building on your existing ones.

Your studies will be supported by internationally renowned staff on a course that is proud to have no house style. We'll encourage you to explore your own natural inclinations - whether narrative, experimental, documentary or fiction. This will enable you to establish yourself as a rounded professional who can formulate ideas in a sophisticated framework.

Our course uses a wide range of technical resources that cover the whole spectrum of contemporary animation practice, from traditional drawn and stop motion animation to the latest digitally generated imagery.

Part-time students are normally taught on a Wednesday but sometimes field trips, study visits or other events take place on other days of the week. You should check before enrolling if you have concerns about the days your course will be taught on.

Industry Partners

Our course actively encourages you to gain industry experience through a wide variety of approaches. These include work experience, internships, studio visits, commissions and competitions and entry into major film festivals.

We've built an extensive network of industry connections, giving us access to high-profile visiting lecturers, and to commissions, competitions and exciting work placement opportunities.

Our industry links include:

-Aardman Animations

-STUDIO AKA

-Passion Pictures

-Mackinnon & Saunders

-Nexus

-Framestore

-Cinesite

-The Mill

-ustwo

-Stylorouge

-Blink Productions

-ITV.

Careers

Animation is one of the most significant and rapidly expanding media fields. An enormous range of career opportunities exist in animation. These range from the traditional techniques of animation storytelling, drawn to model and CGI animation.

Typical careers in the industry include:

-Directors

-Producers

-Animators (in commercials, films, broadcast, online media and games)

-Editors

-Character designers

-Production designers

-Pre-vis artists

-Compositors

-Storyboard artists

-Post-production.

As one of the pre-eminent animation courses in the world, our sought after alumni have landed many exciting, high-profile roles across the industry - including positions as:

-Animators

-Directors

-Producers

-Designers

-Model makers

-Storyboard artists

-CG animators

-CG riggers.

Virtual Media Space

Visit our Postgraduate Virtual Media Space to find out more about our courses, see what it's like to study at UCA and gain access to our campus virtual tours.

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Designed in conjunction with our partners in industry, this course is aimed at creating a new landscape of postgraduate computer animation tuition, ensuring that the voice of business is embedded at the heart of the curriculum.

During the course you will develop advanced technical and professional animation production skills, in addition to the centrality of teamwork required for an industry that is becoming increasingly specialised with new roles and functions emerging all the time.
With industry assistance through Skillset, we are able to nurture emerging talent by seeding the growth of this new industry-facing
course.

The distinctive and explicit curriculum has been designed to build the appropriate depth of both subject-specific and generic skills to allow graduates to develop their career in a fast-moving and increasingly specialised industry.

The course consists of compulsory modules in Computer Animation Production, CGI Foundation – Animation / Still Image and Acquisition for VFX. You will then have the opportunity to choose from optional modules in rigging and creature effects, digital sculpture, CGI lighting and look development and effects animation.

What You Will Study

The distinctive and explicit curriculum has been designed to build the appropriate depth of both subject-specific and generic skills to allow graduates to develop their career in a fast-moving and increasingly specialised industry.

The MA Computer Animation course includes the following module structure:

Acquisition for VFX
CGI Foundation (Still image)
CGI Foundation – Animation
Computer Animation Production
Rigging & Creature Effects (option)
Digital Sculpture (option)
Effects Animation (option)
CGI Lighting & Look Development (option)
Research Methods, or Creative & Cultural Entrepreneurship (option)

How You Will Study

Studio and workshop tutorials are supplemented by visiting computer animation artists and practitioners lectures, seminars, discussion groups and presentations. All Staff are active in research, consultancy or employed within the animation Industry.

Course assessment is primarily through submitted project responses and a supporting portfolio of production resources.

Learning Through Employment

Learning Through Employment is a University of South Wales framework that offers students who are already in employment the opportunity to gain credits towards a postgraduate qualification.

The programme is structured so that the majority of learning takes place through active and reflective engagement with your work activities, underpinned by the appropriate academic knowledge and skills.

All postgraduate courses in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries offer students the opportunity to undertake a 60 credit Learning Through Employment Research Project as an alternative to a traditional final dissertation, major project or production.

The focus of the project is an individual, organisational problem solving, knowledge-based approach.

As such, it has been is designed for practicing professionals to provide them with the tools to succeed in the workplace.

This truly flexible approach means that projects can be based on an agreed area of work, benefiting students and employers, and because the majority of the project is carried out in the workplace, it can potentially be undertaken anywhere in the world.

Possible Career Options

This specialist postgraduate Computer Animation course focuses on the higher level skills that will enable graduates to operate successfully across a range of roles within the Animation industry.

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See the department website - http://cias.rit.edu/schools/film-animation/graduate-film-and-animation

The MFA program in film and animation enjoys state-of-the-art facilities. Students can create live-action production, screens, 2D, 3D or stop motion animation that is unique. The program is housed in a School of Film and Animation with full production facilities, as well as the additional support of highly specialized faculty in photography, imaging science, computer science, information technology, and printing.

Goals

The program provides students with the opportunity to use animation, filmmaking, and other imaging arts as a means to:

- pursue a career and earn a livelihood,
- enrich their personal lives and society as a whole, and
- encourage a sense of community, creativity, scholarship, and purpose.

Plan of study

The MFA in film and animation offers four options:

1. 2D animation concentrates on traditional forms drawn by hand, a mixture of both traditional and digital, or all digital origination. Students may concentrate their studies on stop motion puppet animation.

2. 3D animation courses focus on advanced 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, and animating in a 3D space.

3. Production allows students to develop and refine their creative approach to fictional narrative, documentary, and experimental work.

4. Screenwriting is an opportunity for students to complete short films with a concentration in creating feature length screenplays.

All four options require two years of course work and a thesis project. A complete film is required of all the first year students, a complete film or script is required in the second year, and a more ambitious thesis film or feature length script is required in the third year, which is a part-time student status focused only on the thesis film.

A minimum of 63 semester credit hours of graduate work is outlined below.

Electives

SOFA elective courses are available in animation, film, video, multimedia, screenwriting, printmaking, painting, sculpture, communication design, museum studies, crafts, bookmaking, typography, color photography, new media, studio photography, advertising photography, perception, sensitometry, computer graphics, art history, and archival preservation and conservation. There are also opportunities for independent studies, internships, and concentrations.

Thesis

Specific instructions pertaining to the thesis are available in the “MFA Guide for Students and Faculty: Policy Regarding Student Work.” The School of Film and Animation reserves the right to retain copies of student-produced films to be used for educational purposes, to show to prospective students, and as examples of student productions.

Admission requirements

Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are not required for admission. International students are required to submit English language test scores such as TOEFL. Applicants who are capable of good academic work as well as artistic visual expression, and who demonstrate an interest in the exploration of new artistic ideas and experiences, will be favored. The graduate faculty makes recommendations based on the above interlocking criteria.

Students who are evaluated to have MFA potential but need additional study in preparation for graduate courses will be advised to take such courses either prior to entrance or during their first year of study.

All correspondence concerning applications or catalogs should be addressed to the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services. Students interested in the program should have their application process completed by January 15. Applications received later than January 15 are considered on a space-available basis.

- Portfolio

The review committee is looking for work that is original in concept and content. It does not need to necessarily be motion media, but should be visual or aural. Examples include films/videos, photos, drawings, paintings, sculpture, stop motion puppets, scripts, storyboards, and original music.

Applicants must present what they consider to be the best of their work, not all of their work. Films or videos should total 12-minutes or less. A short, complete piece of work is preferable to a demo reel. If there are no short works then a 12-minute excerpt of a longer piece is acceptable.

Applicants must place their portfolios on a Web or FTP site, such as Vimeo or YouTube, which can be easily accessed by RIT faculty for review. Your application should include a URL Web or FTP address to your online portfolio. If your portfolio is placed on a shared Web or FTP site that contains other files, be sure the file name contains your full name (which must match the name used on your application materials). When applicable, please include any usernames and/or passwords necessary for access to your portfolio. Please provide an inventory sheet or table of contents with your portfolio, and if it is not obvious, clearly indicate what your combination was to group and collaborative pieces. This can be a separate description or can be included in the portfolio presentation.

Applicants are also required to produce a 2 to 3 minute video self-portrait to accompany the online portfolio. This should include information about the applicant such as why you want to attend the School of Film and Animation, which concentration you wish to pursue, and why. Please include information about one significant accomplishment you have made. Sound and picture quality should be clear. The online portfolio and self-portrait must be mounted on Slideroom.com once a Slideroom account is established.

For more information about portfolio guidelines as well as assistance in uploading an online portfolio, contact Graduate Enrollment Services.

- Transfer credit

Graduate-level course work taken prior to admission should be submitted for approval upon entrance into the program. Up to 8 semester credit hours of graduate work with a grade of B or better is transferable and may be counted toward the MFA degree, with the approval of the graduate faculty.

- Grades

Students must maintain a B (3.0) average GPA to meet graduation requirements for the MFA. Thesis hours are usually completed over several semesters. Acceptance or rejection of the thesis is made by the candidate’s thesis board and the graduate faculty.

- Maximum time limit

University policy requires that graduate programs be completed within seven years of the student's initial registration for courses in the program. Bridge courses are excluded.

- Screenings

Screenings are required for all student-produced films and are coordinated through the professor or the thesis chair.

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Introduction

Create, explore and play with 3D digital, 2D and 2.5D animation processes in combination with more traditional analogue technologies, changing how you make, understand and experience animation. MA Animation at LCC gives you the chance to develop a personal practice that understands animation, in multiple forms, address multiple situations and help you develop innovative approaches driven by critical understanding and experimental production.

Content

Animation at LCC is taught as a broad and experimental visual practice in the context of communication design. With new technologies changing how we make, understand and experience animation, students are encouraged to test boundaries and look at animation in many forms and in many ways.

MA Animation explores both the theory and practice of animation aiming to give you the tools to be able to express creative ideas using a broad range of experimental visual media. You will investigate the production of animation in an era with unparalleled opportunities for skilled visual communicators.

Structure

The course is delivered across four 10 week terms starting in September and finishing the next December. Incorporating a summer break, this is a one-year full-time course (45 taught weeks), delivered over 15 months.

Term 1 (10 weeks)

1.1 Animation Practice and Process 3D & 2D (40 Credits)
1.2 Design for Animation, Narrative Structures and Film Language (20 Credits)

Terms 2 and 3 (20 weeks)

2.1 Experimental Critical Practice and Research (40 Credits)
2.2 Collaborative Unit (20 Credits) term 2 only

Term 4 (5 +10 weeks)

3.1 Final Major Project and Thesis (60 Credits)

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The MA Animation Production enables students to develop themselves and their work by focusing on Practice, Theory and Professionalism and the ‘critical dialogue’ between them.

More specifically, the MA Animation Production will draw upon our institutional and team strengths to allow students to explore their practice in a postgraduate context. The AUB Animation philosophy sees observation, drawing and an understanding of the traditional principles of animation as fundamental, but these are critically contextualised in relation to technology, history, theory and professional/studio practice. The course team are regularly augmented by Visiting Tutors and specialists from industry – visitors to date include award-winning animators Bill Plympton, Barry Purves, Joanna Quinn and Suzie Templeton.

The overall aim of the MA course is to enable students to pursue their interests and specialism – whether 2D/drawn, CG, stop motion or other forms of animation – and produce excellent work that synthesises the ‘strands’ of theory, practice and professionalism. What marks out AUB in this field is the range of skills and interests of our staff (and potential specialisms offered) and how these are holistically ‘framed’ within the cutting edge context of Animation Studies as a discipline.

You will be a graduate of a BA Animation course or have a related degree such as Digital Media, Graphics, or Illustration. Although we will consider good graduates from other disciplines, you must have some understanding of the animation production process in order to prosper on this course.

AUB Animation has achieved alumni success with our graduates going on to work at Aardman, Framestore, Pixar, EA Games and the Moving Picture Company and many other companies. Our BA films have won awards and recognition in the British Animation Awards and Royal Television Society Awards and at festivals around the world. We are proud of the network of AUB graduates who are now employed in Animation – many of whom return to talk to current students.

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Become a 3D Animator the flexible way. Our online MA is the first of its kind, giving you the chance to study from anywhere in the world. You'll benefit from our expertise, learning through practical and academic modules. At Bucks we have industry links with companies such as Framestore and Centroid, based at Pinewood and Shepperton Studios.

Animation is everywhere. TV, in film, on your smart phone, on the web, and in games. The animation industry is growing from strength to strength, involving more and more media.

We give you all the vital skills and knowledge to succeed in the sector. This course includes both academic and practical elements giving you the edge you need to impress employers.

Visit the website: http://bucks.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/arts-and-creative-industries/pt/3d-animation-pt-1718

What will this course cover?

We place a strong emphasis on character and creature animation in a digital environment. With a focus on cutting edge technical and creative skills, you'll learn how to develop original creative content.

You will also gain an awareness of current challenges faced in the animation industry, with an opportunity to conduct your own research in this exciting and rapidly developing field.

Learn about 3D animation from anywhere in the world Our 3D animation MA is a one-of-a- kind course. It's delivered exclusively online, allowing you to fit in your studies around your personal and professional commitments. You can study at a pace and time that suits you, with no need to attend the University.

Modules

• Animation 1 - Locomotion and Mechanics
• Animation 2 - Character Performance
• Animation 3 - Animals & Creatures
• Animation 4 - Final Project & Demo Reel
• Research Techniques and Dissertation

How will I be taught and assessed?

The programme will be exclusively delivered by distance learning, using our online virtual learning environment: The Blackboard Collaborate portal.

You will benefit from a blend of online tutorials and seminars. You will also receive highly detailed and customised feedback, including a bespoke personal critique of your work.

The teaching and assessments prioritises a ‘hands-on’, real world approach to learning and online learning resources, with extensive use made of video clips and other rich media to support the delivery of the programme.

All module assessment is coursework, rather than exam- based. Assessment submission and lecturer feedback will be exclusively delivered online, enabling you to readily refer back to tailored feedback comments that will progressively inform each piece of written and practical work you complete during the course.

Careers

By the end of the course, you'll be a skilled animator and have a deeper academic understanding of the industry. When you graduate, you'll have an impressive portfolio of work. We make sure that the skills you learn will impress employers.

We help you find employment after graduation. We have a dedicated team of careers and employment specialists, who work in partnership with academic colleagues, employers and the Students' Union to prepare you for the world of work and guide your career management.

Our graduates have gone on to work in production houses, visual effects companies and some have even started their own companies.

How to apply

Apply here: http://bucks.ac.uk/applynow/

Funding

There are a range of funding opportunities for postgraduate students which include sponsorship, bursaries, scholarships and loans: http://bucks.ac.uk/fees_funding/postgraduate-masters-scholarships/

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This innovative and pioneering post-graduate programme enables students to explore and push the boundaries of animation in the public, private and charitable services. This programme is cross-disciplinary, offering areas of study within the broad heading of health and wellbeing. Including opportunities to learn about animation as therapy, auto-therapeutic animation and assistive animation technology.

Using ‘The Good Hearts Model’ students will have the opportunity to learn how animation is used in the therapeutic process, and applied to a topic of the student’s choice. Auto-therapeutic Animation provides a platform for personal expression, communication and self-exploration. Students will have the possibility to produce a short film based on a personal issue or cause, developing a process and film that empowers them or others by giving voice to their concerns.

Assistive Animation technology, students will identify a pertinent issue in the wider social arena producing a publicly mediated outcome, allowing students to explore how animation, design and its processes can be used in an assistive way for services or impactful visual purpose.

See the website http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/programmes/departments/arts/animation-for-health-and-wellbeing/

Assessment

Assessment is continuous and based on an appraisal of practice, written material, related research, and professional and entrepreneurial skills in relation to the final project outcome(s). All students submit a Final Project Report.

Careers and further study

This programme is designed to develop specialist knowledge and expertise to work in animation and across disciplines. On successful completion students are eligible to apply for PhD study.

Why choose Arts, English and Drama at Loughborough?

The School of Arts, English and Drama is renowned as one of the world’s top places for studying the visual, literary and performing arts, offering outstanding opportunities across its wide remit. Each course is designed to inspire talented individuals with the drive and determination to succeed.

We provide many exciting ways to enhance skills, including research-led teaching by recognised international scholars, access to multi-million pound facilities, contact with prominent industry links, and superb entrepreneurial support.

A unique range of post-graduate taught programmes and research opportunities encompass art, design, history, theory, performance, postmedieval literature, linguistics studies.

We offer a unique range of postgraduate taught programmes and research opportunities which encompasses art, design, theory, performance by practice, post-medieval literature, creative writing, linguistics and theatre

- Facilities
Our students have full access to our state-of-the-art facilities, which offer a tantalising number of creative possibilities. They provide industry standard outputs, and you will receive an unparalleled level of professional training in using them.

- Career Prospects
Over 92% of our graduates were in employment and/or further study six months after graduating. Our students develop excellent transferable skills because of the range of topics studied on our courses and the diversity of teaching and learning methods we use.

Find out how to apply here http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/programmes/departments/arts/animation-for-health-and-wellbeing/

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