3D Animation and VFX Curriculum

During the first semester, students develop animation and VFX skills and knowledge of the production pipeline. Students bolster their command of asset creation supplemented by courses in traditional art as well as foundations of project management and production.

Students focus on shot creation lessening the emphasis on the digital production specialization in semester one. Here they learn from the principles of animation and rules of composition. Students begin to “learn how to learn” new and more varied software. Courses continue to develop some asset creation skills through continued emphasis on character set-up and texturing courses. By the end of the semester, students have an intensive look at each of the specializations within the entirety of the 3D Animation & VFX pipeline and start to narrow down a specialization emphasis. Complementing their traditional 3D art course in the first semester, students also take a traditional movement course teaching organic timing and spacing.

Students begin to treat digital production of 3D Animation & VFX through a holistic lens rather than a series of sequential specializations. In addition, they train in project management and coding, skills necessary to becoming innovators and leaders in their fields of study. They wround out the semester by achieving significant milestones of their thesis projects, where students complete a technical demo reel of their area of specialization.

Students exhibit mastery within a chosen area of specialization, such as character animation, modeling, sculpting, simulation, or the like. The semester culminates in the completion of their thesis project, carried over from semester three. The project is subject to the approval of the Thesis Committee where the student defends a completed technical demo reel. The successful completion of this thesis is mandatory for graduation.

Outside of thesis completion, students tackle open-ended problems and challenges facing the industry as a whole with technical direction-heavy courses such as problems in simulation and motion-data.

The semester ends with a screening of thesis projects for members of the industry, including professionals from the production, executive, and talent representation spheres. The department already enjoys productive relationships with top industry entities such as Dreamworks, Disney, The Third Floor, 3 Arts Entertainment, and others.

New York Film Academy believes that to be successful in the MFA 3D Animation & VFX degree program an applicant must have an intermediate skill level in 3D Animation and VFX. The creative portfolio submitted during the application process is used to assess this skill level and determine if the applicant has the prerequisite knowledge to meet the demand of the courses. If the applicant is assessed as not meeting the necessary skill level, detailed feedback is made available to the applicant, recommending areas of improvement if the student wishes to improve and apply again.

The primary objective of the first semester is to focus on the fundamental knowledge of computer graphics. Students study Maya’s world-class, industry-standard-setting interface and capabilities while receiving a broad understanding of computer-generated images both in 2D and 3D applications. Students also take Foundation Studies courses in English Composition, Computing, and Film Art.

This semester focuses on creating digital and practical creatures with proper anatomy, plausible fantasy anatomy and good design aesthetic. Students get to apply their knowledge to both digital and traditional sculpture. By the end of the semester students have a traditional maquette of their creature as well as a properly constructed creature or character that can fit into a film or animation production pipeline. Students continue to develop their analytical skills in Critical Thinking and Critical Film Studies classes, as well as develop healthy practices for a productive learning and creative atmosphere in Physical and Mental Wellness.

Semester three courses delve deeper into 3D comprehension. Students directly apply concepts and improve projects created throughout the second semester. They follow through the next stages of production by learning how to set up character rigs for animation, which is seen through with proper lighting and rendering. There is an emphasis on presentation in order to create beautiful photo realistic imagery or stylized imagery. Students also explore the creation of original characters by studying the process of character design and creation. Students round out their Foundation Studies with Public Speaking and College Math courses, and further develop their analytical skills with Critical Film Studies II.

This semester takes a further examination of character setup while introducing Animation. The study centers on the details and complexities of rigging while learning scripting in Python and MEL. Python and MEL directly enhances and supplements the Character Setup course. Scripting knowledge also enables the creation of custom tools and expedite workflow, which prepare students with skills for the professional world. In the Psychology of Performance class, students enrich their understanding of the emotional mechanisms at play in visual storytelling, and the Environmental Biology course gives students an understanding of the natural world and the role humans play in it.

In the 5th semester, students are challenged to create original digital environments using a combination of 3D techniques and timeless traditional matte painting techniques. Students continue to study advanced animation and analyze character and creature performance. The concepts of 3D digital environments, set extension and traditional matte painting is introduced, allowing students to create fantastical and sophisticated photorealistic worlds. Students also begin learning how to integrate digital film footage into believable finished VFX shots. Students are expected to research their ideas and develop believable constructs.

Research is emphasized this semester through advanced general education topics. Students also take Arts and Humanities courses such as Dramatic Literature; Comparative Literature; and Art, Culture and Society, in order to gain a deeper understanding of great works of literary and visual arts and how they influence and are influenced by the cultures from which they arose.

By semester 6, students have now experienced a broad range of 3D disciplines and are ready to combine all these skills into a final product. Students receive hands-on production experience with digital cinematography. Original material is shot and edited by the students. 3D effects is integrated into the live action footage, creating a polished photorealistic film quality result. On completion of the sixth semester, students are expected to have mastered the tools to create a believable visual effects shot from beginning to end.

Students also continue to deepen and broaden their education with upper division electives in Social and Behavioral Sciences and Natural Sciences.

The final two semesters develop the student into a professional-caliber 3D artist. Students choose their preferred discipline (animation, modeling, texturing, rigging, etc.) and are guided through developing a professional reel with this focus.

Semester seven concentrates on creating better storytellers both through the Screenwriting and Storyboard and Animatic courses, in which students learn traditional storyboarding as well as modern 3D animatic/pre-visualization techniques. Students also learn how to create and control natural and fantastical dynamic FX inside of Maya such as fire, smoke, dust, particle effects, and volumetric fluid dynamics. Students also continue to put their own work into a larger cultural context through advanced courses in Arts and Humanities and History of Film, Theater and Media.

In semester eight, students create their 3D Animation Thesis Project and polish their discipline-specific reel. The Special Topics in Animation course covers in depth advanced, specific areas of the art and craft of Animation. Professional Development in Animation class prepares students for what awaits them in the professional world of Animation once they graduate. Students learn how to prepare and polish professional materials such as a demo reel, which is crucial to their introduction to the professional world. Also discussed are the standards and practices of the business of Animation. Industry guest speakers work with students this semester as well. Students complete their LAS studies in an upper division Arts and Humanities elective.

Students learn the essentials of preparing a template for an animated movie or sequence. The amount of labor, hard work, and attention to detail required to make even a short animated movie necessitates an exacting and exhaustive amount of preparation before the modeling; animation, lighting, and much more even to begin. In order to create their own original productions, students are required to learn and master the software programs Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects. In addition, they study subjects including Screenwriting, Storyboard, and Character Design.

Upon completing the foundations for the creation of their movie, students focus on the next stage of the process, using software that includes Maya, Mudbox, and ZBrush. (Please note that our software may change as new methods for animation evolve and we continue to use industry standard products). For instance, ZBrush and Mudbox are now used extensively in both movie and video game production. In addition, students study subjects that include Drawing and Anatomy, Acting for Animation, Lighting, Materials, Textures, Animation, Rendering, Editing, and 3D Modeling and Sculpture.

As the year progresses students begin developing a final project that showcases a primary area of interest, be it modeling, animation VFX, or a combination thereof. Students are introduced to motion capture as part of the animation pipeline while also refining concepts learned in the Compositing I class. Visual effects are an essential part of the movie industry and are used for integrating computer generated characters and particle systems, such as fluids and explosions into live action shots. All of the major aspects of VFX are included in our one-year conservatory program, including the software programs Nuke, Maya, and Motion Builder. In addition, students cover such subjects as Motion Capture, Green Screen, Compositing, Dynamics, Advanced CG Lighting, Scripting, Compositing, and Motion Tracking. Adequate time is made available for students to finish final projects and demonstrate a mastery of their particular area of interest.