Animation
(Bachelor of Fine Arts – BFA)

Program Description
The Animation program is designed for the student who is interested in learning the creative art of animation filmmaking using state-of-the-art technology available in the world today. Whether students want to start their career locally or work in a large metropolitan city, the real-world skills and experience that students gain in the Villa Maria College Animation program will prepare them well. Students will learn to work with traditional media such as pencil and paper, as well as using highly-technical computer animation software. This is an intensive, hands-on program, where students will learn to produce animated films from start to finish, creating everything from initial script to animation to final editing. All faculty come directly from the animation industry and work very closely with each student, encouraging them to be openly creative and to engage in the kind of friendly competition and sharing that make each student a richer, more successful individual.

Program Facilities
A dedicated, state-of-the-art computer animation lab serves Villa Maria College’s Animation program. The studio houses 16 high-powered PC workstations and one Mac workstation for video-editing projects.
Computers are outfitted with industry standard software such as Maya, After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Combustion, Final Cut Pro, Toon Boom Studio, Final Cut Pro, Quicktime Pro, Pixologic ZBrush, and Flash. Additional equipment includes two HD mini-DV video cameras, two digital still cameras, three flatbed scanners, two traditional animation light tables, a Sony Video Walkman, two Sony fifty-two inch flat screen televisions, a Sony Blu-ray disc player, and a camera stand for creating animated pencil tests.

Program Requirements

• A high school average of 85 is required for admittance. Special considerations may be given if a student's art work/portfolio warrants it.
• Students participate in a mandatory program interview and portfolio review session and provide a 1-2 page essay outlining their interest in the animation program at Villa Maria College, and describe the type of career of interest. Students who need additional artistic skill prior to entry in animation may be admitted to the fine arts program.

Career Potential & Employment Outlook
Animators work in the motion picture and video industries, advertising, and computer systems design services. A variety of careers exist within this industry from special effects artists, to storyboard artists, to motion graphic artists. Among many other positions, 2-D animators can work as flash animators, character designers, layout artists and character animators. 3-D animators can look forward to careers as character animators, character designers, character riggers, lighting artists, special effects artists, texture artists, and the many other positions necessary to create both animated films and video games. Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics supports the need for qualified employees in this field as the demand for realistic games, movie, and television special effects and 3-D animated movies continues to grow with a prediction that employment of animators is expected to grow faster than all occupations through 2016.

 

CONTACT US
Kevin Donovan
Director of Enrollment Management & Marketing
Phone: (716)961-1870
Email: kdonovan@villa.edu