BA (Hons) Animation

If you want a course which revolves around storytelling and encourages your artistic communication skills, then this course could be for you. This ba honours animation course will nurture your natural creative talent as you learn to define meaning and purpose through the development of your ideas. 

Learn character animation techniques and pre-production workflows including character design, visual development, layout design and storyboarding.

Why study this course?

• Excellent location with a host of animation studios on the doorstep
• Connect with industry players and learn from them through mentoring opportunities
• Collaborate on live briefs within industry
• Acquire the technical skills to apply your creative talent to a successful career in character animation
• Work collaboratively with other students to tackle creative briefs and bring ideas to life through storytelling.

The UK’s animation industry is a global success story. In a world where visual communication is the norm, animators are in high demand whether in TV, film, gaming, corporate films, advertising or the media.

During this three-year animation course in London, you will acquire the technical skills and insight to succeed in a career in animation. You will be granted access to industry-quality software and produce an assessed portfolio of work, so you’re ready to enter the professional world of animation with confidence and know-how.

Key study topics

• The BA (Hons) Animation degree uses a blend of practice and theory-based learning. You will be introduced to a range of animation practices. These include: conceptualisation, digital development skills, asset creation, character animation techniques, scripting, storytelling techniques and life drawing. It also includes physical prototyping, communication and presentation, research and idea development.

Key topics:

• Animation fundamentals
• Acting performance
• Visual narrative
• Body mechanics
• Animation industry
• Observational and contextual subject related areas

The specifics
Course specification BA (Hons) Animation

Year 0 (optional)

• There is a year zero option available for this course, which is a preparatory year as part of a four-year BA (Hons) Animation course. This will be ideal for you if you wish to further develop your portfolio skills ahead of degree study.
• If you apply via this current page, you will skip the year zero option.

Year 1

• In Year one, your will study key fundamental skills of animation and using industry-standard software, explore the likes of timing, posing, movement and behaviour. 
• You will be encouraged to experiment and improvise with your ideas and take responsibility for your work. You will be given insight into the industry through guest speakers and adopt a learning-by-doing approach with live tasks set by practitioners and receive feedback directly on your work.  
• The modules are designed to build a solid understanding of the animation pipeline and prepare you for progression into year 2 and 3.  

Modules may include:

• Animation Fundamentals
• Animation Character Mechanics
• Visual Development (Production Design)
• Storytelling
• Professional Life Practice: Developing your Practice
• Professional Life Practice: Exploring your Practice

Year 2

• In Year two, you will build on your animation skills through acting workshops and the exploration into visual development. Each module will challenge and develop your storytelling techniques and narratives in preparation for industry. You will also work on live projects with mentors there to assist you.
• Industry guests will continue to support the modules in Year 2 through a series of masterclasses and workshops. At the end of your second year, you will undertake a mandatory work-based learning module within industry.

Modules may include:

• Animation Character Performance
• Visual Development (Character Design)
• Animation Narrative(s)
• Professional Life Practice: Applying your Practice
• Work Based Learning

Year 3

• In Year 3, you will focus on tailoring your portfolio to suit your chosen specialism for employment. Your portfolio will reflect your skills and achievements which will be relevant to the sector of your choice.
• As you prepare for a career as an animator, you will be encouraged to work with fellow course mates and work alongside those in other courses such as Animation (3D), Games Courses and Music and Sound Design. This cross-disciplinary collaboration will allow you to share knowledge with your peers and deepen your understanding of interrelated industries you could work with once you secure employment.
• Each module will develop your creative processes by teaching with a blend of theory and practice-based workflows. This will give you the opportunity to not only to harness your inner creativity but build your personal brand as an animator.
• You will also be taught the importance of building both personal and professional life skills, to adapt to the opportunities and challenges of today’s world of work.

Modules may include:

• Animation Industry Prep
• Animation Production
• Professional Life Practice: Situating your Practice
• Animation Portfolio

Assessment

• You will be continually assessed through the presentation of project and written work. You will produce practical work and in the final year make or contribute to the making of a short animated piece.
• Essays, blog entries, business plans and reports form part of the requirements of the course.

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