Bachelor of Screen Arts (Animation Major)

Study the bachelor of screen arts animation major and be a part of a creative team that designs and develops rich animated storytelling experiences. You will be part of a creative team development community which values collaborative practices and creative driven solutions. 

You will develop practical skills in 2D and 3D art and animation production. Designing and developing storytelling experiences with an audience focus. You will be able to work on both solo and collaborative projects so you are exposed to a wide variety of skills and experiences which will prepare you for rewarding and creative future in the animation and screen industries.

Course Outline

• The Bachelor of Screen Arts is a three-year programme that allows you to express your creativity using the latest techniques and technology.
• You will engage and develop skills from day one in team work and collaboration, building critical creative problem-solving skills vital to working in the screen and animation industries. You will develop practical skills in both 2D and 3D art and animation production to develop rich storytelling experiences for a diverse range of target audiences. You will be able to work on both solo and collaborative projects so you are exposed to a wide variety of skills and experiences which will prepare you for rewarding and creative future.
• The Animation major focuses on developing your creativity and technical skills to develop complex character and story-based projects. You will be getting experience using techniques from the 2D, 3D and Visual Effects animation industries.

You will learn:

• Character development and Storytelling
• Principles of Animation and movement studies
• Stop motion, 2D, 3D and VFX animation styles
• Studio and Digital Drawing
• Develop skills in communications, project management, leadership and team building.

While technology moves rapidly the skills in critical thinking, research, development, leadership and storytelling are universally transferable and will give students a foundation which will endure the changing technologies.

Software includes industry standard applications such as: Maya, Zbrush, Houdini, Marvellous Design, Clo 3D, Toom Boom Storyboard Pro, Toom Boom Harmony, Unity, Unreal, Vue, Corel Painter, Nuke, Resolve, ProTools, Dragonframe, Substance and Adobe collections and much more. 

You will be using custom build workstations with every machine having a Wacom Cintiq along with a large range of equipment to help you on your journey. 

Other majors in the Bachelor of Screen Arts:

• Film
• Digital Fashion Technology
• Digital Content Creation
• Game Design
• Concept Art & Design

Course Content

Year 1 Core Papers
BSA503 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops 1

• Students will participate in cross-disciplinary workshops to gain an understanding of real-world creative industry practice and communication. Students will be introduced to industry-specific techniques, gaining knowledge and skills required to participate as part of a team. Students will develop research skills to identify and demonstrate historical and theoretical practice. Students will document and analyse the progression of their projects.

BSA542 Studio Digital 1

• Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of design within the current creative industries. Students will complete projects that meet the requirements of a design brief, implementing various software solutions to develop an understanding of how to read and use imagery. Students will also explore and create digital artworks which apply the fundamentals of design principles. Students will investigate and a diversity of historic and contemporary digital design practices.

BSA529 Storyboarding

• Students will be introduced to the process of drafting and planning story driven short form screen arts projects. Students will learn basic screenwriting skills for short form narratives and how to design for a target audience. Students will gain an understanding of the creative process and apply visual language and film grammar to produce a completed storyboard and animatic project for the creative industries.

BSA526 Principles of Animation

• Students will be introduced to the principles of animation and apply them to a contemporary pipeline. Students will create a visually appealing character with a unique biography and storytelling poses and expressions. Students will use industry standard software to bring their character to life through paperless 2D animation techniques. Students will discuss relevant existing practices, and reflectively document their project progress.

BSA527 2D Animation

• Students will combine visual storytelling skills and the principles of animation to produce a short 2D animated project with a proposed purpose, narrative, and target audience. Students will apply a range of 2D animation techniques and implement a 2D animation production pipeline. Students will discuss relevant existing and practices, and reflectively document their project progress.

BSA515 Studio Drawing 1

• Students will develop fundamental skills in drawing, both digitally and physically. Students will participate in a variety of different drawing methods such as life drawing, mural design, and prompt illustrations. Students will develop visual storytelling skills through producing a narrative-driven short, illustrated project. Students will discuss relevant existing and emerging practices, and reflectively document their project’s progress.

BSA524 Stop-Motion Animation

• Students will acquire the skills and understanding required to produce a small stop-motion animation film, developing basic storytelling, design, and practical character and environment asset building skills within a collaborative team environment. Students will learn and apply the principles of animation to a stop-motion production pipeline. Students will also explore and utilise basic camera skills; shooting, lighting, and editing techniques in line with industry best practices.

Year 2 Core Papers
BSA603 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops 2

• Students will participate and collaborate across disciplines to engage in a series of innovative and contemporary creative industry driven projects. Students will collaborate developing skills in versatility and adaptability within a visually creative environment. Students will research and develop an analytical understanding of emerging disciplines within the creative industries. Students will research and develop communication skills in leadership, decision-making, and group dynamics.

BSA642 Studio Digital 2

• Students will extend their understanding of project-focused research through creative industries practices. Within their fields, students will develop a body of work that reflects an in-depth investigation relevant to their research focus. Students will gain an understanding of the practical and theoretical implications of proposing, developing, and resolving a creative industries project. Students will engage in historical and contemporary research relevant to their research focus. Students will demonstrate experience evaluating a range of practical and digital materials and processes to engage with target audiences. Students will also utilise documentation as a key research method.

BSA602 Audio Techniques

• Students will develop an understanding of producing audio for the creative industries. Students will research and analyse historical and contemporary audio practitioners and their contributions to the evolution of the creative industry. Students will also gain creative and technical skills to effectively capture and manipulate audio for projects.

BSA626 3D Animation Production 

• Students will develop and manage a story and character driven 3D project for a short film or a game cut scene. Students will research and develop a workflow management strategy to ensure an effective, quality-driven, production pipeline. Students will develop and apply a range of current best practices from the gaming and animation industries. These will include techniques such as hard and soft surface modelling, look development, rigged and dynamic animation, and traditional and Realtime rendering. Students will develop their creative thinking and analytical problem-solving skills to deliver a complex project in a time-intensive environment.

BSA615 Studio Drawing 2

• Students will develop both physical and digital drawing skills. Students will explore their drawing methods by participating in a variety of group and individual exercises such as mural design, life drawing, and prompt illustrations. Students will produce a narrative-driven illustrated project, such as a graphic novel, children’s book, motion comic, manga, or comic, that distinguishes their own creative voice. Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practises, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.

BSA627 Visual Effects Compositing 

• Students will be introduced to a range of visual effects and compositing tools and techniques. Students will analyse and implement a VFX production pipeline to produce a project that contains composited elements, either individually or as groups. Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practises, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.

Year 3 Core Papers
BSA701 Studio Project 1

• Students will build knowledge and skills in communications and management strategies to lead a deadline-driven creative project within a team environment. Students will explore and research relevant existing and emerging practices. Students will develop and produce a project utilising and challenging each member’s current technical and aesthetic talent base. Students will explore pipeline/workflow and time management models, while maintaining best health, wellness and safety practices while observing legal and ethical considerations. Students will explore and critically engage in audience research to ensure all concepts and designs are user centric. Students will critically analyse and execute transmedia approaches to release the final project.

BSA702 Studio Project 2

• Students will build knowledge and skills in communications and management strategies to develop or produce a creative project. Students will develop individual or collaborative projects with peers or external partners but must implement individual processes with legal considerations. Students will plan and implement pipelines/workflows that embed researched and evaluated ethics, health, safety, and wellbeing procedures. Students will identify audience to ensure all concepts and designs are user-centric and have clear approaches to brand development and product release. Students will critically analyse and execute transmedia approaches to release their final project.

Career Opportunities

• When you complete the programme you will have the broad range of skills necessary for an industry that increasingly asks for people with a multidisciplinary approach. Depending on the specialisation chosen, you will be able to look for work in numerous roles within the 3D animation, 2D animation and motion graphics industries.  The real strength of the programme is that graduates will have had some experience in many of these areas, a quality that will become increasingly important as technologies converge.

Satisfactory Completion

• In order to be awarded the Bachelor of Screen Arts the student will have been credited with all required papers and electives as specified in the schedule of papers (360 credits).

The overall programme of study for every candidate requires 360 credits for successful completion of the degree.

• Every candidate is required to pass 120 credits at Year One.
• Every candidate is required to pass 120 credits at Year Two.
• Every candidate is required to pass 120 credits at Year Three.

Individual papers may have specific pre-requisites or other knowledge/skill requirements, which must be satisfied by all students.