3D Animation + Interactive Media

Animation isnt just about cartoons anymore. In todays interactive world, you see it in everything from movies, websites and video games to the medical, architectural and legal industries. Now more than ever it is important to learn the techniques to create visual imagery that tells a story, expresses your creative vision and makes an impact. Whether youre interested in a career in video games, commercial production, medical visualization, architecture, or any other industry, youll gain the skills and confidence to succeed as a character animator, scenery designer, technical director, visual effects artist, texture artist and more.
3D AnimAtion + interActive meDiA certificAte Full-time (Day): 2 terms | Part-time (Night): 4 terms Learn the skills necessary to become a 3D artist and animator with the 3D Animation + Interactive Media Certificate. This cross-curriculum program integrates multiple aspects of 2D and 3D art, interactive media and animation with professional experiences and employer expectations. Youll get hands-on training in modeling, design, texturing, animation, lighting and rendering for 3D design. Using Autodesk Maya, the leading 3D software tool for professionals, and web applications such as Adobe Flash, youll work on a variety of projects from product illustration and architectural visualization to character animation and web media presentation. When you finish the program, youll leave with a portfolio and demo reel complete with 3D models, textures and animations to showcase your new skills. GAme Art + chArActer AnimAtion certificAte Full-time (Day): 1 term | Part-time (Night): 2 terms Students will learn how to create a fully interactive experience for PC gaming, as we learn the principal tools to create assets, animations and interactive stories. Using multiple applications such as Maya, Flash and the game engine, to gain insight into working with an interactive multimedia tool for game development. Students will practice real word techniques as we cover topics include a general workflow, asset management, organization and optimization for games. AnimAteD Short certificAte Full-time (Day): 1 term | Part-time (Night): 2 terms Designed to serve as preparation for life as a professional animator, this course explores advanced concepts in designing and producing a computergenerated animation short. Focused around character design, animation and storytelling. Students will demonstrate creativity and knowledge of sophisticated animation principles and techniques. The students will create a short animated film that will enhance their skills and add to their portfolio. *Select student films will also be submitted to animation festivals.

modules
3D AnimAtion + interActive meDiA certificAte cG101 foundation for computer Graphics Students will develop a basic understanding of the computer graphics pipeline. Through implementation and application oriented exercises. We will explore the work-flow and compare multiple software packages that can be used separately to create digital images or together to produce multimedia work. cG102 introduction to maya This module plunges into the fundamental principles of three-dimensional art and animation. Concepts, theory and history of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) will be discussed and explored as well as both the technically and conceptually practice of Autodesk Mayas user interface. Lecture topics include objects, hierarchy, materials, navigation, work-flow, lighting, sculpting and shading. cG103 modeling: industrial i Students will learn how to model mechanical objects for industrial design and prototyping projects. Using blueprints and reference images students will get their first peek at how to effectively and efficiently create 3D meshes that properly represent 2d concepts. Product design and 3D development will be discussed through a series of lectures and exercises with an emphasis on product modeling. cG104 modeling: industrial ii Building on the skills from the previous session, students will learn how to model a 3D car. Vehicles present unique challenges because of there arrow dynamic nature and curved features. This module will also focus on modeling for motion, as the 3D geometry will have to be built for accuracy and animation.

cG105 texturing i : intro to Lighting, rendering, and Shaders The models are built; now it is time to add the color, texture, and shine some light on the result. This module deals with the importance of proper lighting and the technical skills to obtain the highest quality result out of your work in a time efficient manner. Emphasis is put on 3 point lighting systems and the study of how light effects surfaces. Students will learn how to set up and adjust lighting properties to create desired effects, generate realistic shadows to simulate different types of light reflections. cG106 modeling: environmental Whether designing the next great golf course or a video game dungeon, this module focuses on the challenges and obstacles for creating geometry and lighting to represent exterior environments. Sight planning and navigation will be implemented into the technical pipeline, as well as the placement of both natural and man-made elements such as terrain, foliage,vegetation, buildings, signs and roads. The many reasons and methods for creating virtual environments will be discussed, as well as their implications. cG107 Animation: Basic Principles This module teaches the basic principles of animation. Students will learn the different methods of animating the motion of synthetic objects through structured exercises including key framing and curve editing. From there students are exposed to semi-automated methods for generating motion through various procedural techniques such as creating and implementing expressions and set driven keys. Students will create animations that blend different techniques and principles for animation to their 3D models. cG108 intro to editing and Post-production Understanding the techniques and tools of post-production software can save a lot of time and effort. In this module students piece together their rendered shots and experience the effect that good editing, compositing and composition can have on the overall product. A series of demonstrations and exercises will allow the students to achieve and implement the basic theories and practices of postproduction and finalizing the 3D animation pipeline.

cG201 character Animation i This module will delve into the practice of bringing 3D puppets to life. Lectures will focus on the physics of animation and the tools necessary for capturing life in 3D space. Utilizing the proper principles of animation students will explore the tools Maya has to offer for bringing life to both 2D and 3D objects. cG202 character rigging i Before animation can begin, a model must be properly prepared. This module introduces the concepts of character rigging and the importance it plays in sharing animation data to create motion. Students will learn how to ready a model for animation by creating an internal skeletal structure and how to apply that to their 3D mesh. Students will also learn how to apply bone weighting, behavioral expressions and setup morph targets in preparation for animation. cG203 character Animation ii: intro to Body motion In this module students run through a series of exercises to develop a better understand and sense of timing, action, balance, body language for character animation. Topics such as line of action, emotion, exaggeration and realistic movement will be discussed. Students will create a series of short animations such as a walk cycles, run cycles, and pose to pose actions that demonstrate clean and clear character motion. cG204 character Animation iii: Acting for Animators With a good grasp on the principles of animation, physics, Maya's animation tools and the rigging system, students are now ready to focus on performance. Not only do these 3D meshes have to move properly but they also have to act. Lecture topics such as 'Acting for Animators' and 'Building Believability Through Performance' will be explored.

did you know? THe first completely computer-generated animated movie was 1995s Toy Story

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Career Services got me an interview with

a prominent research center. I got the job and have been working on a diverse range of projects ever since.
K e v i n m i n o t t, A L u m

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3D205 character rigging ii: Bipedal rigging In this module students get a more in-depth and advanced lesson into the Technical Directors role in creating a rig and controls for 3D animated characters. Emphasis is placed on creating functional rigs for animators, consisting of complex deformation with a simple control setup to pose and apply motion to 3D models. cG206 modeling: interior modeling and Set creation This module concentrates on set design and interior architecture. Students will use reference materials to create models for an interior space and the elements within it to scale. Hands-on demonstrations, exercises and lectures on modeling techniques such as nurbs and subDs with emphasis on clean geometry will help the students gain a greater understanding of the set creation process. The student's models will later be used to produce realistic lighting and texturing simulations. cG207 rendering interior: texturing and mental ray rendering Setting up a realistic lighting system for interiors is made easier by Maya's Mental Ray rendering system. Students will explore different methods and techniques for creating light properties through mental ray, such as Global Illumination, Final Gather and Caustics. Students will also work with the built-in Mental Ray materials to create elements such as glass and metal. Render quality, presentation and optimization will be discussed and practiced. cG301 modeling: character modeling i This module introduces the concepts needed to design and model 3D characters. Students will learn about Anatomy, Topology and 3D Sculpting techniques, concentrating on the form and structure of the human face. Students will learn how Anatomy plays an important role in modeling the 3D form.

Character development will also be discussed through lectures and exercises. Students will create character designs and prepare their concepts for 3D modeling. cG302 modeling: character modeling ii Building on the model and material from Character Modeling I, students will learn about more advanced aspects of human anatomy, character development and modeling for animation. Students will continue the process of character modeling through the development of the character's body, clothing and other details that add to the characters appeal and quality. cG303 Advanced character modeling: ZBrush Students will take their modeling skills to the next level by learning advanced techniques withPixologic's Zbrush high resolution modeling software. With this hands-on application, used in film and video game production, students will digitally sculpt their models, taking them from a simple concept sketch to a fully rendered 3D mesh. cG304 texturing ii: uv mapping This module shows how to prepare the character model for color and texture mapping. We will explore Maya's built-in UV tools as well as some third party tools for separating and unfolding the mesh. Students will then export the UV map for texture painting and learn how to generate displacement maps for a higher level of detail. cG305 texturing iii: Painting techniques Students will practice applying and adjusting textures to a model to make two dimensional painting conform to 3D meshes. Through a combination of traditional painting exercises and lectures, students work with the concepts of adding texture, color and detail to their models with 2D paint programs such as Photoshop and advanced three dimensional painting techniques.

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cG306 rigging: Advanced techniques i In this module students learn more advances character rigging techniques. Students will build unique character rigs that fit their characters concept and design movements. Advanced skeletal systems, Automated rigging and other techniques such as stretchy joints and quadruped structures will be practiced and discussed. Iconic representation and controls will be explored further as well as naming and node management. cG307 rigging: Advanced techniques ii This module continues with setting up your advanced character rig system. The skeleton system will bond to the character model and techniques for testing the characters deformation and animation controls will be explored. Advanced Facial Rigging, Corrective Blendshapes and secondary motion controls will be executed, through the creation of custom face UI and advanced mel scripting. The students will also get into character as audio will be recorded for a future animation. cG308 Advanced Animation i: creating Personality Now that each student's unique characters have been modeled, textured and rigged, it's time to bring them to life. Students will dig deeper into the animation process and apply lessons from the previous modules to create personality and believable performances. We will explore more animation tools and techniques, such as Maya's animation layers and the trax editor. cG309 Advanced Animation ii: facial Animation This module picks up where Character Animation I left off, moving from body motion to the character's head and face. Various tools, with an emphasis on morph argets, will be used to allow the character to talk and show emotion. Students will become acquainted with methods of facial animation and lip-syncing, and apply what they have learned about imparting personality to characters. cG401 introduction to Digital visual effeccts Students will get their feet wet with an introduction to Visual Effects. Lectures and demonstrations on different effects tools and techniques such as Maya dynamics, particles, Live tools and After Effects compositing and layering will be discussed. cG402 3D Animation final Project Utilizing the skills from the previous sessions students will prepare for their final project in this multi week module. The final project will be geared to each student's goals and interests relating to the course objectives. Students will choose and present their project goals for approval and begin production. Focus areas include: Modeling, Texturing, technical direction, effects, multimedia and animation. A course instructor will oversee the progress and completion of each project. The final projects will be presented to the 3D department faculty at the end of the module. cG403 3D Animation Portfolio i: the Buiness of Animation Now that the students have the skills and know the techniques to create unique 3D art and animation, the other side of the industry, the business side, will be discussed. Through lectures and exercises students will learn how to write contracts, interview, network and market themselves. Students will explore different career paths and discover some of the ins and outs of the industry. cG405 3D Animation Portfolio ii: marketing and Portfolio Using the projects and exercises from the course, students will learn how to put together a professional package of their best work, consisting of a demo reel, resume, website and other essential elements needed to obtain a career in the 3D industry. cG990 Directed Study This module allows students the time to focus on an independent project under the approval and guidance of a faculty member. Students will work from proposal to a completed project that pursues in greater depth topics previously studied. Final deliverables can include enhancing portfolio or a special project that aligns with each students interests and career goals. Alternatively, directed study students can apply this time to Practicum to allow more focus on longer term client deliverables. cG999 Practicum Practicum gives students who have completed the certificate program practical experience in working on a real-world project. Under the direction of a faculty member students will produce a media project for a nonprofit organization and learn to manage the constraints of a fixed timeframe and well-defined client deliverables. Students will gain confidence and better understand the professional expectations of the position they hold on a project. Practicum allows students to gain professional experience while refining their new skills in a real production environment.
3D animation+interactive media

ProGrA m DirectorS

[ Howard Kaplan ] has 10 years of experience

in digital arts and animation and has been teaching computer graphics for over five years. He has worked as Lead Animator and Art Director on numerous animated movies, websites and commercials and was a freelance Technical Artist for Wacky World Studios animated film, The Roach Approach. Most recently, Howard has worked with the MA State Police Department on 3D models. He also often utilizes his fine art skills, having illustrated the childrens book, The Boy Without a Throne. Howard is a member of IGDA-International Game Developers Association and AMC Siggraph. His work has been featured at The Siggraph Conference, Animation Theater, Layers Magazine, Boston Herald, Fox News and in the Sarasota Herald Tribune. He is a graduate of the Ringling School of Art & Design, where he earned his BFA in Computer Animation and later returned as an Instructor. Howard co-owns a production company where he brings 3D characters to life.

[ Blake Metzler] specializes in Maya technology

and 3D animation, and has a strong background in image manipulation. While in the undergraduate cinema program at Binghamton University, he learned the art of filmmaking and composition from Ken Jacobs and Vincent Grenier. He has been a director, producer, actor, writer and editor, working on the campus cult Professor trilogy, Marc Dworkins Armageddon for Andy and The Collector. Blake was lead animator on various animation projects including S.A.M V5.0, Virtual Horoscope, The Highlighter and Episode 604: The Final Project, for which he received the prestigious EVVY award for Best 3D animation in 2004. He has also created several animations, including pieces for the Thoreau Societys educational film Life Without Principle, Ken Niblocks feature Lets Jack Jimmy and many others. Blake received his MA in New Media Production at Emerson College with a focus in 3D animation.

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iA105 Building Game objects - character Building a character for games can be quite challenging, you need to have enough detail to portray the character design, without going overboard. Students will learn how to build models with a high level of detail and with minimal cost to the games memory while maintaining the ability to deform and animate to the desired actions for game play. Software such as Maya and Zbrush will be utilized to produce studio quality models for use in the game engine. iA106 Building Game objects environment Environments or levels are an integral part of the game story and need to be created with just as much thought as the characters themselves. Level Designers spend countless hours constructing and placing every piece of interactive game furniture into a scene and defining its purpose so that they have a certain look and feel. This module will help students create amazing 3D worlds, using the game engines built in terrain editor to build exteriors with mountains, trees and lakes. External applications will be utilized to create manmade objects such as buildings, roads and interiors. iA107 texture mapping The Texture Artist paints and models textures for characters, environments and other game assets. In this module the instructor discusses different approaches to creating textures for games assets. Students will creating shaders, color and normal maps using various tools and software applications, such as Adobe Photoshop. Students will then import and apply our texture maps to our models in the game engine. iA108 technical Direction In this module students will learn how to build internal systems for animating characters and environment objects, discuss the limitations of rigging for games, and look at tools and tricks to overcome these limitations. Students will also build joints and controls for their characters. iA109 Animating for Games This module is an introduction to animation as it relates to video games and interactive media. Class lectures and demonstrations will cover the tools and tricks for creating believable motion that can be cycled and blended for game play. Students will also be learning how to create UV animation, and animation clips that can be importing into the game engine.

iA110 Scripting for engine i A Game Programmer is a different animal altogether. They have to create thousands of lines of code in many different languages such as, C++, and JavaScript, which the game engine uses to run the entire game. This module introduces students to the concepts and thought process involved in coding for games. iA111 Scripting for engine ii Continuing on skills acquired in the previous module, lectures and demonstrations on scripting and implementation will be provided as students learn how to add user input to the game by creating a first-person player control. Students will also modify existing source code for use in their own games. iA112 creating a Gui A fundamental part of game development is the user interface. In this module students will design and create a simple Graphic User Interface and Head Up Display (HUD) for their games. Using external software applications students will learn how to build, import and layout the graphic assets for a game. iA113 Game testing Building on the previous module, students will beta test, debug and learn how to use the engines error checking system to catch, find and fix problem area with their games. iA114 Game Lighting and effects Games use particle and lighting effects to achieve a vast range of effects from fog and smoke to sparks, lasers and simple patterns. In this module students will light their levels and experiment with the game engine and effects tools. Basic Particle Systems and audio effects will be among the topics as the class looks at techniques for baking lighting, importing audio and animating effects, such as fire and lens flare. iA115 exporting and output This module is a continuation or Game Lighting and Effects. Students will learn how to publish their games utilizing the engines compression and web settings. iA116 Game final Students will create presentation material such as packaging and web-page layouts for their games. Discussions will include alternative exporters and how they can be implemented for each students game creations. The final student games will be presented and more importantly played!

modules
GAme Art + chArActer AnimAtion certificAte iA101 Game fundamentals In this module students explore the Game Industry from role playing, first person games to MMO Massive multiplayer online games and casual gaming. breakdown the processes that go into creating a game from a technical aspect, a production workflow, and in terms of the audiences experience. Other topics will include story and game play dynamics. iA102 mapping and Planning This course will cover different techniques and tools that an artist can use to plan the overall look and theme of the game. Students will begin conceptualizing their game, designing characters and environments and concepts for story and game play dynamics. Students begin to build a technical strategy for an efficient pipeline. iA103 Game engine interface and tools This module focuses on the brains of the game: the engine. The game engine is where all of the assets and game play come together. Students will learn how to navigate the menus, shortcuts and tools that will be used to create their game. The engines powerful game objects, live testing tools, physics and prefab components will also be explored. iA104 Asset creation for Game engine Students will learn different techniques to ensure optimal quality and optimization while making 3D objects for their game. Starting with simple props, the instructor will demonstrate how to create multiple models for different levels of detail. Students start to prioritize assets in order of importance and technical build process.

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modules
AnimAteD Short certificAte AS101 the Animated Short In this session the process and requirements to produce an animated film are examined and discussed. Students will begin to create and brainstorm different ideas for their short animation. The class will discuss topics such as building better content, the human condition and the importance of communicating through character and location. AS102 Storyboards and the Pitch Process The Pitch Process is the most important part of creating an animated short. Students will learn how to write and create storyboards for their animation ideas. Each project will be presented or pitched and critiqued for review. As a class, students will also explore different software packages and techniques to build timing into their storyboards. AS103 creating Animatics Building on the projects from Storyboards and The Pitch Process, students will learn tools to add pacing, timing and rough animation to their stories by creating animatics. Each animatic will be reviewed at the end of the module as students prepare to build 3D models. AS104 Building an Animation Pipeline Having an organized system is important for any 3D project, especially an animated short. Students discuss different strategies for managing these projects and experience multiple exercises to help aid in the creation of our animation pipeline system. Students will also develop a system based on their project assets and needs. AS105 Stylized modeling: character In this session students interpret the designs and concepts into fully realized 3D models. The focus is on maintaining a high level of quality both in the visual look and feel of the characters as well as in terms of the technical processes to follow. Students will learn how to create 3D models that will be functional for animation and unique to their story.

AS106 Stylized modeling: environments and Props Utilizing previous knowledge, students will create advanced environments and props to further enhance the story. Students will learn how to model for feature animated productions as the instructor discusses the importance of modeling in terms of style and optimization with the use of textures and lighting. The characteristics of the environments as a storytelling tool will be explored, and students begin to breakdown their set designs into 3D meshes. AS107 texture mapping i Now that the models have been approved, they need to be prepped for shading and texturing. Students will prepare their models utilizing tools and tricks to layout UV maps. The UV maps will be using to paint skin, cloth and other material elements on to game assets. AS108 texture mapping ii Once the characters and models have been approved the students will be ready to add color and texture. The students will discover how to implement new techniques and color theory concepts in order to communicate the story and maintain unity throughout the production process. AS109 technical Direction i Through a series of lectures and hands-on instruction students will begin to build sophisticated systems for animating their characters, environments, lights, cameras and other miscellaneous objects that need to deform. Advanced rigging, expressions and tool building, with mel scripting will be demonstrated. AS110 technical Direction ii Building on the previous module, students will learn and create animation systems that are unique to their characters. The class will also explore alternative options for capturing animation and building face control. AS111 Animation i: Blocking and Staging Now that the characters and environments are complete, students begin blocking out the timing and camera placement for each shot. The class will learn how acting for animators and the principles of animation are crucial tools for properly communicating the story. Students will focus on combining and positioning the characters, environments and cameras together for each shot.

AS112 Animation ii: rough Animation Continuing to adjust the animation from the previous module, students will begin roughing in the timing as they create a 3D animatic using their previous storyboards as a guide. AS113 Animation iii: Acting Students continue to dig deeper into the motion of their character and start to sculpt out believable performances, ultimately creating the illusion of life. Students will also focus on animating the secondary elements within their scenes. AS114 Lighting and effects In this session students will use various tools and techniques to add depth and mood through advanced lighting concepts. Students will investigate different methods for creating contrast, shadows and lighting effects. Through a series of lectures and demonstrations students will get a first-hand look at how to add special effects with Maya's built in lighting, dynamics and particle systems. The addition of sound will also be covered as the class begins to work with the audio department to create foley sounds and music tracks. AS115 rendering and Post Production The instructor will demonstrate different methods for exporting all of the scenes lighting and animation data for use in Adobe After Effects. Students will add further corrections, image enhancements and editing, learning different techniques for layering multiple passes and how to masking plays a big role in compositing the final images. AS116 final edit During this module, students will produce their animated sequences and piece together all of the animated shots and compositions that make up their short animated film. The class will learn how to export their films for final compressions. Each students film will be screened at a final school wide viewing.

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