BA (Hons) Animation

Year 1

• Explore the three major animation techniques: hand-drawn and digital 2D, stop motion and digital 3D

• Gain an understanding of the principles of animation; dynamics; character design; storyboarding, animatic production; animation production; sound design; skills of observation and life drawing; acting for animators; editing; compositing; showreel design

• Explore theory in character analysis and narrative structures

• Develop an understanding of media roles and practices.

Year 2

• Build on fundamental skills with personally defined experimentation and continue to practice animation principles

• Work collaboratively through a series of projects designed to allow you to establish good practice, essential for the animation industry

• Focus on production areas of your choosing

• Continue to explore your chosen areas of specialisation and develop your skills, with the potential to combine techniques

• Develop an understanding of audience, context, film language, and the elements of compelling storytelling.

Year 3

• Specialise and bring together all your learning and experiences to create a personal portfolio

• Engage in a collaborative project with either your peers or external collaborators, allowing your creative skills to be tested in an industry-standard practice

• Continue to enhance and refine your technical and creative skills in your chosen specialism

• Produce a personal showcase of your specialist skills and an original, animated short film

• Complete a Research Report that provides broad contextualisation to your practice.

What you will learn

• Explore the three major animation techniques: hand-drawn and digital 2D, stop motion and digital 3D
• Gain an understanding of the principles of animation: dynamics; character design; storyboarding; animatic production; animation production; sound design; skills of observation and life drawing; acting for animators; editing; compositing and showreel design
• Explore theory in character analysis and narrative structures
• Develop an understanding of media roles and practices
• Work collaboratively through a series of projects designed to allow you to establish good practice, essential for the animation industry
• Explore your chosen areas of specialisation and develop your skills, with the potential to combine techniques
• Develop an understanding of audience, context, film language, and the elements of compelling storytelling
• Bring together all your learning and experiences to create a personal portfolio with a great showreel
• Engage in a collaborative project with either your peers or external collaborators, allowing your creative skills to be tested in an industry-standard practice
• Produce a personal showcase of your specialist skills and an original, animated short film.

Creative storytelling

We believe that creating the illusion of life through observation and design underpins all great animation.

Interactive lectures and practical workshops will help you explore character design and sculpting – and even explore acting for the animation to help you better understand movement, performance and character psychology.

And you will learn the language of film and skills such as sound design and production – setting you apart from other graduates in the field.

Skills for animation careers

You will pitch your responses to live briefs, or your personal and collaborative projects to guest speakers from companies like the BBC, Screen South and the BAFTA award-winning Blue Zoo.

Graduates have gone on to secure internships at Oscar-winning studios like Aardman Animations or work on blockbuster animated movies like Pokémon Detective Pikachu.

Graduates work in a broad range of careers including

• Animator
• Producer
• SFX
• Designer
• Editor
• Art Director
• Director of Photography
• Compositor
• Character Designer
• Background Artist
• Layout Artist
• Prop Designer
• Set Designer
• Modeller
• Storyboard Artist
• Illustrator
• Colour Co-ordinator
• Lighting Supervisor

You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our team in the Ideas FactoryNUA to help support you as you plan your career.