Animation Core Curriculum

Animation core courses are offered on a rotating basis through the Animation, Visual Arts, Film & New Media, and Theatre divisions.

For information on graduation requirements and academic curriculum, please visit Academy Academics.

Required Courses: Animation Majors

Students will be introduced to character rig setups for use in 2D animation using industry-level software. Many animated shows for television use puppet rigs for cartoon animation. Students will design, rig, and animate during the course of this class.

This course introduces students to the mindful exploration of their identity in the arts. Students reflect on personal influences, mentors, and aspirations, synthesizing them into an Artist Statement.Forum challenges students to use the Artist Statement as a compass of values with which they examine their creative work in the attempt to keep it consistent with their ambitions, influences and priorities. Forum meetings are made regularly, by appointment, with FNM Animation Faculty Advisors.

Students will learn traditional animation movement fundamentals and apply them digitally to create character-based animation involving full motion with synchronized voice.

Students will spend 2 semesters starting in the fall developing a short animated film from start to finish. First time students work collaboratively. Returners have the option to work independently.

Before Cinema there was animation. Students will be introduced to the history of animation that is multicultural and diverse spanning thousands of years. Outcomes include research and writing on animation history.

Develop your understanding of character design through a series of exercises and explorations of style, emotion, and silhouette. Create dynamic poses, push your line of action, and develop turn-around character sheets.

By utilizing a variety of pre-cinema and hands-on techniques, students will explore ways of seeing animated movement and the world in new ways.

In this course students apply storyboard and film language to execute visual stories using a variety of previsualization techniques.

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of cinematic storytelling and motion picture arts production. Through assignments and projects, students learn the basics of composition, sequencing and shot design, including the basics of cinematic language and grammar. Students learn the basics of camera operation, audio recording and editing and film set etiquette, including the responsibilities of various crew.

Upcoming Courses Offered in Rotation

Animation Thesis
Music Production & Engineering: Sound Design
History of Animation
Animation I: Stop Motion and Cel Animation
Digital Animation: Two-Dimensional
Digital Animation: Three-Dimensional
Directing for Animators: Voice Actors
Figure Drawing (VA)
Digital Painting: Character Design
Storyboarding (FNM)
Digital Painting: World (VA)
Color Theory / Aesthetics (VA)

Sample Animation Curriculum for Four-Year Student

Semester I

Required Courses
Experimental Animation
Animation Principles
Animation Production
Intro to Drawing
Aesthetics

Sample Academic Courses
Algebra I; Biology; English I; French I

Semester II

Required Courses
Animation Principles
Animation Production
Digital Media
The Figure

Sample Academic Courses
Algebra I; Biology; English I; French

Semester III

Required Courses
Animation Principles
Animation Production
Character Drawing
Animation World History

Sample Academic Courses
Geometry; World History; English II; French II