What's Inside our Online MA in 3D Animation?

What's inside our Online MA in 3D Animation? It's a question we get asked a lot; after all, anyone signing up for 18 months of study wants to know what they're actually committing themselves to.

Course Overview
Animation is everywhere. TV, in film, on your smart phone, on the web, and in games. The animation industry is growing from strength to strength, involving more and more media. Nowadays we're even seeing our students finding work quite literally saving lives - working on 3D animated simulations of surgical procedures.

What does the course give you?
The  Online MA in 3D Animation is a practical course which will give you all the vital skills and knowledge to succeed in the sector. The course includes both academic and practical elements allowing students to engage with the medium at both a theoretical and practical level.

What will this course cover?
The course has a strong emphasis on character and creature animation. Students will learn technical and creative skills, and how to develop original creative content. Students will also gain an awareness of current challenges faced in the animation industry, with an opportunity to conduct your own research in this exciting and rapidly developing field.

How is the course delivered?
You can learn about 3D animation from anywhere in the world. Our 3D animation MA is a one-of-a- kind course. It's delivered exclusively online, allowing you to fit in your studies around your personal and professional commitments. You can study at a pace and time that suits you, with no need to attend the University.

Industry
The UK is home to a thriving animation and visual effects industry. Our goal is to provide the best animation education in the world, building strong links and contacts with key industry partners.
Our contacts include many of the relevant post-production/animation houses in Soho, London, such as FrameStore and Cinesite. We also have an education/industry partnership with leading motion capture company, Centroid, based at Pinewood and Shepperton Studios, England, along with good contacts in California studios with Walt Disney and Pixar.

Who teaches the course?
The theoretical elements of the course are taught by Fil Ieropolis, and the practical content is delivered by veteran Hollywood animator Alex Williams, who has worked on many animated feature films including the Harry Potter series, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lion King. Their knowledge makes sure you develop the skills you'll need as a professional 3D animator.

Support from Bucks
Just because the course is online it doesn't mean you won't interact with the folks at Bucks. The university team will support you throughout your MA and supply engaging material to enhance your learning.

What qualifications do you need?
We look for students with a minimum of 2:2 degree classification from an animation degree programme or from a related discipline. We also accept applications on an individual basis and will consider industry professionals who have developed the right skills through work.

Do you need to submit a portfolio?
Yes. All students will need to submit an online portfolio of work to support their application. We may also ask prospective students for an interview - either face-to-face, phone or online.

For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.

What's in the individual Modules?

Animation 1 - Locomotion and Mechanics
This module focuses on the basics of animation locomotion and mechanics, starting with the bouncing ball, and moving up through walk cycles, to character walks and physical actions.

Animation 2 - Character Performance
In this module students will get to grips with character animation and character performance, including pantomime animation, dialogue and lipsync.

Animation 3 - Animals & Creatures
The animals and creatures module focuses on the mechanics and locmotion of quadrupeds and other animals and creatures, including insects, birds and fantasy creatures.

Animation 4 - Final Project & Demo Reel
This last animation module involves a final project, and also the creation of the student's blog or website, showcasing their demo reel online.

Research Techniques and Dissertation
The dissertation module is the only completely theoretical module in the MA, in which students write a dissertation on an animation-related subject of their choice.



Got questions? Email me at info@animationapprentice.org and I'll get you the answers!

---Alex

For more on the experience of studying at Bucks New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days,  take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK. Find out why we're giving free laptops to all our students, and why we give all our students free access to videos at Lynda.com. Also, see what financial assistance might be available to you. Learn which is better for animation, a PC or a Mac? Get hold of a copy of a map so you can find your way around campus, and learn about motion capture at Bucks.