Last Call for Online MA in Animation Sept 2024

Animation by BNU graduate Neil Whitman

Last chance to book your place on our MA in 3D Animation for Professionals.

The online MA in animation at BNU was launched in 2015 and was the very first of its kind - the first online MA in animation which could be undertaken by students anywhere in the world.  

Our MA 3D Animation for Professionals continues to partner with the online animation school www.animationapprentice.org, ensuring that all our MA Students graduate with industry-level skills.  Teaching starts on Monday 30 September 2024.

Original Online MA in Animation: Back in Sept

Animation by BNU Graduate Lee Caller 

We are still taking applications for our online MA in Animation - the Original Online MA in Animation - now recruiting for September 2023.

Our online MA in animation was launched in 2015 and was the very first of its kind - the first online MA in animation which could be undertaken by students anywhere in the world.  

Our MA in animation partners with the online animation school www.animationapprentice.org.

How to Get Started in Animation

Animation Studio by Helen Piercy

One question we often get asked at BNU is this "My child loves animation - what subject should they study at school?".

And also - "how can I teach my child animation?".

Parents tell me that their 13-year old is really into animation, but doesn't know what they should do to realise that goal.

Today, animation is a mix of art and technology.  So, art subjects, such as Art GCSE or Art A level, will help, as will tech subjects, such as IT or computer studies.

How to Choose Your Dissertation Subject

How do students pick the right subject for their dissertation? It's not an easy question to answer. Our online MA students, studying for their masters' degree in 3D animation, engage with both the practical and theoretical sides of the art of animation.

Part of this involves writing a dissertation, but it isn't always easy to select a suitable subject.  Fortunately, course leader and academic lead Fil Ieropolous is here to help. Below are our top tips for choosing a dissertation subject.

Animation Industry Booms Under Lockdown

"Trolls on Tour" earned $100m on streaming devices

According to a recent piece in The Guardian, the animation industry is thriving despite the Corona Lockdown.

Unlike live action shoots, which have been shut down due to Covid-19, the animation industry is expanding, as programmers scramble to replace live-action content with animation.

Free Animation Taster on Wed 6 May

Lee Caller

Animation interested in learning the art of 3D animation should sign up for this free online Animation Taster on Wednesday 6 May at Noon.

The class is taught by veteran animator Lee Caller, who is also taking the MA in 3D Animation at Bucks New Uni.

Taster Classes are a great chance to learn about character and creature animation, and find out what an animator's job is all about.  No prior knowledge of Maya - or any software - is required.

Framestore's Andrew Schlussel: Future of VFX

Framestore's Andrew Schlussel

We're recommending this free webinar tomorrow to all our animation students at Bucks.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 15th April from 11:00am until 11:30am, London's Escape Studios are hosting a free webinar with Andrew Schlussel, Director of Global Talent Development at Framestore, one of the world's leading animation and VFX houses.

Covid-19 is causing a lot of trouble for us all these days, but during tomorrow's webinar "The Schlussel Show", Andrew will explain that "Crisis Creates Opportunity".  Registration is free.

Unlike live action shoots, which have effectively ended entirely pending the lifting of the lockdown in the UK and Los Angeles, animation continues to thrive and flourish, even in dark times.

Online Resources at BNU

Working from home

In these uncertain times it's important to remember that we have many online resources at Bucks New Uni, lots of ways of supporting our students who are currently working from home.

As long as you have a laptop and a decent broadband connection, our students can continue to work remotely, following tutorials, working on projects and also working in teams on platforms such as Facebook and Slack.

Our Online MA in 3D Animation already offers feedback and support to all our students via email, online classrooms, bespoke video feedback, and through our online learning resources with our partner school Animation Apprentice.

Learning Dynamics in Maya

Our online MA in 3D Animation partners with the online School Animation Apprentice for the tutorial content, content which is constantly being augmented and improved.

Pretty much all animation courses begin with a bouncing ball - and the MA at Bucks is no exception.

The bouncing ball is where students first encounter the 12 Principles of Animation, including timing and spacing, arcs, weight and ease-in and ease-outs. Nowadays, the physics engine within Maya will give you quite a bit of this for free.

Take a look at the free tutorial below to see how to animate falling dice using the FX tools within Maya. Specifically, the tutorial covers how to use Active and Passive Rigid Bodies in Maya to simulate the effects of gravity and the collision of solid objects.

VFX Taster Online Just £25

Online 3D VFX Taster Course

We're recommening this new online 3D VFX taster course, recently launched by London's Escape Studios.

The online taster was developed by Escape Studios' Head of 3D, Mark Spevick, and is delivered through the Smashcut platform.

Best of all, it costs just £25, and takes under 6 hours to complete. It's a great way to find out if 3D Animation and VFX is for you.

Apply Now for Our Online MA in 3D Animation

"School Run" by Bucks student Lee Caller

We are now taking applications for for our online MA in animation, currently enrolling for September 2020.

This online MA is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

Students learn how to animate to a professional industry standard using Autodesk Maya, the industry-standard software, and also learn to engage with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

Apply Now for our Online MA in 3D Animation

The world's first online MA in animation

There is still time to apply for our online MA in animation, currently enrolling for September 2019.

This online MA is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate (using Autodesk Maya, the industry-standard software), but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

Welcome to Our New MA Animation Students

A very warm welcome all our new post-graduate students who are starting their journey with us on our online MA in animation, in partnership with Animation Apprentice.

This is a unique degree - the first of its kind - which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

Still Time to Apply for Our Online MA

The world's first online MA in animation

It's not too late! There is still time to apply for our online MA in animation, currently enrolling for September 2018.

This online MA is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate (using Autodesk Maya, the industry-standard software), but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

All About Our Online MA in Animation

Anyone following this blog knows that Bucks is the home of an animation world-first: the first online MA in animation.  Building on our thriving undergraduate course in Animation and Visual Effects, we launched this new online post graduate degree back in 2015, enabling students to get their MA from anywhere in the world. Our first graduates, many of whom travelled to High Wycombe from overseas for the graduation ceremony, hailed from the UK, Canada, California, Australia and Kenya. Above is a short video that explains what it's all about. Scroll down to see more information - and more detail - about this unique ground-breaking course.

Apply for Our Online Masters Degree

The world's first online MA in animation

We're currently taking applications for the September intake of our online MA in 3D animation.

The online MA is a unique degree which can be undertaken by students anywhere in the world, leading to a formal qualification in the field.

You will not only learn how to animate, but you will engage at Masters' level with the underpinning theory and structure behind the art form.

Learn Gesture Drawing Online at Proko

Gesture drawing is an important skill for animators - it helps us learn how to capture a pose, and to master the art of visual storytelling. After all, planning your animation with quick thumbnail sketches that tell a story is still one of the core skills of the 3D animator - it's why we still need to know how to draw - at least just a little bit.  Here at Bucks we're recommending this series of videos by Proko, all hosted for free at his YouTube channel. There are lots of great videos but the particular playlist we're interested in is titled "Figure Drawing - How to Draw People". You can find it here.

Get Ready for Our Online MA in 3D Animation - Now Recruiting for April 2017

Our new online MA in 3D Animation, delivered in partnership with Animation Apprentice, is proving so popular that we've decided to open an April enrollment - giving our students much more flexibility.

The official webpage is still showing a September enrollment date, but this will be changed soon to reflect the new April intake.  After all, as an online degree, there isn't any reason why he have to be bound by the traditional September enrollment of the academic calendar.

So what kind of preparation should students do before starting with us on our online MA in 3D Animation in April?  It's always good to do a little preparation and get a bit of a head start.

Great Free Maya Tutorials by Mike Hermes

Here at Bucks we have a strong focus on the art of character and creature animation. Our course has a big VFX element - to prepare our students for the world of visual effects animation.

The London animation scene has a large emphasis on this kind of work, with studios like Frame Store and MPC being global leaders in super-realistic photo-real animal and creature work.

For students looking to apply to study with us, it's a great idea to get a taste of what 3D animation is like before you sign up for a full 3 year BA in Animation and VFX. For beginners, we're recommending Mike Hermes' videos at YouTube, which offer excellent short tutorials on pretty much every aspect of the Maya pipeline. They are short, easy to follow, and refreshingly free of unnecessary information.  The playlists are well organised and, best of all, it's all completely free.

How to Get Ready For Our Online MA in 3D Animation in September

What kind of preparation should students do before starting with us on our online MA in 3D Animation in September?  It's always good to do a little preparation and get a bit of a head start.

Below is a brief list of stuff to get you under way. You don't have to do all of it, but tick off a few of the things on this list and you will be a making a great start on your animation career.