Number of students 2012/13

33

Download Animation Programme Specifications (PDF).

The first term of the first year comprises cross-School electives and a series of workshops. These are designed to develop new ways of working, to introduce students to the programme and College facilities, to work towards their independent use of the facilities, and to introduce academic and technical staff.

The second term is spent producing the First-Year Project. Students attend short script workshops to provide insights into research and scripting. Storyboarding, time management and budgeting can be discussed in one-to-one or group tutorials with the programme staff. Students may work individually or in collaboration: collaborations with students from other programmes are encouraged. Students must prepare a Statement of Intent outlining their aims and objectives for the project.

In the third term students undertake the development of their graduation project. Workshops on scriptwriting; gesture, timing and storyboarding; casting and directing actors; and animation techniques are scheduled to support this development. Visits to professional and artists’ studios are also arranged in this term. A live project may be offered to get experience of pitching on a music video. This is subject to availability of production company and music company support. The first two weeks of the summer term are spent assisting a second-year student with their graduation project.

Students also undertake the mandatory Critical & Historical Studies programme in their first year, in which a series of lectures, seminars and tutorials culminates in the submission of a dissertation at the start of the second year.

The second year begins with students presenting their work to the incoming students and handing in their completed dissertation. During the year, students are primarily involved in developing and producing one or more projects.

Preparation and initial stages of production of the MA project(s) occurs during the first term of the second year. This includes: scripts, storyboards, budget, schedule, equipment and room bookings. Contact with musicians, composers, actors and scriptwriters is encouraged. Workshops in scriptwriting, editing and direction usually take place during this term and build on those undertaken in the previous term. A read-through and improvisation on written ideas can be arranged this term to assist with dramatisation, characterisation and casting.

The spring term is spent in production creating the content, working with composers and dealing with other elements of the soundtrack for the final degree project(s). Preparations for the Summer Show also take place in this term. All image and principal sound is completed by the end of this term, with the final term focusing on postproduction and further Summer Show preparation.

Final Examinations take place in the summer term. Immediately after Final Examination, showprints and a DVD showreel are made to be ready for the Summer Show.