NOTE: Since the SVAD merger in Fall 2010, the Experimental Animation and Character Animation curricula are being reviewed - the information on this page is subject to change. The undergraduate animation program offered by the Art Department at the University of Central Florida emphasizes animation approached from an artistic point of view. Our goal is to discover new ways to use the animation medium for narrative and non-narrative applications. We strongly support the development of non-traditional animation, yet animation faculty are committed to helping students acquire the skills needed to compete in animation job markets. The animation program encourages students to contribute both to existing animation markets and also to new outlets for their creative products such as the Internet, CDROM / DVD authoring, and emerging media venues. Throughout the program, each student is encouraged to develop a unique creative vision. By graduation, student experience culminates in the completion of a thesis project.
Program Requirements
The UCF Undergraduate Catalog provides information about degree requirements and course descriptions. SVAD Advising also provides a flowchart-style PDF document to help visualize course prerequisites.
Remember that your degree requirements are always listed in your UCF Degree Audit that is available in MyUCF.
Also remember that although your degree audit requirements are determined by your catalog year, course descriptions and prerequisites may change yearly.
Computer Requirements
All students accepted into the animation program are required to purchase their own personal computers and computer software.
Since 3D computer animation is the most computing-power-intensive practice you might undertake in your major, please review the minimum hardware requirements for Autodesk Maya and 3DS Max (the most common 3D animation software used) on the Autodesk website: http://www.autodesk.com. Students can decide between purchasing a PC or MAC, but the university provides PCs for the instructors and can only offer limited help with the Mac platform.
Animation students tend to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya or 3DS Max, and Flash. Students must purchase their own software, which should be fairly updated, but does not have to be the most current (as updated versions are continuously being released). Students are quite free to consider the use of any software or techniques that will further their technical and creative interests as artist-animators.
Software can be purchased through the UCF Computer Store or via online retailers.
Enrollment Instructions
If you are a current UCF student you can login to MyUCF and change your major to Art BFA - Emerging Media Pending. Once you pass the Sophomore Portfolio Review that is held towards the end of February each Spring and the beginning of October each Fall, you will be given instructions for changing your specialization. The Registrar's Office provides a handout explaining how to change your major online.
Artistic skills and knowledge are the foundation for the program. Therefore, students applying for acceptance into the program must demonstrate drawing and design skills. In addition, animation applicants must demonstrate some technical skill in the use of the computer. The animation field requires that the animator be both artistic and technically minded. Many individuals have aptitude in one of these areas, but only a few have both. The animation field is highly competitive. Those animators who have this unique blend of skills will be successful in attaining employment in animation. Those who are primarily creatively gifted and are less technical (or uninterested in industry) may pursue a more independent future as independent filmmakers, artists, and employees in allied professions.
All Art BFA - Emerging Media Pending students interested in the Experimental Animation Specialization must complete the mandatory Sophomore Portfolio Review course before starting the Experimental Animation program.
Also, here are some suggested websites to visit:
- http://www.animationartist.com - Animation Artist
- http://www.cgw.com/ - Computer Graphics World
- http://www.cgchannel.com/ - Computer Graphics Channel
- http://www.cgtalk.com/ - Computer Graphics Talk
Note: The animation program has not offered classic cel animation for nearly a decade.
Important Deadlines
The Spring review of sophomore portfolios takes place near the end of February. The Fall review takes place near the beginning of October. Check this website as the deadline approaches for more information.
Locations
UCF Main Campus - Visual Arts Building (VAB)
Selected Works
Student Work Fall 2009
"Summer's Day" and "Annie Hall" by Sean Martin (media: Maya 3D composited on video). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
- http://www.youtube.com/user/SeanWMartin#p/u/2/_WlvJnOnql0
- http://www.youtube.com/user/SeanWMartin#p/u/3/V8XYTipiHqU
"Pure Imagination" by Nicole Walsh (media: After Effects). Course: Art-Animation Post Production Design (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"Firefly" and "Bruce Lee" by Joe Barbour (media: Maya 3D composited on video and video composited on film). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
- http://www.youtube.com/user/josephbarbour#p/u/2/Qg4mxg6va7U
- http://www.youtube.com/user/josephbarbour#p/u/1/9seieBP9KI4
Particle animation by Jonathan Ruiz (media: After Effects). Course: Art-Animation Digital Effects and Compositing (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"Little World" by Meghan Resh (media: cel animation executed in pen and watercolor on paper, then scanned and compiled). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
"Alone in the Dark", Anthropomorphic Animation by Robert Laudati (media: Maya 3D and After Effects). Course: Intermediate Art-Animation (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
Rotoscoped animation (media: pencil and watercolors on paper, then scanned and compiled) by Nicole Walsh. Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
Particle effects by Jeff Kepler (media: Maya 3D and After Effects). Course: Art-Animation Digital Effects and Compositing (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"Almost Rube" by Will German (media: Maya 3D). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
Anthropomorphic animation and infomercial by Christina Fowinkle (media: Maya 3D and After Effects). Courses: Intermediate Art-Animation and Post Production (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"My Virtual Pet" by Judy Keeter (media: Flash animation, After Effects post production, Maya 3D). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
Trebuchet assignment by Mike Baksh (media: Maya 3D and After Effects). Course: Intermediate Art-Animation (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"Becoming" by Colleen Farris (media: 3DS Max). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
Animatic project by Andrea Jones (media: After Effects). Course: Art-Animation Post Production Design (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"Supermarket" by Gina Edmunds (media: After Effects). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
Animatic project by Paul Brown (media: After Effects). Course: Art-Animation Post Production Design (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
Character modeling by Nestor Villegas (media: Mudbox, 3DS Max). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
"Just Desserts" by Meredith Maya (media: After Effects). Course: Art-Animation Post Production Design (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record)./p>
"A Helping Hand: Part 1" by Ashlee Hynes (media: Maya 3D). Course: Advanced Art-Animation (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
"Pillow Fight" & toy car animation by Donald Marks (media: Maya 3D CGI and After Effects). Course: Intermediate Art-Animation (Matt Dombrowski, teacher of record).
"Ants Attack a Small Child" by Kendyl Drayer (media: cel animation produced in ink and acrylic on acetate with acrylic on paper backgrounds, then scanned and compiled). Course: Art-Animation Workshop (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
Cel animation by Meredith May (media: After Effects characters, hand painted backgrounds scanned and compiled). Course: Art-Animation Workshop (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
"Project Linnaeus" by Sean Tatlonghari, Sean Martin, Dan Colon, Cheyne Hessler, Paul Brown (media: Maya 3D). Course: Art-Animation Workshop (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).
"Apollo 11" by Alek Castelain, Gina Edmunds, Amber Welter, Samantha Mirabal, Devon Veller (media: stop-motion animation). Course: Art-Animation Workshop (Scott F. Hall, teacher of record).