Digital Fiction Production

This module offers you a practical foundation in filmmaking, which is designed to provide you with a working knowledge of film grammar and established industry practices. You will cover the basic disciplines necessary for production, pre-production, team-building, digital cinematography, lighting, sound, Final Cut Pro and non-linear editing techniques.
 

The Principles of Photorealism

In this module you will be introduced to both 3D software for visual effects and 2D software for digital compositing. By combining the fundamentals of 3D lighting and rendering in Maya with Nuke compositing software, you will learn industry standard techniques for creating photorealistic animations.

In addition to learning how to model 3D objects using Maya, you will also learn the fundamentals of how to simulate real world motion.

CG Set Extension

This module covers the fundamental processes involved in visual effects production using live action footage. Students will shoot their own HD footage and learn to track the motion of the camera using a variety of industry standard software such as Boujou and Nuke.

Once tracked you will edit the original footage, digitally removing unwanted elements in a process called ‘rig removal’. Then working as a team, you will learn the production processes involved in creating 3D elements that will be rendered and composited together with the original footage, resulting in a digitally extended set.

Craft Skills 1 – Camera, Light and Sound

This module is an introduction to the art and technique of camera, sound and editing. You will study a full-range of areas, from camera equipment to editing software, and gain skills in each discipline, helping you understand the range of techniques used in production.

You will also develop skills in Final Cut Pro and learn how to use camera, light and sound in a co-ordinated and confident way.

Craft Skills 1 – Editing

This module will provide you with a thorough overview of the technical and creative use of camera, light and sound and the art and technique of editing. 

You will be taught the key techniques, creative approaches and organisational skills involved in camera and sound recording and the techniques you will learn are relevant to all kinds of filmmaking. In the editing sections, you will study the full-range of elements, rules and craft of narrative (and non-narrative) techniques for the moving image and apply this knowledge in your own creative work. You will edit a number of sequences and exercises from a variety of films, which will demonstrate that you have a good grasp of the use of all the technology and how to apply it creatively. 

Principles of 3D Animation

You will start this module with a 2 week introduction to the traditional principles of 2D animation applied to the world of 3D animation. After a series of short acting and animation exercises, you will spend the remainder of the module applying these principles of animation to short character animation projects using Maya.

Introduction to Character Animation

 
In this module you will expand upon their character creation and animation skills. During the first weeks you will cover industry standard modelling and character setup workflows in order to produce a 2-legged character of their own design using both Maya and Mudbox.

Then, for the remainder of this module students will work together in order to produce a completed 5-10 second animation as part of an integrated production team.

Professional Industry Practice

This module is designed to give you an insight into the professional working practices of the industry. By understanding the basic organisational structures and the political and economic influences that affect production you will be better prepared to function in the industry when you embark on full-time work.

Live Action Integration

In this module you will delve further into visual effects creation by matching live action with CG. In the first two weeks of this module, you will organise and participate in an HD green screen shoot.

For the remainder of the term you will learn the processes involved in order to successfully assemble a series set of shots consisting of keyed foreground plates with CG and live action background plates.