Animation: Associate Degree of Animation

What You Will Learn

• Character Animation (2D/3D)
• Visual Storytelling
• 3D Modelling & Computer Graphics
• Applying Focus To An Industry Specialisation Role (Animator, Illustrator, 3D Artist, VFX Artist, Rigger, 3D Character Artist)

The Associate Degree of Animation has two stages that provide foundational learning and applied skill.

• Develop the essential technical animation skills and the knowledge required to collaborate with other creative media students and professionals.
• Credit points: 10 Develop your reflective, critical and analytical skills and abilities through an enhanced awareness and understanding of the purpose of tertiary education from a personal, societal and professional perspective. In class activities are used to prepare you with the skills and confidence to engage with a range of scholarly frameworks that you will encounter throughout your studies. You will explore the animation discipline through a team presentation, where you will develop group working, thinking and learning skills.
• Credit points: 10 As a practice, drawing provides a core skill set for the expression of both concept and form. This unit introduces you to the concepts and methodologies of drawing using a variety of media with an emphasis on drawing from life, including anatomical studies and perspective techniques for environment and character construction. The unit is an introduction to the general practice of drawing and rendering and specifically helps to scaffold further learning through support for developing sketch-based visual production skills & knowledge.
• Credit points: 10 Take a practical first look at modeling, lighting, shading, animation, and rendering to gain a holistic, foundational understanding of computer graphics. This unit will involve using industry-standard software such as Autodesk 3Ds Max, Maya, and Blender. The practical and theoretical knowledge of 3D production pipelines acquired in this unit will act as a foundation for successive animation units.
• Credit points: 10 As the name suggests this unit provides you with an introduction to animation. You will apply the theoretical underpinnings of animation processes via a range of practical explorations and critical analyses. This will provide you with a solid understanding of animation principles and methods that will form the foundation of successive animation units.
• Credit points: 10 This unit explores the concepts of entrepreneurship, innovation and project design. You will develop approaches to identify promising opportunities and actionable strategies to transform them into tangible successes. Through exposure to developing new ideas, processes and ways of working - both individually and in entrepreneurial teams - you will hone skills to put creative ideas into practice and achieve real-world impact. As Alan Kay explained, "The best way to predict the future is to create it", so let's get at it!
• Credit points: 10 In this unit, you will apply and build upon the foundational animation and computer graphics skills and knowledge that you have learned, to advance your skills via some in-depth, practical activities of 2D/3D character modeling and applied animation techniques. By undertaking a series of iterative tasks, your static models will become talking moving characters and you will develop the skills and knowledge required to showcase them effectively.
• Credit points: 10 This unit is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of visual storytelling and composition principles and the practical skills to communicate intended narratives effectively through pre-production materials. You will learn to utilise industry-standard pre-production software tools to create previsualization sequences, enabling you to simulate camera movements, pacing, and shot composition. Through hands-on exercises and project work, you will develop the necessary expertise to produce high-quality previs and animatics, essential elements in modern filmmaking and animation pipelines.
• Credit points: 10 You will be introduced to the theory and principles of storytelling across a range of contemporary creative media contexts, which will then be applied to the creation of storytelling documents appropriate to your discipline. Theoretical approaches to plot, structure, character, story world, theme and genre will be explored and applied to a range of story development tools to engage your audience. Feedback processes and reflection are essential in the development of engaging stories, and you are expected to document your process and feedback from your facilitator and peers.

• Broaden your scope to work on complex multidisciplinary projects in accordance with industry standard practices.
• Credits points: 10 In this unit, you will collaborate on interdisciplinary projects that blend creativity and technology across fields such as film, audio, music, gaming, design, and computer science. Through project-based learning, you'll explore how different disciplines contribute to innovative outcomes-like immersive installations or interactive experiences. The unit focuses on strengthening communication, problem-solving, and teamwork across creative and technical areas. You'll be challenged to apply your existing skills while embracing new perspectives and ways of working, developing a holistic understanding of contemporary media production and preparing you to deliver complex, boundary-pushing creative solutions.
• Credit points: 20 In this studio unit, your facilitator will lead you through a series of project briefs. You will work in collaboration with your peers to develop several project milestones within a simulated studio environment. Your Facilitator will act as your project manager, executive producer, mentor and colleague. The emphasis in this module is on the further development of your fundamental animation production skills including conceptualising, planning and executing rapid animation productions and short films. Working to a clear timeline, you will explore a range of skills and workflows in collaborative, cross-discipline and individual work practices. This includes a focus on the creative, technical and project management aspects required to complete animation productions. Teamwork, collaborative skills and engagement with specific feedback processes are emphasised in this module, as you further refine and reflect on the related Transferable Skills for this module.
• Credit Points: 10
• Credit points: 10 Creatives have always contributed to real-world problem solving, whether through innovative inventions, creative calls for action, public awareness building, or art and science collaborations. In this unit you will use your interdisciplinary collaboration skills to address a real-world problem. Using different theoretical frameworks within a 'hackathon' style studio environment you will produce a prototype that can be presented within SAE, as well as to external stakeholders.
• Credit Points: 10 ANI217 Cinematic Animation explores advanced character animation techniques for linear narratives. The focus is on bringing characters to life and clearly communicating a story through body language, dialogue animation, facial expression and shot composition. By combining acting theory with animation principles, students develop the skills necessary to create compelling and expressive character performances, enhancing their ability to breathe life into animated narratives with authenticity and depth. Students will apply their previously acquired knowledge alongside newly acquired skills to create a completed cinematic animation production, solidifying their proficiency in the art of cinematic storytelling through animation.
• Credit Points: 10 ANI218 Game Animation focuses on the creation and integration of both 2D and 3D animation for games and other interactive applications. Covering topics such as player locomotion, responsive gameplay animation, animation cycles and technical animation, students gain practical skills essential for crafting immersive gaming experiences. Through hands-on projects and theoretical exploration, students develop proficiency in animating characters to enhance player engagement and gameplay dynamics, preparing them for success in the field of game animation.