Bachelor of Art & Design

Course Description

The Bachelor of Art and Design (3D Animation and Visual Effects) provides students with a comprehensive grounding and detailed knowledge in the creative industries of visual effects and 3D animation.

In the first year students learn foundation skills such as drawing, colour, character design, computer applications, and knowledge of 2D and 3D animation principles. Story development, storyboarding, digital environments, scene layout and the creation of special effects are introduced. Over the first year students will also achieve intermediate proficiency in industry standard technical tools and software.

In the second year all students undertake the first of their group projects in addition to their core classes. The group project provides the first introduction to the various roles within a production team that are required to create a short production. This group project allows students to achieve first hand experience in the roles associated with concept art creation, storyboards, camera layout and staging, and pre-visualisation.

Toward the end of the second year students pursue their chosen specialisation in either Visual Effects and Motion Graphics, Technical 3D Studies or 3D Animation Studies. The students retain a specialist focus for the remainder of their studies, however all core subjects including tutorials, theory classes, and art classes are taught collectively. In the third year students participate in group projects that bring together students from each specialisation and combine their skills together for a common project outcome.

 

Career Paths

Graduates with a Bachelor Degree of Art and Design could expect to find employment opportunities in the following areas:

• 3D Modeller
• Compositor
• VFX Artist
• 3D Animator
• Technical Director
• Texture Artist
• Editing Assistant
• Environment Designer
• Video Production Editor
• Character Artist
• Matte Painter
• Lighting Artist
• Rigger
• Pre-Vis Artist
• Fur/feather FX Artist
• Concept Artist
• Cloth Simulation FX Artist
• Visual Effects Artist
• Rendering TD
• Water FX Artist
• Technical Artist
• User Interface Artist
• Nuke Specialist
• Photo-realist Artist
• 3D Visualisation Artist
• Cut-scene or Cinematic
• Technical Assistant
• Character Designer
• Effects Designer
• Roto Artist
• Layout TD
• Wire Remover
• Storyboard Artist

Course Breakdown

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have at least 42 NCEA credits at Level 3 (with at least 2 subjects scoring a minimum of 14 credits) over a maximum of 4 subjects. A minimum of 12 NCEA credits must also be achieved at Level 2 English and 14 NCEA credits at Level 1 Mathematics. Candidates should ideally have a minimum of 24 credits at Level 3 NCEA Art, Design or Technology subjects,

• or equivalent qualification of above for example Cambridge International Examinations,
• or have successfully completed a Media Design School Qualification, Level 5 or higher.

Applicants 20 years or over may apply for entry through presentation of a professional portfolio and an interview.
For students who have English as a second language, a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent is required.

Portfolio Requirements:

• Paintings
• Illustrations/drawings
• Photography
• Graphic design
• 3D modelling or visualisation
• CAD drawings
• Knowledge in graphical software such as Photoshop and experience with
• 3D software is advantageous but not essential.

 

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