Full Sail University – Animation Studies

Full Sail University is a private school located in Winter Park, Florida. The school has been providing programs and courses to students since 1979 and is nationally accredited to award associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in a number of different areas of study including animation. It has a solid reputation among animation schools for preparing students to pursue careers within various specialties in the field.

Beginning in 2007, Full Sail University began to provide online degree programs. Although the school was originally founded as a recording workshop, it has since augmented its areas of study to include programs beyond video and film production. It offers degree programs in entertainment business, internet marketing, sports management, computer animation, digital media and game design—to name a few.

The computer animation program available from the school is intended to prepare students for careers in film, television and video game creation. The Bachelors of Science degree program takes 4 years to complete. There are several areas of focus within the program and include the following:

Fine Arts
In order to become proficient animators, students must first learn both basic and advanced art concepts, including color theory, architecture and character development. To accomplish this goal, students use various digital tools and software to create realistic 2D and 3D animated models under the instruction of experienced professors.

Modeling
Creating provocative and realistic models is one of the primary goals of the animator.  After all, one cannot have an animated film without well-crafted characters and an environment for them to live in. Coursework is available which helps students to better develop their skills in such areas as surface creation, blending and production modeling.

Animation
Characters and other components of animated worlds must be able to move in a realistic manner in order for the story to be believable. Students at Full Sail University are taught about such subjects as body motion, character development and similar topics which allow them to bring their own creations to life.

Effects
Almost all major movies use digital effects to some extent in order to develop a fictional world for the viewer to enjoy. Even commercials and other forms of advertising rely on these effects. Full Sail University animation students are taught how to manipulate images using such effects. Topics include character modification, environmental effects and learning how to blend such effects with existing live-action footage.

Final Project
Every animation student at Full Sail University must successfully complete a final project in order to earn his or her degree. Under the supervision of a faculty member, a student will pursue an area of interest, develop a project based on that area of study and complete it on time. The purpose of the final project is to demonstrate the student’s expertise and proficiency when it comes to utilizing principles of animation to create a wholly original work of art. The student is responsible for the entire project, from its early planning stages all the way through to completion. It is a challenging and rewarding way to accomplish something which can become a highlighting factor in one’s portfolio and resume when seeking employment opportunities.

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Sources:
http://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/campus/computer-animation-bachelors
http://www.fullsail.edu/about/our-story