BA (Hons) Animation (2D and Stop Motion)

The modules on this course will help you develop as a professional Animator in your chosen field, whether that’s in animation in 2D or stop-motion or concept in either of these areas. 
 
You will learn new ways of thinking, making, drawing and creating work which in turn, will prepare you for the animation industry.  
 
The first year concentrates on core traditional drawing, visual language and digital skills for animation and animated storytelling. You’ll improve your skills and learn how to work as part of a creative team.  
 
During the second and third years, you’ll develop your specialist areas of animation and identify your strengths in small production teams, working on live briefs or your own short films. You’ll also work towards high levels of skill in animated outcomes, whether these are in pre-production (e.g. concept, storyboard, backgrounds, character design) or in 2D traditional or digital/ stop-motion production (e.g. character animation, sets, props, puppet and model-making), or post-production compositing. 
 
By the time you graduate, you’ll have produced an exciting showreel and your own short graduation film – all you’ll need to impress employers and to make your start in this dynamic industry. You’ll also develop lots of transferable skills, including team working and time management.  

Year One

Introduction to Animation 

• The 12 Principles of Animation, movement and believability and sound sync to visuals  

Drawing and Visual Language  

• Understanding the basics of drawing shape and form developing strong observational skills and their importance within the context of Animation practice 

Further Adventures 

• Developing fundamental animation skills in the form of biped and quadruped walk cycles and animal studies  

Exploring Animation 

• Understanding technological, social, and aesthetic context of animation, introduce students to a range of animation-as-art possibilities via materials, media, design styles and techniques. 

Narrative strategies 

• Introduction to animatics and storyboarding techniques, Exploring storytelling, and narrative structures, animation studies research skills. 

Animation and Design  

• Fundamental skills in strong Character design, camerawork animation skills through performance and sound sync dialogue work. 

Year Two 

Design for Animation 

• Progressing skills as designers for Animation practice in 2D and stop-motion, learn design for backgrounds, storyboarding techniques, style frames , line work and good design practice for creative output to pursue Design or Animation pathways,

Technical Practice in 2D Stop Motion 

• Exploring specialist skills within both 2D and stop-motion, learning creative use of digital software and/or puppet making skills in short animated sequences for TV Idents. 

Applied Animation Practice 

• Animation is now an all-pervading medium, in multiple settings, not always on a traditional viewing screen. This module explores current and future possibilities for animation creativity and employment opportunities in collaborative and cross-media environments. 

Critical studies  

• Research Animation within an historical context and relate it to the present and to develop a proposal document to inform the final year coursework 

Animation Pipeline  

• Understanding the processes of working an Animation major production from pre-production through to post-production, team working and possible live client briefs  

Year Three 

Scriptwriting for Animated Television and film  

• An optional module to learn scriptwriting skills for TV and Film for commissioning agencies and broadcasters 

Critical Research in Animation 

• An optional module to produce a dissertation or critical analysis via practice, on a chosen subject with an emphasis on critical analysis and scholarly research. 

Specialist Advanced Animation projects 

• Create your own projects using advanced software knowledge to produce industry focused briefs and exercises, title sequences, promotional material and idents. 
   

Major project pre-production 

• Develop and research extensive material and professional skills for a final major film or concept portfolio project  

Major project production 

• Produce major project output for a film or concept showreel project. This project will launch you into the Animation industry by learning collaboration with others in production teams, and by producing professional  quality work in your chosen field of  2D and/ or stop-motion.  

Business and Employability 

• Developing your professional portfolio, showreel whilst producing self-promotion work creating a strong social media presence. You will research the current animation industry in your chosen field. We also run a trip to London studios every year and visit studios in Bristol and in the immediate vicinity of Cardiff.  

Our teaching team is made up of industry professionals and technical experts. They will guide and push you to develop your own identity as a designer. You will develop all the skills and professional attributes required of an industry leader. You can expect lectures and workshop both online and in-person. Most of all, you can expect to be hands on and working from day one in our busy and active studios.

This degree is assessed through regular coursework submissions, as well as practical assessments, presentations and collaborative projects. Assessment is designed to support your learning and help you achieve your goals.