Diploma in Animation Arts (Animation for Games – DAG)

Animation and games have come a long way since the monotone pixels of Odyssey and Pong. Successive generations of hardware has opened the doors for more closer to life gaming experience; and with technology ever expanding the storytelling possibilities of the medium has the animation and gaming industry hunting today for animators who can redefine the capabilities of the digital screen.
Our 18 month program is designed to open up the world of animation and gaming for you by developing skills tailor made to create next generations of gaming experience.
This is drawn out in three semesters- six months each, emphasizing on

Fundamentals of Drawing Students are introduced to the concepts and methodologies of drawing using a variety of media and concentrating on drawing from life, character design and construction.
Principles of Design A foundation course in the application of design principles and elements that is fundamental to all design activities. Students will enhance their knowledge and skills to effectively apply these principles and elements as well as critically evaluate their design processes.
Scripting & Storyboarding This course will introduce students to the concepts and practices of developing and actualizing scripts and storyboards for projects in many media. The use of scripts, storyboards and animatics for different purposes and outcomes will also be examined and applied.
Narrative & Character Development A course focused on the development of character and narrative flow for films and games. Students will study how narrative is structured in many media and explore the basic principles of character development and the strategies to implement characters into an entertainment narrative.
Principles of 2D Animation This is an introductory course in 2D animation. Students will study the historical context of 2D animation, its current applications, animation principles, and styles and methods of animation – with emphasis on 2D digital animation.
Advanced 2D Animation This course builds on MED102: Principles of 2D Animation and focuses on the development of advanced 2D animation skills. Students will develop character animation techniques, use sound to enhance animation, and develop knowledge and skills in character drawing, depicting weight and motion, keyframe animation, tweening, and lip-synching.
Design for Interactive Entertainment Students are introduced to key theories, concepts and methodologies in design for interactive entertainment. They will critically analyse and evaluate a range of games and digital entertainment artifacts to develop an understanding of how to design interactive applications that are engaging, entertaining and targeted.
Principles of 3D Modelling An introductory course in 3D modelling. In this course, students will be exposed to a wide range of tools used in 3D modelling, and will develop skills in the construction and manipulation of 3D models.
Game Level Design Students are introduced to key theories, concepts, and methodologies of designing effective levels for a variety of different game types. Students examine the processes and issues involved. Students will undertake and report on research they have done, as well as produce examples of level design.
Advanced 3D Animation This course builds on MED103: Principles of 3D Modelling and focuses on the design of 3D character set-ups, the fundamentals of lighting, lip-synching and composition and advances the traditional animation principles as applied to 3D animation.
Digital Audio and Video Production In this course, the theoretical and practical implications of the use of digital video and audio are examined. Students will be provided with a range of skills and theoretical knowledge necessary for the production of digital video and audio.
Communication Design This course introduces the key elements of communication that facilitate effective communication on a personal and professional basis. Students will examine communication theories and apply these practically for effective communication particularly within the multimedia and interactive entertainment environments.
This course gives students a total exposure and self-assurance to enter the trade of animation and games on the completion of the course.