Animation at Algonquin College

Bring your drawing skills to life through acting and storytelling.

The three-year Animation Ontario College Advanced Diploma program provides you with the skills needed to meet the standards of the demanding international animation industry. As a student attending one of the best animation programs in Canada (as ranked by Animation Career Review, 2019), you learn industry-standard technologies, drawing and animation skills.

This program focuses on acting and body mechanics and where you learn traditional, 3D, tradigital (using Toon Boom`s Harmony) and video game animation techniques. Our faculty members are industry professionals who have worked for studios such as:

• Disney
• Sony Image Works
• Mercury Filmworks
• Jam Filled Entertainment
• Warner Bros. Animation
• Corus (Nelvana)
• Pip
• Kratts
• Ubisoft

Gain the ability to communicate your ideas through drawing, and to present them visually. Learn to see images in motion - a skill necessary for an animator, and ensure your animated creations are realistic and meet industry standards.

Focus is on layout, location and character design, gesture drawing and anatomy studies of the NUDE model, all culminating in performance-based character animation.

By the end of the program, you have a portfolio and demo reel that showcases your work. This highlights your creativity, skills and proficiency with relevant animation software and technologies, demonstrating that you are ready to enter the field.

There are many job opportunities for graduates of this program. You may find work as a(n):

• animator at a professional animation or game studio
• layout artist
• location or character designer
• 3D animator, rigger or modeller
• background artist
• tradigital rigger or modeller

Other employment opportunities might include working on feature films, animated TV series or commercials.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Are creative and think visually.
• Enjoy a hands-on approach to learning about the animation and game industries.
• Have strong observational and analytical skills.
• Have an aptitude for acting and storytelling.
• Are eager to learn new drawing and animation techniques using new technologies.

Careers & Pathways

Careers

Graduates may find employment in the booming animation industry in local (Ottawa) studios, or Canadian animation centres like Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Vancouver or with studios around the world. Animation grads are sought after with a hiring rate in the +90% range with 100% employer satisfaction according to post graduate surveys. Third year students might also have the opportunity to work in a studio during part of the school year. There are also opportunities for advanced learning to earn a degree through our articulation partners.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Design, create and animate objects and characters with naturalistic and expressive movements and poses.
2. Design and create hand-drawn and/or computer-generated drawings using principles of art, design and composition.
3. Select and use appropriate tools and technologies for the development of animation projects.
4. Contribute to the planning, implementation and evaluation of animation projects.
5. Plan, develop and execute a series of effective and believable animation sequences.
6. Create and enhance the production of animation sequences and projects using a variety of principles and techniques related to cinematography and art direction.
7. Use storytelling skills to create and enhance the development and execution of animation sequences.
8. Use performance theory and skills to create and enhance animation.
9. Design and produce layouts using perspective, composition and colour theory to enhance visual presentation and mood.
10. Present and defend a visual concept to a target audience.
11. Use computer skills and appropriate digital asset management techniques to function effectively within a production pipeline.
12. Develop, assemble and present a demo reel or portfolio in a manner that meets current industry expectations, and highlights one`s creativity, skills and proficiency with relevant animation software and related technologies.
13. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

English Langage Requirments

• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT) Overall 80, with a minimum of 20 in each component: Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20.