Animation, Coding & Games

1

Dan Corbett, Emily Langdon-Smith & Grace Evetts–BA (Hons) AnimationUCA Farnham

Ryan Brand– BA (Hons) Computer Animation ArtsUCA Rochester

2 3

Animation is a richly layered process – stories, scripts and concept art must be developed, characters and environments designed, and storyboards drawn and re-drawn. CGI is a particularly complex process; assets must be modelled, textured, lit, rigged, animated, edited and rendered, to then be composited and graded in post-production. Outputs range from quirky animated shorts to art-house visualisations, from commercial commissions to moving personal stories, from poetic documentaries to out-and-out slapstick comedies.

Our BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts will train you visually and technically to become a skilled CGI artist and animator, and BA (Hons) Illustration and Animation will help you establish your own personal voice whilst communicating visually – you’ll look at applied drawing techniques, printing, editorial illustration and narrative sequence.

Our new BA (Hons) Computer Games Design course delves into the exciting aspect of video games, particularly looking at the entrepreneurial indie attitude that flourishes so much in the industry, and how you can join that movement.

As the highest ranked specialist creative university in The Guardian Good University Guide 2018 and the Complete University Guide 2018, we create impact – some of our alumni have become Oscar, BAFTA and British Animation Awards winners. A large number of students have had their films shown at festivals around the world.

Our teaching team includes a number of leading industry professionals, award-winning experts and working animators, coders and game designers. We want to teach you about this exciting field so that you can aspire to become the best in the business.

Sarah JeansHead of SchoolFilm, Media and Performing Arts

Foreword Animation, coding and games are some of the fastest-growing emergent industries in the world. Our BA (Hons) Animation course at Farnham is one of the oldest programmes of its kind in Europe. You’ll be able to explore animation and animated filmmaking through a range of techniques, such as traditional and digital drawn, stop frame puppet and 3D or 2D CGI.

2

Ben Matthews–BA (Hons) Computer Games ArtsUCA Farnham

4 5

BA (Hons) Animation (3 & 4 year routes available)– UCA Farnham

With alumni including Oscar and BAFTA winners, and the creators of beloved animations such as Peppa Pig, Fantastic Mr Fox, the Compare the Market’s ‘Meerkats’ campaign, and Hey Duggee, our Animation degree is one of the best known and highly regarded courses of its kind in the world. Whether you want to make 3D films using software such as Autodesk Maya, or produce stop-motion films shot in our dedicated studios, on this course you’ll have the freedom to discover and develop your personal style, and follow your own passions – while being guided by a team of highly experienced and well-connected industry professionals.

BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts –UCA Rochester

With its art and design focus and emphasis on production design, you’ll graduate from Computer Animation Arts as a skilled artist in both 2D and 3D production. We’ll train you to become a proficient software user, helping you develop a well-rounded skillset which is highly sought after by employers in the animation industry and associated creative sectors.

BSc (Hons) Creative Coding & Technology–UCA Canterbury

From the rapid emergence of virtual reality to architectural design, film sets and TV studios, creative coding and new technologies are presenting exciting and untold possibilities to the world of design.

Our Creative Coding and Technology course will enable you to create and shape the world around you and to develop your skills and understanding of coding languages, design tools and the interactive arts. Through a unique blend of cutting-edge digital research and designing and making, you’ll develop an understanding of the designer’s role in societyandlearn how creative coding can work as a catalyst for change in one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy.

BA (Hons) Illustration & Animation–UCA Canterbury

Our Illustration and Animation course will encourage you to become an independent critical thinker and maker. You’ll be part of a lively and active community, supported by state-of-the-art studios and access to specialist tools and processes, including printmaking, bookmaking, letterpress, moving image, 3D work, photography, darkroom processes and industry standard software.

You’ll develop your visual, oral and written communication skills, whilst engaging with technology and processes relevant to contemporary illustration and animation. We’ll enable you to communicate your ideas using traditional and emerging media, and you’ll learn how to construct narrative and meaning in a variety of contexts.

BA (Hons) Computer Games Design–UCA Rochester

Our Computer Games Design course will give you the opportunity to explore the growing indie games industry and how you can apply your creativity to develop a career in the field. Using top-of-the-range software, you’ll be able to focus on your own individual approach to game design as you develop a broad range of skills. Learning from internationally-recognised lecturers who regularly work in the industry, you’ll be able to grow entrepreneurial skills even beyond the creative arts, such as educational and therapeutic games and games for rehabilitation.

BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology–UCA Farnham

This course is founded on the principle of User-Centred Design (UCD). You’ll learn how to consider users throughout each stage of the design and development process of gaming. This ethos differs from other design approaches, explicitly setting out to design outcomes for how users can, want or need to play and interact with games. You’ll learn how to establish and refine requirements through investigative methods, including ethnographic study, contextual inquiry, prototyping and usability testing.

BA (Hons) Computer Games Arts–UCA Farnham

Located close to one of the country’s largest games hubs in Guildford, our BA (Hons) Computer Games Arts has access to some of the biggest and most exciting emergent names in the games industry.

On the course, you will develop a deep grounding in observational drawing and explore art styles, whilst concepting interactive and digital environments. You’ll also learn about 3D and 2D asset development through to production, current tools and technologies, games design disciplines, critical thinking practice and the widening context of gameplay.

You’ll also benefit from high-end hardware and access to outstanding industry software such as CGI Autodesk Entertainment suites (Maya), Quixel Suite, Zbrush, Unity, Unreal, Marvelous Designer, Adobe CC, a sound production studio with Pro Tools and Dehumaniser, as well as film and animation facilities – production cameras, workshops including rapid prototyping suites and digital editing studios.

Find the right course for you

We offer a range of courses in animation, games and digital media.

6 7

Catriona Barber &Julien Van Wallandael–BA (Hons) Computer Animation ArtsUCA Rochester

8 9

We The UK’s creative industries are growing faster than at any other time in history, generating nearly £9.6million an hour in revenue for the UK economy. Thanks to tax relief incentives for film, TV and theatre productions, many producers are choosing the UK as a top destination to develop their projects where demand for graduates is at an all-time high.

Our Animation, Coding and Games courses benefit from a wealth of industry connections that put them in a prime position to produce knowledgeable, talented graduates. Students gain experience from links with well-known animation and film companies such as Aardman Animations, Studio AKA, Passion Pictures, Animade, Nexus and the National Film and Television School, and EA,Sony, Ubisoft, Doublesix Games, Miniclip and State of Play for our gaming courses.

Several of our graduates have been nominated and awarded Oscars and BAFTAs for their accomplishments in the industry, and many have progressed into creative roles such as:

– Directors– Producers– Animators– Editors– Character designers– Concept artists– Art directors– Storyboard artists– Publishers– Production artists and many more.

UCA has a proud tradition of supporting students and equipping them with everything they need to thrive in the workplace. 94.6% of our students find employment or go on to further study within the first six months after graduating.

create careers

Stefan Senior–BA (Hons) Computer Games ArtsUCA Farnham

10 11

Ioan Rusu–BA (Hons) Computer Games ArtsUCA Farnham

12 13

What is a portfolio?–

A portfolio is a collection of your work that demonstrates a range of skills and creative talent. It’s your opportunity to showcase your individuality, creativity, inspirations and artistic abilities, and is a useful way for us to evaluate your suitability for the course you’ve applied to. It might contain design work, drawings/art projects, photographs, films, sound work, music composition, or examples of creative writing or essays.

Think of your portfolio as a statement about your work – it should exhibit your creative journey, thought processes and influences. Don’t be afraid to be bold and appeal to the viewer, keeping their attention and leaving them feeling excited about your creative potential.

What should my portfolio include?–

Your portfolio should feature examples of your research and show the development of your ideas and projects – this should be highly presentable and well organised. It may be useful to arrange your work into themes, styles or chronological order. This will demonstrate good organisational skills and your own artistic awareness.

It should exhibit your creative journey, thinking processes and individual personality, so we can assess your potential. It’s also important to show both your inspirations and aspirations, as your portfolio should say a lot about you and your creative identity, as well as the course you’re applying to.

Documenting the development of your ideas in a sketchbook is a great way to show us how you approached the task of creating your work, allowing us to gain insight into your creative thought processes and approach to your subject, and demonstrating a clear rationale.

Make sure your portfolio is well presented. Remember, our tutors will only have a short amount of time to look through each portfolio, so you need to organise your work intelligently. Generally, we would recommend that you include between 10 and 25 pieces of work in your portfolio, neatly mounted on white or off-white paper in either landscape or portrait format (not a mixture of both). Put some of your most attention-grabbing and interesting work at the front and lead the viewer through your journey by exhibiting pieces of work that showcase a variety of skills, materials, techniques and influences – this might include paintings, drawings, photography, digital pieces, storyboards, animation images or written work. If you include moving image work, we would recommend a maximum of two minutes’ running time. Highlight your favourite pieces too, and indicate what or who inspires you.

Find out more–

The course pages at uca.ac.uk provide clear guidance on what we’d like to see in your portfolio for each of our courses.We’ve also put together a set of videos talking you through the process:

uca.ac.uk/study/portfolio-advicePortfolio advice

Alex Porteous–BA (Hons) Computer Games ArtsUCA Farnham

14 15

Graduate profile

I was recommended the Animation course at UCA Farnham by my foundation tutor and I also based my choice on the ‘feel’ and prospect I got from the course – the tutors here seemed so switched on and connected to the industry that it got me excited about a future in animation.

Animation first became an ambition of mine as a result of my maths teacher in secondary school. He found my ‘doodle pages’ in my maths book, full of characters and stick men running through assault courses and asked me whether I’d ever considered going into animation. It wasn’t until then that a career in it had ever occurred to me. I love my subject because I can do anything with it. In animation, elephants fly, lions can talk and turtles can be six feet tall and red, there’s no end to the creatures you can create.

I love how closely the students and tutors work together – we get loads of face time with them, going through ideas on a weekly basis. As the majority of them are working practitioners, they genuinely know their stuff and you never feel like you’re learning

Emily Langdon-Smith–BA (Hons) Animation UCA Farnham

images: Dan Corbett Emily Langdon-Smith & Grace Evetts–BA (Hons) Animation UCA Farnham

something that’s not up-to-date. They’re also just lovely to work with. ‘With’ being the key word, I always feel like I’m working ‘with’ them all to come to the best version of my work, not under or against them. You’re never just a number.

My aim is to eventually specialise in character animation. I am open to both internships and freelance work but I don’t want to stop making independent films just yet, so am mainly looking for positions that will help me to further my skill base. Alongside this I have plans to collaborate on a couple of animated shorts with some other graduates. I would love the opportunity to come back to UCA and be part of the graduate/alumni teaching scheme to help with the first years. Despite the deadlines, the pressure, the stress and the expectations… I wish the course didn’t have to end.

16 17

Megan Yaxley–BA (Hons) AnimationUCA Farnham

Martina Latini–BA (Hons) AnimationUCA Farnham

18 19

Course leaders

Andy Bossom–BA (Hons) Computer Games ArtsUCA Farnham

Course Leader for BA (Hons) Computer Games Arts, Andy Bossom, has been an educator in higher education for over a decade. In 2016 at the University for the Creative Arts (Farnham campus) he set up the CGA Incubator Studio – a pre-revenue enterprise initiative set up to support emergent indie games developers’ delivery of IP to market.

As course leader, lecturer and mentor, Andy continues to build upon and forge new links with the games industry to improve the delivery of high quality, industry facing education. He has taught across subject areas such as Interactive Game Play Design, Computer Graphics and Animation, Character Animation, Visual Effects, Digital Narrative and Digital Culture.

He is a published author and currently writes about the games industry and design for Bloomsbury

Publishing and imprint Fairchild Books. He holds a Master’s degree in 3D Computer Animation and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art, and has an ongoing fine art practice.

Andy has a background of working in the creative digital industries spanning nearly 20 years, which includes the video games industry on console titles as a 3D character/cut scene animator, working on projects with global companies such as Warner Bros and DC Vertigo. He has also worked within the post-production industry as a compositor and in 3D product pre-visualisation.

Phil Gomm–BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts UCA Rochester

Phil has a first-class degree in Three Dimensional Design and a distinction in Masters of Arts in Design. As an active filmmaker, photographer, writer, designer and blogger, Phil’s varied and encompassing creative experience directly enriches his ability to guide and mentor students.

His films include ‘Be Amazing’ (2010) and ‘The Making of Medway’ (2010). This is in addition to ‘The Illustrations’ (2009), ‘The Fashion Show’ (2009) and ‘The Story So Far’ (2009) – three short films documenting the Gateway School of Fashion, winner of the Times Higher Education Excellence and Innovation in the Arts Award 2009.

Phil was responsible for devising and delivering three diverse animation-related outcomes under the ‘ACT – A Common Territory’ Interreg funded project: the animation

‘La Creation Du Monde’, screened at the Maison de la Culture, Amiens, France; the Requiem Seven sculptures, exhibited at the Royal Opera House’s High House Production Park, Purfleet; and kinetic props and scenery for Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, as performed at Cirque Jules Verne, Amiens, Théâtre Impérial, Compiègne and Comberton Village College, Cambridge.

Phil is currently producing a new series of animated content as part of ‘ONE is More’, a second cycle of Interreg funded projects, including an animated version of Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra, to be screened live at various European performances of Britten’s classical work from September 2017 onwards.

His most recent exhibition was Semblance (2016) in Whitstable, which continues his fascination with long-exposure photography and early computer-generated imagery.

Lesley Adams–BA (Hons) AnimationUCA Farnham

Lesley leads our BA (Hons) Animation course at UCA Farnham and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She has a first-class (Hons) Graphic Design degree, and worked commercially within the industry as a designer and animator before graduating with her Master’s degree in Animation from the Royal College of Art in 1991.

Lesley has co-directed several Arts Council funded films and events, including the award-winning Channel 4 and Arts Council England funded film, ‘Postcards of Belief’. She has also curated animation screenings at Bradford International Animation Festival, National Film Theatre in London, Cardiff International Animation Festival, the Lightbox in Woking and the Black Film Makers Festival in London.

She is an External Examiner at the University of South Wales and the University of Bolton; has acted as an Industry Advisor for the National Film & Television School (NFTS) on the Directing Animation course; and has been an External Examiner at Staffordshire University and the University of Sussex. She is a member of the Higher Education Academy, National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image (NAHEMI) and Animation Alliance UK.

JJ Brophy–BA (Hons) Creative Coding & TechnologyUCA Canterbury

JJ Brophy is a digital media academic and technologist. A graduate of the University of Huddersfield, JJ completed his undergraduate degree in Virtual Reality Design in 2003, followed by his MA in 3D Digital Design in 2004, for which he received a distinction, as well as the COEDD (Centre of Excellence in Digital Design) Technology Award. In 2006 he co-founded Alchemation Studios, a multi-disciplinary media arts and digital design practice based in the South East of England.

JJ holds both a PGCE and HEA fellowship, and has over 12 years of teaching experience in higher education. As course leader for BA (Hons) Creative Coding and Technology at UCA and founder of the CSA Digital Futures Lab, JJ’s research and teaching interests include interaction design, coding, LIDAR scanning and digital fabrication, specifically how these technologies affect the way we design and perceive our environments.

Hugh Harwood–BA (Hons) Illustration and Animation, and BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Visual CommunicationsUCA Canterbury

Hugh Harwood leads our BA (Hons) Illustration and Animation, and BA (Hons) Graphic Design: Visual Communications courses at UCA Canterbury. Hugh is a lens-based artist, preoccupied with the landscape and issues of place. Much of his individual practice is focused upon issues of history and time, cycle and change within the environment.

He’s also developed many socially engaged, collaborative art projects with a diverse range of people – particularly within a health context – that explore, through various media, issues of memory and identity.

20 21

Charlie Serafini –BA (Hons) Computer Animation ArtsUCA Farnham

22 23

Wecreate

spaceCanterbury –

UCA Canterbury provides purpose-built studios, workshops and lecture theatres for nearly 1,000 students studying fine art, graphics, illustration and animation, architecture and interiors. We promote a culture of creativity across all our courses.

Graphics, coding and illustration facilities include:

– Access to a dedicated studio space equipped with both Macs and PCs, programmed with the latest industry-standard, specialist software

– Fully-equipped photographic studios with darkrooms, digital processing and printing facilities

– Specialist processing equipment– Creative coding studios.

Rochester–

As well as specialist studios, equipment and software, UCA Rochester boasts a wide range of industry-standard facilities, including state-of-the-art fashion technology.

Computer animation resources include:

– Industry-standard software including Autodesk Maya, MatchMover, Unity After Effects and Adobe Creative Suite

– Equipped with specialist computers – Studios and access to other campus

computer facilities.

Please note, access to each campus and its resources can sometimes depend on the campus you choose to study at (for example, if you study at one campus, you may be using the facilities at that campus but not always at others – this depends on your course).

Farnham–

UCA Farnham has extensive purpose-built facilities for over 2,000 students studying creative arts subject areas including film, animation, graphics, illustration, fine art, photography, textiles, journalism and advertising. Film and animation resources include:

– An animation studio with Mac workstations, light boxes, line testers and high-speed batch scanners

– Dedicated studios for set building, lighting, costume and prop-making

– Industry-standard video production equipment, editing software, sound editing software, digital media software and CGI software

– Dedicated Computer Games and Technology studios.

Computer Games Arts studiosUCA Farnham

24 25

Graduate profile

Altea Claveras– BA (Hons) Animation Farnham, 2017

I like the idea of being at a smaller university where everyone is studying creative subjects, as it allows for collaboration between people and a much closer-knit community. The facilities are good, with it being a smaller university I was a little worried about feeling cramped in the studio, but whenever I needed space to work I always found it.

My proudest accomplishment is that I’ve screened my films at festivals all over the world. I was amazed that so many people were interested in something I had made and how easy it is to get your work out there.

I chose UCA as I was really impressed with the industry links and the visiting lecturers that come to give talks. I liked the idea that the course is not totally CG and games orientated; I come from a fine art background and really wanted to be on a course that allowed me to still feel like I was making art!

One of my favourite parts of the course is the pitch – at the beginning of each project you present your ideas and convince a room full of people that you know what you’re talking about and get them excited about your project. It’s a great opportunity to see everyone’s ideas, and a huge test of how well you know your own. They’re probably the most gruelling and stressful days of the year, but the most rewarding. I really can’t fault the staff. They’ve worked out a balance where they can be there to give you a helping hand if you need it, but for the most part as long as you’ve pitched your idea right, they give you total freedom when it comes to the content, style and approach of your film. The visiting lecturers that they bring in are really inspiring, and to be able to get feedback on your work with people working in the industry is amazing!

Next steps

Contact us –

If you’ve got any queries regarding the admissions process or your application, please contact the relevant admissions team:

UK/EU admissions:T: +44 (0)1252 892 960E: admissions@uca.ac.uk

International admissions:T: +44 (0)1252 892 785E: internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk

Connect with us –

@UniCreativeArts facebook.com/ucreativearts @unicreativearts @unicreativearts youtube.com/unicreativearts

unicreativearts.tumblr.com

blog.uca.ac.uksocial.uca.ac.uk

#WeCreate

Disclaimer –

The information in this brochure is believed to be correct at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to introduce changes to the information given including the addition, withdrawal, relocation or restructuring of any programmes. The information in this brochure is subject to change and does not form part of any contract between UCA and the student and his/her sponsor.

For up-to-date and more detailed information on any of our courses and studying at UCA, please go to:uca.ac.uk

How to apply –

The course you choose determines how you apply – this could be through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) or directly to UCA.

uca.ac.uk/study/how-to-applyucas.com/apply

26uca.ac.uk